Only use ATV2 for Netflix... but it's totally worth it.

[FriarNurgle]

Picked up the ATV2 after the holidays and thoroughly enjoy the device. We mainly only use it for streaming Netflix and a few podcasts here and there. It's a very reasonable price and I'm optimistic for more features... but I just love the slick remote and also using the remote app on my iPhone.

 

[holidaypf]

I hate it

I bought an ATV2 yesterday because I thought it might be a nicer interface to use for Netflix than my XBox. I was wrong.

It only plays standard definition.

It takes forever to load content on Netflix and then stops after playing for five seconds.

Even the Apple media and youtube clips load very slow. I tried to watch a preview and lost interest after it just sat there for ten minutes, still loading the two minute clip.

I will be returning it today. Apple should not put out a product this bad.

 

[Jestered]

I bought an ATV2 yesterday because I thought it might be a nicer interface to use for Netflix than my XBox. I was wrong.

It only plays standard definition.

It takes forever to load content on Netflix and then stops after playing for five seconds.

Even the Apple media and youtube clips load very slow. I tried to watch a preview and lost interest after it just sat there for ten minutes, still loading the two minute clip.

I will be returning it today. Apple should not put out a product this bad.

That may be what you're experiencing, but it's probably not because of the Apple TV. It sounds to me that your internet speed is too slow, or you have a bad Apple TV. Everything you described is totally the opposite for me with my AppleTV.

 

[Digital Skunk]

That may be what you're experiencing, but it's probably not because of the Apple TV. It sounds to me that your internet speed is too slow, or you have a bad Apple TV. Everything you described is totally the opposite for me with my AppleTV.

I totally agree.

The ATV2 does play in HD albeit only 720p (for Netflix and iTunes content) and I've had no issues with streaming so far. I have mediocre internet and don't have the start stop issue 90% of the time, the other 10% the stream stops once, then doesn't stop again.

A new movie or episode starts at the most 30 seconds after I hit play.

The only issues I have with it is what I know is a defect. I can play content from Netflix fine for hours. If I let the ATV alone then come back a few hours or days later and hit play on something else, a message will pop up telling me that the content can only be played with HDCP, which the ATV, Phillips TV and the HDMI cable I have all support.

I reset the ATV and it works fine. Very annoying problem though.

 

[Mattsasa]

That may be what you're experiencing, but it's probably not because of the Apple TV. It sounds to me that your internet speed is too slow, or you have a bad Apple TV. Everything you described is totally the opposite for me with my AppleTV.

HD netflix movies start up about 5 seconds or less after I hit play,

 

[holidaypf]

720p maybe

Yeah, it is supposed to play 720p and probably does at some point. But I had been watching Dexter on my Xbox in full widescreen at a quality level that made me forget I was watching streaming t.v. On the AppleTV the same show was provided only in "standard definition." That translated to a 4:3 format that looked like web video from over 5 years ago. So, back to the Xbox.

I will have to quit bashing my Microsoft product every time I have to turn it off and then back on again at the end of every Netflix show. That is a hard habit to break. Maybe the third version will be able to compete.

 

[laurim]

I will have to quit bashing my Microsoft product every time I have to turn it off and then back on again at the end of every Netflix show. That is a hard habit to break. Maybe the third version will be able to compete.

Sounds like you have technical problems in general, probably with your network. I used to watch Netflix on my XBox and never once had to turn it off and on between shows. Decided it was silly to pay $60/yr for XBox Live just to get Netflix when I could pay $99 once. Haven't looked back since.

The issues are all coming from your end. Blame yourself, not the equipment.

 

[moorezilla]

I think there might be something to the problem of Atv2 Netflix streaming. I have an Atv2 sitting next to a Roku XD/S. The Atv2 pauses and stalls rather often (about every 2nd or 3rd episode) when streaming Netflix content, whereas the Roku has never stalled yet. Same tv, same internet connection (both using wifi, although the Roku advertises itself as "dual-band"), same hdmi connection, same Netflix account, and using an Airport Extreme as a wireless modem... which I would think would be tailored rather well to Apple products.

Couple this with no out-of-the-box support for Amazon video (understandably... I guess, since Apple wants to protect its content margins) and it's hard to suggest the Atv2 for anyone other than iTunes/Store delivery fans.

 

[TheHoff]

Check the Apple Discussions for more info on this Netflix problem.

That may be what you're experiencing, but it's probably not because of the Apple TV. It sounds to me that your internet speed is too slow, or you have a bad Apple TV. Everything you described is totally the opposite for me with my AppleTV.

I have 20 Mbps fiber and Netflix plays flawlessly on my Mac Mini HTPC. It utterly failed on ATV2 no matter what I did (DNS, different routers, networks, etc). See the Apple Discussion forums and you can see dozens if not hundreds of other posts about the same issue with Netflix and ATV2 (it just doesn't work very well for many people). Everything else about my ATV2 was fine.

 

[holidaypf]

The issues are all coming from your end. Blame yourself, not the equipment.

Right, I should not comment on the efficacy of consumer devices that utilize WiFi Internet connections again unless I can properly diagnose any and all technical problems and write code that will address said problems "on my end."

Come on.

 

[vincenz]

Wish I had the extra cash to plunk down on an atv2. It certainly looks very convenient.

 

[laurim]

Right, I should not comment on the efficacy of consumer devices that utilize WiFi Internet connections again unless I can properly diagnose any and all technical problems and write code that will address said problems "on my end."

Come on.

Nobody has asked you to write code. That's ridiculous. What I'm telling you is, you are blaming the ATV for problems that are, more than likely, not its fault. If you make some effort to read in these forums how people have solved their issues and look at how your network is set up and what level of service you have, you have a good chance of fixing your problems. Unfortunately, so many people would rather take the easy route to immediately blame the box, give up, and then tell everyone how it's a bad product. Obviously, there's an issue with your network if you're also having to restart the XBox repeatedly so unless you fix your network, you'll never be happy with any Netflix box. You have an opportunity to be happy if you'll make the effort to help yourself.