ATV4K Remote Lag Remediation

[LarryJoe33]

Ok, got one of these new bad boys for Christmas to replace my very old ATV. I am experiencing the remote lag which is disappointing. I have googled here and the web and it seems there are a few possible remedies related to BT interference:

1
Move the unit

2
Shut off the mic

3
Change Chroma to 4.2 whatever Chroma is?

4
Shut off HDR

5
Get a new HDMI Apple recommended Belkin cable.

I am thinking #5. I just unplugged my old ATV and used the power cord and the HDMI from the old unit. The HDMI was an Apple HDMI bought at the Apple Store when I bought the old ATV. Should I be using the 4K power cord? Everything about the unit works great. The ATV remote app on my phone works perfectly, but that's through wifi I believe.

Any tips?

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

What is it that you are doing that is causing lag? Is it when using the trackpad? If so, there is a setting for it in 'Settings'. I have mine on 'Fast' - I experienced lag when on the default setting. Then again, I even have my MacBook trackpad on fast - when I use all MacBook / MacBook Pro trackpads in Apple stores, they seem laggy to me when left in the default setting.
Give it a try buddy!

Oh my gosh, your old HDMI cable is certainly not the correct one for the 4K Apple TV. It's a bit like buying a top spec Ferrari and keeping old Ford Focus wheels and tyres on it!!! Enough said huh!

 

[570934]

Ok, got one of these new bad boys for Christmas to replace my very old ATV. I am experiencing the remote lag which is disappointing. I have googled here and the web and it seems there are a few possible remedies related to BT interference:

1
Move the unit

2
Shut off the mic

3
Change Chroma to 4.2 whatever Chroma is?

4
Shut off HDR

5
Get a new HDMI Apple recommended Belkin cable.

I am thinking #5. I just unplugged my old ATV and used the power cord and the HDMI from the old unit. The HDMI was an Apple HDMI bought at the Apple Store when I bought the old ATV. Should I be using the 4K power cord? Everything about the unit works great. The ATV remote app on my phone works perfectly, but that's through wifi I believe.

Any tips?

100% you'll need to change your HDMI cable. Don't waste your time messing with setting as it make very small differences. Grab a Belkin and all your problem will be cured.

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/produ...a26ef0532b92ab624eaa88aa7499351cd909406ad0a15

 

[LarryJoe33]

Thanks, ordered it and will pickup at Apple Store tonight. Wish they made something shorter than 6 feet.

Power cable ok to reuse? Trying to avoid pulling things apart.

 

[570934]

Thanks, ordered it and will pickup at Apple Store tonight. Wish they made something shorter than 6 feet.

Power cable ok to reuse? Trying to avoid pulling things apart.

Yeah power is fine, HDMI and you will be sorted What TV are you using?

 

[LarryJoe33]

Yeah power is fine, HDMI and you will be sorted What TV are you using?

Thank you. I have a 5 year-old Sharp Aquos LED 56". It's on it's way out as it's developing a black fuzz spot that's getting larger and larger and it most noticeable when watching golf.

I'm starting my research on 75" 4k options. All ears if you have already done some homework!

 

[570934]

It's so dependant on budget really. But minimum you need a 4K hdr which can display HDR10, Dolby Digital. This where the ATV4K works at it max.

 

[LarryJoe33]

Thanks. I’m a former audio/video phile. Still in my blood but went through a divorce 5 years ago and left all my stuff behind which is old technology now. 7:1 wired surround. Denon receiver, infinity towers and channels. Multiple subs.

I’m now rocking a sound bar which actually isn’t too bad with the Bluetooth sub.

I’m seeing 75” 4K LEDs for $1500 , larger than that the price jumps a lot. OLED would be sweet.

 

[waw74]

if it's just the remote that slow or unresponsive, it runs on bluetooth, so probably wireless interference

mine is stuck behind the TV, i had problems till i moved it closer to the edge of the screen.

If it's close to your router, the 2.4gHZ wifi can interfere, try moving it to the opposite side of the TV or further apart.

you can also reboot the remote hold menu and vol+ for a few seconds, you'll see a notice on the TV.

 

[LarryJoe33]

I installed the belkin cable last night and it’s better. But it still doesn’t seem to be as responsive vertically as it is horizontally. Maybe that part of the design?

Just to be clear, scrolling side to side is responsive and fast. It moves across the screen quickly and accurately. Scrolling up and down is still a bit cumbersome. One icon at a time for a pretty good swipe. A similar side to side swipe would send it across the screen, maybe two or three icons.

Does yours work this way? Maybe I got a bad remote?

Unrelated, my set up defaulted to 1080p SDR. I tried HDR and it looked washed out. Went back to SDR.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Again, try the settings for the trackpad. Select 'fast'.

 

[LarryJoe33]

Again, try the settings for the trackpad. Select 'fast'.

I did/have. I am on fast.

 

[waw74]

one thing that helps if it's being touchy,
you can tap the 4 sides to move one "space", (tap top to move up one, etc)

it's a little more precise than trying to swipe

 

[LarryJoe33]

one thing that helps if it's being touchy,
you can tap the 4 sides to move one "space", (tap top to move up one, etc)

it's a little more precise than trying to swipe

NICE! Thank you. I like this much better.

 

[570934]

As waw74 said the tap on the four corners works great. I tend to use that action the most the physical remote, but, doesn't work on the iPhone/iPad app. Although swiping works better using the app...go figure

 

[LarryJoe33]

I splurged on the Belkin Cable. It made a slight improvement over my very old Apple branded HDMI.

Honestly though, this remote is terrible. I have waved the flag on trying to navigate by using the touchpad. The vertical movement sucks in terms of response. Horizontal is fine. I have succumbed to the taps on the corners.

Maybe I got a bad one? I have a feeling I didn’t. It’s annoying to use the touchpad.

 

[charlien]

I splurged on the Belkin Cable. It made a slight improvement over my very old Apple branded HDMI.

Honestly though, this remote is terrible. I have waved the flag on trying to navigate by using the touchpad. The vertical movement sucks in terms of response. Horizontal is fine. I have succumbed to the taps on the corners.

Maybe I got a bad one? I have a feeling I didn’t. It’s annoying to use the touchpad.

I did two things after trying to fix the issue with settings on the ATV. First, I moved it from behind the TV. Second, I put it in a case like this one "https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K6LO5SK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1". The case makes it easier to hold. It works great now.

 

[MattG]

The ATV remote is just awful. Period. If anything, moving the unit might help.

Oh my gosh, your old HDMI cable is certainly not the correct one for the 4K Apple TV. It's a bit like buying a top spec Ferrari and keeping old Ford Focus wheels and tyres on it!!! Enough said huh!

This is just flat out wrong and another example of where the "car analogy" doesn't work.

A different HDMI cable is not going to make any difference, unless the old HDMI cable was physically damaged or was one of the original ones from like 2002 that didn't conform to the same standards as any cable made within the last decade or so. Any noticeable difference is likely just placebo effect. It's not like analog where it's a "signal." It's all digital, ones and zeroes....digital is digital is digital. Either the signal is making it there, or it's not. If you're seeing an image on your screen without noticeable anomalies, it's doubtful there's something wrong with your cable.

 

[Juicy Box]

I made a custom ATV mount for the top of my old TV, and when the TV broke and I replaced it, I tried sticking the ATV4K behind the TV. I kept having connection issues, lag, and general Siri Remote goofiness.

I moved the ATV to a different location behind the TV, which improved things, and I also re-paired the Siri Remote to the ATV, and that improved things.

I will most likely mount the ATV back on top of my TV, to not only improve things, but also to be able to use IR remotes again.

 

[Michelasso]

I have bought me cables from Amazon. 2 cables for €10.99. I use them to connect the PS4 Pro and ATV 4K to my Yamaha AVR (with DV/HDR passthrough) to my 4K HDR TV. Never an issue, all ATV 4K tests always passed.

If the remote lags I strongly doubt it's because of the HDMI. The Siri remote is connected via BlueTooth anyway...

What I discovered, instead, at least inside the media player, is that the remote gestures work like the ones in iOS 12 in my iPhone XR. For the best results I have to touch a touchpad border and after a second or so I get the icons showing the action I get if I click (like touch the left border to see the skipping back 10s action. Then click). Which I find totally annoying in both ATV and iPhone (when I want to get into the widgets panel, for example. I keep messing up when I just swipe).. Then to move between icons in the Home screen, as said, it's more consistent if we tap in the direction we want to go.

Also I am not sure at this point if the quality of Siri remote's touchpad is as good as the one in the MacBooks.

 

[LarryJoe33]

Ok, I called Apple support and told them all the steps I have taken. They also said changing the cable would not make a difference but at least I now have a new one. I described my issues and they said to bring it to a store. I did yesterday and they didn’t have any in stock so they ordered me one. I have to go pick it up when it arrives. I’m not that hopeful but who knows, I just think the remote designed functionality isn’t good. What’s weird though is that it works great left to right or horizontal slide, vertical is the issue. So maybe there is something there is terms of me getting a flawed touch pad? Fingers crossed. Everyone in my household misses the old silver remote with the circle and enter button in the middle.

In terms of placement, I’m not mounting this behind the TV or anything. It is on an open shelf on my TV stand starring right at me.

I’ll report back in 3-5 days when it gets to the store.

 

[LarryJoe33]

Ok, sorry it took so long to report back. The consensus with the family is that the new remote is MUCH better. I also agree. Guess I got a bad remote.

 

[macagain]

I really believe it's a remote issue since the remote app on my iPhone X works fine... no lag at all. Which means switching settings, cables, moving it, etc probably won't do anything. I have 2 units, and have exactly the same laggy issue with both units and both remotes... even switched combos of remote and unit. Frustrating.

 

[LarryJoe33]

I believe the remote app uses your home network to communicate with the APTV whereas the remote is Bluetooth.

So different technologies and really not comparable when trouble shooting. Lots of things can interfere with BT. That was the theory on the cable.

 

[-Gonzo-]

There’s definitely some interference going on depending on the different settings that interferes with the Bluetooth.
I’ve got an SDR TV and If I set the Chroma on ATV to 4:4:4 then after a while I cannot use the remote reliably at all, my iPhone remote however works flawlessly as has been pointed out it works via the network rather than Bluetooth.
Set to 4:2:0 and remote works fine without issue.