Apple TV Visual Noise Issue

[DisraeliGears]

Hey y'all, I've been noticing a problem on my Apple TV 4. While streaming, primarily iTunes and Netflix, white noise or light static will pop up in the picture. Here's an example...

See all that white static? It doesn't pop in for everything, but I noticed it first with iTunes and recently on Netflix. It will flicker in and out, so a few seconds later it will clear up, but then come back. It probably affects the image 60% or 70% of the time it seems though.

I'm running a Samsung 55" KU6300, and my Apple TV is connected to my router via Ethernet (my DL speeds are supposed to run around 25-30 Mbps, though I will say I just tested and got 15 Mbps). Considering the picture doesn't drop to SD (the pic above is HD, that screen cap comes from an out of focus shot) I don't feel like it the internet speeds, though perhaps I'm wrong. I just changed my HDMI cord tonight to see if that was the problem, and it didn't fix anything.Anybody have experience with this? Thanks!

 

[JamesPDX]

What you've described and posted sounds looks like RFI noise. But it could be compression/decompression artifacts. My money's on RFI: Bluetooth or WiFi interference. Maybe even RFI popping up on the ground via ethernet. What else is on that circuit breaker or on the other side of the wall?

 

[DisraeliGears]

What you've described and posted sounds looks like RFI noise. But it could be compression/decompression artifacts. My money's on RFI: Bluetooth or WiFi interference. Maybe even RFI popping up on the ground via ethernet. What else is on that circuit breaker or on the other side of the wall?

My home is somewhat old, and that circuit has a lot of stuff on it. Whole entertainment setup (TV/Modem/Router/Apple TV/Playstation/Receiver) and the opposite wall has the (gas) oven, fridge, and microwave. Microwave isn't on when these problems are occurring though. If is might be the ethernet then I'll unplug that and go wireless and see if that fixes the problem, otherwise should I turn bluetooth off on certain devices?

 

[priitv8]

If is might be the ethernet then I'll unplug that and go wireless and see if that fixes the problem, otherwise should I turn bluetooth off on certain devices?

You may try and post your results here for general know-how.
But thinking of it, it is hard to imagine, that noise in digital domain can affect the picture like what you show.
I mean digital noise distorting bits in data stream would not generate such analog-like noise in the image. (I'd love to be taught otherwise.)
Can you test with another screen?

 

[DisraeliGears]

Unplugging ethernet and switching to WiFi didn't affect the problem. I spend some time last night trying to deactivate bluetooth on my TV, but the remotes Samsung ships nowadays don't offer access to the service menu. Sadly I don't have another screen to test on.

I will say that I changed my router into 5GHZ mode, rather than 2.4GHZ, and while it didn't solve the problem, it seemed to decrease the occurrence somewhat (from 60-70% of the time to 20-25% of the time). My Apple TV does sit right next (within 1 foot) to my modem/router setup.

 

[priitv8]

My Apple TV does sit right next (within 1 foot) to my modem/router setup.

Mine as well. It is wired over ethernet (no wifi), AirPort Extreme dual-band, but I've never seen a picture like that.
How about other inputs/devices?? Can you get the same picture from a bluray player or your laptop??
What about connecting to different HDMI input?

 

[DisraeliGears]

Mine as well. It is wired over ethernet (no wifi), AirPort Extreme dual-band, but I've never seen a picture like that.
How about other inputs/devices?? Can you get the same picture from a bluray player or your laptop??
What about connecting to different HDMI input?

Haven't tried to change my inputs, perhaps I'll try that next. Problem doesn't show up on my PS4 connected to the same TV.

What I find most strange tho is that it's only iTunes and Netflix, for example HBO Now, FX, and Smithsonian all look fine, no problems at all.

 

[mellofello]

A lot of shows/movies these days use grain as a atmospheric aesthetic choice. For example the Netflix marvel shows all seem to have the grain. I have noticed the same thing across 2 brands of 4k TVs, and multiple different streaming boxes.

 

[JamesPDX]

My home is somewhat old, and that circuit has a lot of stuff on it. Whole entertainment setup (TV/Modem/Router/Apple TV/Playstation/Receiver) and the opposite wall has the (gas) oven, fridge, and microwave. Microwave isn't on when these problems are occurring though. If is might be the ethernet then I'll unplug that and go wireless and see if that fixes the problem, otherwise should I turn bluetooth off on certain devices?

The motor/compressor that runs your refrigerator generates RFI. Can you plug in a surge/noise suppressor on your A/V stuff to isolate it from your "utilities" that are on the same circuit? You can also get "proximity noise" from bluetooth and USB 3 devices, etc. Try moving your devices a little farther away from the TV itself. You're not stacking the ATV on top of another A/V device or computer, are you? -Something that generates EMI/RFI like the transformer in a receiver. Is your ethernet cable say UTP or STP on the cable itself? Make sure that and any "analog-carrying" cables are not running parallel to your AC lines.

How close is that router to your TV?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_interference

 

[priitv8]

A lot of shows/movies these days use grain as a atmospheric aesthetic choice. For example the Netflix marvel shows all seem to have the grain. I have noticed the same thing across 2 brands of 4k TVs, and multiple different streaming boxes.

For a grain to become such "white dust" as on the posted pic, the sharpening must be applied very heavily.
OP - have you maxed out the sharpening setting on your TV?

 

[mellofello]

For a grain to become such "white dust" as on the posted pic, the sharpening must be applied very heavily.
OP - have you maxed out the sharpening setting on your TV?

Also note that every streaming box puts it's own spin on image processing. My ps4 has a super smooth hazy looking picture with no noise. My ATV picture appears to apply a ton of sharpening to everything. My Nvidia shield seems to split the difference, and give the best picture.

 

[DisraeliGears]

The motor/compressor that runs your refrigerator generates RFI. Can you plug in a surge/noise suppressor on your A/V stuff to isolate it from your "utilities" that are on the same circuit? You can also get "proximity noise" from bluetooth and USB 3 devices, etc. Try moving your devices a little farther away from the TV itself. You're not stacking the ATV on top of another A/V device or computer, are you? -Something that generates EMI/RFI like the transformer in a receiver. Is your ethernet cable say UTP or STP on the cable itself? Make sure that and any "analog-carrying" cables are not running parallel to your AC lines.

How close is that router to your TV?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_interference

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions so far.

My whole setup is on a power strip, but it likely doesn't suppress noise (it's a pretty cheap strip). I'll unplug from Ethernet and move the Apple TV a few feet away and see if that changes the problem. The ATV isn't stacked on anything, but it's about a foot away from my router and about a foot away from my modem (they all share one section of my TV stand). I do have a receiver, but it's blocked by wood from the ATV. Oh and with regard to EMI, my over the air stations come in fine, interference free.

My TV isn't maxed out at Sharpening either.

 

[ThankYouRob]

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions so far.

My whole setup is on a power strip, but it likely doesn't suppress noise (it's a pretty cheap strip). I'll unplug from Ethernet and move the Apple TV a few feet away and see if that changes the problem. The ATV isn't stacked on anything, but it's about a foot away from my router and about a foot away from my modem (they all share one section of my TV stand). I do have a receiver, but it's blocked by wood from the ATV. Oh and with regard to EMI, my over the air stations come in fine, interference free.

My TV isn't maxed out at Sharpening either.

Did this make any difference for you? I’m having the same issue on a an ATV4, only noticing it within Netflix though. Our other TV is a 4K setup with ATV4K and doesn’t have this problem.

 

[Wando64]

My Apple TV does sit right next (within 1 foot) to my modem/router setup.

Maybe the closeness to the strong router aerial is the problem.
If it was my setup I would try to separate the two a bit further apart.