We watch online content from the Philippines using a third generation iPad(the model we use, but you can use iPad 1 as well) streamed to a big television using apple TV's wireless mirroring. It is more convenient using this way of connection rather than wired because you can use and control the iPad whilst sitting at the sofa. It serves as both the source of entertainment and remote control.
This morning, we run into a series of iPad problems that include, selective non-responsive screen and mirroring time out!
Selective non-responsive touchscreen.
This problem occurs when my wife is logging into her TFC account. As she logs in her account across many flatforms, she is automatically logs out and needs to log in again when she switch between devices. Although all links of the website works, and the log in page shows, there seem to be a problem when trying to log in. The problem is the log in box is grayed and it is not rendered active when touched. The on screen keyboard also does not show up.
Is it because the orientation mode is locked?
I suspected the orientation mode giving the problem because I usually solve this problem on an android phone by rotating the screen from landscape to portrait or vice versa.
But where's the orientation lock?
Swiping the iPad from the base upwards should show the rotation lock, but instead, the mute(1) button is taking it's place. If this happens, it is because the physical lock switch at the right upper side of the iPad is switched to control the orientation lock. So no matter how much you try to change it using the menu under general settings, it will not change the orientation.
So I did slide back the physical lock button at the right upper side of the iPad to change it's orientation from landscape to portrait mode. This seemed correct the problem. Either in the landscape mode, it worked alright after this, and even after we activated the orientation lock button.
Other possible solutions.
If this move have not corrected the problem, either I should have emptied the Safari cache or restarted the device.
Bring back rotation lock!
If you want the control center menu to show the orientation lock instead of the mute button, go to general>use side switch >and choose lock rotation(3). The change will be immediate and will show the rotation lock(4).
Mirroring Stops
Whilst watching the mirrored show, the connection between the TV and iPad stops. The iPad says that the program is playing at apple TV but the TV doesn't output anything. Restarting the show by refreshing the page starts the mirroring again but stops more or less at the point where it stops the first time.
There are many causes of this, like failed internet connection, failed Wi-Fi connection, and even failed device. At this occassion I can not fault internet connection as it is OK with the iPad to play contents. I can not blame Wi-Fi as well as the apple TV is connected over Wi-Fi and does not have any problem playing netflix programs. So I am down to a problem with the device.
I remember about a battery saving feature of devices that limits connectivity specially, Wi-Fi, bluetooth and data when they reach a set battery percentage. This means the device throttles the connectivity performance to stretch the battery life. This might be happening with the iPad as it is at 18% life.
Making it connected to the mains whilst mirroring has corrected the error in this occasion. You can also force the device not to stop mirroring even whilst low in battery by adjusting the sleep button to never, general>Auto-Lock(5)>Never(6).
