AirParrot vs Airtame 2

Streaming devices and utilities available on the market today include everything from inexpensive software to extremely pricey systems loaded with features. This article compares AirParrot 2 software by Squirrels and Airtame 2.

AirParrot and Airtame 2 are very different products. AirParrot 2 by Squirrels is software that works together with third-party devices such as Chromecast or Apple TV. Airtame 2 is a combination of software and hardware that works on its own and doesn’t need any third-party devices.

Highlights

• If you already own streaming equipment such as Chromecast or Apple TV and are looking for inexpensive software to connect otherwise incompatible devices to your existing equipment, then AirParrot 2 by Squirrels is something you should consider.
• If you are looking for a standalone wireless streaming device for school or business purposes that doesn’t need any additional third-party streaming equipment, then Airtame 2 is for you.

AirParrot as a quick fix, Airtame 2 as a full solution

The biggest difference between AirParrot 2 and Airtame 2 is that AirParrot is a piece of software that needs additional streaming hardware to connect to other devices.

Airtame 2 is a combination of hardware and software. It is a streaming solution that connects various devices such as TVs, laptops, and phones and doesn’t need any additional hardware or software. This difference is also reflected in the price of the products.

Two very different products at two very different price points

AirParrot 2 costs $12.99 for a single license, meaning a license for just one device from which you can stream content. Airtame 2 costs $/€ 399 (ex. VAT) for a single Airtame 2. The issue here is that you can’t really directly compare AirParrot 2 and Airtame 2 for two reasons.

First, with Airtame 2 you get streaming functionality right away and you don’t need any other streaming devices.

Second, Airtame 2 is a one-time cost and once connected to a WiFi network, anyone (students, employees, guests) can connect with a free app. With AirParrot, costs can add up if you want multiple people to be able to stream content from various devices.

Software utility vs collaborative work solution

Airtame 2 is a product that is optimized for work environments at schools and offices. It is compatible with WPA Personal and WPA2 Enterprise networks with username and password functionality, which is often used in a professional setting. When not actively streaming, Airtame 2 has a variety of options for digital signage.

With Airtame’s customizable Homescreen, you can customize what’s shown on your Airtame-powered screens when no one is streaming to them. Homescreen also allows for an easy and intuitive overview of all your Airtame devices. This gives the Airtame Homescreen a practical use. It is a digital signage solution that’s useful for a range of different needs.

Airtame currently has four beta apps – Google Slides (allowing you to present public presentations as homescreens); Trello (where you can connect and present project or team dashboards); World Clock (presenting up to four different time zones); and Unsplash (showcasing beautiful photography on your screens, based on a selected descriptive tag).

AirParrot 2 is a software utility that discovers available streaming receivers in the network, which means that you can only compare its functionality to Airtame 2 when you are using a combination of AirParrot 2 and some other streaming device such as Apple TV or Chromecast.

Why use AirParrot 2 if it only works with other streaming devices?

There are several scenarios in which AirParrot 2 may be a great choice.

AirParrot 2 and Apple TV

Apple announced the release of its proprietary protocol for wireless streaming called AirPlay in late 2010 and AirPlay 2 on June 5, 2017. Apple’s AirPlay technology enables users of Apple devices to wirelessly stream audio and video to Apple TV.

The issue is that AirPlay is not compatible with older Apple hardware or Windows. For this reason, if you have an older Apple computer or a Windows PC and need a quick and inexpensive fix that will allow you to use your existing computer equipment with Apple TV, at $12.99 AirParrot 2 is a great solution for that.

AirParrot 2 and Chromecast

In the early days of Chromecast, you could only use Chromecast to stream a specific tab from Chrome browser. The latest versions of Google Chrome allow you to mirror any browser tab or the entire desktop. However, if for some reason you can’t install the latest version of Google Chrome on your Windows PC or Apple computer, you can use AirParrot 2 to mirror the entire desktop to Chromecast.

AirParrot vs Airtame 2 on multiple screens

Both AirParrot and Airtame 2 can send content to multiple media. The main difference here is that Airtame 2 is a full solution that comes with software and hardware (you will still need a separate Airtame 2 in each TV screen you want to mirror to) and with AirParrot you will need a third-party receiver such as Google Chromecast with every device that you want to mirror the content to such as a TV.

This means that with Airtame 2 you can be sure about having no issues with networks or customizations of the screen because Airtame 2 takes content from the screen of your computer and mirrors it to a different media device.

With AirParrot, you need a separate receiver for each screen that you want to mirror the content to. For example, if you want to mirror the screen to Apple TV and Chromecast at the same time, you should be able to do it, but as user reviews from Chrome Web Store show, you may run into compatibility issues between AirParrot 2 and one of the media devices.

This means that when using AirParrot 2 you may have a picture with great quality and sound on one device and a picture with not-so-great quality and no sound on a different device. This may work for you if your goal is to get something going with the devices that you currently have at home or with your existing team at work.

However, if you are looking for a stable and predictable solution in a serious business environment where you want to impress your guests or you are giving presentations to your business partners, Airtame 2 is a much better option.

Furthermore, Airtame 2 has a smart function called Single Window Sharing. It lets presenters decide which window to stream, and which to keep private.

Bottom line

AirParrot 2 by Squirrels and Airtame 2 are completely different products that serve different goals.

AirParrot 2 is inexpensive software that lets you connect otherwise incompatible devices, for example, an old Apple laptop and Apple TV. AirParrot only works with other streaming devices. For it to work, you need Apple TV, Chromecast or other device or software. You can’t use it on its own to mirror a screen. When using AirParrot, you have to take into account the limitations of the devices that you connect it to, be it Apple TV or Chromecast.

Airtame 2 is a standalone product with a lot of functionality that you can use on its own. You don’t need any other streaming devices. If you want to connect an old laptop at home to an Apple TV, use AirParrot. If you are looking for a proven solution for a business or school, go with Airtame 2.

See more comparison articles:

• Chromecast vs Airtame 2
• Apple TV vs Airtame 2
• Actiontec Screenbeam vs Airtame 2
• ClickShare Vs Airtame 2
• Wireless Streaming for HDMI overview

We try to make our comparison articles as objective and accurate as possible, though changes to features and prices may have changed since the most recent article update. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or comments.

This article was last edited on November 28th, 2018