Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
•
AirPlay speakers:
Since your Apple TV can output sound over AirPlay, you
can use a wireless speaker that acts as an AirPlay receiver. Many cost less than
$200, and they can also work with a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The
downside is that you can't use an AirPlay speaker for the TV's audio itself, or
anythingelseconnectedtotheTV.Also,controllingAirPlayvolumeontheApple
TV is clunky. (See
AirPlay from an Apple TV
for setup help.)
•
AirPort Express and speakers:
The $99 Apple
AirPort Express
isn't just a
router—it's also an AirPlay receiver. It can receive audio wirelessly via AirPlay
and then route it to wired speakers. The 3.5mm audio minijack output port
(headphone jack, inplain English) canoutputanalog audio oroptical audio, de-
pending on which type of cable you connect. For example, you can make an op-
tical audio connection with PTC's
TOSLINK to Mini-TOSLINK cable
.
Which one to choose? Only you can decide, but I will share my setup. I connect my Apple
TV's video directly to my television with HDMI, but I connect the Apple TV's audio to a
Sony home-theater receiver via an optical audio cable (the receiver is old, so it doesn't ac-
ceptHDMIinput).Attachedtothereceiverisasetofold2.1(twospeakersplusasubwoofer)
Sony speakers that originally came with a home stereo. The speakers are actually from a 5.1
(five speakers plus a subwoofer) surround-sound set, but I don't have the extra three speak-
ers connected for a few reasons. First, I hate having wires strewn across my living room. Se-
cond, some movies still don't support 5.1 correctly, which is annoying. Third, music sounds
terrible over 5.1, and I hate having to switch between the two. For me, 2.1 sounds great and
comes with fewer headaches.
The advantage of my setup is that since audio and video are separate, I don't have to turn
on the TV to hear audio. Remember, the Apple TV wakes up when it receives an AirPlay sig-
nal. So, I can pull a song up on my iPhone, in any audio app, and send it via AirPlay to my
big speakers in the living room. When I do this, my song travels wirelessly via AirPlay to my
AppleTV.TheAppleTVroutesitthroughtheopticalaudioporttoacablethattransmitsthe
tunetomySonyhome-theaterreceiverandthenblaststhesoundoutofmyspeakers,waking
everyone in the house.
If my old receiver ever bites the dust, I happen to have an AirPort Express next to my TV, so
I can plug a set of speakers into that and set up the AirPort Express as an AirPlay receiver.
The Music App
TheMusicappontheAppleTVservesasyourportaltoiTunesmusic—yourpriorpurchases,
your iTunes Match library, and music you can purchase from the iTunes Store.
