6 Tips About Watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV

Video has become such a core piece to our online habits, whether that means we’re watching videos on YouTube, looking at cooking classes on Facebook or watching movies online, so we thought it would be a good idea to give you six tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV.

Why is there even such a need for this? Well, that’s mainly because there seems to be a clash between these companies. Firstly between Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)’s Prime Video, and then between them and giant Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), who would rather you buy movies from its store rather than stream them from these “competitors”.

It all started as a way to get people to stream TV shows and movies for a price, instead of having them buy the products. Ask a monthly fee and give them unlimited access to the contents on your platform. In the end, some will watch a couple of shows, others will stream non-stop – it balances out. Both Netflix and Amazon (AMZN) Prime adopted this business model, until things changed. If you are a Netflix fan, don’t miss our article on 11 Most Successful Netflix Originals.

They noticed that people were impatient. They didn’t want to wait for ever before their favorite series to be available online. They didn’t even want to wait for a week to pass before seeing the next episode. So Netflix and Amazon Prime Video got into making their own original series. While they couldn’t control what other producers did, they could control their own shows and not only did they come up with some great concepts, they also released full seasons at once. This has created a whole different kind of entertainment, one that’s updated to the World Wide Web and its impatient users.

On the other hand, Apple TV is a device that was created by the tech giant to act as a digital media player, as well as a microconsole. It is, at its core, a network appliance and entertainment device. It can receive digital data from a number of sources and stream it to a compatible and capable TV.

By connecting it to a TV via a HDMI cable, you can control your device with an Apple Remote or with the help of the Apple TV Remote app that may be installed on an iPhone, iPod Touch, Apple Watch or iPad. The Apple TV comes with the capability of streaming content from a number of sources, including Netflix and Hulu Plus, as well as YouTube, but fails to work with the likes of Amazon Prime Video. Alas, there are solutions.

It should also be kept in mind that Apple’s new TV app doesn’t even include Netflix, letting us see a bit into the future of how things may turn out. While the Apple TV device still comes with the Netflix app, this new app the tech giant has come up with means to encompass some 1,600 video content providers, so leaving out the biggest name in business isn’t a good indicator for what’s to come.

So, here are tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV that we thought you’d find useful.

6. Make sure Netflix is compatible with your device

That shouldn’t be too difficult to do since the Netflix app is present on pretty much all devices starting with the Apple TV 2, which was launched back in 2010. Therefore, the only device it won’t work with is the first Apple TV introduced in 2007, which is, officially, a decade ago if you wanted to feel old for a second. If you’re not sure which device you own, you should know that while the actual gear looks pretty similar n shape and size, the first generation came in silver and the remote had buttons that make it resemble the iPod shuffle. Latter generations of Apple TV, namely the second and third, have bigger remotes that won’t get lost in the palm of your hand and the usual round button for moving through the feed. The latest Apple TV, the fourth generation, was launched in 2015 and it features more buttons and none of that round controller.

5. Get the Amazon Video app

We are continuing our list of tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV with tip No.5 – as you may have already deducted from our introduction, there’s really no Amazon Prime Video app for Apple TV. That may or may not have something to do with how Amazon has been conducting business lately, refusing to even sell to the likes of Chromecast – an indicator that they’re not really interested in this whole business of streaming boxes; at least not those that aren’t theirs, that is.

Back to business, however. As mentioned, you need to get the Amazon Video app from the App Store on your iOS device, be it your iPhone or your iPad. That’s because you’re going to have to make use of AirPlay to get your content across to the Apple TV box.

Once installed, you’ll have to sign in to your Amazon account with the help of your email address or mobile number to get access to your content.

4. Get yourself familiar with AirPlay

Let’s elaborate the tip number 4 from our list of tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV. Unfortunately for every fan of Amazon Prime Video, you can’t really watch your favorite shows on your big screen via Apple TV unless you jump through fiery hoops. As mentioned at the previous point, you need the Amazon Video app installed on your iOS device.

Once that step is done and you’re logged in, you have to go on about business as usual, selecting your favorite show. You won’t stop there, and you’ll even start streaming the film or series you’re interested in. The video playback screen will appear on your device, which is when you’ll be tapping the AirPlay icon on the screen. This will expose the AirPlay menu and select the Apple TV from the list of devices. There, you’re done. Unless you’re not an Amazon Prime Video subscriber.

3. Scream into your pillow due to petty fights against tech giants

If you’re not an Amazon Prime Video subscriber, you’re fresh out of luck in streaming your favorite shows to Apple TV. That’s because you will simply be unable to do this due to stops put in by Amazon’s developers. Try the tip number 3 on our list of tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV, and you’ll get an error message indicating you’d better become a subscriber.

There was an idea lurking online that using AirPlay mirroring might work to solve this solution, but Amazon has covered that loophole too, so you’re back to square one. What it boils down to is “go subscribe” or you’re not watching Amazon Prime videos on your TV via Apple TV.

2. Play free content via your computer

One workaround that does work is by using your computer and playing Amazon Videos there and using AirPlay to send them off to Apple TV. This method allows you to see even the free videos without needing to subscribe. So if you’re looking to just try it out for a while, this is definitely a solution.

The steps needed to be taken here are extensive, however, but we’ll try to be short. Whether you’re using a PC or a Mac, you need to mirror your screen by using a tool such as AirParrot, or the AirPlay screen mirroring support that comes with OS X, Mountain Lion version or later. Now this seems pretty easy, but things get complicated if you’re trying to watch the shows in a different room than where your computer is, in which case you’re going to have to move between rooms every time you want to pause the content, adjust the volume and so on. This being said, you might want to check out an app offering you remote access so you can control your computer with the help of your smartphone or tablet. Let’s see what we got left on our list of tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV.

1. Bring out the popcorn

This one among all the other already mentioned tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV is my favorite. You’re pretty much set at this point, whether we’re talking about Netflix or Amazon Prime. Sure, watching Amazon Prime videos may be a bit more difficult and have you walking the extra mile, but it can be done. With Netflix things are definitely easier thanks to the existing app, but we can’t help but wonder whether things are going to change in the future, given the situation with the new Apple (AAAPL), app.

All you need to do at this point is sit back and enjoy. For Netflix the interface looks pretty much the same as it does on your computer, so you should find it easy to figure out. For Amazon Prime it’s exactly the same since you’re essentially mirroring the screen of your computer or gadget in order to watch your favorite shows. The downside of not having a dedicated app for Amazon Prime is (aside from the difficulties of setting it up) is the fact that you won’t be able to pause, play and fast forward or rewind your show with the help of that cool-looking Apple TV remote. Even when streaming Netflix content, you’ll have to make sure you’ve paused the show before using the fast forward and rewind buttons on that remote so you don’t actually switch episodes instead.

That being said, these have been six tips about watching Netflix and Amazon Prime on Apple TV.