Crestron AirMedia 4+

In the five years of trying out this app for streaming content from my iPad to the TVs in my classroom, I’ve never been happy with the process or result. In this latest iteration, I saw a new logo and a recent update and hoped for the best. No luck connecting to the device in the classroom (perhaps the device was running old software? Shouldn’t keep me from connection though), but my iPad did stop Airplaying to my home TV.

I didn’t make the connection right away, but I believe the latest version of the software did something to the network stack on my iPad that broke AirPlay. Before uninstalling, AirPlay to my local TV resulted in a black screen on the TV and non-responsive internet on the iPad. As soon as I uninstalled the software (didn’t even need a restart), Airplay and internet access were restored.

Have to say, this doesn’t do anything to encourage confidence in the Crestron brand. Anyone asks me for my opinion on the company or their products, I’m going to have to give a giant thumbs down.

THE NEGATIVE: The application cannot connect with the address of a network projector, and this is due to some changes Apple did in the last operating systems, mainly Big Sur. It could have been fixed, however, Crestron didn’t fix it yet. Two years or more and this company didn’t fix it!

THE POSITIVE: The application actually can connect with the address of a network projector if you try multiple times. It has difficulties to connect, but after 20 or more attempts can connect. Sometimes moving around the room can connect. However, this is very unstable.

My university has begun using these Crestron air media receivers. However, after several months of trying to hook up my device, be it an iPhone or my Mac or a PC, I have been unable to get a single receiver to detect to my devices. The experience has been generally frustrating, to say the least.