Here I am, sitting out at the cabin – in the rain – again (or is it still?).

There’s been so much rain I can’t remember which is it; but one of the benefits from all the rain we’ve been getting in my part of the world is that Lovie and I get a chance to catch up on movies in the evenings.

We’re fortunate, theres a decent Internet connection at the lake we have our cabin at; so not only am I able to keep up on news and sports, but we’re able to catch movies via Netflix and stream movies to our TV from my iPad.

I use my iPad or iPhone for everything while at the lake – e-mail, surfing, writing, books and movies. Combined with Apple TV, and a Bose CineMate sound system I’ve got a pretty nice, flexible setup.

I have an older version of Apple TV at the cabin, and the new HD version at home. For some reason, call it the relaxation factor; it isn’t as important to see movies in full Hi Definition at the lake as it seems to be at home, so the older version suits us perfectly.

Apple TV gives you access to the content from your iPad, Mac, iPhone or iPod Touch

At home I want to take advantage of my big TV’s Hi Def. and my sound system so the new HD Apple TV is perfect there. The added power makes it more responsive and being able to watch movies in full High Def. seals the deal as far as I’m concerned.

If you have a Wireless network, for under $110 CAD, you can connect an Apple TV to your High Def. TV, and your audio system. Once it’s connected, accessing all your content on your iPhone, iPad or Mac is as simple as choosing which device you want to access on your TV. AirPlay lets you listen to music, stream movies from your devices, or via Netflix, YouTube, for example.

Watch what's on your iPad, iPhone, IPod Touch or Mac on your HD TV with Apple TV and AirPlay

You can mirror your iPad or iPhone on your big TV, to ramp up the excitement for gaming, or show off your latest app acquisition, or force your friends to watch all the boring pictures you took on your latest vacation. It’s a chance to let them look through all your scrapbooks on a much grander scale! Maybe the images will look so beautiful on your TV that they won’t be bored!

The point is, with Apple TV, a wireless connection and devices like iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads and Macs, your content doesn’t have to stay on whatever device it’s on. You always have access to all your stuff, effortlessly and in beautiful High Definition. It’s the perfect remedy for a rainy day at the lake.

Of course, you don’t need all this gear to be able to watch movies – you can haul all your DVDs back and forth, plug them into the DVD player and watch movies that way. I don’t like that because I don’t have a lot of room and I always forgot to bring the DVDs I own out to the lake. It’s so convenient to be able to stream movies, music, games, whatever I want all from my iPad to my TV and system that any other method seems like a huge step back in time.

PROS: An inexpensive way to stream all your content from your iDevices to your High Definition TV; simple setup, great flexibility in terms of the choices you have.

CONS: Your TV must have an HDMI input – not as big a deal as a couple of years ago, but . . . ; if you’re Mac’d up, then this is the way to go, if you’re not Mac’d up you have a ton of alternatives.

About Murray Hill

Murray Hill has been a freelance columnist appearing regularly in some of the most prominent Canadian newspapers since 1974. He began writing about technology over twenty-four years ago and he still maintains the belief that there's a gadget or gizmo for every situation and application. His fascination with technology and gadgets has endured for over fifty years, and has led to many familial discussions about the the difference between the words "need" and "want" when referring to tech. Based in Saskatoon, connect with Murray at: murray@communicatto.com

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