AirPlay Express (Base Station v6.3) vs. Apple TV3

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Level 1

12 points

AirPlay Express (Base Station v6.3) vs. Apple TV3

My old AirPlay Express WiFi connections have gotten slow. SpeedTest.net is currently showing downloads at 3 to 6 Mbps compared to 15 to 20 Mbps. Wired connections continue to show 20 to 30+ Mbps. My service is 30 down and 5 up. The frequency with which the AirPort Express decides to disconnect everybody and refuse new connections has increased to around once every two or three days. my primary uses of my old AirPort Express is connecting my iPad and iPhone to the Internet and streaming my iTunes library of digitized LPs and retail CDs via Ethernet to my A/V Receiver. It is set up as a wireless access point, not as a router.

Been researching lots of hardware and software while watching THE tournament and vision is blurry and brain fuzzy' so please forgive stupid questions.

Does Apple TV3 have an optical audio port? From what I've read, I'm almost convinced that it does not. If not, does it support Dolby 5.1 and/or Dobly 7.2 through HTML?

Can an Apple TV3 handle the Internet surfing and iTunes streaming that I currently do with my old AirPort Express? Don't currently stream any type of video but want 1080p which I believe requires Apple TV3. For the Internet, would initially want to use the Apple TV3 as an access point.

TIA

Any other pointers would be welcome.

AirPort Express-OTHER, Base Station V6.3

Posted on Mar 27, 2015 9:00 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LaPastenague

Level 9

67,208 points

Mar 27, 2015 11:01 PM in response to Wild Is Me

The main specs of the apple TV are here.

It does have optical audio out.

It does dolby 5.1.

It should be able to output audio via the hdmi (html is markup language for webpages but I get the point).

However the Apple TV is not a wireless Access Point.. you do need the express for that.

What generation is your express.. the first N wireless gen1 or the later gen2??

Your base station v6.3 is the airport utility version and not related to the express in any way..

However if you post a screenshot from the airport utility with the airport highlighted so the summary page appears we can perhaps help you.

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Answer 2

Wild Is Me Author

Level 1

12 points

Mar 28, 2015 12:38 PM in response to LaPastenague

Thanks for the reply. My typing HTML was probably a brain **** or unnoticed auto-correct.

You have confirmed my suspicions that Apple is very careful not to let their products cannibalize each other. Since I have several devices laying around, looks like I could use one of them and use an Apple TV3 to stream music from iTunes an optical audio connection to the receiver and pick up all the TV features of the Apple TV3.

Of course, the other option is to just get a new AirPort Express.

Had to laugh at your question about gen1 or gen2 wireless. Mine must be gen-2 or so as it only suppots b and/or g speeds.

BTW, Base Station v6.3 has very much to do with my AirPort Express - it is the version of the device's firmware and merely displayed by the utility.

Thanks again for helping me see my options (and have a good laugh).

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Answer 3

Wild Is Me Author

Level 1

12 points

Mar 28, 2015 12:40 PM in response to Wild Is Me

Egad! My post has been censored - over a Flatulance-related word

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Answer 4

Mar 28, 2015 3:00 PM in response to Wild Is Me

Wild Is Me wrote:

Egad! My post has been censored - over a Flatulance-related word

As an Australian I had to learn a new language to post here.. otherwise it would become something that looks more like morse code.

... it.. fred.. help....

And as far as brain smelly output is concerned I see I managed to leave out what I was trying to give you.

Apple TV (3rd generation) - Technical Specifications

BTW, Base Station v6.3 has very much to do with my AirPort Express - it is the version of the device's firmware and merely displayed by the utility.

OK>. got it..

I did assume you were using an N wireless units..

They now use v7 firmware.. but it just so happens the airport utility version is 6.3 and a lot of people confuse things. So thank you for my correction.

The world as they say has moved on.. and apple no longer even support the G wireless express or extreme.. although they work perfectly fine for airplay and in fact are sometimes considered superior sound wise to the later ones.

Apple's strict marketing and attempts to make you play by their rules has created issues. iTunes in particular has become complicated and yet also restrictive.. the protection of copyright takes precedence over good sense. And not having a proper server version makes life difficult.

I wish you all the best in getting the max life out of your collection.

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