Apps App updates...or the lack thereof...

[cynics]

Well we have an App Store now...filled with buggy apps that the devs aren't updating...

Overall I prefer the AppleTV 4 to the 3 however I'm finding tons of obvious bugs and omissions in nearly every app. Many haven't seen an update since the ATV4 was released...

Just a couple obvious examples...no refresh in YouTube, and it stops auto playing requiring a restart of the ATV. Crunchyroll will sometimes just randomly skip to the next episode especially after auto playing. Hulu will kick random errors like this....



...which requires a restart of the ATV. Etc, etc, etc I could find glaring flaws in all the apps I have if ask those are just a couple random examples.

Don't get me wrong I don't expect these apps to all be perfect but they aren't being fixed. Of those 3 apps I mentioned Hulu had the most recent update as of Dec 18th. YouTube saw an update shortly after the ATV4 was released and CR never has.

Even the apps that work fairly need a lot of work, like Netflix in the UI department. There isn't genres? And the genres that are listed as you scroll down are random.

What do you guys think? Is this a sign of things to come? Do devs just not care about the ATV?

 

[d21mike]

Of course depends on the App. But Hulu still has not added the Watchlish which is on the Apple TV 3. Unbelievable.

 

[\-V-/]

Gotta love lazy devs hampering the experience.

 

[cynics]

Gotta love lazy devs hampering the experience.

Love the avatar.

I wouldn't say they are lazy....maybe it's just they don't have any motivation to improve the apps.

Ex...does Hulu work? Technically yes.... So they figure that's good enough...what would motivate them to make a free app any better? I could use my computer, iPad, iPhone, AirPlay either, PlayStation etc etc etc to watch Hulu. In any event I'm not going to get rid of my subscription for Hulu, HBO, Netflix, Crunchyroll, Pandora because the AppleTV 4 apps suck...

 

[\-V-/]

Their motivation should be continued revenue from customers. I would think from a business standpoint you would want your product to be as good as it can be, regardless of which platform it is being consumed on.

Love the avatar.

Thanks.

 

[satcomer]

I'v seen this cool app Channels using a HDHomeRun to get Live TV on your Apple TV!

Here is a video review

 

[d21mike]

I'v seen this cool app Channels using a HDHomeRun to get Live TV on your Apple TV!

Here is a video review

Excellent Video Review. No one can call these developers lazy.
The review is of 1.4. The current release is 1.5 and they have a 8gb Live TV Buffer now which is about 90 minutes of HD.
Also, the beta version is integrating the HDHomeRun DVR Service from SiliconDust. So far looking really good.

 

[nburwell]

The Hulu app is by far the worst. I have to close out of the app and sometimes restart my ATV at least once a week. My girlfriend and I use the Hulu app a lot to catch up on the TV shows we watch during the week since we cut the cord a month ago. We have the ATV3 connected in our bedroom, and we haven't experienced any of the playback failure issues that we get on our ATV4 in the living room.

 

[d21mike]

The Hulu app is by far the worst. I have to close out of the app and sometimes restart my ATV at least once a week. My girlfriend and I use the Hulu app a lot to catch up on the TV shows we watch during the week since we cut the cord a month ago. We have the ATV3 connected in our bedroom, and we haven't experienced any of the playback failure issues that we get on our ATV4 in the living room.

My only problem with Hulu on ATV4 is we lost the Wathlist which replaces the Favorites, Queue and Shows you watch. The Wathlist was a Opt In at one point and worked great before I upgraded to the ATV4. But have not had any problems watching shows. And I have a lot that I watch. This will be reduced a lot (for me) once the Fall Shows stop around March sometime.

 

[ohio.emt]

I've only had Hulu not play a video twice, and I use it about every other day. I've had more the one update for most of the apps I use Hulu was last updated 1/25/16 to version 1.0.4 according to my ATV.

As for restarting the ATV have you tried just force closing the app, instead of a full system restart? I know that has worked for my the few times I've had trouble with an app.

 

[Carlanga]

Love the avatar.

I wouldn't say they are lazy....maybe it's just they don't have any motivation to improve the apps.

Ex...does Hulu work? Technically yes.... So they figure that's good enough...what would motivate them to make a free app any better? I could use my computer, iPad, iPhone, AirPlay either, PlayStation etc etc etc to watch Hulu. In any event I'm not going to get rid of my subscription for Hulu, HBO, Netflix, Crunchyroll, Pandora because the AppleTV 4 apps suck...

It's not a free app. It has a monthly fee. If you don't pay you can't get access. It's free to download not free to use.
[doublepost=1456265967][/doublepost]

My only problem with Hulu on ATV4 is we lost the Wathlist which replaces the Favorites, Queue and Shows you watch. The Wathlist was a Opt In at one point and worked great before I upgraded to the ATV4. But have not had any problems watching shows. And I have a lot that I watch. This will be reduced a lot (for me) once the Fall Shows stop around March sometime.

You know I still don't understand how to set up my shows in Hulu. I just add them to everything. But even then it's hard to know what got updated from my shows without having to scroll others?

 

[d21mike]

You know I still don't understand how to set up my shows in Hulu. I just add them to everything. But even then it's hard to know what got updated from my shows without having to scroll others?

ATV 4:
I use it for the Current Season of shows. Not for prior seasons.
1. Find the show like Castle and add to Favorites
2. When I enter Hulu on the main page you see "SHOWS YOU WATCH". You will see New Episode in a Green Box when there is a New Episode. Or you can go into the Queue on first row to the right.
3. In the Queue you see your Favorites and Queue which is New Episodes you have not seen.

The nice thing about Watchlist is it replaces Favorites, Queue and Shows you Watch. And it takes the place holder that SHOWS YOU WATCH is now at. Shows you Watch is actually pretty close but the New Episode Tag in Watchlist are ordered on the far left which is not the case with Shows you Watch. Also, bad about Show you Watch is after you watch it the Green TAG does not disappear until you close Hulu and reopen. But the Queue does clean out as you watch a show until the very very end.

I use Hulu (with no commercials) much like I use a DVR in that you see what New Episodes are available to watch. I had to Opt-In for Watchlist in early 2015. Works on my iPad and Browser and on the ATV 3. But not yet on the ATV 4. Really dumb that they are taking this long to add it to the ATV 4.

 

[Carlanga]

ATV 4:
I use it for the Current Season of shows. Not for prior seasons.
1. Find the show like Castle and add to Favorites
2. When I enter Hulu on the main page you see "SHOWS YOU WATCH". You will see New Episode in a Green Box when there is a New Episode. Or you can go into the Queue on first row to the right.
3. In the Queue you see your Favorites and Queue which is New Episodes you have not seen.

The nice thing about Watchlist is it replaces Favorites, Queue and Shows you Watch. And it takes the place holder that SHOWS YOU WATCH is now at. Shows you Watch is actually pretty close but the New Episode Tag in Watchlist are ordered on the far left which is not the case with Shows you Watch. Also, bad about Show you Watch is after you watch it the Green TAG does not disappear until you close Hulu and reopen. But the Queue does clean out as you watch a show until the very very end.

I use Hulu (with no commercials) much like I use a DVR in that you see what New Episodes are available to watch. I had to Opt-In for Watchlist in early 2015. Works on my iPad and Browser and on the ATV 3. But not yet on the ATV 4. Really dumb that they are taking this long to add it to the ATV 4.

Thanks, that is more or less how I have been using it, but the issue I have with "shows you watch" (same as watchlist no?) is that the new episode tab is shown all around, meaning older shows are shown before the new episode of another show. The queue is even more messy for me. In the end I end up scrolling the shows you watch lists to find the show I want to watch with the new episode in between older shows.
I just want to see a list of the new episodes for shows I have saved/watched in order of new content?
I do not like that each system doesn't take into account for example that I watched a show on the atv4 or my iPhone to show the green progress bar. While it does show the resume function, it doesn't show it graphically in the shows you watch list sometimes.
I also have hulu no ads, its great! love it, except when most of the current shows go on hiatus like on december/jan where then I just used netflix and amazon more than hulu. I do love the criterion movies for free watching though!

 

[d21mike]

Thanks, that is more or less how I have been using it, but the issue I have with "shows you watch" (same as watchlist no?) is that the new episode tab is shown all around, meaning older shows are shown before the new episode of another show. The queue is even more messy for me. In the end I end up scrolling the shows you watch lists to find the show I want to watch with the new episode in between older shows.
I just want to see a list of the new episodes for shows I have saved/watched in order of new content?
I do not like that each system doesn't take into account for example that I watched a show on the atv4 or my iPhone to show the green progress bar. While it does show the resume function, it doesn't show it graphically in the shows you watch list sometimes.
I also have hulu no ads, its great! love it, except when most of the current shows go on hiatus like on december/jan where then I just used netflix and amazon more than hulu. I do love the criterion movies for free watching though!

I did say Shows you Watch is similar but the order is not that same. If it was and if the badged items were removed after watching then it would be closer to the Watchlist. In any case, sometime in March 2016 our Fall 2015 Shows will be over until September 2016. By then hopefully Watchlist will be on Apple TV 4.

 

[Carlanga]

I did say Shows you Watch is similar but the order is not that same. If it was and if the badged items were removed after watching then it would be closer to the Watchlist. In any case, sometime in March 2016 our Fall 2015 Shows will be over until September 2016. By then hopefully Watchlist will be on Apple TV 4.

ahh got it! so they are different, where is the watchlist in computer hulu? I tried to understand the guide to watchlist, but I don't see no + sign anywhere on shows? nvm saw that it was a feature for easy adopters for now. thanks for all the help.

 

[d21mike]

You would have needed to sign up for WatchList in early 2015 to have it. Now you have to wait.

http://www.hulu.com/help/articles/50847982#getwatchlist

The following was written in 2015. So 2016 it the year .... I guess .....

How do I get Watchlist?
Watchlist is currently available to viewers who added the feature earlier this year. Not to worry – we will be rolling out the feature to more viewers on more devices through the year and into early next year.

 

[cynics]

It's not a free app. It has a monthly fee. If you don't pay you can't get access. It's free to download not free to use.
[doublepost=1456265967][/doublepost]
You know I still don't understand how to set up my shows in Hulu. I just add them to everything. But even then it's hard to know what got updated from my shows without having to scroll others?

Hmm.. I think you missed the point..

The app is free to download, and there are many other ways to watch Hulu...so what is motivating them to update the atv4 app with its relatively small user base?

Keep in mind that's obviously a rhetorical question...there is no right answer since we all mostly agree the app has needed some work for quite sometime now. And I'm not referring to just the Hulu app but the majority of (but not all) apps...