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Apple Halts In-Store Pickup Option for Apple TV in Online Store, Still Available for Shipping

Sometimes I wonder if the Mac Mini hasn't been updated because the next Apple TV will do some computer-like tasks.

I'm looking at Handoff and I feel that would be awesome for the Apple TV. Extensibility in apps could be used to extend certain functions to the Apple TV. When split-screen functionality comes to iOS devices, I can see the Apple benefitting a lot from this. Gaming would be a big selling point for the next-generation Apple TV.

This is a lot of wishful thinking, but I don't think it's that unreasonable.

Apple could be waiting for Broadwell to update the Mac Mini.
 
SpyderBite said:
Seems everybody's except yours can do this. Perhaps you should troubleshoot your network/router rather than blaming the Apple TV?

Realistically everybody would be having the same problem if it was a problem with the device. Mine has never been disconnected with the exception of router reboots.
Click to expand...

A cursory glance at the rest of the thread suggests I'm not the only one, although I'm happily in the minority (as I stated in my follow-up post).

There's been some very helpful suggestions in amongst the other replies, so thanks all! Whilst I'm sure it can be remedied by playing about with the router/position etc., with everything else in the house working without any issues that still to me suggests something's not quite right with the ATV.

We're having an extension built at the mo, and things are going to move around over the next few weeks. I may even end up with an AEBS for my room which might solve everything :)

In response to the person that asked exactly what happens, I get bumped back to the home screen, and instead of having the top films, there's a message saying the ATV isn't connected to the network. Then everything reloads. When I was on the phone to the Apple rep two exchanges ago, I had the WiFi network page up and I actually saw the signal drop from four bars to nothing briefly, and then back again. What's interesting is that I get returned to the home screen with the network error regardless of how much has been buffered; I may have roughly half an hour buffered playback but it makes no difference. It's almost like it picks up a network error and freaks out.

I've kept an eye on other devices, and these don't drop at all. I'll see in about a months time when the build's complete if there's any difference.
 
terryblyth said:
It's almost like it picks up a network error and freaks out.

I've kept an eye on other devices, and these don't drop at all. I'll see in about a months time when the build's complete if there's any difference.
Click to expand...

If it was a Mac I'd guess that it was bluetooth/Wifi interference. Does the problem go away if you switch to 5ghz Wifi?

I'd just head to an Apple store and get it replaced. Life's too short to troubleshoot these sorts of things.
 
terryblyth said:
A cursory glance at the rest of the thread suggests I'm not the only one, although I'm happily in the minority (as I stated in my follow-up post).

There's been some very helpful suggestions in amongst the other replies, so thanks all! Whilst I'm sure it can be remedied by playing about with the router/position etc., with everything else in the house working without any issues that still to me suggests something's not quite right with the ATV.

We're having an extension built at the mo, and things are going to move around over the next few weeks. I may even end up with an AEBS for my room which might solve everything :)

In response to the person that asked exactly what happens, I get bumped back to the home screen, and instead of having the top films, there's a message saying the ATV isn't connected to the network. Then everything reloads. When I was on the phone to the Apple rep two exchanges ago, I had the WiFi network page up and I actually saw the signal drop from four bars to nothing briefly, and then back again. What's interesting is that I get returned to the home screen with the network error regardless of how much has been buffered; I may have roughly half an hour buffered playback but it makes no difference. It's almost like it picks up a network error and freaks out.

I've kept an eye on other devices, and these don't drop at all. I'll see in about a months time when the build's complete if there's any difference.
Click to expand...

It may be, as others have suggested, interference from other electronics around it. Specifically, the television. My mother's Apple TV was having streaming quality issues on Netflix and it was fixed as soon as I moved the ATV from the side of the television where the TV was between the ATV and the router to the side where the ATV was between the router and the TV.
 
I had the issue with my AppleTV going out every 20 minutes.

I replaced my linksys router with an Airport express. Never had one problem since.
 
HowEver said:
The answer clearly is replace the Belkin and Linksys with an Apple router. Zero issues will follow.
Click to expand...
Well it was an upgrade. Not only was my router a G, it had only one 2.4ghz frequency. So i suspect not that apple has made a better product but that i now have access to the much less croded 5ghz frequency. When a 802.11ac AppleTV comes out it will certainly fare much better paired with any ac capable router.
 
ABCDEF-Hex said:
Make an effort to find out what you are doing wrong and ask for help before
you blame Apple and assume everyone else is having a problem.
Click to expand...

Some Apple TV's have this problem, wasn't there a recall for one batch - I have 2 of them, one is fine the other seems to drop out occasionally - Is there a fault, i'm not sure - it might be my wifi is too far away.
 
Ralf The Dog said:
Only if they can be turned off. Better yet, only if they are turned off by default. Who wants to be in the middle of a movie, then have some CNN notification pop up telling you, some random celebrity you don't care about got arrested for shoplifting while drunk.
Click to expand...

It's like you've never used notifications before. You realize you can choose what types of notifications you get and have always had the option to disable them?

----------
Carlanga said:
Mine at the end only lasted 30 secs before losing connection, take it to the apple store and get a free replacement even if you are out of warranty since they have admitted the issue. My aTV3 replacement works flawlessly

----------



I care more for an app store in my aTV3… what can you do w. the notifications anyways, if you want to reply you have to pick up the phone or waste 1 min to write a 6 word msj w the remote. I can see it good for answering or denying a call, reading a text etc, just prefer the app store first.
Click to expand...

You can leave your TV on, the Apple TV keeps your screen off and shows you relevant information about the day as you approach it. Rather than that necessary slideshow of stock images the default Apple TV uses, why not give contextual information like weather, news, stocks, calendar events and reminders.
 
sputnikv said:
It's like you've never used notifications before. You realize you can choose what types of notifications you get and have always had the option to disable them?

...
Click to expand...


The fact is, I have not messed around with notifications. For what I do, they are mostly a pain. I probably should turn them off.
 
samcraig said:
Really? so the solution is to only use an apple router to use an apple device?

No thanks.
Click to expand...
No, but it might be time to upgrade, depending on what routers you've got. The blocking you described above is something that the router should be controlling. I had all sorts of dropout problems and idiosyncrasies similar to yours (connected devices were from many companies, not just Apple) with my single-channel Dlink, upgraded to full dual N router and haven't had problems since. I also wire as many devices as possible, though. I find wired much more solid when possible. And faster.
 
JAT said:
No, but it might be time to upgrade, depending on what routers you've got. The blocking you described above is something that the router should be controlling. I had all sorts of dropout problems and idiosyncrasies similar to yours (connected devices were from many companies, not just Apple) with my single-channel Dlink, upgraded to full dual N router and haven't had problems since. I also wire as many devices as possible, though. I find wired much more solid when possible. And faster.
Click to expand...

Both routers are new(er) dual N routers.

I agree about a cabled solution - however my small annoyance over the one to two times a month I use the Apple TV2 (itunes movie rental because I have a ton of credit) vs having "ugly" cables throughout my apt is weighted appropriately :)

For streaming in-house, I pretty much use plex to my roku/chromecast.
 
Amazing pricing on Apple TV's on eBay. For some strange reason, the average prices are close to the Apple store price of $99.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Used ones sell for up to as much as new ones. Buy it and enjoy then sell it and get up to all of your money back. Or buy it refurbished at about $75 http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/appletv and later sell it for about $60. Then you spent only $15 to enjoy all of it's functionality between now and then. Or, rebox it and give it as a gift to someone. For $75, it's quite a GREAT gift.
Click to expand...

You're right! I bit the bullet and just ordered one...
 
Enjoy it. It's a spectacular little device that deserves much more attention and effort by Apple.

Isolate any major function of it and it's a bargain. For example, hop back 10 years and to have your entire CD collection readily playable on your main stereo involved one of those (usually Sony) CD Jukeboxes. Remember those? I owned one or two of those and paid about $400 each time.

Watching movies at home used to involve owning DVD players or VHS players and locating the right disc/tape.

Home movies used to involve pulling out a projector or the task work of transferring to VHS or DVD and then being able to find the right tape or disc when someone needs to see little Juniors third birthday.

Photos used to involve having to find the right album or breaking out the slide projector.

Renting a new movie used to involve having to drive to Blockbuster, stand in line, etc.

TV shows on demand was generally not possible not that many years ago.

This cheap little box brings all of that to us and more in a simple and elegant way. At $75-$100, it's a bargain. And if a new one hits in 6 months or 2 years, you can likely sell it for about 70% or more of what you pay now.
 
samcraig said:
Really? so the solution is to only use an apple router to use an apple device?

No thanks.
Click to expand...

You don't have to of course. I have been through many routers in my time from all the major brands. Had to fiddle/reboot them about once a month. Random acts of freezing, etc. I finally bought an Airport Time Capsule. It has been perfect. Never needs a restart, speeds are fast and reliable. Range is great in my house. And of course my ATV and Tivo have no issues streaming. At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, I'm sorry I did not buy the Apple router sooner.
 
lcseds said:
You don't have to of course. I have been through many routers in my time from all the major brands. Had to fiddle/reboot them about once a month. Random acts of freezing, etc. I finally bought an Airport Time Capsule. It has been perfect. Never needs a restart, speeds are fast and reliable. Range is great in my house. And of course my ATV and Tivo have no issues streaming. At the risk of sounding like a fanboy, I'm sorry I did not buy the Apple router sooner.
Click to expand...

+1
Been using a range of routers, from Dlink to Netgear and Asus. None of the was a setup and forget, my Time Capsule is.
 
usarioclave said:
If it was a Mac I'd guess that it was bluetooth/Wifi interference. Does the problem go away if you switch to 5ghz Wifi?
Click to expand...

THIS!

Besides the fact that shorter wavelength of 5GHz has more throughput than a 2.4GHz channel, it is much less susceptible to interference from other devices.

I'd also look at the suggestion that someone made of turning off the "Share my library on my local network" in addition to shutting off the option of "Put hard discs to sleep when possible" on all computers in the house just to be safe.


~Scott
 
terryblyth said:
So many assumptions here ironically!

I've made an effort as in I've talked to Apple on the phone, and had two exchanges.

I haven't assumed everyone is having the same problem; I'm well aware they don't otherwise there'd be a massive recall.

The bottom line is everything in my house works flawlessly with WiFi, apart from my ATV.
Click to expand...

Clearly, it sounds to me like the problem goes a bit deeper than you think. It is extremely doubtful that they've given you three defective Apple TV's. Use your brains. You're obviously having either some sort of radio interference issue, some sort of problem with the wireless router serving up bandwidth to just the Apple TV, or some strange wifi firmware issue, etc.

I've seen MANY issues caused by a wireless router that only effect one kind of device, and when you replace the wireless router the problem goes away.

I've had multiple Apple TV's and they've all worked flawlessly on my network.
 
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