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When using airplay from mac to apple tv it lags/freezes, but works fine with iPhone

Ive recently bought a apple tv 3rd generation. Everything seems to be working fine with airplay from my iphone to apple tv, but when I try and use airplay from my mac book pro, it is extremely slow, and if I try and stream a movie or something its that terrible it is unwatchable and usually freezes then stops. How can I resolve this problem? is this a problem with the apple tv?

Posted on Aug 21, 2013 4:55 AM

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208 replies

Feb 4, 2014 5:26 PM in response to dr.fraij

Same problem here. One screenshot shows up every 2-3mins from mac but perfect on iPhone. It worked for me a few months ago and stopped working around the time I updated my mac to Mavericks. I called apple support and they weren't able to fix it. None of their suggestions worked so they sent me to a local apple store to the Genius Bar. It worked perfectly immediately when I tried it with them. I brought in both my Apple TV and mac. They offered to give me a new Apple TV just in case there was an issue. I took a new one, went home, and still same problem as before. Very annoying that still no fix for this!!!

Feb 6, 2014 5:24 PM in response to krissoundz

So what is the deal here? People come here, search out other people who have the same problem and they just keep posting asking the same question with no answer? I have the same problem, streaming Audio to AppleTV is unusable, just like everyone else here, running newest OS on everything, took my Old Apple TV in to Apple today and they gave me another one, come home and the same thing is happening. So what we are a Support group here and no resolution ever comes? Its 2014, I want to stream music from my Laptop or Iphone to my Apple TV 18' feet away.

Feb 14, 2014 6:57 PM in response to krissoundz

I think the main problem here is that the GPU on the laptop which isn't that powerful has to power to screens when mirroring where the iPad shuts off its own display and just let's you view on the TV.


It seems crazy to me why it doesn't work like this or at least make this an option, until they do these problems will persist. Works great on iPad it's just a pain in the *** transferring over to the iPad to stream kinda defeats the object.


Wish they'd sort this out as I love the Apple TV.

Feb 15, 2014 5:22 AM in response to Rookthecrook

I have to disagree with you on the GPU power as the Retina Macbooks have very powerful GPU's in them (mine has the Nvidia GeForce GT 650M). Also, on my iPad I can mirror the image no problem, which has an inferior GPU. Don't forget with Mavericks we can processes the image offscreen, which is how I use it.


While my earlier post said my lag went away, that isn't entirely true. It is much better, but every few minutes it definately freezes for a second or two and continues to work normally.

Feb 15, 2014 6:17 AM in response to psedog

They aren't that powerful in the mac book air but I take your point.


I just think they would stand a much better chance if it worked like it does on the iPad i.e close the main screen and just use all the GPU to display the picture on the Apple TV. Can't see why you'd even need the display on both screens anyway as the resolution can only match one of the screens so it's not optimal.


Even in the mac book pros the GPUs are optimised for gaming and are not pro level cards. Also consider that these are all laptop class components not desktop and they are never as powerful as their desktop counterparts as used in pcs.


When it worked perfectly on my iPad air I just assumed it was down to the mirroring and I'm still not convinced it isn't. It stands to reason that if the main laptop screen was blacked out during airplay it would stand a better chance.

Feb 15, 2014 10:52 AM in response to krissoundz

There was some ppl said direct connect to router or cable modem w/ ethernet cable solved this issue..

When i saw that, i was like..

'R u nut? We all can use airplay perfectly w/o any issue on ipad or iphone even when its on wireless.. What's the point? You ppl.. Think!!'


And a few days ago.. I got another desktop in the living room where apple tv is at..

Then i wanted use faster internet on my desktop..

(Im using fios 75/35 mbps)

So i got new router(not that fancy one.. Just regular wiress-n router..) and put it right next to the desktop..


Then suddenly i wanted to try what ppl said here..

So i connected apple TV to the router.....


I can never understand why it is..

But.. Now my apple TV is flying w/ my macbook pro retina 15' (2.6 i7, 16GB)..


Did macbook break up w/ apple tv wireless or what?

Im not a professional person here..

So is there any possibility this happens?


Even tho my issue has been solved..

Im tooooo curious..


When ipad and iphone are working fine w/ apple tv on wireless network..

Macbook only works well on direct connection to the router..

Feb 15, 2014 11:02 AM in response to Dr. JQ

My Apple TV has always been hard wired to my router and it still cannot accept streaming music, especially from iTunes from any of my devices or laptop without sputtering etc... making it unusable. I basically use it now to send music VIA Hold the Option key down and choosing the Apple TV from under the Volumne in the toolbar icon and use Spotify instead of iTunes (as itunes quits all the time) for the dogs to listen to while I am away as they dont seem to mind the music sputtering every few minutes. But they are very happy to see me on my return so perhaps they are trying to tell me to stop playing it too?

Feb 15, 2014 12:35 PM in response to krissoundz

Lots of people spending money on extra items to get this thing to work, remember when Apple products worked with other Apple products and that's why we bought them? Even paid More for them knowing they would do so and laughed at other companies who needed Drivers etc..? No I am not buying anything, ATT has come and swapped out routers 3 times now for me now, each time better model etc.. I was on the phone for 96 minutes with tech support the other day, he had me do everything, even open up the router and reconfigure some items in there etc... and it still doesnt work, I told him "so this is just garbage and I cannot return it because its too old so I am stuck?" and he said Yes. and that was that. I guess I should be happy that it's the least expensive Apple item I ever bought and takes up very little room.

Feb 15, 2014 12:47 PM in response to luxlamf

FWIW, changing my Uverse router from wide to narrow wireless channel (I think the interface calls it the "bandwidth" setting) was exactly the fix needed. One of the tech articles linked earlier in this thread led me to check my router settings, and this changed things from annoying but usable to very solid. The wide setting is apparently more susceptible to interference, though I don't pretend to understand the details.

When using airplay from mac to apple tv it lags/freezes, but works fine with iPhone

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