Why is airplay unsupported for my mid 2010 macbook pro?

AirPlay Mirroring requires a second-generation Apple TV or later, and is supported on the following Mac models: iMac (Mid 2011 or newer), Mac mini (Mid 2011 or newer), MacBook Air (Mid 2011 or newer), and MacBook Pro (Early 2011 or newer).

Apple TV (2nd and 3rd gen)- How to use AirPlay Mirroring

How to set up and configure AirPort Express for AirPlay and iTunes

Troubleshooting AirPlay and AirPlay Mirroring

Using AirPlay

Kappy Thanks for Copying the Fine Print off apples website, while not answering his question.

Jaymo19- I just bought 10.8 with the sole intent of using airplay mirroring, Only to then realize my mistake. I was about to deal with all the bs that came from lion, The Gestures and the mission failure. I downgraded from lion for these reasons.

As for the actualy reason why apple feels out laptops are this outdated is really irrating. Apparently 2 years is the new lifespan of a computer. This does not seem like a hardware limitation, but rather a choice by apple to classifiy 2 years as classics.

Thank you apple, I have requested my 2nd refund in two years. Lion and mountain lion. Now you better pray that I can go back to snow leopard.

This will be my last apple laptop, I have HAD enough.

You took my control, you offer features then restrict for no hardware reasons.

Long time apple user 15+ years.

As for the actualy reason why apple feels out laptops are this outdated is really irrating. Apparently 2 years is the new lifespan of a computer. This does not seem like a hardware limitation, but rather a choice by apple to classifiy 2 years as classics.

Um, I don't remember—so please correct me if I'm wrong—any OS release in the past 15 years that didn't preclude two year-old computers from taking advantage of one or two new features. In the present OS, there are something like 200 new features, 198 of which I am able to take advantage of using my perfectly good Mid-2009 MBP. That I can't use Power Nap or AirPlay mirroring is not much of an issue to me. Never even occurred to me to be irritated about it.

This will be my last apple laptop, I have HAD enough.

...

Long time apple user 15+ years.

So, what are you going to move to? Maybe an UltraBook? 😁

DanAnderson wrote:

Kappy Thanks for Copying the Fine Print off apples website, while not answering his question.

Okay Dan.. Please tell me...how on Earth do you expect anyone here to answer his question? Since we don't work for Apple, which means nobody here is on their engineering team, nobody here would know the reason. Did you ever think of that?

you offer features then restrict for no hardware reasons.

How do you know there's no reasons?

I'm going to guess that 'older' systems can't use AirPlay Mirroring because the display cards in those systems don't support HDMI over Wifi, which is basically what AirPlay Mirroring actually is. And that WOULD be a hardware issue.

stevenfrombrownsburg wrote:

And that WOULD be a hardware issue.

That's not a hardware issue. It was by design, at the time it was made. It works the same as it ever did, therefore it's not broken, and there's no issue.

So, DanAnderson, found this for you Mountain Lion AirPlay mirroring v. AirParrot: fight! | Ars Technica It states that how apple integrated airplay mirroring by using technology that is ONLY in intel's sandy and ivy bridge integrated grahpics chips. It is a good read.

And please remember to use tact, Kappy is one of the most helpful veteran members of this forum and should you need advice one day you may want his help. I know that Kappy would be a big enough person to help you even if you acted like a tactless jerk.

You may not have the Intel chip set for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video

Previous versions of AirPlay simply streamed media to your TV via AppleTV (iPad, iPhone, Mac, etc bascially operated as a media server that streamed the media in whatever the contents' native resolution was). This used very little bandwidth between devices

AirPlay Mirroring is actually using your HDTV as a 1080p (1920x1080) monitor, which previously required a direct cable (HDMI/DVI or sVGA, etc) between the computer and the monitor. HDMI over Wifi is a relatively new method of delivering multimedia content to an HDTV. It's only been publicly available for about a year.

It is NOT the same as its always been, and it is, in fact, a hardware issue with older Macs and AppleTVs. Older Macs simply do not have the correct hardware to take advantage of AirPlay Mirroring.

I just found the same arstechnica article, and came back to correct my post. I didn't intend on ranting, I chose the wrong outlet. So my fault for assuming that it was an apple imposed limitation. Thank you for the information.

So now that I know that its a hardware limitation its not as upsetting. I still feel that some of the software based elements could have been included. But an apple forum doesnt seem to be the place. Just sick of using the dongles to hoop up to my hdtv. Which dont seem to play well together. So.. I will take my leave before i get flamed again.

I learned something from this post too, and I understand why you were upset. I didn't realize airplay won't work with my 2010 mbp neither, when moutain lion first came out. But I was doubtful that there might be compatibility issue. So I went to check airplay mirroring on apple.com and found a tiny grey end note "1" which leads to a compatility list at the bottom of the page... That's how I knew it. But I can imagine that, only by watching their keynote or ads, it would be almost impossible for most people to figure that out, no metion to the reason behind it.

However, it is not like Apple is not honest neither. They just don't want to make everything too obvious.

The REAL reason why Apple droppped AirPlay mirroring isnt Apple's fault, its Intel's. The integrated graphics chips that support hdmi wifi streaming are only included in Sandy Bridge processors. Hence the only 2011 or newer thing. I have a 2010 Macbiook Pro that i love. I have and apple tv but i dont usually need ot airplay mirror. If i do need to i have an adapter and a vga cable for my tv.

Use AirServer. Third party application that will do some of the functions. http://www.airserver.com/

You guys can download AirParrot from AirParrot.com

The reason Apple didn't enable Airplay on older macs is that Apple's Airplay implementation uses Intel Quick Sync video encoding technology that is included in newer intel processors and not available in older Macs. AirParrot gets around this by doing the video encoding in software which is a bigger hit on the processor performance while in use. Apple did not write or include any software encoders, AirParrot did.

I appreciate this post and all the answers.

Seems like Airparrot is the only way to go for older then 2011 macbooks 🙂

Thanks for sharing everyone even if it's not what we want to hear.