Cannot get old gen appleTV to sync with iMac any more

Question

Level 1

8 points

Cannot get old gen appleTV to sync with iMac any more

I can no longer sync my old appleTV with my macs. I've tried turning off home sharing as someone suggested, but that did nothing.
AppleTV shows up in iTunes but its content does not. This means I can no longer back up content that I've purchased (NOT rented) on my AppleTV because I cannot move it to my Mac.
I guess I can purchase stuff on the Mac in future and stream it, but it sort of negates the convenience of sitting in front of the TV and using AppleTV if I have to go into the other room, buy the stuff, wait for it to download on my Mac and then access it. It also means I have to leave my computer on all the time which I'm not in the habit of doing. (It's not a very green option, is it?)
Also, it doesn't solve the problem of all the TV shows and movies I've purchased recently and now can't back up. (Since I'm on the old AppleTV, I don't have the 99 cent rental option, either.)
Any ideas? Am I missing something? Or is this the way it is now?

Posted on Dec 21, 2010 6:45 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 21, 2010 6:53 AM in response to Topper99

Have you tried to remove it from your computer on the apple tv then reattaching? Also, sometimes if you remove it from iTunes in the preferences, and reattach, it fixes these types of issues.

Glor

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Answer 2

Topper99 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 25, 2010 1:37 PM in response to Glorfindeal

Not sure what you mean. I can stream from my new computer to the AppleTV with no problem, so it's not that the AppleTV doesn't recognize the new computer. It just won't sync with it.

The AppleTV doesn't show up under "File" in iTunes where you could normally select "Sync Apple TV"; so I can't select it that way. And although it shows up in iTunes, under "Devices" you can't see any of the content, nor is there a "Sync" button showing at the bottom of the screen.

AppleTV is still syncing with my old computer the same way it always did (it's on the same network). So I'm copying stuff from AppleTV this way -- letting AppleTV sync with the old computer, then using HomeSharing on iTunes to copy that stuff to the new computer. It's a little annoying, but at least the stuff is backed up.

Maybe AppleTV won't sync with more than one computer? (They're both authorized, of course.) I must be missing something, but I can't see what it is.

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Answer 3

Dec 27, 2010 7:21 AM in response to Topper99

I'm sorry, I didn't realize your configuration. You can only sync from one computer at a time. If you want to sync from your new computer, you have to stop syncing from your old computer.

Glor

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Answer 4

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,548 points

Dec 27, 2010 9:02 AM in response to Glorfindeal

Glorfindeal wrote:
I'm sorry, I didn't realize your configuration. You can only sync from one computer at a time. If you want to sync from your new computer, you have to stop syncing from your old computer.

Glor

Absolutely.

I'd also add that the OP should sync any new purchases to the old computer BEFORE changing sync computer or there's a risk of not being abl to transfer.

There was nothing wrong with the AppleTv1 purchase model only the stupid limitation of only being able to transfer to the single sync library, and changing that deleting virtually all content on the AppleTv. I say stupid as any DRM protected material would require your iTunes credentials to play so you could only
use it on a different computer as the original user so hy not allow transfer!!!!!!

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Answer 5

Topper99 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 27, 2010 9:37 AM in response to Glorfindeal

Thanks, Glor. That's obviously the problem.

Now, can I change to sync with the new computer without losing everything that's already on the AppleTV? Will I have to re-sync everything?

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Answer 6

Chenks

Level 5

7,435 points

Dec 27, 2010 9:38 AM in response to Topper99

Topper99 wrote:
Now, can I change to sync with the new computer without losing everything that's already on the AppleTV?

no. breaking the sync link will remove all the content on the appletv.

Will I have to re-sync everything?

yes

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Answer 7

Topper99 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 27, 2010 9:52 AM in response to Chenks

Good to know -- thanks for your input.

I guess eventually I'll have to re-sync, since the new iMac has much more room than the old and media storage was one of the reasons I had to upgrade.

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Answer 8

Topper99 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 1, 2011 8:53 AM in response to Topper99

Here's an update:
After severing the link with the old AppleTV, everything on the AppleTV was indeed erased.
But when I tried to connect it to the new AppleTV, I found it will stream only and NOT sync, in spite of being an old-gen AppleTV.
When I reconnected the old iMac in hopes of at least re-syncing the content back onto the AppleTV that way, I found it also will no longer sync, but will stream only.

So now I have NOTHING on the AppleTV at all. And no way to put it back. (And regardless of what anyone says, the streamed video is not the same quality as that played directly from the AppleTV IMHO. I just re-watched something that I had watched directly from the AppleTV last night, and it was pretty obvious.)

So my advice to anyone with the same problem is this: Leave it alone. Apple has obviously changed all the iTunes software so that it won't re-connect with an AppleTV except to stream, even if it's an old-gen AppleTV.

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Answer 9

Mar 25, 2011 4:55 AM in response to Topper99

So you are still having this same problem? Itunes will never be able to sync up with my old apple tv again? IS this for real? I have the same problem, and it is unbelievable I cant put it back the way it was....

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Answer 10

Mar 31, 2011 3:58 AM in response to Topper99

Topper - I think you have hit the nail on the head with regards to Apple changing the iTunes software and frankly it is a disgrace. I have spent literally hours trying to solve the syncing problem I have with my old style Apple TV. I have wiped the Apple TV and started over from scratch and this worked fine with everything being transferred to Apple TV and iTunes successfully syncing that was until I restarted my iMac and I was back almost to square one. Apple TV no longer appears in my devices list so I cannot sync any new music or films to the Apple TV. This is a very frustrating problem.

If anybody has any ideas on how to solve the problem I would be very grateful.

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Answer 11

Apr 3, 2011 12:46 AM in response to David Spencer1

Sorry Apple I should have known better. THE PROBLEM IS ONLY PARTLY TO DO WITH APPLE. The main problem was down to my BT Home Hub which required some fine tuning and for now this seems to have resolved the problem. The fact that I have to do a full restore to get a new code so that the Apple TV and iTunes can talk to each other is a complete pain and is down to Apple!

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Answer 12

May 3, 2011 12:19 PM in response to Topper99

I have been experiencing the same problems as discussed above. At first my 2 Apple TV's were a dream - easy to use and quite convenient. I could purchase a movie/music on my main floor Apple TV, it would then sync to my main computer and then sync with my basement Apple TV (and vice versa). As I stated before, the system was gorgeous and worked like it was explained to me prior to my purchase of same.

I always say yes to new software updates. Then all of a sudden everything stopped syncing and my 2 Apple TV's stop showing up as "device" in Itunes. Calling Apple support was a waste of time - these so-called computer geniuses pretended they did not know what was going on. Going on the self-help menus was also a dead-end. I then went to the place where I purchased the Apple TV's and they told me flat out that Apple has simply changed the software to conform with the 2nd generation Apple TV and syncing is no longer possible.

So basically all of us 1st generation Apple TV owners purchased 160 GB of storage for nothing because you can no longer sync. and store. I say that we get together and fight back because this is not right. When I purchased my 2 Apple TV's it was on the premise that they would sync and store my purchases and now Apple has unilaterally modified the terms of the contract - I did not agree to this. Luckily we have court systems that allow class actions and Juries who will punish high-handed and callous corporations who try to screw consumers. All I want is to be able to use my Apple TV's as I used to - it is that simple - I just want to be able to sync again.

Let me know your thoughts. Let's not get steamrolled by a billion dollar corporation.

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Answer 13

birkoff9

Level 1

9 points

May 22, 2011 11:47 AM in response to Topper99

Well, I found this thread, which of course I should have read before I figured out I lost all the content

on Gen 1 Apple TV.

Here is my story of woe. Mother board on my macbook pro gave out, so one Apple computer gone. So I look at a new macbook pro and compared it with PCs and have a hard time paying 3x more. So I buy a Dell. My Apple TV has all my photos, video, and music.

Set up iTunes on the Dell. Connect the Apple TV and everything is instantly gone on the Apple TV. No warning, no caution, quick as a rabbit.

I do have a a Time Machine back up and guess I will have to wait for the new Mac Mini before I can restore everything.

But, THANKS A LOT APPLE FOR NOT TELLING ME I'D LOSE EVERYTHING ON THE APPLE TV.

I keep try to get my head around how Apple see's a server function or do they just have a paranoid piracy fear that says, 'always destroy first.' My experience with iTunes and Apple TV and their sync function is its a POS.

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Answer 14

Ryan33

Level 1

0 points

May 30, 2011 11:02 PM in response to birkoff9

UUGGHHH I was afraid this was going to be the case!! I made about $24 worth of purchases on my appleTV (Gen 1) over the last month or so.. Last week my PC with all my Itunes crashes.. I upload itunes on a new PC, and I can't SYNC all the new music I just bought!! THIS *****!!

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Answer 15

KDFresh

Level 1

0 points

Dec 27, 2011 11:08 AM in response to birkoff9

I agree that this functrion should not have been removed. In essence, we have lost the use of a 160 GB hard drive. I am sure that most of us paid more than $200 for the Gen 1 AppleTV and it has been replaced by a $99 one. Maybe apple should compensate by giving a store credit for the difference. OR they will allow a software rollback, but I doubt that one. I am going to give them a shout to see what they say about this.

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