Apple TV 2 has big problems homesharing - fixes? firmware update needed!

The Big Bull wrote:
Hello everyone,
Listen, is it the last 2 firmware updates for Apple TV2.
I have tested every version Of iTunes that supports the Home Sharing. Every version has failed! My 1st Apple TV2 had no problems @ all. All my problems started the day I bought my 2nd Apple TV2. The Day I setup the 2nd ATV2 it ran the update. The same day my 1st ATV2 updated to the same firmware and ever since nothing seems to work right, Netflix drops, Home Sharing drops. FYI - I have been troubleshooting every suggestion on the theres Forums. None! have Worked!!Apple you need to fix the ATV2 or start refunds peoples money
I have tried both Wireless and Hardwired with Cat6 running @ a full Gig. bandwith, never get over 3% bandwith utilization when both ATV2s are working. I ask Apple if I could down grade the firmware but nope you can't do that either. If Apple doesn't get this fixed then my ATV2s are going on ebay!!

I've been experiencing exactly the same thing. Restarting the ATV seemed to restore homesharing for a bit but now even that doesn't work. May try a system restore tonight and see what happens. This is extremely annoying. Loads of people seem to be affected under different threads here.

Same probelm here - worked great for 6 mos - now the can't find home share situation. Tried everything, have to assume it's a firmware issue. Apple did this with a iPhone patch last year, killed my 3gs.

I bought an iMac when I got the 3gs, wanted to try this 'perfect' world out. Turns out a closed system is just as slopy as an open system. There are threads on this issue dating back far enough, it would have risen to the level of a FAQ at Microsoft.

Just found out that certain Window$ Updates do a really nasty number of blocking communication from Apple iTV to iTunes on Window$ 7. Brilliant Microsoft, if you can't beat them, then try to use your operating systems firewall to prevent the average Joe of being able to use a competitors superior product offering. Hope the lilputins at Apple are readint this one.

Sorry buddy - this has nothing to do with the problem being reported. My Win installation does not auto update and it has the problem. Other guys here are reporting the same problem with Macs. 'Competitor's superior product offering'? Give me a break. Apple TV is crap. And still no word from the Apple guys on a fix for what is clearly a bug either in iTunes or on the ATV itself.

I had been using my ATV2 for over a year. Love it!

I bought a second for me and one for my Dad.

Now the new updates have them dropping the stream inhomeshare as well as not playing content in Airplay.

I had been happily been doing both just last week.

I have taken both of my ATV2's connected them to my MacbookPro and rest and performed clean installs.

I have taken my timemachine and reset it as well.

I made sure that iTunes is up to date and restarted theMacMini that hosts my vidoe library.

Wilston told me:

Intermittent problems are often a result of interference.Interference can be caused by other networks in the neighbourhood or fromhousehold electrical items.

You can download and install iStumbler (NetStumbler for windows users)to help you see which channels are used by neighbouring networks so that youcan avoid them, but iStumbler will not see household items.

Refer to your router manual for instructions on changingyour wifi channel.

Once I changed the Wifi Channel andrestarted all devices ATV2 is working great.🙂

I am having the same problems using a Windows 7 machine. I believe it is the firmware updates to the AppleTV. But possibly it could be in the iTunes update also. Just noticed there is a new update for iTunes that came out today. Will try that and then check to see if there is a new update for the AppleTV 2.

Hi people, I have been having the same problem with losing signal. I have a windows 7 pc using a bt homehub v2 and kept losing signal after a few minutes.

After trying all of the solutions that have been suggested, was no closer to fixing problem! Then I found this article.

http://groups.google.com/group/viphone/browse_thread/thread/7313993865a9a011

I have AVG installed and followed these directions(easy to do) and since then have had no problems. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

If anyone else has any luck with this then let us know.

Jai from uk

Hi, I think i solved this problem. I never had this problem sins I've bought my apple tv 2. I've Reset my router yesterday after a couple of days that it was loosing internet connection, this wasn't beacuse of the apple tv. So when I setup the router I configured it to use WIFI protected setup. Thats when I began to see the problems. Apple tv wasn't connecting to my library via homeshare, or at least not for long, and it wasn't streaming some of my movies either...I have a lynksys router connected to a D-link adsl modem/router...the lynksys is now acting as a switch...

So, I would say, if your router has some WIFI protected feature, set it to manual and check if the connectivity problems continue.

There was an earlier post that I read (don't remember if it was even in this thread) that fixed my problem. Ever since I updated everything nothing would work to keep me connected to my computer via Homesharing. I always had a great signal using the internet on my AppleTV2 but it just wouldn't connect to my computer via Homesharing. I finally fixed the problem. I bought a new iPhone 4S and and along with it the new feature to Synch with this iPhone over Wi-Fi. That is the problem. Everytime I would connect the iPhone to a power source it would automatically synch with my computer via iTunes. It must lock up the port that the AppleTV 2 uses. I couldn't use my apple TV again until I eventually turned my phone off and rebooted my computer. Everything would work until I connected my phone to a power source again and the synch started again. The fix is to connect your phone to itunes and un-select the option to Synch with this iPhone over Wi-Fi. Once I did this everything worked perfectly. APPLE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BY FIRST ADMITTING TO IT. It took me many many hours to finally figure this out and it would have been very helpful if Apple would have posted something about this. It would have saved me many frustrating hours. You know anyone with a new 4S phone and AppleTV2 is having the same problems that I experienced. I was ready to throw out the Apple TV because nothing seemed to work. Apple's customer service is really starting to go down. I can't believe they would push out this new feature before testing it thoroughly.

This problem has been driving me nuts since I got the ATV six months ago. I don't believe it's the router or the iPhone connection (I don't have an iPhone and I have the same problem). Strangely, the latest upgrade of ATV software (the one that gave TV show purchase as an option) seems - I stress, seems - to have fixed it for me along with an upgrade of the iTunes software to v10.5.2.11. If so, it's about time Apple. This has put me off buying anything from Apple ever again.