AppleTV DVD rentals

[malikk]

Hello sirs,
I have heard this has been a problem for some through google searches. But when I rent a movie it takes hours to get it to buffer enough I can play it. Now, I was wondering fi this is a common issue? Or are there certain router settings I may be missing that is throttling the buffer times. As well, do most of you have your Atv hooked up to the internet through the network cord, or wirelessly as I thought maybe this is my issue as well? I hear some people are fine buffering a rented movie, but some do not.

It is not a huge issue because I do not rent often. But when I do, I would prefer not to have to set aside at least (usually more) 2 hours for it to be ready.

Thanks,
malikk

 

[CWallace]

Is your Apple TV connected via a wired Ethernet connection or wireless?

If wireless, what is the protocol? 802.11b/g/n? Is the AppleTV in a cabinet or out in the open? What type of Internet connection do you have? DSL? Cable?

Is downloading large files or videos from the Internet quick or slow?

 

[dgalvan123]

Hello sirs,
I have heard this has been a problem for some through google searches. But when I rent a movie it takes hours to get it to buffer enough I can play it. Now, I was wondering fi this is a common issue? Or are there certain router settings I may be missing that is throttling the buffer times. As well, do most of you have your Atv hooked up to the internet through the network cord, or wirelessly as I thought maybe this is my issue as well? I hear some people are fine buffering a rented movie, but some do not.

It is not a huge issue because I do not rent often. But when I do, I would prefer not to have to set aside at least (usually more) 2 hours for it to be ready.

Thanks,
malikk

From what you are saying, it sounds like your internet download speed is a tad slow.

Go to speedtest.net on any device hooked up to your home internet connection, and post the results here. I have found that if you are getting download speeds less than ~5 Mbps, then your itunes rentals/purchases are going to be slow. I had this problem when I first got my ATV2 last year, since I was on a DSL line and typically got ~2 Mbps. I upgraded to cable internet, and get 10-15 Mbps, and that solved my problem.

I do have my ATV2 wired to my router, but that really shouldn't matter for downloads from the itunes store, since 802.11n can support data transfer speeds that top what most internet service providers can do.

If you opt not to upgrade your internet speed, a recommended workaround is to buy/rent the itunes show/movie on itunes on your computer, and then stream it to your apple tv using home sharing, rather than buying/renting directly on your ATV. The difference is that, if you buy it directly on ATV, the video will buffer in your ATV's limited (8GB) internal flash memory, but if you do something else with your ATV before finishing the whole movie (like listen to a podcast or something), part of the downloaded video might get overwritten and you'll have to start downloading all over again. If you do it on the computer, the video is safely stored on your computer, and streaming it to your ATV should take no time at all, wired or wireless.