ATV 2 problems.....help.

[Benito]

I all in ehMacland. I have been happily using my ATV2 for the past several months. However, in the past few weeks it has been acting up and I was hoping that you might be able to help with some ideas as to what might be wrong before I drag it to the Genius bar.

When it was new, I was able to stream movies and TV shows on Netflix without any hiccups. It is wirelessly connected and I have an Airport Extreme router and then a Airport Express in the same room to boost the signal, which is full strength in the area of the ATV2 according to my iPhone 4 and my MBP. Over the past few weeks, it seems that after 15 mins or so of use, the picture starts to pixilate and distort and at the same time, the sound becomes choppy and gets behind the video which continues to distort. It fairly quickly becomes unwatchable. Pausing the ATV2 for a long time to allow the buffer to catch up doesn't help, nor does rewinding a bit. Several times I have stopped the ATV2 and then started Netflix on my MBP to see if it is the connection, and the MBP is able to fully watch and listen to the same program on Netflix.

Any ideas as to the problem? I should add that the ATV 2 is not sitting on any component that gives off any heat whatsoever.

 

[danny_w]

I have several devices apple:TV2, LG Bluray player, WDTV Live+, iMac, and until recently an iPad) which all support Netflix. All but the TV2 play flawlessly, whether wired or wireless. The TV2 will usually start out fine, but after some time (maybe 15m, maybe 1h) the audio and video simply stop; pausing and resuming will sometimes get it going again for a little while, sometimes not. I have come to the conclusion that the TV2 is worthless for Netflix (and pretty poor at streaming local media also). The TV2 may have a pretty face but the WDTV is a far superior product as far as actual use is concerned. All devices are on the same network with no changes.

 

[Benito]

But the strange thing is that I've been able to watch several 2 hour movies without even a hiccup. Have others found Netflix to be problematic on their ATV 2 as well?

 

[danny_w]

Not only Netflix but streaming in general. Of course not everybody has the problem but enough do that it seems to be a problem that Apple needs to fix. Some have said that after they rent a movie it says that it will take anywhere from a few minutes to a few (or many) hours to start.

 

[Benito]

Wow, that is just brutal. I hope that Apple releases an update on the ATV then that fixes this sooner than later.

 

[fireballer55]

It happens to me as well...it sucks.

 

[Benito]

Yes it does suck, do you think this will be fixed in an iOS update for the aTV?

 

[danny_w]

Yes it does suck, do you think this will be fixed in an iOS update for the aTV?

I certainly hope so but I'm not holding my breath. At least I have the solid WDTV for when things don't work right. Apple should take a lesson from them IMHO.