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

Apple TV 2nd Generation slow streaming for Movies from my iTunes

Just taken delivery of a 2nd Generation AppleTV. Everything works but when selecting a movie from my iTunes library it takes a very, very long time before it plays. I can fast forward and reverse but cannot play. Sometimes it takes 15 to 20 minutes before I can play it. Is there anything I can do to improve this? I could go and get the DVD and play it in my DVD player much faster than this.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Oct 9, 2010 6:14 AM

Reply
189 replies

Feb 2, 2014 10:02 PM in response to jprice126

Just a bump: Also for me with the latest AppleTV update a 6 months or a year ago the AppleTV insists on checking everything with iTunes even streaming my own videos and music that I have stored on my local HDD on in my iTunes file on my Home Shared Apple. If I'm connected to the internet it's a few seconds to start streaming, if I'm NOT connected to the internet then songs may take 1 or 2 minutes to "time out" and video's seem to take longer I'm guessing to verify with iTunes. It's quite offensive for those of us who have to have satalite internet or from 4G internet with low data plans per month, hence I usually keep my computers OFF line to save my data. A couple days of my computers being on and I can hit my data cap with them doing automatic downloading in backgrounds etc that I wasn't aware of. I find it easier to just be offline most of the time, so because of the latest update where it has to check with iTunes I rarely use my AppleTV anymore. If it's not fixes I won't get any new purchases on iTunes or any new AppleTV type of products. Sorry Apple. You make it difficult to use a product so I won't use it and buy DVDs or BlueRays instead.

Feb 22, 2014 5:26 PM in response to Chili33

Apple TV should be pulled from the market. When I purchased mine close to Two years ago it worked brilliantly. A couple of updates later everything ground to a snails pace so I just stopped using it.

My father just purchased a new one so I thought maybe the latest unit might me different, no such luck.


Like you say every thing else works fine, pull down a movie preview from YouTube on my iPad, instant playback, use my airplay, dreadful.

Mar 29, 2014 6:51 AM in response to AnLe41

I am glad it worked for you I did all of those things for which thank you very much but the improvement was negligible. I never ever had this problem bnefore the latest Mavericks upgrade this is an Apple issue which needs to be addressed let's hope it is taken care of soon, no matter how resourceful and ingenious us Apple fans are we should not have to do workarounds for such superb equipment, as the Jobster used to say "it just works"

As always a pleasure to get into the forums one of the many benefits of owning Apple products.

I am running New iMac27in maxed up spec new Airport Extreme with a 1Gb fibre optic feed Apple TV 3 and the relevant mobile devices.

Nov 22, 2014 1:05 PM in response to kylebunga

After trouble shooting and talking to Apple we confirmed that iTunes MUST connect to the internet to CHECK viewing rights before EVERY video and audio book etc before it will allow AppleTV to play. Way to solve, ensure you have internet constantly when picking movies, tv shows, audio books etc, or find another way to purchase digital media. I think it may be a contractual deal with one or more digital providers by having this check to keep them happy. Why it even checks my OWN videos is mind boggling.


My work around? Imac's mini display to HDMI and a long HDMI to HDTV and in my case headphone jack to RCA for audio to stereo. AppleTV 1st and 3rd generation are now relegated to paper weights. Since my ONLY internet options are smart phone hot spot (10 gig cap per month) satellite internet (10 gig cap per month) streaming video from Netflix etc are impractical and expensive.


So don't waste time trying to make it work, because as of 8 months ago it doesn't and it's not likely that it will change unless that "Checking" feature is disabled in future iTune/AppleTV updates. Not sure which product is actually at fault, but I bet it's iTunes.

Nov 22, 2014 1:38 PM in response to jprice126

Well repondants are talking about two completely differnent situations


1) Streaming content directly from iTunes to AppleTV

2) Streaming already downloaded content from iTunes on a computer on local network


1) I find usually find that router reboot fixes and or logging in and out of iTunes Store

2) also router reboot and/or logging in and out of home sharing Apple TV and/or computer... also with latest versions of OSX computer doesn't reliably wake computer any more.. a mouse wiggle to wake computer fixes this... sometimes it does take exiting and opening iTunes on computer...

Apple TV 2nd Generation slow streaming for Movies from my iTunes

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