Mirroring my iMac screen onto my HDTV using Apple TV

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Mirroring my iMac screen onto my HDTV using Apple TV

In July, 2014, I purchased a new 8 GB iMac with the latest Maverick OS along with the latest-up-to-datest 3rd generation Apple TV; the latest software updates were loaded into each device. The main reason for my purchase of Apple TV was, if I was surfing the Internet on my iMac and came across an interesting video clip or a You Tube clip, and I wanted to watch that clip on my HDTV with the click of a couple buttons, I could. In essence, I wanted to allow the big screen HDTV to become a larger monitor for my iMac using the Apple TV. Was I correct in assuming this could be accomplished? Obviously, Apple TV has other good stuff I'll use, but I did want the ability to have my HDTV screen serve as a monitor for the iMac if I wanted to.

I was able to connect the Apple TV, via an HDMI cable, to my HDTV and easily connected the Apple TV to the wireless WiFi we have here in the house, the same WiFi network to which the HDTV and iMac are connected. In the Apple TV settings, I was able to access the AirPlay and, to the best of my knowledge, have input all of the proper settings, including turning on the Conference Room (in another settings area, I tried to sync my wireless Bluetooth Apple keyboard to the Apple TV, but it kept searching for over two minutes and never did discover the keyboard. So what's the trouble there?). I get the little white-letter-on-black-background box informing me that I am hooked up to the proper network with the Apple TV and that I will be able to mirror what's on my iMac screen to the HDTV screen. GREAT! I also have the mirroring icon in the Menulet area on the right side of my menu bar and it even turns blue when I activate it to mirror my Safari screen.

Unfortunately, these actions do not turn my HDTV screen into a monitor for my iMac. All I get, after waiting about a full minute, is a picture, on the HDTV screen, of my iMac screen at the moment I activated mirroring - even the cursor is shown, exactly where it was when I activated the mirroring procedure. I have yet to try mirroring a streaming video playing on the Internet - Lord knows what I'll see.

So what am I doing wrong? Am I incorrect in assuming this so-called mirroring would turn my HDTV screen into a over-sized monitor for my iMac? That was the main reason I bought the Apple TV in the first place - I can get all those apps from my local cable guys. Or is this a bad case of caveat emptor?

Apple TV, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Aug 29, 2014 8:24 PM

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Answer 1

Rudegar

Level 10

170,754 points

Aug 30, 2014 3:50 AM in response to swittwer

first take the network stability out of the equation connect both computer and Apple TV to the router by ethernet cable

to see if it works then

another thing to check up on is if the required ports are not blocked by the computers firewall or the router

Well known TCP and UDP ports used by Apple software products

and of cause if you're using some obscure third party firewall or virus scanner that you used to use on windows and naturally believed you would still require on mac then remove it

and if you have not read this then check up on if there are things which you did not know before

About AirPlay Mirroring in OS X

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Answer 2

devoniuk

Level 1

0 points

Aug 30, 2014 9:19 AM in response to swittwer

After reading your question, I got interested in whether I could do this as well! I didn't know it was possible, so got involved with trying to make it work. After going through everything as you and the various support menus suggested, I learned that my MacBook Air is a generation too old 😟. I was able to successfully connect my iPad2 and iPhone 5 using mirroring -- it is really cool with those devices, but even cooler, I'm sure, from a laptop. Your message indicates that you have a very new machine, so the problem I had with mirroring shouldn't apply to you. I read through Rudegar's suggestions and clicked on About AirPlay Mirroring in OS X.There are parts of this that I think might apply to your situation (i.e. the part about the AppleTV maybe being asleep or needing to be updated. The updates are somewhat frequent, and there has been at least one since July 2014. Good luck and please report back if you figure it out!

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Answer 3

swittwer Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 30, 2014 4:21 PM in response to Rudegar

I like the idea of getting my new HDTV and the Apple TV off the WiFi network - both of those devices are literally right next to my router and could easily be connected via short Ethernet cables. I have not added any firewalls, but I'll check the TCP and UDP ports that Apple uses. I have installed on my iMac the ESET Cyber Security, recommended to me by the sales rep at Micro Cente . It seems to be operating fine and has detected no threats or any other bad stuff so far. I'll also read up on AirPlay mirroring in OS X.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

swittwer

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