1. tvProximity

If you’re an app developer and work with beacons, then you will absolutely love this app. If you don’t know what a beacon is, well, beacons are basically a small Bluetooth emitter that makes it possible for you to track people’s phones and based on their location, send them real time updates. Beacons are actually used in a wide range of industries, mainly for the purpose of helping people find great deals on products and also use coupons. Once you install tvProximity, your TV will act as a beacon which you’ll find very useful for application testing.

2. Bitcoin Monitor

Those who trade Bitcoin need to have this app installed on their Apple TV right away. Thanks to Bitcoin Monitor, you can view the real time price of Bitcoin, but also its price across different exchanges. The current rate is displayed in a very large font, meaning you can easily see it from across the room. You’ll also be able to gain access to a graph that details BTC volatility over the past thirty days. BTC rates are updated every 5 seconds or so.

3. Real Kick Soccer Pro

Who doesn’t love football? If you’re also a football fan, then you may want to get Real Kick Soccer Pro from the apple tv app store as soon as possible. This is a great app if you want to practice your freekick and penalty skills in the comfort of your own home. Swinging towards the goal to shoot low, high, hard, chip shots, and curve balls is simple and you do that by using the Siri Remote. Sure enough, this is not FIFA 2017, but it’s the closest to experiencing a match of football in the comfort of your own home. Give it a shot and we guarantee you’ll love it!

4. iBooks StoryTime

Have you ever wanted to bring iBooks to the big screen? Well, now you can! We’re not saying that you can now use your TV to read books off of it. However, you can give your friends and family a new way to experience books. The Read-Aloud function features excellent illustrations and narration that makes for a very unique experience. Use it once and we guarantee you won’t go back to simply reading books anymore.

5. Lara Croft GO

Square Enix Montreal is probably one of the most popular game developers in recent history. In fact, if you played the Hitman franchise, then you know for sure who these guys are. Thanks to the massive success they had with Hitman, Square Enix decided to also start working on the latest Lara Croft title. Lara Croft GO is currently available on the Apple TV and it’s very much fun to play. You’ll play the famous Tomb Raider who explores forgotten and lost worlds in a very fun, creative, yet also addictive turn based puzzler.

6. Minecraft: Apple TV Edition

The Apple TV edition of the building block sensation has just reached your living room. You can now play Minecraft on your Apple TV and boy is it so much fun! Discover amazing things, build new worlds and put your creativity to the test with the latest Minecraft edition for your Apple TV. You can get unlimited resources if you play in creative mode or if you want to put your Minecraft skills to the test, then go for the survival mode. Fend off the dangerous mobs by crafting armor and weapons and show your might in one of the most played games of the decade!

7. Tiny Wings TV

Check out the apple tv apps store for the Tiny Wings TV app and start having fun! This is a very engaging game that features twenty five hand designed levels, a split screen multiplayer function, but also a Flight School mode. Better yet, thanks to iCloud, you can easily sync your progress across the iOS and Apple TV. How great is that?

8. Amazon

The Amazon app is one of those apple tv 3rd generation apps that will give the competition a run for its money. Well, at least when it comes to reach. Amazon is simply everywhere, including on your tablet, mobile phone and now it’s in your home as well. With the Apple TV version, you can now shop directly from your Apple TV. Browsing Amazon can be easily done by using Siri voice search. However, if you’d like to enable 1 touch purchasing, then you’ll have to use your Prime login details. Those who don’t have Prime won’t be able to purchase products, yet you can still browse Amazon by using the Apple TV app version.

9. Tinder

If you had it on your mobile phone, but thought that wasn’t enough, rest assured. You can now download and use Tinder on your Apple TV as well. This is one of those apps on apple tv that you’ll certainly be surprised to find you can use it on your Apple TV. After all, we’re used to using it on a mobile device. Even so, with Tinder you no longer need to worry about going out to meet people since you can do so by using the app. You can use the touch surface of your Apple TV remote to swipe left or right which is rather fun. Just give it a try and you won’t be disappointed!

10. Zova

If you gained a few pounds in the last few weeks and would like to get in shape fast, then you may want to download Zova. This is one app on our apple tv apps list that you don’t want to miss, since it helps you burn off extra calories like crazy. One of the things you’ll love about it is that it helps tailor workouts to meet your specific fitness goals. On top of that, it will only suggest workouts that you can do in front of your TV from the comfort of your own home. Talk about customer satisfaction!

These are the hottest Apps for the Apple TV that you absolutely need to have. Download them now to take your Apple TV experience to the next level!

The post 10 Apps On Apple TV You Should Download Right Now appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

CARROT Weather (Apple TV only)

If you travel a lot or you’re simply interested in how the weather is going to be today or tomorrow, then you need to get the CARROT weather app. What’s great about it is that you can use it in order to store multiple locations. Better yet, it also features some pretty great animations that you’ll certainly like. Whatever you do though, just make sure you don’t poke its ocular sensor!

Wikify (universal)

We’re all aware of Wikipedia and we’ve probably used it more than we think. However, having Wikipedia on your TV may seem a little bit weird at first. However, Wikify is more like a travel companion. The way it works is that if you travel somewhere, you can use it in order to zoom on your location. As you zoom, you’ll notice a lot of red pins will start to pop up. Each of those pins actually represents interesting locations that you may want to visit. While this kind of functionality may sound like it’s better suited for a phone, we cannot refute its usefulness.

TVPlayer (universal)

If you have an Apple TV, then there is a chance that it’s plugged into an actual TV that can play live broadcasts. If that’s not the case, then don’t worry about it. Using TVPlayer you can gain access to a lot of TV channels right away. If you want, then you can also pay something extra and access a lot of private channels as well. According to users, this is by far one of the most interesting apps for apple tv, so be sure to give it a shot!

TV Maps (universal)

Many people may scoff at the idea of using maps on their TV. That’s because it’s unrealistic that while traveling, you’ll have your Apple TV with you in your car, trying to zoom up on the highway to find the next gas station. However, you can look at this app in a different way. You can use it in order to explore. TV Maps offers you a three dimensional view of popular landmarks. If you want, then you can also receive directions that you can then send to your mobile device through the TV Maps app. How great is that?

Streaks workout

For those who want to get in shape and never really get to do something about it, Streaks Workout may be the answer they’re looking for. Using this app, you only need some desire to get in shape, a floor, and your Apple TV. In terms of exercising, you can choose the exercises you want to do and how long you want to exercise. With Streaks Workout, you’ll be able to track your workout and see how much fat you burn. Thanks to this great app, you can set weight loss goals and lose fat without having to go to the gym. Just give it a try to convince yourself of how useful it actually is!

Speedtest by Ookla (universal)

We’ve all used a speed test tool or website at least once, but did you know that they’re generally inaccurate? Therefore, if you have trouble streaking your favorite content on the Apple TV, then you may want to use Ookla to test your broadband speed. Based on its reviews, Ookla is one of the best apple tv apps 2016 and you should certainly install it on your TV. Now when it comes to the internet speed test, it takes about a minute. Once it’s over, you’ll know all about your download and upload speed.

Solar Walk 2 (universal)

Have you ever wanted to explore the solar system? If the answer is yes, then we have good news for you! With Solar Walk 2 you can easily do that! This app is available of the Apple TV and it’s simply amazing. You can use it to explore the Moon, the planets in our solar system and also the moon. There are also infographics which tell you a lot about Earth and the rest of the planets in the solar system. Pretty interesting stuff for sure!

Plane Finder

If you’re an armchair plane geek, then Plane Finder may very well be an indispensable app for you. Using it you can see almost live maps of planes that hurtle through the sky. You can also search for certain flights, filter by company, and even zoom to track specific planes. On the other hand, if you like something more conventional, then you may want to give FlightBoard a try.

If you’re looking for the best apps for apple tv, then now you have them. Check them out and see how much you like them, but don’t forget to let us know about it in the comments section below!

The post Top 8 best Apple TV apps you should try right now appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Build quality, hardware, size, and price

Even though it’s a few years old, no one can deny that the apple tv 3rd gen looks amazing. It measures 23 millimeters in height, and 100 millimeters square. In fact, it’s has such a small form factor that you can easily place it on your TV without worrying about it taking too much space. If you check the back of the device, you’ll notice there are several ports. These include optical S/PDIF, HDMI, Ethernet (10/100 Megabits), and a micro USB port. However, according to Apple, this port is for diagnostics only.

The Apple TV also features a dual band 802.11n Wi-Fi, meaning that it can effectively connect to 2.4 GHz and also 5GHz networks. If you’re curious about the apple tv 3rd generation price, you can currently get it for as little as $59. The apple tv 3rd generation Amazon may be cheaper, so be sure to check its price on Amazon as well.

Setup and control

You can easily control the Apple TV via its sleek and small, yet very thin aluminum remote. Even better, the remote is very simple to use, features a central Select button, but also a 4 way cursor pad that you can use to navigate through menus.

It’s possible to also use the Remote application for your iPad or iPhone. With it, you can control your Apple TV from your tablet or phone. What’s great about the app is that you don’t require line of sight, since it works over Wi-Fi.

To set up the Apple TV, you just have to plug in the soft-touch power cable and then hook it up to the HDMI port of your TV. Keep in mind that Apple doesn’t provide an HDMI cable, so you should get one separately. Next, all you have to do is enter your Apple ID and password. Once you do that you’ll be taken to the home screen.

Interface

What many will love about the Apple TV is the fact it has one of the simplest interfaces you’ll ever find on a media streamer. The icons on the home screen are large, therefore easy to navigate through. It’s important to mention that the top row is dedicated to Apple Services. You cannot delete them, but you can reorder them. The Apple TV runs on TVOS which works very smoothly. Even though it’s a bit old, the Apple TV 3rd gen has hands down one of the best operating systems ever put in a streaming device.

Content and AirPlay

The reason why people get an Apple TV is to consume content and there are many ways for them to do that. You can use apps, but you can also use AirPlay. AirPlay allows you to beam content from your Mac, tablet or smartphone to your Apple TV. This means that almost any content you can watch on your smartphone can also be beamed to your Apple TV.

If you want, you can also use AirPlay’s Mirroring function. As the name suggests, you’ll be able to send what you see on your laptop, tablet or smartphone to your TV. This can be very useful if you want to watch a movie with your friends or someone else.

Apple movies and TV

One of the best things about the Apple TV is that you can rent and also purchase TV shows and HD movies from Apple’s collection. In fact, Apple has the second largest collection of content (Sky Now ranks first) you can choose from, so no matter what TV show or movie you want to see, there’s a good chance Apple has it.

If you want, then you can also watch content you purchased from another device. Dolby Digital surround tracks are also supported by Apple (where available). Therefore, if you’re into surround sound, then just plug your Apple TV into an audio video receiver and enjoy it! One thing to bear in mind when purchasing live shows from Apple is that its version is usually a day behind the live broadcast.

Photos and iCloud

With photographs from your Mac, iPad, and iPhone going into iCloud, you can easily view them on your Apple TV at any given time. Not only that, but all the content you uploaded, such as your shared streams, photo stream, movies, etc can be accessed from the interface. Based on your internet connection, the content can be viewed pretty fast.

You may also have photographs that have yet to be uploaded to iCloud. If that’s the case, then you can use AirPlay to view on them your Apple TV.

Apple music

By using the music app, you can easily browse through the music store to play any songs that you may have purchased. If you have an iTunes Match subscription, then the songs you ripped from CDs are also made available.

Summary

If you’re the type who wants to have access to all his favorite TV shows and movies at any given them, time you certainly need to buy apple tv 3rd generation. Its impressively simple interface, great functionality, amazing build quality, but also low price make it a solid choice for anybody looking for an affordable, yet top quality streaming device.

The post A quick look at the Apple TV 3rd Generation appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

If this is the first time you’re trying to reset your Apple TV, it’s important to know that there are 2 ways you can do this. The first method involves resetting the TV from the Settings menu. This assumes that you can boot up the TV and use the menus. If you can do this, then way to go!

On the other hand, if you haven’t really used your TV in a while and you don’t think you’re ever going to use it anytime soon, then you may want to donate or sell it. Before you do that, you need to wipe off any sensitive data on it. Doing so is simple and you just have to use iTunes to complete the process.

There’s also the case when your TV doesn’t work anymore because you tried to update the firmware and accidentally lost power to the device. Or maybe you did something else that bricked it. With that in mind below we’ll take a closer look at your options.

You can boot your Apple TV

If your Apple TV boots, then you can use the console in order to reset it. To do that, you should access the main menu and then go to Settings. Here, make sure to click on General. After you access this menu, you should scroll to the bottom. There you’ll see that you can actually reset your Apple TV without unplugging it and then proceeding to plug it back in. Choose the Reset option.

At this point, you’ll be able to cancel or restore your device to the original settings it shipped with. You can also reset your configuration and account. The option for doing so is called Reset All Settings.

Keep in mind that if you click Restore, then you’ll not only wipe the data on your Apple TV, but you’ll also download and install the latest software updates for it.

You can’t boot your Apple TV

If something bad happened and you cannot boot your Apple TV or maybe your Apple TV doesn’t operate properly, then don’t worry. This can be easily fixed by restoring it. Just connect it to your personal computer or laptop and factory reset it by using iTunes.

The first step you have to take though is to unplug the Apple TV. Next, get a mini USB cable and plug it into the back of the Apple TV. The USB port can be found below the HDMI port. The other end of the USB cable should be plugged into your laptop or personal computer.

At this point, your Apple TV should be connected, so be sure to plug it back in. If it’s not already running, iTunes will be launched automatically to recognize the Apple TV. There are 2 options you can choose from now, but remember that we want to fix the Apple TV. Therefore, we’ll click on Restore Apple TV.

Once you do that, you’ll be requested to confirm that you want to restore your Apple TV. Click on Restore and Update. You will need to wait a while, depending on your internet connection, for the Apple TV software to be installed. When the installation is complete, you’ll be able to boot the Apple TV and reconnect it to your TV.

Protect your privacy

Knowing how to factory reset your Apple TV goes a long way into helping you enjoy it once again. Once Apple will release a new Apple TV, a lot of people who currently own one may decide to sell it. Knowing how to reset it in order to wipe out sensitive data is very important to protect your privacy. Therefore, we certainly hope that this guide has helped you reset your device to the default factory settings. If there’s anything you’d like to add, please let us know about it in the comments section below.

The post How to Factory Reset your Apple TV in just a few steps appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Connectivity and External Differences

On the outside, the third generation Apple TV and below, but also the 4th generation models and above can be easily confused. While it’s true that they have the same footprint, the latest iteration is about 1/3 lbs heavier and about half an inch taller than the third generation Apple TV.

In terms of connectivity, the third and fourth generation Apple TVs are quite different. Whether the fourth generation is better than the third one or vice versa in this regard is all up to you.

Both generations feature a 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port and a power connect. However, in all other aspects they do vary.

3rd generation Apple TV: This Apple TV iteration features a Micro USB port, an optical out audio port, and an HDMI port. It also features support for Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless.

4th generation Apple TV: Compared to the previous generation, the 4th generation Apple TV features a USB-C port and an HDMI port version 1.4. While you don’t get an optical audio out port, you do get 802.11AC Wi-Fi capability (MIMO). The latest Apple TV model also supports Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Remote Differences

While it’s true that both Apple TVs (3rd and 4th gen) support remotes, the fourth generation is a lot more advanced.

3rd generation: The third gen Apple TV remote is silver and features dedicated Play/Pause, Menu, and directional key buttons.

4th generation: The 4th gen Apple TV remote is made of aluminum and comes in black. It sports a lot of features, including dedicated buttons for Siri, Play/Pause, Up/Down, Home, Menu, but also a gyroscope, an internal accelerometer, a Glass Touch surface (which is great for directional control) , but also features 2 microphones. Thanks to Siri Voice Command, you can control your Apple TV by issuing voice commands.

It’s true that the Apple TV 4th gen remote is a lot more advanced and comes with great features, but its build quality is not that great. On top of that, it now comes with rechargeable batteries that will last you months, instead of years as it was the case with previous generation Apple TV remotes. The remote also supports 3rd party controllers which may potentially open productivity and gaming possibilities.

Identification Differences

If you put them next to each other, the third and fourth generation Apple TVs are easy to differentiate. On the other hand, there are 2 third generation iterations, and the second generation of the Apple TV looks visually the same as the third generation. Because of that, identifying them by looks alone is not feasible.

To better identify what generation your Apple TV is, you need to check their EMC and Model Number. You can check these by turning the Apple TV upside down checking the small text there.

Internal Differences

If we are to compare the hardware of the third and fourth generation Apple TV, then you’ll see there are many differences between them. For example, the Apple TV third generation features a twenty eight nanometer Apple A5 CPU (single core), 8GB of storage (flash), and 512MB RAM.

The fourth generation on the other hand features a twenty nanometer A8 CPU (dual core), between 32GB and 64GB of storage (flash), and 2GB of RAM.

While the 4th generation does have much faster and newer hardware than the previous generation, both of them do not yet support 4K video.

Software Differences

Both Apple TV generations are based on the iOS platform, but at the same time they run on different OS.

The Apple TV third generation features the 5.1 Apple TV version which offers support for selective application-like functionality and built-in channels.

The Apple TV fourth generation runs on the tvOS which allows you to connect to an app store and use fully fledged apps.

While Apple is dedicated to updating its products and software for the Apple TV third generation, we can safely assume that they won’t be doing so much longer. After all, they’re currently focused on the tvOS and working hard towards improving it.

The post What generation is my Apple tv? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Power up

Instead of a USB port, the Siri remote features a Lightning port. It also comes with a Lightning to USB cable for charging purposes. According to Apple, the new rechargeable battery in its remote can last for months on a single charge (with normal use). While this is significantly less than the battery life touted by its past remotes that used regular apple tv remote batteries, it does help save you a trip to the local electronics store to get new batteries.

No LED battery life indicator

As we’ve gotten used by Apple, there’s no LED light to notify you about how much power is left in the battery. So instead of waiting for the batteries for apple tv remote to drain, is there another way you could check how much power you have left and how long you can use the remote until you need to replace the batteries? Well, the good news is that you can actually do that.

Charging the remote

If your apple tv remote control stopped working, then you should charge it. However, if your remote control still works, then you should turn on your Apple TV and then go to Settings.

Once you’re there, navigate to Removes and devices and then click on Bluetooth. At this point, you’ll see every Bluetooth device connected to your machine. By default, the only Bluetooth connected device is the Apple TV remote.

Other Bluetooth connected devices

If you have other connected devices (such as game controllers) or remote controls, you’ll also see them displayed in this screen.

It’s here that you can finally check the apple tv remote battery life. You’ll see it displayed as an icon at the right side of its name. While the amount of power left in the batteries is not displayed in a percentage amount, the visual representation should at least give you an idea of how long you can use the remote before you need to recharge it.

The new 4th Generation Apple TV remote may not provide the same batter life as past Apple remotes, but thanks to the new design change it’s thinner, lighter and easier to use. On top of that, it can also save you a trip to the store to get new batteries. While you may not appreciate that now, you will once you have to go out on a cold, rainy or snowy day just to get a new set of batteries for your apple tv remote.

The post How to check your Apple tv remote battery life appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

However, if you jailbreak apple tv, then that’s a different story. After you’ve jailbroken your Apple TV, you can proceed to install a wide range of systems, services, and applications on it that make it a lot more appealing even than the latest Apple TV.

Should you jailbreak your Apple TV?

While generally people are interested to know whether they should jailbreak their iPhone (there are many pros and cons to doing that), there are significantly less cons to jailbreaking your Apple TV. As for the pros, there are more than you can imagine.

Here are some of the most popular apps you can install once you’ve jailbroken your Apple TV:

aTV Flash (black): What makes this app great is the fact by that using it you can actually play a wide range of video format on your Apple TV. One example is the popular .mkv format. You can also use unofficial applications and also browse the internet.

Kodi: Kodi is an entertainment hub that allows you to mostly play podcasts, videos, and music. It also enables PVR functionality, meaning that on top of watching TV, you can also record your favorite shows, etc.

Jailbreaking your Apple TV

One of first things you need to know if you want to jailbreak apple tv is that you need to have the right model. If you do, then jailbreaking it is very simple. For instance, if you have the first generation Apple TV, you can jailbreak it by using Rowmote. The second generation is also easy to jailbreak, but we’ll cover more about that below.

Now, if you have an Apple TV 2nd generation and want to jailbreak it, here is how you can do it:

Those lucky owners if a 2nd Generation Apple TV should be happy, since they can actually jailbreak it. To do this, you first of all need to go online and look for Seas0nPass. We recommend you get the tools from the FireCore website. Once you get the tools, you have to follow the steps below:

1. Unrar the software and copy it to your Applications folder.
2. Get a micro USB cable and connect your Mac to your Apple TV.
3. Launch the jailbreaking software and then click on Create IPSW.
4. When prompted, you need to press the Menu and Play buttons on the Apple TV’s remote control. You should press the buttons simultaneously.
5. Once the software does its thing, you need to click on Done.
6. Lastly, all you have to do is unplug the USB cable and get an HDMI which you’ll use in order to connect the Apple TV to your TV. Turn on your TV and enjoy!

Once the Apple TV reboots, you will see the FireCore logo. Once you see that, your device has been successfully jailbroken. Now you can proceed to installing any apps and services you want on it. Enjoy your freshly jailbroken Apple TV!

Jailbreaking Apple TV 4th generation

1. If you want to jailbreak apple tv 4th generation, you’ll first of all need to connect it to your Mac by using a USB-C cable.
2. Automatic updates should be disabled so that your Apple TV cannot be updated anymore. To do this, go to Settings, System, Software Updates.
3. Go online and look for the iOS App Signer and Pangu jailbreak tool. Download and unrar them in the same folder.
4. Open Xcode and then go to File, New, Project, tvOS, Application, Single View, and finally Next.

The following fields should be filled in exactly as you see below:

1. Product Name: Jailbreak
2. Organization: *Input your name*
3. Organization Identifier: com.jailbreak.appletv

Note:

• Do not change anything else. After you’re done, click Next and then Create.
• Click Product, Destination, and then Apple TV.

At this point you’ll need to select your Apple ID and then link it to Xcode. You can do that by going to Xcode, then Preferences and then Accounts. Click Fix issue.

Remember the Pangu files you’ve extracted in the same folder as App Signer? Well, now you have to launch the App Signer and then select the atvipa.app file by using the Browse button. You can find this file in the Payload folder. While you’re still in the App Signer, click on the Certificate and Provisioning Profile for the application that was created in Xcode. Next, do this:

• Save the atvipa.ipa file on your desktop.
• Launch Xcode and then navigate to Window, Devices and then click on your Apple TV.
• Under installed apps, be sure to click on the “+” and then select the atvipa.ipa.

At this point the jailbreak tool is being deployed and once your home screen changes to that of Pangu, you’re good to go. One last step though is to launch the app to complete the jailbreaking process.

Congratulations! You’ve just jailbroken your Apple TV!

The post Should I jailbreak my Apple TV and How? appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Install The Latest Software

Generally speaking, updated software fixes a lot of bugs and new and useful features, but there are cases when updates can actually cause a lot of problems, including compatibility issues. If you can’t get Remote to work, then you may want to first of all update your software and see whether the problem is fixed.

What you need to do is ensure your Remote app’s version and your iPhone’s OS are the same. Moreover, you also need to have the latest version of iTunes and the Apple TV operating system installed, depending on the one you want to use.

Connect Them To The Same Wi-Fi Network

If your software is updated, but you still can’t establish a connection, then you need to ensure your iTunes library or Apple TV, and iPhone share the same Wi-Fi network. This is crucial if you want them to properly communicate with each other. Here’s how to check if your devices are all on the same Wi-Fi network:

1. iPhone: Go to settings, then Wi-Fi and see what Wi-Fi network the device is connected to.
2. Mac: Just click the Wi-Fi icon and check the network you’re connected to.
3. Apple TV: Go to Settings, then General, Network and then go to Wi-Fi and check the network you’re connected to.

Restart Router

Now, if your devices are indeed connected to the same network and you also have the latest software installed, then your issue may be simple to fix. If you use a router, then there might be a problem with the software. To make sure that’s not the case, try to update the router’s software. If this doesn’t work, then simply unplug the router. Give it a minute before plugging in the power cord and see whether your problem is solved or not.

Turn on Home Sharing

To effectively communicate with the devices it controls, Remote needs to use the Home Sharing Technology developed by Apple. What this means is that if you want Remote to work, then you need to ensure Home Sharing is enabled on all devices. To check whether Home Sharing is turned on or not, you can do this:

iPhone: If you’re yet to enable Home Sharing on the iPhone, just open the Remote application and you’ll be promoted to install it. To log in though, you’ll need to register for an Apple account (if you don’t have one yet).

Mac: Before enabling Home Sharing, all your iOS devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. To enable Home sharing, you need to have iTunes 9 or higher installed. Now, click on the File menu, click on Home Sharing and then click Turn On Home Sharing. To enable, you need to use your Apple ID to log in.

Apple TV: Go to Settings, then General, and finally to Computers. To enable Home Sharing, just follow the onscreen instructions.

Set Up Remote Again

If you got this far, but are yet to make Remote work, then you should try setting it up again. To do so, you need to:

1. Remove the Remote app from your mobile device.
2. Download Remote.
3. Launch it.
4. Enable Home Sharing and log in to the same account as on your Apple TV or Mac.
5. Pair Remote with your devices (for this you may also need to enter a four digit PIN).

At this point you should be able to use Remote again.

Upgrade Time Capsule or AirPort

If that failed to fix your problem, then this means you may have a problem with your AirPort or Time Capsule or simply said, your wireless networking hardware. To check whether this is the problem, you should update your AirPort and Time Capsule software. Old software may interfere with the Remote app, your Mac or your Apple TV communicating with one another.

Installing the latest firmware for your AirPort base station:

1. Double check to see whether you’re connected to the internet.
2. If you’re sharing a HDD on your network by using the base station, be sure there’s no device on the network using that drive.
3. Open the AirPort utility.
4. If you’re on a Mac, you can find the AirPort utility by accessing the Applications folder and then the Utilities folder. If you want, then you can also use Spotlight to find it.
5. If you use an iPod touch, iPad or iPhone, you can just go to the App Store in order to get the AirPort utility.
6. If you see a red badge next to the base station’s name, click it for more details. You may not see a badge if the base station’s protected by a device password. If so, then click it and enter the password. In case you already have the latest firmware installed for your base station, then you won’t see any firmware updates in the AirPort Utility.

Reconfigure Your Firewall

If everything we recommended so far yielded no results and your apple tv remote app not working, then you may want to check your firewall. As the name implies, it can prevent programs and devices from connecting to your machine without permission. This means that the firewall can also be responsible for your iPhone failing to connect to your Mac.

If you get the error where Remote says it cannot find your library, then open your firewall (for Mac you have to go to System Preferences, then Security and there you’ll find Firewall).

Here you just have to create a new rule that allows incoming connections to iTunes. At this point you should be able to use the Apple TV remote app. If you’re still having issues, then you may have a hardware failure or complex problem. Call Apple for support.

The post Apple tv remote app not working? Here’s how you can fix it! appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

How does Chromecast work?

When it comes to casting, it’s important to keep in mind that all you’re doing is using your cell phone to tell the Chromecast device the content you’d like it to play. Once you do that, Chromecast uses its own connection to stream the content in the best possible quality.

If you decide to connect a Chromecast Ultra to a 4K TV, then you’ll be able to play 4K content you can view on your cell phone.

On the other hand, if you want to mirror the cell phone to your 4K TV, then you’re sending the signal directly from your phone to the Chromecast device, so both devices need to stay connected.

Requirements

To use Chromecast, you first of all need to plug it into your TV’s HDMI port, but also an open USB port on your display/TV. Your cell phone (iOS or Android) needs to have the Cast app installed and updated. You can also use a Chromebook, Mac or Windows computer, but make sure you have Chrome browser installed and updated. You should also ensure your device and Chromecast use the same Wi-Fi connection.  If they don’t, you won’t be able to cast on your TV.

Things you can do

Using Chromecast, you can cast photos, television shows cast enabled applications, but also movies and more from your iPad, iPhone, Android tablet and Android phone. If you want, you can also cast entire tabs or websites from the Chrome browser on Chromebooks, Macs, and Windows machines.

Even though it’s not required, you can get the Cast extension so you can install the Cast icon in your browser. Once installed, you can click it and then choose the Chromecast enabled device you’d like to cast to. In just a few seconds, the content will be displayed on your TV.

Note: You don’t need a remote control nor is there a UI, meaning that you can control the app by just using your computer or mobile phone. Newer versions of the app now allow users to cast their Android screen to their TV.

What websites and applications are Cast-enabled?

Apps

Enjoying your mobile apps on a TV has never been easier. You can choose whether you want to use your tablet or mobile device as a remote control and control everything from volume to playback. If you’re curious and would like to know exactly what apps are compatible with Chromecast, below is a list of the most popular ones:

1. BBC iPlayer.
2. Pandora.
3. Twitch.
4. PBS Kids.
5. YouTube.
6. Google Photos.
7. Watch ESPN.
8. Hulu.
9. HBO Now.
10. Spotify.
11. Netflix and more!

When it comes to casting, you have many options to consider, yet using Chromecast to share photos and videos from your mobile device is definitely a lot more convenient and fun!

Websites

Many websites are already Cast enabled, with some of the more popular examples including Google Play Music, Google Play Movies, Netflix, YouTube, and more. According to Google, new websites are being added all the time. To check if a website is Cast enabled, all you have to do is see whether it has a Cast button within its video player. Even if a website is not yet Cast enabled, you can still view content on your TV by using the Cast extension.

Why should you use Chromecast?

Experiencing things on a larger display accounts for a much more immersive experience. For instance, let’s say that you’re out with friends and you found a really funny video on YouTube that you’d like to share with everyone. Instead of having everyone huddled around your phone, you can use Cast to share the content on your big screen TV so everyone can enjoy it. In a similar way, let’s say you found a great website and want to show it to your friends. Instead of having them crowding around your laptop, you can use Chromecast to cast the website to your TV.

As you can see, there are many benefits to using Google Chromecast. From sharing photos with your friends and family to entire websites on your TV, Chromecast helps you go big when going big matters. On top of that, it’s easy to use and cheap, too!

The post What is Chromecast? Setup, Requirements and How-To’s appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Apple’s Eddy Cue revealed that the company is developing a new, much-improved Remote app for iOS to be released in the first half of 2016.

“We’re working on a new Apple TV remote app that will give you the full functionality of the Siri Remote on your iPhone,” Cue said. “We’re hoping to ship that in the first half of next year.”

Apple yesterday released tvOS 9.1 for Apple TV 4 that includes the much-requested support for the current Remote app on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Also read:

• Apple TV 5: “dramatically” faster, new features, mass production begins in Q1 2016 (rumor)
• Infuse 4 for new Apple TV released
• How to save media files to your Apple TV 4 ‘hard drive’ for offline viewing (video)
• Plex on Apple TV 4 explained (video)

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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