Apple TV Features in Detail

If you haven’t read my earlier post on How to Use Apple TV in India, you must first read that & later proceed to this post.

In this post I’ll try to cover Apple TV features in details with screenshot images.

As given in my earlier post, Apple TV works only on Internet through wireless or ethernet cable, you need to sign in to your iTunes account to start using. If you wish you can sign into different account later on. Depending on bandwidth availability you need to set the video resolution, if you have 2 Mbps above line, you must set it to 1080p. In case if you don’t have good bandwidth you can reduce this resolution to start the videos with faster performance. You can also change the location anytime you wish to see content from other countries.

Following is the list of applications you see when you connect Apple TV to USA store. So far there is no such restriction on changing the stores.

1. How to watch YouTube Video on AppleTV?

When you select the YouTube Application from menu, you are presented with box to type the search term. Words can be typed by taking the cursor on each box and pressing the center button. As you are typing the YouTube suggestions start appearing.

When you press the right arrow in search results, left side keyboard converts into the video info panel where you can see the video poster, description, duration & number of people viewed that video.

Selecting the video immediately starts the video from YouTube Service.

2. How to Play Podcast on Apple TV ?

Selecting the podcast menu option from Apple TV brings these Top Podcast.

Once you have found the podcast that like and would like to regularly listen or watch you can also add these to your Favorites.

3. Wall Street Journal  – WSJ Live TV

Wall Street Journal Live TV works as per US time. But there are also archived videos available for viewing at any time.

If you play video on WSJ Live, it almost plays like a high definition channel. WSJ Live is available for FREE on Apple TV.

4. Playing Internet Streaming Radio Station on Apple TV

Selecting Radio menu option shows different categories to choose from as given below:

While Radio station is being played the display appears like this where track details are also shown.

5. Flickr Photo Search

You can use the screen keyboard to type the string you wish to search for images. If you know the flickr handle, you can also search that.

Typing with screen keyboard and Apple TV remote can be difficult. If you have Apple iPhone/iPad, you can use Mobile device keyboard to type faster as given in following screenshot. You need to install Apple TV Remote App to connect iPhone as remote to Apple TV. Remote App is available for Free from Apple store.

Results of Flickr Photo Search. You can also show these in fancy slideshow format.

6. Restrict access of Apple TV with Parental Controls

Apple TV gives direct connectivity of your Drawing Room display to Internet. Now Internet can bring anything, specially when children are browsing through Photos, Videos, Podcast, Trailers. You can set a passcode and define which application will require that passcode for playing content on your Television.

Passcode is four digit numeric input set for parental restricted content.

7. Setting up AirPlay to stream from iPhone/iPad/Mac

Secure your AirPlay with password.

Once you have enabled the AirPlay feature on Apple TV you should see AirPlay button in your iPhone/iPad. In the following screenshot you can see AirPlay butt

Clicking the AirPlay button brings the menu to choose Apple TV for sending image view to Television. Once you enter the password to AppleTV your images will start appearing on bigger screen Television.

While the AirPlay session is active you will see AirPlay button turn into blue color. Now as you shuffle through the images on your phone same will appear on your Television.

Some of the application may not support AirPlay feature. For those you can use AirPlay Mirroring Feature. Once Apple TV is on, you can turn on the entire phone mirroring by pressing home button twice and swiping bottom bar from left to right two times. This will show you Screen like below.

Touching the AirPlay button will present you option to mirror the entire iPhone/iPad screen to Television.