Apple Releases Third Beta of tvOS 9.1 to Developers

[MacRumors]

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming update to tvOS, the new operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. Today's beta comes just over one week after Apple seeded the second tvOS 9.1 beta and three weeks since the tvOS was released alongside the fourth-generation Apple TV.

The third tvOS beta is available as an over-the-air update to those who have installed the first two betas. Installing an initial tvOS beta is a more involved process than installing a beta update for iOS or OS X. The update requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes.

We don't yet know exactly what is included in the new version of tvOS, as most changes thus far appear to be under-the-hood updates. Apple's release notes for the update include references to networking and scrolling tweaks, and it's likely tvOS 9.1 will include fixes for bugs and issues that have been discovered in the software since the Apple TV's official launch. We will include any other external facing changes below.

tvOS 9.1 will mark the first significant update to tvOS and the second update to the operating system. The first tvOS update, tvOS 9.0.1, was released to the public on November 9.

Article Link: Apple Releases Third Beta of tvOS 9.1 to Developers

 

[dude-x]

I wish there was a list of updates. But my Apple TV works fine for now.

 

[guzhogi]

The update requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable

So the AppleTV has USB-C? Between the release of the MacBook & the new AppleTV, there were a few other hardware upgrades like the iMac. Why didn't they get USB-C?

 

[MH01]

So something will be updated in 9.1

I've been using plex on mine and it's been a great experience.

Two weeks in I've decided to keep it, though not fond of the new remote, in the dark I cannot tell which is the touch pad and which is then back cause the buttons are in the middle, the old remote was a much better design.

 

[gugy]

Well, I have to say ATV is improving. The last update fixed quite a few things for me.

 

[mytdave]

The #1 best thing Apple could do in a software update is to add support so more than 1 Apple remote can be used with the new ATV at the same time.

 

[snebes]

Still missing Remote.app support?

 

[DaveN]

So something will be updated in 9.1

I've been using pled on mine and it's been a great experience.

Two weeks in I've decided to keep it, though not fond of the new remote, in the dark I cannot tell which is the touch pad and which is then back cause the buttons are in the middle, the old remote was a much better design.

I have the same issue with the remote in the dark. How about taping a little bead or bar on one end of the back? Then you would be able to feel which way is up.

 

[prowlmedia]

So the AppleTV has USB-C? Between the release of the MacBook & the new AppleTV, there were a few other hardware upgrades like the iMac. Why didn't they get USB-C?

That is a major upgrade case design etc.

As for the need for cable it's because this is the Beta. I am sure the final will be over the air.

 

[Juicy Box]

Two weeks in I've decided to keep it, though not fond of the new remote, in the dark I cannot tell which is the touch pad and which is then back cause the buttons are in the middle, the old remote was a much better design.

I totally agree, the remote is poorly designed. I wished the ATV4 had consistent results using an IR remote. The ATV3 seems like the superior product at the moment.

Hopefully this update will fix the many things plaguing this device.

 

[Zorn]

Installing an initial tvOS beta is a more involved process than installing a beta update for iOS or OS X. The update requires the Apple TV to be connected to a computer with a USB-C to USB-A cable, with the software downloaded and installed via iTunes.

The biggest issue is that even after you plug the Apple TV into iTunes, it's not possible to do a "Software Update" install pointing to an IPSW file. You have to fully restore/erase the unit. I really hope this isn't the case with future betas, since it's a huge hassle to erase the box, especially with how awful it is typing logins with the Siri remote.

 

[BaggieBoy]

I am sure the final will be over the air.

Since the 9.0.1 update was OTA, it's a certainty that all future updates will be also.

 

[Inframan]

If they don't implement continuous scroll for large libraries like I have on my computer then I'm going to bitch slap somebody at Apple, unless my swipe finger falls off first.

 

[BaggieBoy]

I will skip this one, unless there is a way to backup and restore, it's too much of ball ache to configure everything each time. I did the last beta but I've now lost the use of NowTV since the Apple TV is seen as a new device, and you can only add a new device once a month...and I used up this month's allocation when I originally installed the new Apple TV.

 

[scapegoat81]

I hope that one of these upcoming updates adds compatibility w/ the Remote app along w/ the ability to find the Siri remote via Bluetooth in the app itself. That would be a fuggin gamechanger. My kids are constantly losing my ATV remotes

 

[k1121j]

I bet they hold out on keyboard support for a while then when they add it back everybody will cheer like apple is doing us all a favor.. pishh the only feature I say this new atv was worth so far was plex kinda disappointed I hope apps/games get better

 

[MH01]

I totally agree, the remote is poorly designed. I wished the ATV4 had consistent results using an IR remote. The ATV3 seems like the superior product at the moment.

Hopefully this update will fix the many things plaguing this device.

It will mature nicely, and with the ability to sideload apps it's got a lot more potential than ATV3

I have the same issue with the remote in the dark. How about taping a little bead or bar on one end of the back? Then you would be able to feel which way is up.

That's a good idea, I might do that as its really annoying me. Very surprised how badly this was designed from a use ability point of view. Looks great though.

Even having the touchpad on both sides would work

 

[palmerc]

So something will be updated in 9.1

I've been using plex on mine and it's been a great experience.

Two weeks in I've decided to keep it, though not fond of the new remote, in the dark I cannot tell which is the touch pad and which is then back cause the buttons are in the middle, the old remote was a much better design.

Put your thumb in the middle - the volume button is the long one and should go on the right.

 

[Smith288]

That's a good idea, I might do that as its really annoying me. Very surprised how badly this was designed from a use ability point of view. Looks great though.

Even having the touchpad on both sides would work

My issue with the remote is that the remote will skip around a video if I go to reach for the remote wrong and it's backwards in my hand.

 

[patseguin]

I hope there's a software fix in 9.1 for unresponsive touch control.

 

[newdeal]

If there is one thing at Apple recently that is a terrible epidemic its releasing X.X updates prior to releasing enough X.X.X updates to fix all the bugs in the old one before moving on to something new. Snow Leopard was their best OS and got all the way up to 10.6.8 now days they never get anywhere close to that many releases before moving on to a new version and introducing even more bugs

 

[MH01]

Put your thumb in the middle - the volume button is the long one and should go on the right.

I'm aware of that . When I pick it up, I put my thumb on the glass, or what I think is the glass.

I doubt the user journey is to pick it up, fondle the buttons in the middle and work out which is the touch pad.

To be honest I can just use a torch..... Still a bad design though . The old remote as soon as you picked up you knew which end you were holding

 

[priitv8]

IMHO the worst bug currently is the audio output bug. This one should work as it has so far on all previous appleTV-s. tvOS plays even lossless music in DD5.1 at 640kbps as long as you don't force it to stero output in Audio preferences. In movies it does not play surround track unless you again intervene manually.

 

[L-U-R-C-H]

Sometimes when watching Walking Dead episodes, the audio will cut out for a few seconds while the video keeps playing. What's odd is that the entire video is already buffered, so this has to be some sort of bug. Might even be just Walking Dead, because I have yet to have this problem with other shows. It's just really annoying because I'll miss what someone said and will have to tell Siri to "go back 10 seconds", and then I'll hear what they said.

 

[ksnell]

Maybe we will get 10 AND 30 second skip/back controls on the remote? This would be great for skipping 30 second commercials with the NHL app (when catching up on a game to live).