Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Can you mirror a Mac Mini to an AppleTV 3 when the mac mini is not connected to a display?

Hello, I have an AppleTV 3 connected to my television and a late 2012 Mac Mini that is not connected to a display/monitor/tv, but I use it as my iTunes server to stream media to the appletv . However, I was hoping I could mirror the Mac Mini to the AppleTV in order to see Safari and regular Hulu on the television, but when I try, the picture is scrambled and crashes the mac mini. I turn on airplay mirroring using the Rowmote application on my iphone since I cannot see what the mac mini is displaying.


Additionally, I tried connecting the mac mini to a 2nd hdmi port in the television, while the appletv is connected to the 1st hdmi port, but the image was also scrambled with mirroring turned on. My television also has a VGA port that can connect to the Mac Mini, but I figure the same problem will occur and have not bought the DVI to VGA cords.


Is there a way to mirror a mac mini to an appletv without the mac mini connected to a separate display and if so, what am I doing wrong?


Thank you for the responses, I appreciate any help.

Apple TV, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Jan 7, 2013 1:37 PM

Reply
11 replies

Jan 7, 2013 2:50 PM in response to JDiggity277787

Welcome to the Apple Community.

AirPlay Mirroring requires a second-generation Apple TV or later, OS X 10.8 or better 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).


On the basis of the specifications you have given for your set up, mirroring should work.

Jan 7, 2013 3:42 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks for the response, I know a late 2012 mac mini has the ability to mirror to an appletv, but I want to know if it can mirror without being connected to a display. It is only connected to the network via ethernet without a monitor/television connected to it and it is not mirroring to the appletv, which is connected to a television. Thank you.

Jan 31, 2013 9:31 AM in response to JDiggity277787

I don't think the question has been answered yet... I am experiencing the same thing @JDiggity277787 is experiencing. Here are the sequence of steps to reproduce:


  • connect cinema display to mac mini
  • start up mac mini
  • choose the appletv name in the airplay menu to mirror display

    appletv properly displays what's on the cinema display

  • unplug the cinema display from the mac mini

    appletv image is scrambled


The goal here is to use an appletv as the monitor for the mac mini without needing to have a separate monitor/display attached to the mac mini itself.


It sounds like this just might not be possible since the appletv is "mirroring" what's on a connected monitor. Is this a correct assumption?

Aug 6, 2013 12:39 AM in response to JDiggity277787

I think I understand the orginal question as I think I'm in the same boat. I have a late model mac min running 10.8.4 with Apple TV 3, current iOS. No screen is plugged into the mac mini at all (is a server). Using ARD (Apple Remote Desktop) I access the Mac Mini and switch on Airplay Mirroring. All I get on the TV is garbled and scrambled images. Out of curiosity, I plugged a monitor into the Mac Mini and then switched on Airplay mirroring - works perfect.


So it seems you must have a screen plugged into the mac in order for airplay mirroring to work. That point should be clearly shown somewhere.

Can you mirror a Mac Mini to an AppleTV 3 when the mac mini is not connected to a display?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.