Apple TV Slow Response to Remote Control

u r not alone, more people with same trouble here:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1799155&tstart=240
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1804531&tstart=120

I had the same problem. It was a syncing issue. I just unplugged the AppleTV and resynced everything. After that I just used my iPhone's Remote Control App to go through my playlist. Everything works now

I've got this same issue. My wife HATES it and wants our old cable box back. Turning it off and synching it again seems to be the only solution. I've done this several times now only to have the same problem return after a day or two.

To add another name to the list, i have the same issue. I have rebooted, reset to factory and reinstalled software updates and sync all music. NOTHING HELPS. My guess is that it's connected to cover flow. Is there any way to turn off cover flow? If so, i can't find it.

Mine too. My wife also hates the Apple TV. I stick with it because I know it has huge potential and is extremely useful even with it's many problems. I'm hoping they bring out a new improved Apple TV soon, I still have the original 40GB version. A 1TB version would be quite handy, especially if it could act as a backup of my iTunes library (rather than an inaccessable temporary store).

I'm experiencing the EXACT same issue. In earlier versions of the firmware this never happened, but it happens constantly now. It appears to be clearly related to loading the artwork associated with what's in each category/playlist/album/artist item. I even get horrible lags scrolling down through my movies list while it loads the artwork!
I have reset my ATV frequently (and it re-syncs of course), but never works as a solution.

Would be AWESOME if anyone had any ideas or thoughts on how to work around this issue. I for one am going to post feedback to Apple and would be great if everyone who has this issue did the same.

same issure..remote does not work after the 2.3 upgrade....no one offers any support that helps....apple tech support tried to charge me 49.95 to go over it over the phone... i tried everything from unplugging, to resyncing, to restoring to factory, etc etc. and still same problem...

its quite obvious that it is related to the changes they made with third party remotes in the last update....

still waiting for apple to fix this problem. this is a uselsss ATV now thanks to the last update.....................

still waiting for a fix

Count me in as another with the sluggish, non-responsive remote problem on Apple TV. It barely works at all for the first 5-10 mins after turning on and then seems to start behaving almost normal. They definitely did something bad to the firmware at that last upgrade.

I spent time and money going to get new batteries for both remotes before I realized it is an Apple sofwtare problem. Pleaseeee hurry up and fix this bug on what is otherwise a fantastic product. BTW, Apple, where was the software QA and regression testing process before that last release??? This was not exactly a difficult problem to spot!

Thanks for the links to the other threads. one of the other users had found a fix - to tape a piece of white paper over the IR sensor on the ATV (or white stickie). Works like a charm. ATV working 100% normal with the fix. Now I'm not so impatient for the software fix, at least there's something in the meantime!!

i read the tip on putting a piece of paper in front of the atv...how much more ghetto can we get here?! unfortunatley this didnt help me tho... 😟

i too went out and wasted my time buying another battery...

Thanks for the tip about taping a piece of paper over the IR receiver... Put it on -- works like magic-- take it off -- slow as heck! ON-FAST -- Off-SLOW.... I have really stuck with the apple TV-- there is so much potential in concept but the execution is lacking......

I have a 160GB version but found it useless. You physically have to have a spare 160GB on your mac also. So i done this.

I put 2 1TB Time Capsules on network. Changed my iTunes library prefs location to the Time Capsules.
Now i have over 300 Movies, 10 seasons of friends, simpsons etc all available straight away on Apple TV

Same problem here. I've had my Apple TV one week. I almost hate it, it is SO frustrating having the remote sometimes go dead for a whole minute or longer. Then, all of a sudden, a flurry of the delayed up/down clicks come rushing through. Like others, I also reset the ATV to factory settings, and re-synced all my movies. And it still happens, no change. This is really stupid and really annoying. I am seriously considering looking into other products.

add me to the list. Apple TV is absolutely useless at this point. Couldn't start a movie rental since it's not an option on the ipod/iphone remote app. tried restore/upgrade without any luck.

Dear Apple,

Surely you must be aware of this by now...?

The piece of paper trick works fine here, though I agree completely with the other person who asked how ghetto can we get? Its odd, it actually works completely fine if I completely cover the sensor with my thumb, but not at all if the sensor is exposed. No idea what is going on here... Anyway, for now I have covered the sensor with a piece of orange post it note and its working fine...