Multi Room Apple TV plus iPad Mirroring

People who know me, know that I’m highly addicted to technology and entertainment, but more importantly how I love to share and talk about said technology and entertainment especially if it’s a breakthrough technology. In my opinion, the new Apple TV 2 with iOS 5 is the kind of technology that everyone should own if you have an iPad 2. That’s a lot of people according to Apple’s 3rd quarter 2011 financial results and if you’re reading this, then you may very well be one of those new iPad 2 owners. Why would I make such a bold statement? Because there’s a hidden feature that not a lot of folks truly understand with iOS 5 + Apple TV and how it can change the very nature of how you consume digital video content on your home televisions.

We live in a world today where TV content wants to live on the internet and internet content wants to live on the TV. You know this, because we have Hulu, Netflix and countless other video services. What better way to marry this television/internet holy matrimony than with an iPad 2 and Apple TV with iOS 5? Follow me, you’ll see what I mean…

Every Apple TV with iOS 5 and an iPad 2 with iOS 5 has the power to wirelessly send its audio/video content directly to your TV should you have an Apple TV connected to it. There’s no computer, no special linux operating system or any of that mumbo jumbo required that only experts with science degrees know how to configure. If you have an Apple TV with iOS 5, then you have the power of the internet on your TV and I’m talking simple plug-in and play technology to stream your internet content from your ipad to your television. It’s just that simple…

For the past 10 years, our world revolved around over priced DVDs from Suncoast Video and ridiculous rental prices from Blockbuster and 20 years before that, it revolved around VHS tapes from Erol’s video. This hard media that we grew to hate required you to physically keep them safe from dust, moisture, wear and tear plus it also required you to pull them from its dust jackets each time you wanted to watch them, skip past countless trailers and FBI warnings just so you can entertain yourself a couple times a month. Who wants to do that anymore?

The year of 2012 is right next door and we deserve to live in a world where digital reins king and we need a standard way to get this digital kingdom on our TVs easily, cheaply and effectively and that is where an Apple TV and iPad 2 comes in with its new airplay technology.

Simply connect your Apple TV to your router by ethernet or over wifi then finally connect your Apple TV to your high definition television. That’s it! You now have internet on your TV! Finally, whip out your brand new iPad 2, make sure it’s been upgraded with iOS 5 and click the cool new Air Play mirroring button on your iPad 2 and voilà, what you see on your iPad 2 will be displayed immediately on the largest computer monitor in your house wirelessly! How could you want anything more?

But I’m just getting started. With an Apple TV and iPad 2, you can also stream high definition video/audio content directly to your television from your iPad. You’re probably scratching your head and asking yourself so what? Why would I want to do this? I’m not talking about YouTube on your television with widgets, that’s so 2002. Never again do you need to worry about DVDs, Laser Discs, VHS, Beta Max tapes… Never again do you have to stand right next to your television with your 2 pound laptop tethered to it so you can show your family/friends your latest montage/presentation. Simply pick yourself up an Apple TV, plug it into your high definition television and press airplay on your iPad 2 and wow your family, friends and more importantly yourself with the power of controlling all your video and the internet in your hands on your beautiful 1080p television.

I recently picked up my second Apple TV, the first was meant for the living room while the second was meant to take with me when I’m the road. When I’m not on the road, I decided to use the second Apple TV in our bedroom to turn our televisions into a multi room movie experience using my iPad 2. Should I begin a movie in the living room and want to finish watching the very same movie in the bedroom, I can do so with a simple touch of a button. Check out my video above, which is a quick proof of concept of me demonstrating how I’m able to send a single source of digital video content wirelessly to multiple televisions using an Apple TV and iPad 2.

Christmas is just a month away and if you have an iPad 2 or plan to get yourself an iPad 2, do yourself and your family a favor and be sure to pick up an Apple TV for about $99. You won’t be disappointed!