With both an nVidia Shield, an Asus VivoTab Smart (running 8.1), a couple of Android tablets, and my Macbook Pro in residence in my house I wanted to find a way of streaming a complete 'desktop' to the TV (an older 50" Plasma).
My first thought was Miracast. So down to the shops I trotted and came home with a Netgear Push2TV.
I could go through all the ups and downs I took with this, but nutshell version: other than the Shiled - it just doesnt work.
The nVidia Shield 'just worked' but was too laggy to play games (what else would you use a shield for?)
My Asus VivoTab found the Netgear but just kept dropping just as it was about to connect
The Samsung Note 8.0 again found it; but kept giving HDCP Auth errors because Samsung have decided to cripple its Allshare Cast so it wont work 'thru' another device (eg: Amp > TV)
The Samsung Tab2 10.1 seems to have Allshare Cast removed altogether even tho 4.2.2 should support it
And my Macbook Pro - I'd given up by this point....
However in my trials I did spot an app call AirParrot (free trial, $10 after). So this morning on the way to work I picked up an Apple TV (Gen 3).
Plugged into the TV, connected it to the Uni's Wifi, updated it, yadda yadda yadda...
But with our locked down WiFi, it was never going to work. So I pulled out an old DLink AP and configured a quick network (no internet access) and connected the ATV and the VivoTab to it (after downloading and installing AirParrot).
AirParrot - AirPlay your Mac or PC's screen to Apple TV
With AirParrot working; the VivoTab instantly found the ATV and 'just worked'. It was a bit laggy, but I mostly put this down to the AP being a pretty old/slow one.
I then directly (ethernet) hooked up my Macbook and it too 'just worked' (although thats not a surprise).
There also seems to be a few Android apps available to spit media out to the ATV, but I ran out of time to test that - but will soon and report back.
The only WP app I've found is Nokia's PlayTo; however it looks like it doesnt support ATV
More to follow.
- Lurch
My first thought was Miracast. So down to the shops I trotted and came home with a Netgear Push2TV.
I could go through all the ups and downs I took with this, but nutshell version: other than the Shiled - it just doesnt work.
The nVidia Shield 'just worked' but was too laggy to play games (what else would you use a shield for?)
My Asus VivoTab found the Netgear but just kept dropping just as it was about to connect
The Samsung Note 8.0 again found it; but kept giving HDCP Auth errors because Samsung have decided to cripple its Allshare Cast so it wont work 'thru' another device (eg: Amp > TV)
The Samsung Tab2 10.1 seems to have Allshare Cast removed altogether even tho 4.2.2 should support it
And my Macbook Pro - I'd given up by this point....
However in my trials I did spot an app call AirParrot (free trial, $10 after). So this morning on the way to work I picked up an Apple TV (Gen 3).
Plugged into the TV, connected it to the Uni's Wifi, updated it, yadda yadda yadda...
But with our locked down WiFi, it was never going to work. So I pulled out an old DLink AP and configured a quick network (no internet access) and connected the ATV and the VivoTab to it (after downloading and installing AirParrot).
AirParrot - AirPlay your Mac or PC's screen to Apple TV
With AirParrot working; the VivoTab instantly found the ATV and 'just worked'. It was a bit laggy, but I mostly put this down to the AP being a pretty old/slow one.
I then directly (ethernet) hooked up my Macbook and it too 'just worked' (although thats not a surprise).
There also seems to be a few Android apps available to spit media out to the ATV, but I ran out of time to test that - but will soon and report back.
The only WP app I've found is Nokia's PlayTo; however it looks like it doesnt support ATV
More to follow.
- Lurch