How Many Apple TV’s Can I Have.

In theory you may be able to have many Apple TV’s by using multiple computers and complex network configurations. However in most situations it’s the number of Apple TV’s that can use a single iTunes library that is important.

Q.   

So why am I writing a webpage about something I don’t know the answer to ?

A.  

I’ve looked many times to find this answer, but have yet to find anyone claim to have the answer with any confidence. In addition to this, those that have claimed to have answers, have provided different answers to each other. So I’ve decided to discuss what I know and what I think.

Let’s start by looking at the Apple TV 1.

The Apple TV 1 is considered unique, it’s not a computer, an iPod or other device. Apple clearly state you can use 5 Apple TV 1’s with an iTunes library.

So could the Apple TV 2 & 3 be just the same.

Well no, I can easily confirm this myself. I have 5 Apple TV 2’s & 3’s in use and 2 Apple TV 1’s, if all Apple TV’s were equal, I would have 7, 2 more than the maximum allowed.

So could the Apple TV 2 & 3 be a unique device classification too.

I guess it’s possible that the iOS Apple TV’s have a unique device classification like the Apple TV 1, and I don’t have anything to positively demonstrate that it can’t. But if it were as simple as that, I ‘d have to wonder why Apple can’t state a maximum number, or why no-one has simply added one device at a time, and confirmed results with others.

Homesharing.

Homesharing is used by the Apple TV 2 & 3 to share your iTunes library. Apple State that 5 computers can connect by homesharing to your library, but don’t appear to place a limit on how many other devices can too. Apple have the following to say about the matter:

“Home Sharing in iTunes is designed to let you easily share your iTunes media libraries between up to five computers in your household. You can also use Home Sharing to play your iTunes content on your iOS devices and Apple TV (2nd generation) if they are connected to your home Wi-Fi network.”

I have 3 computers and 9 iOS devices (not including Apple TV’s) that homeshare my iTunes library as well as my 5 Apple TV’s. This tells me that (potentially):

1. •Even if Apple TV’s aren’t included; a) The number of iOS devices allowed is at least 9, b) the number of iOS devices and computers allowed is at least 12.
   

2. •If Apple TV’s are included; a) The number of iOS devices allowed is at least 14, b) the number of iOS devices and computers allowed is at least 17.
   

Now, it was difficult to ensure that 14 devices were all homesharing at the same time for various reasons. I was also aware that some people think that, Apple TV’s (and perhaps all iOS devices) are given a sort of temporary access to the library, allowing other devices to join as others drop out, and keep under some maximum limit. So although I perhaps couldn’t guarantee I had 10 simultaneous homeshares, I’d be pretty sure it was more than 5.

Authorised Computers and Associated Devices.

These restrictions aren’t related to homesharing. Authorised computers are computers that are allowed to playback your content, even without a homesharing set up. Associated Devices are devices that are allowed to redownload content from your account or use your iTunes Match, they include computers.

The limits for computers only is 5 authorisations, and the limit for Associated Devices (which includes your computers) is 10 associations.

This tells me that:

Apple TV 2 & 3’s can’t require authorisation as a computer, otherwise I’d have 8 authorised computers.

They also can’t be considered Associated Devices or else I would have 11 Associated devices (5 Apple TV’s, 3 computers and 3 of my 9 other iOS devices.

What others have reported.

There are a number of recurring maximums stated in a number of forums and non-Apple websites, but most of my observations have come from reports in the Apple Support Communities. The most common reports are for a maximum number of 5 or 10, to a lesser degree there’s also been more claims of 7, than other maximums given.

Of interest here is the fact that, 5 and 10 are also the numbers used for restrictions on Authorised Computers and Associated Devices, and one possibility is that people are not fully understanding the difference, between these and homesharing. 7 was also once a restriction on sharing, which was replaced with the current restrictions quite some time ago.

Where authors have experimented themselves, and reportedly reached a point where Apple TV’s drop out of homesharing as others are added, I have seen a number of different reports where, on the low side, the author has claimed they have not been able to use more than 3, and on the high end of claims, 14 of them.

I can confirm myself that 5 of them work perfectly, but I’ve not been able to test more to see if 5 is a limit. I clearly cannot confirm any of the reports I have seen of varying numbers of maximums being achieved, so I guess there is the possibility these reports might not be credible.

My concluding thoughts.

I think there are 4 feasible answers to the original question.

1. •The maximum number is 5.
   

2. •The maximum number is 10.
   

3. •There is no maximum.
   

4. •It depends on what other devices you have in use.
   

Now, the limits of 5 and 10 may seem like obvious limits, taking into account simplicity and a number of reports that I’ve seen that have used these numbers. But as I said previously, I find it difficult to accept that no-one including Apple have positively confirmed this. It also does not explain reports of different results, but these are after all unconfirmed reports and possibly shouldn’t be relied on.

No restriction on numbers, fits best in my view, with Apple’s statement about homesharing which I quoted above. It doesn’t however explain why people are reporting experiencing a maximum. I suppose it’s possible, that users networks play some part in this, which might explain why people are experiencing maximums, and also why they are different from user to user, but I’m not aware of any reasons this might happen.

In conjunction with the idea that Apple TV 2 & 3’s might take up some temporary association (that isn’t reported in iTunes), this might explain differing reports which are based on differing numbers of other associated devices when testing took place. I tend to think this is over complicated, but it might also be why Apple make no attempt to explain a maximum number if there is one. However, if this is the case, the combined number of Associated Devices is almost certainly more than 5 (from my own testing) and possibly more than 10.

At the end of it all, I don’t believe I have a ‘most likely’ answer from these.