Can AppleTV stream _to_ an airport express

Didn't think that was possible, Drew, stream to aTV and/or designate it as an iTunes remote speaker, yes, stream only from the aTV to an Airport Express, I've never tried that...gave my Express away before getting the aTV...but I thought the answer was no.

Here's what Apple says, though:


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3291

If you have a single instance of iTunes running on a Mac, you can stream simultaneously to multiple locations--so you can select both your aTV and an Airport Express and send the same audio to them--all controlled with an iPhone or touch if you like. You'll have to experiment to see if that KB article is indeed correctly worded.

well, I actually felt I wasn't being clear, since I have doubts about the wording in that KB article (and worry about the typos.) We knew for sure that with upgraded software an aTV can function as a remote speaker destination just like an Airport Express...what we still need is for someone with an aTV and an Airport Express to confirm that it's possible to:

1) initiate streaming from an aTV, using only music stored on its internal hard drive,

2) sent to an Airport Express "remote speaker"

3) without an instance of iTunes running on a Mac.

maybe someone here already has, I just can't recall reading that...

Apple TV now supports airtunes. So I recently replaced my Mac mini located in the kitchen with an Apple TV and synced all my music to it. Now I use the AppleTV to stream to my Airport Express for music and for video over HDMI to the kitchen TV. No iTunes anywhere. It works very well.

BTW you can also stream internet radio, but you need to add the channels to your playlist in iTunes on the Mac that is used for syncing and they will then appear as playlists on the AppleTV.

very cool djstix;
thanks for reporting....

(we're getting ever closer...)

ken

So my plan is to have my Apple TV connected to my Dell via a hardwired Ethernet cable, the Apple TV connected to my Denon 3808, can I then access both my I-tunes library ( DRM and Non-drm as well as Internet radio stations? Does it work well and easy to set up?

I was think about the Sonos solution, but I would like to be able to control everything with my pronto TSU9400 remote, and not have to pay the extra I-tunes charge to stream DRM music.

I don't know how your network is setup, but as long as you have a router in the mix and the Apple TV can see your Dell and the internet you should be fine.
It is very easy to setup. You can connect the appleTV via optical out to your Denon receiver, it also has Component and HDMI in case you are switching those thru the receiver.
You can either sync your entire library with the aTV - which will copy over all media - or you can stream from iTunes on the Dell - or both.
The only caveat is that to see iTunes radio stations on the Apple TV you have to add them to a playlist in iTunes on the Dell.

I want to resurrect this thread cause I came across it today with the same question. Did anyone ever get the Apple TV setup to stream over to an airport express? Also can you control via the iphone remote app and see all metadata like when you stream via itunes to an airport express. I'm tired of having to have the mac up and running when i want to stream to AE via iTunes and thought this would be a good idea. Apple support told me no once and then i found the article and this tread and called back and then said yes. . .so a little worried. . .

jimi

djstix,

I was glad to see your post as I'm not sure how to set up the Apple TV to "see" the Airport Express without iTunes on a Mac somewhere in the chain.

Here is my set up:

Apple TV with aTV Flash hack
External 2TB USB Hard drive with AIF & ISO media
Airport Express

I want to stream audio (AIF files) from the ATV to the airport express (connected to my stereo) with NO iTunes or Mac in the chain.

From your post this looks to be what you are successfully doing, am I correct? Also, do I need to involve iTunes at least once to configure the Airport express so that the ATV can "see" it? If so, is it a set once and forget situation or do I not need iTunes or a Mac at all and the ATV will "see" the airport express.

I should add none of this is hooked up yet as all the pieces are on order and I should be setting up the whole rig in a week or so. Any help/clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much!

I did notice in the 'AirTunes' menu in my AppleTV that you can select other 'remote speakers' i.e. my Airport Express, so I'll need to try this out. I'm planning to setup my ApX as a print server, so I don't need the AirTunes for it.

I have two ATV's that sync with iTunes on my Mac. I have an Airport express outside by the pool which I control from my iPhone. Normally I stream from my Mac, but sometimes iTunes is closed or the library on the Mac is for one reason or another not available. When that happens, I can just switch to the music library on one of the ATV's and stream from there, just as if it were from an iTunes library. In fact you can have the ATV play music and stream the same music to various locations simultaneously. For example, My living room ATV can play on the Living room TV, stream to the family room ATV and stream to the back yard Airport Express -- all in sync. So, with just a few devices I have streaming music through out my house all controlled from my iPhone.

Sure you can.

Chek out this link:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4437?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

It says:

Stream content from:Apple TV
Requirement: Apple TV software version 5.1 or later.
Notes: Stream music from your Apple TV to another Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation), to an AirPort Express or compatible third-party device.

So you can mirror your IPad for example, on Apple TV, and then stream music form Apple TV to AirPort Express.