Testing FaceTime on Apple TV With Belkin's New MagSafe iPhone Mount

[MacRumors]

Belkin this week released a new iPhone Mount with MagSafe, which is designed to attach to a television for use with the Apple TV 4K. The MagSafe Mount lets you use your iPhone as a camera for your Apple TV on FaceTime calls.

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Apple actually showed off this mount when it introduced FaceTime on Apple TV, but it hasn't been available for purchase until now, and there hasn't been an official solution for mounting an iPhone to a television set.

Priced at $49.95, the Belkin iPhone Mount has a bracket that is able to attach to a TV or a display that's up to four inches thick, or it can be used with a pedestal as a standalone mount next to a TV.

It's super simple to use the mount, and you just need to pop it on the TV and then stick your MagSafe-enabled iPhone to the mount. You can adjust the tilt from -20 to +30 degrees for the perfect filming angle, and it works in either portrait or landscape mode.

We tested the mount with FaceTime, but it is also compatible with any Continuity Camera-supported apps. The iPhone activates automatically as the camera in FaceTime or another supported app, and all you need to do is be signed in with the same Apple ID on both devices.

Note that using an iPhone as a camera for an Apple TV requires the second-generation Apple TV 4K or later with tvOS 17, and an iPhone (or iPad) running iOS 17 or later.

Using a TV for FaceTime is great if you're FaceTiming with multiple people or for SharePlay sessions, and there are options to set up a split-screen layout when using FaceTime. The mount and the Continuity Camera feature work with Center Stage, and reactions like fireworks are supported.

Large-screen FaceTime is definitely an experience that's worth trying out if you tend to do a lot of video calling. Apple is selling the Belkin Mount for $49.95, and it's shipping out almost immediately.

Article Link: Testing FaceTime on Apple TV With Belkin's New MagSafe iPhone Mount

 

[biting-mammal]

This looks great! But how is the audio? Is it just using the loudspeaker of the phone? Does the microphone just use the microphone of the phone? I’m just wondering how well you’d hear the other person and how well they would hear you… especially if you’re sitting back from the phone.

 

[kiranmk2]

I've used this (with the phone propped up, not on a mount) and the audio on my end is fine because it comes through the TV speakers. Not sure how I came across to the other person though.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

What's the difference between this and the one for monitors?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Microphone is the Phone microphone. What you hear of the other party comes through on whatever speakers play your TV audio- be that TV speakers themselves or better speakers such as a surround sound setup attached to the TV.

Option #2 is you can also use buds just like you can when making a FaceTime call with the phone itself. Audio & Mic are then those associated with the buds.

I have tested this myself and the other end hears my words as good as making a FaceTime call from that distance without involving the TV & AppleTV.

An easy way to test without doing an actual FaceTime call is to start shooting a video using the rear phone cameras, prop it up on the front your TV, go sit wherever you usually sit (where you would want to be be for TV FaceTime) "fake it" by staring at your TV screen and saying something to capture some spoken words. Then, go get your phone, play the video back and what you see & hear should be pretty close to what those on the other end of a call will see & hear.

 

[kol77]

I've done this several times and it is nice for group (family for me) calls. Sound is great (through TV) and I haven't had complaints about microphone pick up (using iPhone mic - have also used iPad). But, haven't really queried the other end on quality of sound (we are generally sitting about 8 to 10 feet from iPhone/iPad).

PS - obviously did not use the mount discussed in this article...

 

[kirbyrun]

What's the difference between this and the one for monitors?

This is my question. I have the monitor mount and when I want to FT from the TV, I just transfer the monitor mount over.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

This is my question. I have the monitor mount and when I want to FT from the TV, I just transfer the monitor mount over.

It looks like it’s maybe just a more robust tabletop stand.

Even though the monitor mount also works fine as a table top stand.

 

[AppleMega]

Zero chance we will ever do FaceTime or meetings with our big screen TV.

 

[iamsikora]

It should be $24.99 They are crazy

 

[poematik13]

Should have been 29.99 and released in 2020 when people actually had a reason to use this

 

[bernoulli]

I've used this (with the phone propper up, no on a mount) and the audio on my end is fine because it comes through the TV speakers. Not sure how I came across to the other person though.

I have used this setup and I have to day the other person can’t hear me very well with the phone next to the TV which is far away from me (15 feet away).

I end up having to move the phone closer to me which kind of defeats the point.

It’s ok if it’s just one person with AirPods on, but with multiple people it’s just easier with an iPad or mac to do FaceTime.

Nice idea but shame we won’t be using it. We just use my macbook pro for group FaceTime

 

[spamabyss]

Also curious how the sound would be on the other end! Is there a way to connect another microphone besides headphones?

 

[Gobeatty]

Haha!!! I made one out of Legos a few years ago. Works great. I use a rubber band around the whole thing to let together.

 

[roncron]

$50 seems high for a mount. Maybe check Amazon for a less pricey alternative before ordering the Belkin.

 

[kiranmk2]

I have used this setup and I have to day the other person can’t hear me very well with the phone next to the TV which is far away from me (15 feet away).

I end up having to move the phone closer to me which kind of defeats the point.

It’s ok if it’s just one person with AirPods on, but with multiple people it’s just easier with an iPad or mac to do FaceTime.

Nice idea but shame we won’t be using it. We just use my macbook pro for group FaceTime

I have switched to using AirPods with it and I guess that makes me audible to the other party. The issue I have is that similar to webcams, unless you look at the camera, it looks to the other person like you’re looking past them. I would have thought Apple could implement an AI system to make it seem like you are making eye contact when you are looking at the tv screen.

 

[rikscha]

Hu. I have been using the Belkin display magsafe stand all this time
Thought it was for TVs as well. Sits perfectly on top of the tv

 

[Calle68]

A 3K $ set for a facetime call. Well...

 

[bLackjackj]

$US50 is rediculous for a little holder,..when there are so many dollar mounts for sale on eBay, Amazon, Temu, Ali Express etc..

You could even make one from a car mount, quite easily. Accessorie E-Waste at its finest.

 

[Student of Life]

Does this also charge the phone? Then I can sorta understand but not really justify the price.

 

[dbwie]

Why not set up the phone much closer to where you are sitting? That way you don’t have all the extraneous background, and the microphone should pick up your voice better, correct? When I use this, I put it on an end stand halfway between the TV and the couch where I am sitting.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Also curious how the sound would be on the other end! Is there a way to connect another microphone besides headphones?

Any microphone that works with an iDevice... presumably any Bluetooth microphone, any Bluetooth lavaliere, any wired microphone that can then plug into the iDevice or a hub hooked to the iDevice. If you can make a microphone work with your iDevice, it should work this way too.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Why not set up the phone much closer to where you are sitting? That way you don’t have all the extraneous background, and the microphone should pick up your voice better, correct? When I use this, I put it on an end stand halfway between the TV and the couch where I am sitting.

That will work fine. Another good option is a tripod with an iDevice adapter... and then position the iDevice so that it is roughly in front of your TV screen's center... like an iDevice eclipse or center/middle Dynamic Island. Yes, that will cover some portion of the people on the other end of the conversation but will have you looking dead at them vs. putting the iDevice ABOVE or BELOW the screen to then make it look like you are looking DOWN a bit or UP over their heads respectively. This effect is less obvious when FaceTiming on smaller devices but as the screen gets much larger (like with a TV), the camera can be further from where you are looking, showing the effect more obviously. If you want to rig up anything to get camera closer to the center of the TV, it will look like you are looking right at them.

I have a couple of tripods around for video work anyway, so I just got the cheap adapter (example) and use one for this and it works fine.

 

[ghostface147]

I’ll still use my Lego MOC for this.

 

[JMO1]

A feature I want to love; but the process to pair is simply to cumbersome to go through every time there is a call.