Reader Michael Anders is thinking about a Mountain Lion update but is concerned that he may not be able to use one of its more attractive features. He writes:
I have a 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7 15” MacBook Pro, which was made in 2010. I’ve heard that some MacBook Pro models, although capable of running Mountain Lion, won’t support AirPlay Mirroring. Is that true? And, if so, is there an alternative for sharing my Mac’s screen via my third-generation Apple TV?
You have heard correctly. Take a look at the Feature-Specific Requirements section of Apple’s OS X Mountain Lion Tech Specs page and you’ll find this listed under AirPlay Mirroring:
AirServer® Universal is the most advanced screen mirroring receiver for Windows PC. AirServer Universal allows you to receive AirPlay, Miracast and Google Cast streams, similar to an Apple TV or a Chromecast device, so you can stream content, cast or mirror your display from an iOS device, macOS, Windows, Android, Chromebook or any other AirPlay and Google Cast. Top 5 MKV Player for Mac in 2021. Unfortunately, because of compatibility issues QuickTime Player can’t play MKV files on Mac without additional plug-ins. Instead, the simpler option is to opt for an alternative video player that can play MKV files on Mac natively.
- iMac (Mid 2011 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2011 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2011 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Early 2011 or newer)
As you can see, your MacBook doesn’t make the cut. Powerful though it may have been at the time, install Mountain Lion on this laptop and AirPort Mirroring will be conspicuous in its absence.
As for your second question, there is indeed an alternative. When I tweeted about this issue recently, follower @joshfofer provided the answer: Squirrels’ $10 AirParrot. This is an application, compatible with Mac OS X 10.6.8 or higher (or Windows XP or higher), that allows you to mirror your computer’s video and audio to a second- or third-generation Apple TV. It can mirror your complete desktop up to 1080p on a 3G Apple TV, mirror just a specific application (without background desktop cutter), as well as extend your desktop between your Mac and your TV (this is a feature that works only with OS X).
I’ve tried AirParrot with the HDTV in my office and it looks reasonably good, though no one would mistake that TV for a monitor plugged directly into my Mac. (I suspect Mountain Lion’s AirPlay Mirroring won’t look much better.) You can fiddle with AirParrot’s settings to try to improve the image and performance, if you like. I’d suggest taking advantage of the AirParrot demo, which allows you to run the application for 20 minutes before it automatically quits. That will give you an idea of whether its image quality is up to snuff.
Airplay For Older Macs Free
AirServer transforms your Xbox One into an all-in-one AirPlay + Google Cast + Miracast receiver. New features include extended background audio support from all platforms, proper gaming keyboard-mouse and gamepad support for Windows devices.
With AirServer running in the background, beam over your favorite music from Spotify or Apple Music on your iOS device, into your favorite games. Or simply use AirServer to showcase your mobile gameplay on a bigger screen.
AirPlay + Google Cast + Miracast
AirServer introduced the world’s first BYOD solution by implementing all the major mirroring technologies. Years later AirServer continues being the pioneer in the field by bringing all these technologies to the Xbox.
Background Audio
Tired of the listening to the same music in your favorite game? With AirServer you can beam over your favorite tunes straight into your favorite game.
Xbox Optimized AirPlay
With gamers in mind, AirServer gives you the choice of mirroring in either 720p or 1080p @60 FPS. There is even a choice of an audio only receiver.
Airplay For Pc
“AirServer is a Mac app that turns your computer into a receiver for AirPlay. We have seen this kind of thing before, but AirServer works better, and adds functionality.”
“Faculty and students also utilize AirServer which enables the display and sharing of iPad content in the classroom.”
“AirServer turns your Mac into a AirPlay receiver, letting you stream audio, photos, and even videos to your computer, right over the air.”
“AirServer is clearly a more complete solution for all kinds of AirPlay streams with dedicated features for audio, video, and Mirroring.”
“Great for demoing iOS apps, and a more professional feature set than...”
“AirServer for Mac, one of our favourite AirPlay receivers, features long-awaited HD recording with post processing filters.”
“What could be better than sending Temple Run or Angry Birds in Space to a large screen, competing side by side with a friend?”
“AirServer app clearly blows away all the competition.”
“With AirServer you can take advantage of the better audio and visuals of your Mac by using the app to transform it into a Apple TV type of device that can be used to stream audio and video.”
“AirServer is so easy to use, we wonder why Apple didn’t implement it themselves.”
“With AirServer running, you’ll see your Mac show up in your iPad’s AirPlay menu, and you can just select it to play back video, movies or games on the big screen. It even supports mirroring so you can use it with apps that don;t yet support AirPlay properly.”