How to....set up an AppleTV in your classroom

Post date: Feb 26, 2012 1:40:24 AM

Ok, there's a lot of interest in this -- and rightly so -- I've been using an AppleTV to mirror my iPad screen on the projector for about 2 months now. It's amazing! So, I'd like to post a how-to for this so others can (hopefully) avoid the pitfalls I fell into.

You will need the following things:

1. iPad 2 with iOS 5

2. AppleTV

3. Projector with an HDMI port

4. HDMI cord

The first thing you will need to do is make sure your AppleTV is up-to-date. Mine said it was, but turns out, it wasn't. You will need 4.4 installed on your AppleTV. If you check and see that your AppleTV has 4.3, the easiest way to update it is to hook it up to your computer and update it. In order to do this you will need to have iTunes installed.

Updating AppleTV:

1. Plug AppleTV to computer using mini USB plug.

2. Open iTunes

3. Check for AppleTV (it should show up like an iPod).

4. Tell the AppleTV to "restore"

5. This will add the most current operating system for the AppleTV to your AppleTV

Then, hook your AppleTV to the projector using an HDMI cord. This will most likely take a ladder and some balance. We have plugs in our ceiling for the projector, I just plugged the AppleTV into one of those (HINT: my plugs were located inside the ceiling, so I had to remove a ceiling tile to get to the plug.

Then, turn on the AppleTV using the remote. Next, turn on the projector. On mine, I have to change it to HDMI using the projector's remote. Now you should be able to use the AppleTV with your iPad. Before you go any farther, set a password for your AppleTV so unsuspecting students can't get their iPods/iPhones on your AppleTV.

Mirroring on the iPad:

1. Click the home button twice

2. Swipe to left until you see the pause, play, brightness, volume controls.

3. Click on the AppleTV logo (a rectangle with an upwards-facing triangle in it)

4. Choose AppleTV (or whatever you name your AppleTV) and choose mirroring "on"

5. If your wifi loses signal, just go back and do this again, and it will come back. Mine does this periodically.

Helpful hint: Go to settings on your iPad. Then go to Auto-lock. Choose sleep "never". This will make sure the iPad doesn't go to sleep if you've got something the kids are referencing, but you aren't actively touching the screen often.

I hope this helps you get set up! I'll continue with more posts as to how I use this in the classroom and useful apps in future posts.