Netflix Problems

I'm in the same boat as many of you. Had the Apple TV 2 for four months and in general, it works great and I really enjoy it. The problem is Netflix. In the evening it pauses a lot. Today I called in to report the issue. I've already performed all of their troubleshooting steps along with some others to no avail:

- Restarted the device (pull power plug)

- Restored the device

- Use hardwired connection (no wi-fi)

- Changed my DNS settings to 4.4.4.4 and 8.8.8.8

- Validated speed during problem is running between 6 and 8mbs (we're on the 12mbs plan)

- Durning problem times on Apple TV, I've unpluged the ethernet cable from the ATV and plugged into a laptop and watch an hour or more of Netflix without any pausing - I've done this at least 3 or 4 different times. Upon plugging back into the Apple TV, Netflix pauses...

- Turned off DNSmasq on the router

- Set the ATV to a static route on the router rather than dynamic

- Have never had the issue with iTunes rentals or streaming from my desktop

- Never had the issues as perssistant with any other netflix device in our house (laptop, desktop, Wii)

Personally I think there is something wrong with the way ATV handles the Netflix stream. Occasinally there will be times when using another device the picture quality degrades when the network slows, but the stream never pauses. The Apple TV picture never degrades, just pauses. So if I were to hazard a guess I think if the stream slows down to the point where the picture might normaly be dynamically degraded on any other device, the ATV just pauses and buffers until the picture quality is back up. This is fine but there should be an option to turn that off so the device won't pause. Or the device should be buffering 10-20 minutes of programming so if the network does slow down, there will be some time for it to recover before it starts impacting picture quality. Its hard to explain to my 7 year old why Spongebob keeps pausing on a Saturday evening.

So that's my thoughts on the topic. Wish some one had a solid fix or Apple could admit they have problem and provide an update that better accounts for network congestion.

That would explain why I was able to watch 6 hours of Monty Python Documentaries. I started watching about 8pm Pacific on Saturday night. As the hours grew later, I had less and less pausing of the AppleTV.

I would gladly trade instant streaming for a "30 minute head start" to cache the download before I started to watch.

No headway. Apple engineering said it's not their problem. Netflix supposedly "escalated" the issue for me, but I haven't heard anything back. My ISP is fine. Nobody will own this issue. Like Markbober, I suspect it's an issue with the Netflix app software on the apple tv. I've just dealt with it. It seems to happen the most in the evening, but I never get HD resolution or DD5.1.

I'm having this same issue and learned quite a bit this evening via troubleshooting:

Own both ATV 2nd Gen and a Roku. Also have an iTouch with Netflix app loaded. I hard wired both my ATV and Roku to my router this evening. I had been running via wireless, but, hearing that some were suspecting wireless as a contributing factor, took time to connect both directly to the router. With both hard wired still many pausing, silence, audio/video sync issues with Netflix via ATV, however NO PROBLEMS via Roku. Tried two different movies. Both were not working properly on ATV, but were fine on the Roku.

Didn't stop there...got on my iTouch and loaded the Netflix app. Ran same two movies. NO PROBLEMS there either. Streaming was smooth and uninterrupted.

I'd say Apple has some explaining/investigating to do about why ATV 2nd Gen is having problems with Netflix, because what I've seen this evening seems to exonerate Netflix.

Well, I'm not sure if Netflix changed something or if my ISP did something, but I've had two pristine evenings (Thursday and Friday) of watching Netflix on the Apple TV. No pausing, no buffering, just enjoyable viewing. This is the first time I remember that I've never had pausing while watching Netflix in the evening.

We'll see if it stays this way.

Hi a new poster here. (14 year IT vet) I just wanted to reply for those that don't have a programming back ground. I know this has been stated many times on this thread, but many of the people I talk to don't understand why Netflix will not play on their IPod.

First and for most. Netflix software runs in your memory. (When it streams) The code that they have been using is seen by most new router's hardware firewalls as a "DNS Rebind ATTACK" there for it blocks the streaming information as a video starts. That’s why you can browse what they have, but can’t view the video on your IPOD.

There are several fixes listed in this thread so I won’t rewrite them. But having said this, the only true way to resolve this issue is for Netflix to reform their protocol in their software code;. Why you ask. Because most fixes here leaves your router open for attacks, PERIOD.

Netflix already has numerous problems with their streaming anyway, like:"Video - Audio sync" Pixilated picture, "no picture but have sound" and most of the time their servers can't keep up. That’s why it jumps in an out of "retrieving". That’s one big reason they dropped their monthly fees in fear of losing monthly payments, amongst other reasons. Haveyou ever seen any way to complain on their web site, other than a brief."How was the quality, good or unacceptable" with no real way to speakyour mind.

If Netflix want to stay in the business then they have allot of work to do, and not blame Apple, or the user.

A denial of service attack? That makes little sense. It the routers firewall was thinking the Netflix stream was an attack of some sort why doesn't it impact any other device in my house? My desktop, laptop, iPhone and Wii all stream Netflix without issue. The only time I've had any problems is with the Apple TV. And when I plug my laptop into the Ethernet cable from my Apple TV, no problems at all. The issue s clearly with the implementation of Netflix on the Apple Tv. Whether it's Apple's fault or Netflix's, I don't care as long as some one owns up and fixes it. I don't see how this could possibly be a router firewall issue.

My observation over a couple months of this problem is that the problem occurs as a function of the movie chosen on Netflix. It does not matter whether it is HD, Dolby Digital, both, popular films, foreign films, etc. It just seems to occur rather randomly. It's almost like someone is guessing at the bandwidth required to get these movies out to users, but quite often this guess is wrong. You can be having a problem with a given movie, switch to another after getting fed up, and then, the new selection runs flawlessly from start to finish.

Someone please explain that.

This is totally my experience. But, the appletv is the only Netflix device I have that fails to play videos properly. maybe if apple opened the Netflix AirPlay from iOS devices, it could at least be a way around the problem.

I have fios 15/5 service, and have the issues with only some programming. Occurs with both airport extreme and fios router, both units 15 feet from the appletv. The last title this happened with is Bunny and the Bull at 9pm EST. Lag pause happened 4x within 2 minutes, so we stopped the show. That movie works fine on iPad, PS3, and iPhone.

Interestingly, the lags also happened with other British shows... I wonder if it depends on the network or distributor.

This is for everyone.

Netflix has to many problems, to set and say why one has this and one doesn't have that. Looking at there code and seeing how it is used, is one of the biggest reasons there are so many issues.

not everyone has the same router. not everyone knows how to config them. How many versions of DDwrt is there?, to many to count.

I my case my iPod touch communicates with my router, shakes hands often, and video is blocked do to DNS rebind issues. everyone’s setup is different. But the fact still remains. Netflix needs to change there protocols.

You all can hack it out all you want I have seen it with my own eyes. Until Netflix changes there programming, we will all will continue to have these sporadic service issues.

Look everyone can argue with me, that’s fine. All I am trying to say is Netflix needs to get their head out of their #$% and get the service 100% and not Blame Apple or the user. That’s all I am saying.

food for thought, why then Can i use Netflix on my PS3 right now with out PSN. Can anyone else do this? I just watch 8 Hours on Sunday, star gate sg1, paintball, mythbusters. Did they open the gateway and gotten rid of the psn login for right now. Or because i know how it works i can get around it. And yes i have a stock PS3 the only thing i have changed is a bigger hard drive.

DUB -- Thanks for the response. Your suggestion seems very worthwhile, but it still puzzles me why i can alternatively select different movies in the same time frame on Netfilix and have one play flawlessly and the other pause constantly.

It appears that at any given time some titles are being provided by Netflix at a higher bandwidth than others as a function of the device being used -- in this case Apple TV. Or -- maybe Netflix is guessing at the bandwidth required for each movie title, or maybe something else.

At first I thought that, since Apple TV is a newcomer, maybe Netflix gives preference to some of the types of devices that were good customers earlier in their history. I then proceeded to Google pausing problems on popular brand Blue Ray and other players. It looks like others may have similar problems, but I am not sure as to the extent.

Does anyone know the breakdown of Netflix users by device -- e.g., computers, Blu Ray players, Roko, PS3, Apple TV, etc.?

I am curious where netflix users have found a place to contact netflix support. I have not been able to do so, so any link or email for netflix would be appreciated.

I was thinking about getting the new Apple TV, I have the original and love it, because I am looking for a solution to my netflix streaming issues, mainly many pauses during the movie to reload (I have plenty of download speed), and perhaps that is the sony blu ray I'm streaming with.

I side tracked, any help on the email address for Netlix would be appreciated.

Great question. Email may not be answered as timely as using their troubleshooting tool, or calling them here:

1-866-716-0414

For faster service, use this service code: 941 973

It is funny that they send out the picture quality surveys for the movies that actually work well, but not for the ones that pause and fail during playback. They really do need to fix the app for the appletv.

Thanks for that, Though it would still be great to have an email for them to send general issues.

I actually get the surveys on many of the movies that have stalled out. I have actually given up streaming now, just doing the dvd / blu ray thing. But would still love to add it to the apple tv if problems are resolved.