Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?

I got my new Apple TV gen 2 today and hooked it up in place of the old one. The picture was wavy. I removed the HDMI switch from the equation, no dice. I swapped cables, no dice.

The only issue I can think of (besides bad hardware) is that I use an HDMI->DVI cable for the last leg to my TV. It's not a converter, it is fully HDCP aware, and it works fine with ATV G1 and a Roku for Netflix HD streaming.

Unfortunately I don't have a different TV to check this out with at the moment.

Is anyone else having this problem?

iMac 20", Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Sep 29, 2010 11:00 AM

204 replies

Nov 25, 2010 9:20 AM in response to Tailbiter

I'm using the Panasonic TH-42PX25 that is mentioned in many of these posts and am experiencing the same issues. Last night I may have accidentally stumbled onto a fix or at the very least helpful information for all of us.

I'd been browsing this thread disappointed by what I was reading and decided my only hope was the monoprice switcher which I'd ordered. My Apple TV was hooked up and wobbling (belkin HDMI cable, and a setup which worked flawlessly for the prev gen AppleTv) when we went to dinner. Upon returning home(aprox 2hrs later) I went into my room to check the wobbling picture and noticed my ATV had gone to sleep, when I woke it up the picture came back and was perfect, no wobbles, no discolor, no issues whatsoever.

I'm going to try to force the fix a few times today and perhaps its as easy as forcing the ATV to hit standby and wake up which would save us all the money on the switcher. If anyone else has similar results please reply, I will keep you all posted(at present it is still working perfect with my ATV2/Belkin HDMI/Panasonic TH-42PX25 ever since waking up from sleep)

Nov 25, 2010 10:56 AM in response to jitterysquid

TV is 6 year old Panasonic which only accepts 1080i or 480 input signals. After reading all the blog entries here and contacting Apple support I was disappointed in the Apple implementation of the product and ready to send it back (indeed packed it up to ship).

Earlier this week the blogs reported an ATV2 software update. I hooked up the ATV2 again, looked through the wobblies and selected the upgrade software menu item and waited.

Voila! The update solved all my picture issues. Its as clear and clean as the picture under my old Apple TV first generation. Yes it works only under 480 instead of 1080 but it still produces a strong picture and the HD movies and other media look great.

I use a Belkin HDMI to HDMI cable.

I'm glad Apple responded to its initial mis-step and gave those of us with older HD TV's that don't support 720p the opportunity to use the product.

rosnerd

Level 1

0 points

Dec 3, 2010 12:39 PM in response to Shirley 123

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with following issue: I just got an Apple TV 2 and hooked it up to my TV. Everything is working fine, but I have no sound at all.

For your information: I (of course) exit the Apple TV2 with HDMI and then enter my LG TV with DVI. Before I used to hook up my MAcBook Pro by MiniDisplay port > DVI to my TV and picture and sound worked perfectly.

Have I misunderstood and do I need another cable?

Dec 3, 2010 12:48 PM in response to rosnerd

Hi rosnerd: I also use a HDMI-->DVI cable to get the video to my TV, but DVI is video-only and has no audio lines. In my case, I have an HDMI switch in between the ATV2 and the TV, and the switch provides an analog audio signal that I separately cable to my TV.

I am wondering how you got audio before using the MacBook. Did you use the MacBook speakers, or did you run a cable from the headphone jack? I just don't see how you could have done it over DVI!

cheers

Dave

jitterysquid Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 5, 2010 4:55 AM in response to jitterysquid

A cautionary tale:

A friend brought by an upgraded ATV2 yesterday so I could try it out to see if it fixed the wobbly picture problem without running to the Apple store (and back). It did not fix the original problem. It did not look the same, this time it showed up as a 4x3 image with static/multicolor striations running inconsistently horizontally and vertically. This was both through an inexpensive HDMI switch and directly connected, HDMI->DVI.

I took the ATV2 out of the mix and went about my day. The next time I brought up my Roku I had a nasty shock - the center 1/3 of the top 1/2 of the screen was duplicated and shifted over to the top left sixth. I powered everything up and down, performed factory resets where appropriate, took switches in and out, unplugged everything for 30 minutes - nothing helped. I tried my old ATV1 and it seemed to work OK - at 1080i. If I put it in 720p or 420p mode it displayed the same crazy behavior. Thinking it was an HDMI signaling issue - I plugged the Roku in via component cables and got the same behavior (Roku delivers a 720p signal). I plugged in my ATV1 with component cables and got the same behavior at 720p and 480p.

So, AFAICT, the brief chat with the ATV2 seems to have scrambled by TVs brains when it comes to progressive scan, or at least the 720p and 480p resolutions. 1080i still works fine. I'm not blaming Apple, I'm pretty sure something in my TV has malfunctioned due to age and stress. Probably some secret 1080i upconversion chip even though the manual says that it handles 720p "natively".

I've gone into the service menu on the Toshiba 42H83 - without a service manual there's really nothing to accomplish there.

I guess that's one way to solve the original problem - I'm in the market for a new TV now.

nadeama

Level 1

24 points

Dec 15, 2010 12:59 AM in response to jitterysquid

I had high hopes when I read the release notes for today's 4.1.1 patch, and saw:

"Addresses an issue that causes some high-definition TVs to incorrectly display at 480p."

But sadly, I still get a 480p signal from the Apple TV, even though my set supports 720p input.

I have to admit the Apple TV 2 has turned out to be a very disappointing product in my case.

Aug 6, 2011 9:57 AM in response to David M.F. Chapman

I used the solution of adding in a monoprice HDMI switch and turning it on immediately after waking the ATV2 and it's been working perfectly with my father's Sony Grand Wega (DVI at 720P) for months.

The only problem is, I'm scared to update his firmware, for fear that this brilliant fix will stop working. Can anyone who was experiencing the pink and/or wobbly DVI picture confirm that JustReel Films' solution works with the latest firmware?

I don't think I can update until I have hard confirmation.

Thanks.

Aug 12, 2011 6:18 AM in response to jitterysquid

Hi,

I have a brand new Sharp Aquos 60" (lc-60le632u) and I have exactly the same issue.

I don't think it is the TV because everything else is fine, including the built-in Netflix access or DLNA server.

Does anybody have the same issue with a new TV?

Thank you

Shawn M.

Level 4

1,619 points

Mar 10, 2012 2:14 AM in response to jitterysquid

Does anyone know if the Apple TV will work with my Samsung SPS4243? The TV spec sheet says input is compatible with 480i, 480p, 720p & 1080i over composite or HDMI.

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Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?