CNET Editors' review
AirParrot lets you mirror your desktop, specific apps, and even lets you extend your screen on to a big screen via Apple TV, but it isn't perfect.
Particularly compelling just after the release of Mountain Lion, AirParrot lets Mac users with machines running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or later mirror their desktops (Mountain Lion's AirPlay Mirroring only works on Macs made after 2011). The app creates a Menubar item where you'll be able to mirror your desktop on a big screen via a second- or third-generation Apple TV. Once you're on the same network as your Apple TV, simply use the drop-down menu to choose it and you'll begin mirroring what is on your desktop currently.
The app comes with several settings to play around with in the program's settings, including the ability to change resolution, video quality, and frame rate, along with controls for underscan to make content fit your TV screen.
AirParrot has a couple of extras that will be useful as well (that are not included in Mountain Lion's AirPlay Mirroring). You have the option under the Menubar drop-down menu to choose Extend Desktop, making your TV into a second desktop where you can drag-and-drop files, windows, and whatever you want on to your TV screen. There's also an option to run a specific app on the extra screen, but in my testing it made performing other tasks on my computer a bit laggy and jittery while AirParrot was running.
So, how does it compare with Mountain Lion's AirPlay Mirroring? It's not nearly as smooth. Loading up a Hulu Flash video was easy enough, but the video was fairly jerky and not as high resolution as using Airplay Mirroring in Mountain Lion. Even so, if you're on an older Mac that doesn't work with AirPlay Mirroring, AirParrot is pretty good alternative.
Publisher's Description
From AirParrot:
AirPlay Mirror your Mac's screen to AppleTV, wirelessly.
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All versions:
2.5 starsout of 2 votes
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Current version:
2.5 starsout of 2 votes
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My rating:
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Results 1-2 of 2
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"Handy Tool"
Version: AirParrot 1.0
Pros
I was disappointed that the next version of OS X...the one that supports screen sharing on an Apple TV...would not run on my Macbook.
I decided to Google this feature and found this application. It works as advertised. You do need to fiddle with the Preference to find what looks best on your TV. For example, unless your Mac already supports high definition, don't use the 1080p option. Depending on what your going to do with this, you will want to play with the over scanning to optimize what's displayed. For example, if you are using this to watch videos, you might want to turn it down so the menu bar is hidden.Cons
The sound does not switch back to the internal speakers if you quit the application without turning off the screen sharing first.
Be warned, web video using screen sharing always looks a little jittery. In other words, what looks good on a 13 inch laptop sometimes does not look so hot on a 42 inch screen. -
"Nice product... PayPal-only payment sucks."
Version: AirParrot 1.0
Pros
I used the trial version software for the provided 20 minutes and found it worked pretty well. I was ready to buy, except...
Cons
... Company only accepts PayPal, saying (via responses to 2 Support requests) they've found it's the cheapest payment processor to work with. I offered to send them a check - which requires no payment processing fee at all - but they don't want it.
Some users will find the twenty minute trial is too limited to fully try out the program. For $10 I was willing to "roll the dice" that long term performance might not be as good as during the (very) short term trial.Summary
AirParrot appears to be a sweet little program - and I wish the developer good fortune with this innovative product - but it's not sweet enough for me to do business again with PayPal.
Well, I complained about PayPal a little too soon... Developer got back to me on second request with info on sending a check. I can't change the stars rating here, but provisionally would say it's at least a 3, and hopefully proves even higher after the license shows up and I've had a chance to use it more.
Updated on Apr 3, 2012
