You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Problems With Hulu Live TV app on Apple TV

Let me preface this by saying I have tried restarting the app, updating the app, removing and reinstalling the app, and making sure Apple TV is fully updated. I have also spent hours on the phone with Hulu support and their conclusion is that the source of the problems is Apple TV and that Apple has acknowledged this. I think they just don't know what is going wrong and are pointing fingers, but I figured I'd turn here for help.


  1. When I switch to a Hulu Live TV channel, the program sometimes (often) starts playing the video for the first 10-15 seconds without audio. Note this is not a sync issue where the audio and video are out of sync. The video is simply silent until there's a slight buffering and the audio kicks in. Sometimes if I rewind 10-20 seconds, the audio will kick in then. Note that if I change channels through the iPhone or iPad app, or through the web interface (Windows 11), this does not happen. Only on Apple TV.
  2. The second issue is that programs record randomly to the DVR. Some programs were recorded once and then the recording setting was turned off, others were never set to record but record anyway. It is usually the same program that records over and over - Episode 4 of show ABC. I delete the recordings and a few days later they are back again. I turn recording on and back off again to try and reset the off-setting, and they still show up. Note, these programs appear in my DVR when viewed through the iPhone/iPad app or through the Windows web interface.
  3. The third issue is when playing back recorded programs in the DVR, sometimes the video will stop playing, though the audio continues. The video simply freezes up and the audio continues. Sometimes if I remove and reinstall the Hulu App, the program will continue playing, but not always. This usually happens at the same place in the recording each time I try to play it back. This does not happen in the iPhone/iPad app or when using the Windows browser.


I've been in IT for over 30 years. My instinct is that there's a problem with the Hulu app for Apple TV, but as I said above, Hulu claims that Apple has acknowledged there is a problem with Apple TV. I have many other apps installed on my Apple TV and none of them experience the same streaming problems, though none have DVR features.


This is also happening on 3 different Apple TV devices, all with an updated tvOS and current versions of the apps. I have tried removing and reinstalling the app on each device as well as restarting the Apple TV devices. The only thing I haven't tried yet is resetting the Apple TV devices to factory settings. I am reticent to do this because I'll have to download a dozen plus apps again, provide login credentials and set preferences all over again.


Thanks for reading through all this. I am hoping you can shed some light on these issues. If not, my next step is to contact Apple support directly, as Hulu Support has thrown in the towel.


FuskieBP

Apple TV 4K (1st generation)

Posted on Jul 30, 2023 6:25 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 23, 2023 6:01 PM

I corrected the issue by getting rid of Hulu.

Similar questions

55 replies

Sep 17, 2024 7:06 PM in response to FuskieBP

I've been experiencing several similar issues with Hulu Live TV on Apple TV. In particular item 3 in the original post - video stops playing - audio continues (about 5 or so seconds afetr video stops). There are more than a handful of other annoying issues with the Hulu Live TV app. I've also done all the restarts and software updates and de-install re-installs; so it has boiled down to either reset the Apple TV or get rid of Hulu. Downloading the apps and signing in again will be a bit of a pain but I plan to start with resetting the Apple TV. I don't use half the apps anyway so the unused apps won't be reinstalled.


We need to be able to use a streaming platform and software easily and reliably. This kind of constant annoyance is nuts.

Feb 15, 2024 5:33 PM in response to ChienK

Yes. AirPlay to cast iPad or iPhone to Apple TV has worked well for me, especially when watching something that’s misbehaving on the Hulu app. Mostly our problem is hung ESPN+ live sports when we open a feed then decide to change to the other feed. I can go to my iPad and it works flawlessly then send it to the Apple TV and I’ve had no problems.

Sep 8, 2023 10:31 AM in response to TWBuddha

sliding up on the Apple TV remote's touch pad should bring up a menu on the screen. Select the lightning icon with the remote and you get a LIVE TV menu. Select Open Live Guide to get the guide.


In the guide, the left menu has a couple options. Recent shows you recently viewed channels. Channels shows you all available channels. Favorites shows those channels added to My List. Sports, News, Movies and Kids shows you live and upcoming programs in those categories.


Sometimes, when you swipe up on the remote, you jump right into the Live Guide without having to first select the Lightening icon from the LIVE TV menu. It's not clear what determines which behavior.



Sep 8, 2023 10:49 AM in response to FuskieBP

Thanks! That worked. Man... I had YouTube TV for a month, years ago (was just curious; it was ok; I don't really watch enough TV to justify the cost)... but I've always wanted to try Hulu Live (had their no-ads tier, prior). While there's some great content on Hulu (The Bear, Old Man, etc.), my god their live TV sucks in comparison to YTTV. From the sign-up process to customization to the overall navigation, it's like it was created 10 years ago and no one has updated the UI/UX since. It needs to be more intuitive. I also didn't realize how much I miss how YTTV gives you a live preview as you scroll through the menu (and MOVE CHANNELS AROUND). I know Apple TV is its own thing, but... it's just crazy.


To be honest, I was kind of hoping Hulu's version would be better than YTTV (because of their library). Sigh.


Guess I'll go back to the non-Live TV tier and MAYBE think about going with YTTV. Anyway... thanks, again.

Nov 19, 2023 10:54 PM in response to FuskieBP

So I have had the same issues you have had except the recording random shows part.


I have other issues as well where the show will just freeze or pause and I have to leave the app and start another app to fix the issue. This was happening on three different Apple tv’s. I just bought a new Apple TV and have had none of these issues with the new one.


I think the best bet is to reset and wipe the Apple TV and then start over. I haven’t tried this yet but that’s going to be the next thing I try. If it works on the new one it should work on the older ones one of which is the same generation of the new one I just got.


Good luck all.

Nov 23, 2023 4:42 PM in response to FuskieBP

Agree, having exact same issues with 3 different apple tv and Hulu live. Also been in IT world for over 20 yrs and something definitely wrong with Hulu live with no issues with any other streaming service. I had Youtube.tv before Hulu and did not experience issues like this. I feel issue is on Hulu side and they are not smart enough to figure it out. Hire better developers Hulu and fix this issue. Im about to switch back to Youtube.tv


Dec 8, 2023 10:50 AM in response to mlong925

It’s not Hulu, it’s Apple tv, as I set up an Xfinity flex streaming platform and was playing a program that was being recorded and played simultaneously, Hulu would be buggy and crash, yet the Hulu app on Xfinity worked perfectly, as did on my MacBook Pro. It like the Apple TV doesn’t have enough ram to process live Hulu stream.

Dec 9, 2023 7:33 PM in response to FuskieBP

Hulu doesn’t appear to understand app development for the Apple TV. Not one of my other streaming service apps fails like Hulu. It’s ridiculous. Audio stops regularly. If we switch channels on live TV, on the newly selected channel, there will be no audio. Video will begin to stutter and stay that way until we quit the app and start it over. We have gigabit fiber to the house that’s consistently running at 900+ mbps. It’s not the Apple TV if every other app streams perfectly fine.


We’re cancelling Hulu. Nothing resolves its issues. We’re going back to YouTube TV.

Dec 10, 2023 6:44 AM in response to FuskieBP

I am not waiting anymore. Some here say it is ATV, but all my other streaming services work perfectly on ATV. Hulu works on Roku and on my stock G1 TV app, so it could work on ATV but it seems either they wont acknowledge there is an issue or don’t know how to fix it. I switched to YouTube TV on trial yesterday and it works flawlessly. I liked Hulu because it was close to the cable box experience, but with (1) volume being silent for 20-30 seconds when changing channels, (2) the DVR recording random shows and series and no way to stop it, and (3) the “Oops Something Went Wrong” messages, I’m done. The channel offering and price is near identical. There simply is no reason to keep this app if it is going to just disappoint me all the time and I do not want to access streaming services from multiple environments.

Dec 14, 2023 6:55 PM in response to FuskieBP

Well.... I went all in on the Home Pod speakers, Apple TV, and now my Hulu does not stream well on Apple TV?! But works good on my Roku. I got the Apple TV so I could make the Home Pod speaker work for my living room. Very frustrating. Looking at returning the whole lot if Apple does not fix this.

Been a life long Mac/Apple dude but this is disappointing. Going to check the return policy.

Problems With Hulu Live TV app on Apple TV

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.