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

Having the same problem here...

I restored the ATV3, which downloaded the "latest firmware" although the update menu said no updates were available... I also changed modem settings, and did everything I could. No Fix.

My Home Sharing disconnects, or when I try to connect with airplay from iTunes on my MBP to the ATV3, I get the beachball for a few seconds and then iTunes error 15006. Or sometimes the airplay icon completely dissapears from iTunes. Or simply my ATV3 does not show up on the airplay list, it just shows "Computer"

I don't think its my network at fault. As I can still acces Netflix, YouTube, Trailers, etc on the ATV3 when Home Sharing is failing.

Everyone, stop wasting your time. IT IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE WITH ITUNES! It is not network, settings, the device (neither my ATV2 or ATV 3 work). It is either iTunes or the recent Lion Update or a combo of both! Spend you time calling apple and complaining. If you just bought the new ATV3 then you can make calls to tech support to Apple! Do this please and we will get it fixed!

I just got off the phone with Apple Support (Mexico), they said they emailed me some articles that would help me, haven't received them yet (I doubt the articles will help, as I have already read every article related to the Apple Tv and Home Sharing). They also said that if I still have problems I should call them again.

I also sent feedback here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html

Go to iTunes and in the "iTunes" menu click on "Provide iTunes feedback"

I am trying to do as much noise as I can about this, so this gets fixed ASAP.

I feel like a stuck record....but.....i have not updated my iTunes.....I am using a PC with Windows. The only thing that has changed for me is the Apple TV update from a few weeks ago. Before that update Homesharing worked fine. After the Apple TV update it keeps dropping out.

There is no problem with my network either.

There are other issues with this last update as well. For instance when listening to my music on Apple TV either via iTunes Match or Homesharing, if I use shuffle every third or fourth song quits halfway through and it goes to another song.

Another problem is that often when I wake Apple TV the only icons showing are Computers and Settings. I have to go into Settings and restart Apple TV in order to get all the icons back. After doing that they stay until it sleeps again.

So.....I am 100% convinced it is the newest Apple TV update that is the problem. Until they release another update with all these bugs fixed anything we all try to do to fix it will be a temporary fix at best.

Same problem here, had the apple TV for around 2 years and no problems at all.

Updated to the new firmware on the Apple TV and then this problem where home sharing stops every 5 minutes appeared.

We had not updated Itunes at all when the problem started occuring but have since updated twice in the hopes there is a fix. No fixes, the problem still occurs & we have tried all the remedy's here.

Would not surprise me if Apple have done this on purpose to make people pay for the online movies. Considering the problem is major, been around for over a month and there is not even any acknowledgment.

I cannot imagine it taking one of their senior programmers more than a morning to work out what is causing this.

No doubt they are seeing a huge spike in revenues because of this problem. If it keeps going, I am just going to junk it and go back to windows media centre.

I'm another victim.

My ATV3 (ethernet wired to the router) will only connect to the iTunes library on my MBP if I go into iTunes, turn off home sharing and then turn it on again. Then it works fine.....until the next time.....when I have to go through the same procedure again. Let's hope there is a fix soon.

Same Exact Problem!!

Bought the new Apple TV 3 yesterday so I can stream all of my iTunes movies/videos from my computer, because they won't play on PS3. Everything worked fine, no problems at all, and then I got about 5 minutes in to a show, and BAM-black screen. Went back to the main menu, and tried to open "computers" which said to turn on apple sharing, which was already on. The only way I can make it through my show is to turn off home sharing in iTunes, and turn it back on---EVERY 5 MINUTES! Extremely annoying, and totally defeats the main purpose for me purchasing the deivce. Everything else works fine with the ATV3 ie, netflix, youtube, previews etc. I am going to return it today and buy a new one--possibly the unit is defective? If that doesn't work, I'll just return it and wait until it's fixed, or I'll just buy something else that does what it is supposed to do!

Zsnyde86, I would recommend you take it back, explain the problem and point out this forum thread. I've had an Apple TV 2 since Christmas and Homesharing hasn't worked ever, and that includes two firmware updates. I called tech support and they gave up trying to fix it. We all need to raise awareness of this fault with Apple in as many ways as we can.

New HD AppleTV which is looking at a new Mac Mini and frequently no computer shows up. Everything on latest software. Only solution I have found is quitting and relaunching iTunes. Really annoying as this is the first real problem I have had with any generation AppleTV.

Try giving your computer a static IP address. Worked for me so far (several days, no problem).

Instead of getting the movies from your AppleTV, try playing them in iTunes and select the AppleTV from iTunes.. This bypasses the homesharing protocol and seems to work for me..

I believe it has something to do with the authentication of your home sharing account. Yesterday I couldn't enable homesharing and iTunes gave me error 5599. I think Apple is messing about in Cupertino or something.. I did everything discribed everywhere.. I went wired instead of wifi, turned off IPv6, reïnstalled my ATV and downgraded iTunes.. Though the problem got less, it still exists..

What the **** Apple, just as you encouraged us to buy the new ATV? Need some more testers? I'll be happy to.

Hey Illini2011,

After reading your post, I thought I was reading my own misery. If I had posted something in this thread it would have read exactly (even to the wife comment) as yours.

These issues are pretty unbelievable.

J.

I am of the same mind. I have two ATV2 devices (ethernet enabled) that worked flawlessly before the ATV software 5.0 update. Since that update (which unfortunately coincided with my purchase and addition of a ATV3 device to my network) I have experienced all the issues outlined in this thread.

I have spent about 25-30 hours troubleshooting the problem. Every network, device, setting permutation possible.... nothing stable beyond three days. The latest attempt was Internet Sharing through my desktop computer...nada.

Not wanting to sound maudlin or melodramatic, but I've been a loyal Mac user since the days of the Mac Plus (1MB RAM) and the original ImageWriter... ****, I even had an Apple II clone before that (go LodeRunner!). Having said that, the amount of frustration with this issue has shaken my long seated faith in this company.

Has 'Rome' tried to expand its borders too far and now risks becoming crushed under the weight of its own empire? Do something, do it right...even if that means being slower.

Home sharing with the new Apple TV / iTunes update is just broke. Only works for a bit unless you restart iTunes or disable / re-enable Home Sharing. Use to work great until the last updates. This is not a network (router, firewall, ...) issue - just a (bad) regression in Apples software. Hopefully they fix this soon, hard to believe its been broke this long already. The Remote app update also fails to connect to Apple TVs (but does connect to iTunes) for many people as well. Poor QA all around. :(

I have yet to see any suggestion that actually works other than reverting to previous versions of fwr / iTunes - which is a pain / joke to do.

There are a *ton* of posts about this:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3845423?answerId=18078180022#18078180022

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3808863?answerId=18078351022#18078351022

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2613875?answerId=18078326022#18078326022

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3860579?answerId=18078599022#18078599022

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3861987?answerId=18078600022#18078600022

etc...

Thanks to joeridepoeri i've managed to find a workaround until Apple/iTunes get their finger out and sort this problem! Unfortunately for some it only works if you have an iPad or iPhone!

Transfer films, etc to the iPhone/iPad and play from there using the Apple TV option.

It's the only way I've found to play films/TV progs without interruption!!!

C'mon Apple!!!