Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
60,445
24,947


Apple today released tvOS 16.4, the fourth major point update to the tvOS 16 operating system that came out last September. Available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD, tvOS 16.4 comes two months following the release of tvOS 16.3.

apple-tv-4k-red-image.jpg

The tvOS 16.4 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌tvOS 16.4 automatically.

tvOS updates are often minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than outward-facing changes. The 16.4 update adds a Dim Flashing Lights option that is meant to dim the display when there are flashes of light or strobe effects.
This update adds Dim Flashing Lights, an accessibility option to automatically dim the display of video when flashes of light or strobe effects are detected, and includes performance and stability improvements.
Click to expand...
Apple shares information on tvOS releases in its tvOS support document, which is updated after each tvOS launch.

Article Link: Apple Releases tvOS 16.4 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/03/27/apple-releases-tvos-16-4/
Last edited:
B

benh911f

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
427
447
Thankfully I had just updated to 16.3 because I’ve had nothing but issues with streaming quality and buffering issues since then. Tried everything imaginable up to a full reset of the box and nothing helped. Usually don’t update right away but I’ll take the gamble.
 
sdwaltz

sdwaltz

macrumors 65816
Apr 29, 2015
1,031
1,569
Indiana
Hopefully this will also fix the near-constant lagginess and connection-dropping of the remote, and the wifi issues...
 
-Gonzo-

-Gonzo-

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2015
1,268
624
tomnavratil said:
Hopefully they fix the annoying bug where you can't control the soundbar or HDMI CEC-connected sound device in general via the volume buttons (even after trying to learn it over and over).
Click to expand...
Never had that issue, volume control has always worked flawlessly controlling my JBL soundbar via HDMI-CEC.
 
T

tomnavratil

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2013
832
1,261
-Gonzo- said:
Never had that issue, volume control has always worked flawlessly controlling my JBL soundbar via HDMI-CEC.
Click to expand...
Lucky you, I thought I was going crazy until I found a lot of reddit threads describing that issue where the volume buttons stop working. Really annoying.
 
  • Like
Reactions: zapmymac
M

Mrkevinfinnerty

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2022
835
1,458
xpxp2002 said:
I refuse to buy that model on principle. All of my Apple TVs are 5th gen (original 4K model) 32 GB and all connected by wired Ethernet. I'm not going to pay more for storage I don't need because Apple figures they can upsell people into the undesirable model by eliminating an actually useful hardware component.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what they are hoping people do.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Spock1234
L

LlamaLarry

macrumors regular
Oct 6, 2008
186
72
Northern VA
tomnavratil said:
Lucky you, I thought I was going crazy until I found a lot of reddit threads describing that issue where the volume buttons stop working. Really annoying.
Click to expand...
My Sonos Arc was working perfectly (eARC with my LG C1) with my 2022 ATV until 16.3 and then the 16.4 dev builds. First I would drop audio randomly, but that seems to be resolved. Now I get audio fine via eARC, but the ATV says sound output is "TV Speakers" and controls the TV speakers instead of the soundboard like it used to. It also used to say "Receiver" instead of "TV Speakers" in the Audio output device in the ATV.
 
Juicy Box

Juicy Box

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2014
7,182
8,386
Looks like six months later the "See All" option from Top Free and Top Paid apps section in the tvOS App Store is still missing on all my Apple TVs on tvOS16. This would show you the top 200 apps in either the free or paid category.

App discovery was already horrible on tvOS, losing the ability see the top 200 made app discovery on tvOS almost impossible.

Here is my original thread about it:

tomnavratil said:
opefully they fix the annoying bug where you can't control the soundbar or HDMI CEC-connected sound device in general via the volume buttons (even after trying to learn it over and over).
Click to expand...
-Gonzo- said:
Never had that issue, volume control has always worked flawlessly controlling my JBL soundbar via HDMI-CEC.
Click to expand...
I have had an issue with CEC with only volume down, it stopped working about a year ago with my ATV4 (HD), ATV4K1, ATV4K2, AND ATV4K3, So I assume it is a bug.

I ended up doing a work around of using the IR on the Siri Remote instead of CEC, but now it requires line of sight.

This is with the Samsung HW-Q950A Sound Bar.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Spock1234 and Surf Monkey
sdwaltz

sdwaltz

macrumors 65816
Apr 29, 2015
1,031
1,569
Indiana
Mrkevinfinnerty said:
I hope you didn't buy the poverty version without the ethernet port.
Click to expand...
Sigh. I sure did.

Never in my life thought I would need it. Strangely, whatever this is seems to be affecting all 5 of our Apple TV's regardless of generation...and only Apple TVs. No other tech in the house is affected.
 
T

tomnavratil

macrumors 6502a
Oct 2, 2013
832
1,261
Juicy Box said:
Looks like six months later the "See All" option from Top Free and Top Paid apps section in the tvOS App Store is still missing on all my Apple TVs on tvOS16. This would show you the top 200 apps in either the free or paid category.

App discovery was already horrible on tvOS, losing the ability see the top 200 made app discovery on tvOS almost impossible.

Here is my original thread about it:



I have had an issue with CEC with only volume down, it stopped working about a year ago with my ATV4 (HD), ATV4K1, ATV4K2, AND ATV4K3, So I assume it is a bug.

I ended up doing a work around of using the IR on the Siri Remote instead of CEC, but now it requires line of sight.

This is with the Samsung HW-Q950A Sound Bar.
Click to expand...

Yeah I might need to go the IR route to be honest it seems. Unfortunately no change for me on the newest update. Will try to update the TCL soundbar too but I'm confident it's ATV and its remote based on other's findings.
 
Devnul0

Devnul0

macrumors regular
May 28, 2018
191
292
Greater Boston
I've only occasionally been able to control my Yamaha receiver via HDMI-CEC and the ATV remote volume buttons since 16 came out. Setup is a TiVo and the ATV going HDMI into the TV, the TV doing the input selection, then HDMI out to the receiver for eArc and CEC. For a while I thought the magic was to ensure that the TV had selected the ATV as the input before I turned on the ATV, but even that proved unreliable. The ATV remote power button wouldn't turn on the system any more, and holding the power button would turn off only the ATV not the TV or stereo.
I hope this update makes it all work again like it did with 15.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LlamaLarry, wdog119 and tomnavratil
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom