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Apple TV 4 continuous play of TV series?

A

ArmPol

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 22, 2014
99
28
UK
I think I know the answer to this but hope I am wrong.

I want to cancel my Sky prescription and use only iTunes, Iplayer and Netflix.

My wife (technophobe) watches, almost exclusively, Friends episodes (don't ask). We will lose the channel playing Friends when I cancel Sky and so I want to setup my Apple TV 4 so that she can just watch episode after episode without pressing play between each episode (like Netflix does when watching a series).

I have just trialled doing this with Breaking Bad (not bought Friends yet) but it plays an episode and then stops.

Reading on the Internet, it seems I can do this with a playlist from a home share computer but I don't want to have to switch a laptop on (and download it to it) all the time.

Is this correct? Do I have any options? Any app can accomplish this?
 
you're in the UK, so it may not be there, but Friends is in the US netflix streaming library.

if it's not in the UK library, you could look at a proxy solution, but it sounds like netflix might be clamping down on those soon.
 
waw74 said:
you're in the UK, so it may not be there, but Friends is in the US netflix streaming library.

if it's not in the UK library, you could look at a proxy solution, but it sounds like netflix might be clamping down on those soon.
Click to expand...

Thanks waw74, you are right that Netflix UK does not have Friends and although I have used a proxy server before it does not look like that will solve my problem going forward.
 
My ATV4 continuously plays episodes that are streamed from my own library...it did that by default. Not sure why yours doesn't. (As an aside, I actually want exactly the opposite as you...I want a way to turn continuous play off).
 
DTrigger05 said:
My ATV4 continuously plays episodes that are streamed from my own library...it did that by default. Not sure why yours doesn't. (As an aside, I actually want exactly the opposite as you...I want a way to turn continuous play off).
Click to expand...

Mine does this. You need to make sure the metadata is set right, that they have the same tv programme name, the season and episode numbers are completed and correct.
 
Thanks for your replies, but I do not want to use home sharing as that would mean me or my wife having to switch on our MacBooks.

Any other ideas?
 
ArmPol said:
Thanks for your replies, but I do not want to use home sharing as that would mean me or my wife having to switch on our MacBooks.

Any other ideas?
Click to expand...

Pretty much only home sharing or Plex, but those require a laptop on. Otherwise it's buying them all via iTunes and watch via iTunes in the cloud, then the subscription services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.
 
I'm having the opposite problem with my ATV2. It USED to play entire seasons, but curiously stopped doing that sometime recently. I'm guessing Apple broke that function to make it ATV4 exclusive?
 
AVonGauss said:
Until the ATV4 when using Home Sharing I've never had it automatically play the next episode unless you were watching a playlist.
Click to expand...

It does for me, no playlists needed. Are your videos complete with metadata for season & episode number?

Edit, think I misunderstood your post. You're saying it never did, but does now?
 
Wait, are you guys talking about streaming from your local library or streaming from the cloud (I.e, iTunes?) If you mean the latter then series don't continue to play for me when one episode finishes and I have more purchased, but I actually wish it would. Love that about Netflix. Having an option to toggle would be ideal.
 
boston04and07 said:
Wait, are you guys talking about streaming from your local library or streaming from the cloud (I.e, iTunes?) If you mean the latter then series don't continue to play for me when one episode finishes and I have more purchased, but I actually wish it would. Love that about Netflix. Having an option to toggle would be ideal.
Click to expand...

Mine does both, I think. Will test it out at the weekend when home.
 
shandyman said:
Mine does this. You need to make sure the metadata is set right, that they have the same tv programme name, the season and episode numbers are completed and correct.
Click to expand...
Atv4 used to do this but since TvOS 10 apple have disabled this
 
Hello, what Sky channel is Friends on? Is it Comedy Central? I cancelled my Sky and now just have my Apple TV with iPlayer, Netflix and an app called TVPlayer. It has all the freeview channels at no extra cost, but also has subscription channels for just £4.99 including Comedy Central, as well as some catchup services. It's pretty good - and you can cancel anytime as it's just an iTunes subscription so you can turn it on/off as you need it.
 
DTrigger05 said:
My ATV4 continuously plays episodes that are streamed from my own library...it did that by default. Not sure why yours doesn't. (As an aside, I actually want exactly the opposite as you...I want a way to turn continuous play off).
Click to expand...

Not sure you'll see this, but is your ATV4 still continuously playing episodes? Up until a couple/few weeks ago, mine did. For some reason, it's not anymore, and I really like that feature (seems to be a love/hate feature). Did yours stop the autoplay, as well? I've looked all over for a setting but can't fine one.
 
Dimwhit said:
Not sure you'll see this, but is your ATV4 still continuously playing episodes? Up until a couple/few weeks ago, mine did. For some reason, it's not anymore, and I really like that feature (seems to be a love/hate feature). Did yours stop the autoplay, as well? I've looked all over for a setting but can't fine one.
Click to expand...

It has ceased with the latest tvOS, if you do want it back just make a playlist of the show, then open it from the playlist.
 
DTrigger05 said:
It has ceased with the latest tvOS, if you do want it back just make a playlist of the show, then open it from the playlist.
Click to expand...

Except that the playlist doesn't sort properly. I added multiple seasons of a show. I can get it to show the seasons in order, but the episodes within each season are completely out of order. That's greatly annoying.
 
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