New to Apple ecosystem, some questions

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dafman

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#280738 7-Jan-2021 13:34

Hi, I'm making the switch to the Apple ecosystem, so setting up a thread for advice. Anyone else with Apple questions, feel free to jump in and ask.

I'll no doubt add more questions over time where I can't find answers on the web, but here's my starters:

1. Apple TV for New Zealand users. I'm not interested in the new Apple TV+ channel, so is there any other practical reason in getting Apple TV if I already have a Chromecast?

2. Is Safari on iPad a fully purposed browser no different to a PC browser, or does it have limitations similar to Android browsers?

3. I need more lightning cables, but Apple's prices are exorbitant. What is a reasonably priced reliable brand available in NZ that would be compatible with Carplay etc?

Thanks in advance

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#2631753 7-Jan-2021 13:56

$10 https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CABMOX00014/Momax-1M-Lightning-to-USB-A-ChargeSync-Cable---Bla basically anything that says MFI (made for iphone) is certified.

peteflynn

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#2631886 7-Jan-2021 16:37

as for the ATV question, I can confidently say if you ave a library of your own media content, that Plex is just amazing on apple tv.

antoniosk

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#2631905 7-Jan-2021 16:52

dafman:

Hi, I'm making the switch to the Apple ecosystem, so setting up a thread for advice. Anyone else with Apple questions, feel free to jump in and ask.

I'll no doubt add more questions over time where I can't find answers on the web, but here's my starters:

1. Apple TV for New Zealand users. I'm not interested in the new Apple TV+ channel, so is there any other practical reason in getting Apple TV if I already have a Chromecast?

2. Is Safari on iPad a fully purposed browser no different to a PC browser, or does it have limitations similar to Android browsers?

3. I need more lightning cables, but Apple's prices are exorbitant. What is a reasonably priced reliable brand available in NZ that would be compatible with Carplay etc?

Thanks in advance

If you just want to cast streams, chromecast is ok. I personally dont like it but it does work.

As for cables, Ive been an apple user for a long time and support an apple household. Personally I have NO time for the many knockoff cables out there, and there are very few third party brands I will accept. In my experience cheap cables screw the batteries HARD.

I have cables from Anker, and eBenks, but as another person responded, look for MFI certified cables FOR YOUR PHONE MODEL. Amazon has a good supply and are not too silly in pricing, but accept you will be getting a few of these. It's expensive to go Apple, would you really risk your kit for $5 cables?

________

Antoniosk

Handsomedan

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#2631960 7-Jan-2021 18:01

Safari on iPad is a little stripped down, but you can call upon a full webpage easily, by clicking on the Aa in the search bar.

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Brunzy

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#2631963 7-Jan-2021 18:19

ATV free’s up your casting device, also you can download apps, very handy if you have a dns service.
BBC , SBS etc are among my favourites. Mirror your phone for photo’s , videos to the big screen.

ANglEAUT

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#2631995 7-Jan-2021 19:25

dafman: 2. Is Safari on iPad a fully purposed browser no different to a PC browser, or does it have limitations similar to Android browsers?

Handsomedan: Safari on iPad is a little stripped down, but you can call upon a full webpage easily, by clicking on the Aa in the search bar.

All browsers will be "optimised for mobile". Nice thing is that you can install Firefox, Google Chrome & other browsers besides Safari. Big bonus, with the latest OS updates, you can even set these alternative browsers as your default. All browsers have the option to request the "desktop" version of the site. AFAIK, none of them support extensions like the desktop versions do.

dafman: 1. Apple TV for New Zealand users. I'm not interested in the new Apple TV+ channel, so is there any other practical reason in getting Apple TV if I already have a Chromecast?

Here's what I found with the Chromecast vs. Apple TV

👎 Wife will forget to"stop casting"
👎 With casting, your focus shifts between the phone & the TV. With Apple TV & the remote, it's a similar experience to the traditional TV. You are constantly looking at the same screen.
1. For people that require glasses for reading, this stops the constant on / off of glasses
2. Everything is big enough to read on the TV, no squinting at the little screen.
👍 Inserting videos into the cast queue is a pleasure with the Chromecast. Don't know how you can replicate that with an Apple TV
👎 Sometimes, iOS apps don't find the Chromecast device on the network for remote play. Force kill the app & try again or leave the app running for a while.
1. Either way, you will want to grant these apps access to the local network and Bluetooth.
I browse with many tabs in my browser.
1. 👍 Casting one tab is a breeze. Having to stop casting, swap tabs, start a new cast is a pain
2. 👍 Having the ability to only cast a tab instead of screen mirror your device is a nice privacy "feature"
3. 👎 I have not figured out how to screen mirror / air play only one tab / app
👍 With both types of devices, it's easy enough to invite "visitors" to stream their content
Apple TV remote tricks
1. 👍 Press & hold the TV button to
  1. Shutdown TV & put Apple TV to sleep at the same time
  2. See current time
  3. See current logged in user
2. Swiping one the one type of remote sometimes can be finicky. Or you can try try 3rd party remotes
3. Somehow, you can do the multi task option to show all running apps. I don't always get this right, so can't exactly explain how to do this
👍 Apple TV can remember different email address for different apps
👎 Typing your password into the Apple TV screen for the whole family to see is not nice

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RunningMan

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#2632001 7-Jan-2021 19:34

Use the Appe TV remote on the iPhone/iPad - much better than the actual remote as it has a keyboard.

dfnt

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#2632008 7-Jan-2021 19:55

ANglEAUT:

9. 👎 Typing your password into the Apple TV screen for the whole family to see is not nice

If you have an iPad or iPhone and use a password manager you can autofill passwords through your phone or iPad

Otherwise, you can type the password using your phone or iPad rather than using the remote to enter individual letters

https://support.apple.com/en-nz/HT200107#nearby

tdgeek

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#2632024 7-Jan-2021 20:29

dafman:

1. Apple TV for New Zealand users. I'm not interested in the new Apple TV+ channel, so is there any other practical reason in getting Apple TV if I already have a Chromecast?

I have both. I bought a CCu just to play with as my telco Spark started Spork Sport. CCu worked fine, a bit clunky but fine. Then it failed, and call to the overseas helpdesk was worse than worthless. perhaps know that to factory reset it you need to remove all other local Apple devices to get a correct reset. Went back to ATV Airplay, always fine. ATV4 that I have has all my SVOD apps. Sky does the Sky stuff, ATV does everything else. If a new thing comes out, Apple get it first as its standard and few devices. No need to mess with TV;'s older than 2017 etc etc

Its a cliche but it just works

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#2632025 7-Jan-2021 20:29

Handsomedan:

Safari on iPad is a little stripped down, but you can call upon a full webpage easily, by clicking on the Aa in the search bar.

in what way is it stripped down? On my iPad Aa calls up the mobile site.

tdgeek

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#2632026 7-Jan-2021 20:35

ANglEAUT:

Swiping one the one type of remote sometimes can be finicky. Or you can try try 3rd party remotes

The Apple app called Remote is very good. I find the Apple remote fine but the app on the iPhone is better and the bane of searching by using a A to Z keyboard onscreen is a right pane, on the iOS app, just type it

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#2632213 8-Jan-2021 08:27

peteflynn:

as for the ATV question, I can confidently say if you ave a library of your own media content, that Plex is just amazing on apple tv.

One vote for Infuse Pro on Apple TV, absolutely brilliant at handling my media library.

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Handsomedan

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#2632221 8-Jan-2021 08:56

BlinkyBill:

Handsomedan:

Safari on iPad is a little stripped down, but you can call upon a full webpage easily, by clicking on the Aa in the search bar.

in what way is it stripped down? On my iPad Aa calls up the mobile site.

I invariably get the mobile sites (optimised for tablet usage) and have to call the full desktop site, as opposed to the other way around. Possbly something in my settings that I haven't addressed...or user error.

But that's my experience.

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BlinkyBill

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#2632229 8-Jan-2021 09:04

There is a setting under “settings for websites” where you specify whether to load mobile or desktop versions of websites. I set mine to ‘desktop’.

dafman

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#2632517 8-Jan-2021 16:39

What are my options for viewing iTunes movie rentals on my TV. I checked my 2019 Panasonic OLED for an Apple app, but nothing - looking online, looks like Apple TV app comes with Samsung, but not Panasonic - correct?

It also looks like Chromecast is also out.

Is my only option Apple TV?

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