Netflix pausing/buffering issues

I really don't care if you choose to believe it or not, it has been proven that it is the case and I never said it wasnt an Apple problem but rather both companies. However, it is server based and not all users experience it. Not sure why you expect a response from Apple on a user forum

I don't expect a reply in this forum, but I do expect a solution and/or explanation from Apple. You seem to have a need to lecture people, so again, whatever.

I was messing around with my settings last night with Netflicks. I changed the time zone to the correct zone I was residing in, and Netflicks started to buffer. I quickly changed the time zone back to the Pacific coast and the buffering went away. You may want to toggle the time zones, which may play into what servers netflicks uses to give you the content. The only other solution I have found is mirroring my Ipad and streaming Netflicks to Apple tv via the Ipad. This of course, ties up the ipad though. There is not enough compelling content on netflicks for me to worry too much about this issue, but I like to solve tech issues if I can. I will probably be canceling my membership due to the lack of fresh content this next month. This may have been a coincidence, but I think it may have something to do with what servers gives you the content. You have to remember that this is just a discussion forum, and Apple does not post tech solutions here.

I too have experienced the same problem. I purchased a RCA steaming device that has the Netflix app and it worked fine. Almost no buffering at all. I purchased the RCA device to cut back on using my Playstation 2 which got pretty hot from hours upon hours of TV watching. But, my Playstation 2 didn't have any buffering issues either. I steam Netflix on my iPad 2 as well with no problem what so ever.

I was so VERY excited to finally purchase the newest, latest and greatest Apple TV. As others have stated, all the other apps seem to work just fine, EXCEPT the reason I bought it in the first place... Netflix. Please do something about this ASAP! Thank you!!!

I'm seeing this today as well. I am thoroughly underwhelmed. (I do have to say, though, that this is also a first. Up to this point, streaming has been seemless.) I'm on AT&T UVerse, my Apple TV is the third (1080p) generation, and I've been watching a movie for quite a while. I've paused to do stuff on occasion. I've done some back and forth for dialogue that I missed. The whole movie should be downloaded by now and play like silk. I'm very disappointed by that aspect of the "no storage" in my Apple TV. (Please note here that I am by no means an Apple hater. I'm a total fan, but this is disappointing.)

I also have to add that Netflix streaming content availability is totally unacceptably poor It's money spent, but not well spent.

Here's what worked for me:

Under ATV settings, I went to ITunes Store and changed the video quality to Standard. The Troubleshooting option suggested this. I have tired lots of things and non worked, but this did. I couldnt be

Eive it. I hope it works for everyonr, since so many peole have this problem and no one solution appears to have been found. Good luck!

Streaming using Netflix and my Apple TV (3rd gen) has been working okay the last few weeks. However, last night my wife and I were watching a movie she was really into (she doesn't like TV/Movies that much) and it started buffering forever. My Apple TV is connected via Ethernet cable so no wireless issues to blame. Anyway, my wife was really ****** we couldn't watch the movie so I figured I'd try mirroring my iPhone running the Netflix app via WiFi. Well it really cracked me up because that worked perfect. I like to believe that Apple TV using the highest resolution setting all the time so that is why it buffers so often. But my Samsung Blu-ray player usually picks HD and it runs off the same switch as my AppleTV and it rarely ever has a buffering issue. Anyway, it does sort of give Apple a black eye in my mind, but I guess I shouldn't complain because I have other options of watching Netflix when AppleTV *****. Even though the user interface isn't as functional or pretty.

That's a wonderful fix. I'll try it tonight.

I had this same problem. I tried many things: keeping the time zone to pacific, entering my IP addy manually, etc. The only thing I found that worked was to make sure the apple TV isn't on top of any other electronic equipment or nothing on top of it. I originally had it sitting on top of a bluray player & it kept buffering. I noticed in the manual it mentioned to keep it off of things & since then I have had NO PROBLEMS!!! Woohoo. For a second there I was going to call it a CRAPPLE TV.

I have the exact same problem with both my Apple TV 1/2. All other devices play great. I hope they fix it.

I´ve had this issue since last update with my ATV2.

Tried EVERYTHING on this monster thread.

Called Netflix, called apple.

No solutions.

Today amazingly, I watched an itunes flix and then sayed, what the... lets try netflix for a change.

Amazingly 2 complet movies on HD with only two pauses.

I´m totally clueless of what is going on with ATV2. Still I expect the issues to return.

So far......

But if I had to, I would NOT BUY ATV2 if trying to use Netflix.

All of the rest is cool.

I've been having problems streaming Netflix to my Apple TV2 (with all the latest updates applied) for the past few weeks. Prior, we had streamed without any problems so this seems to be a recent problem. We can't get through a 45minute show with buffering. We get about 20 minutes into a show and there comes the buffer. Here is the real test though - I can access Netflix through my TIVO (however, it has a VERY poor user interface, which is why I prefer the Apple TV) and I stremed the exact same show I was watching on the ATV2 without any buffering. I went on to watch another 45 minute show with NO buffering at all when I accessed NetFlix through my TIVO. So this is definitely a ATV2/Netflix App issue. Please fix Apple/Netflix!

I forgot to mention that I have my ATV2 plugged into ethernet, I am not using WiFi.

I've been working with my Apple TV for a while and I agree that the issue is down to the Apple TV Netflix client and its ability to dynamically change bandwidth/bitrate during peak times. This is why the issue gets better sometimes, then worse ... It is dependant on the load of Netflix servers & which one you hit.

I go into more detail here http://kf5czo.blogspot.com/2012/07/trouble-with-appletv.html but the bottom line is ... we have to wait for Apple to update/patch the Netflix client software to support these features properly.

It is a sad state of affairs that we have had the issue this long, hopefully an update will be out soon.

Thanks, KFCZO -- the information you pointed to at http://kf5czo.blogspot.com/2012/07/trouble-with-appletv.html is the most credible evidence yet I've seen about the cause of this buffering problem. I switched to Roku six months ago and have not had the streaming problem since. My Apple TV2 sits quietly in the corner, unplugged and waiting for a message from this forum that it can come back to life again.

Interesting blog post, KF5CZO, and your explanation certainly is consistent with my experience that it hits a lot during prime evening hours and that HD high bitrate offerings are much worse affected than SD offerings. Granted, I usually do my viewing in prime time, so have little anecdotal evidence of success watching HD in non prime hours.

One thing I am curious about is that I have not experienced the pause/buffer problem when watching content from any other provider -- for example, I often watch baseball on the ATV through MLB.TV. I wonder if that is because MLB.TV or these other providers do not dynamically alter their bitrates as Netflix does, or if it is because the applications for those providers are more robust in terms of adjusting when the servers reduce the bitrates. If the ATV can dynamically adjust for MLB.TV video, but not for Netflix video, then it would be interesting to know why that is.