ATV2 sees library but can't connect

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ATV2 sees library but can't connect

Hi all,

I just purchased Airport Extreme and the Apple TV (2). ATV2 sees my iMac iTunes library, but after 75 seconds of loading it tells me it could not connect to the library. ATV2 has no problem connecting instantly to my PC iTunes library and can play everything in it, including viewing photos.

My PC can access my iMac library and play its contents. I was even able to import the contents of my iMac library into my PC iTunes library.

My iPhone (3GS) can instantly access the iMac library with the Remote app. I tried streaming iMac content to ATV2 using AirPlay: ATV2 identified the song on the screen, but it did not play.

I think I can safely state that Airport is working fine. Home Sharing is working fine between my iMac and PC. Everything is accessing the same iTunes account/Apple ID on the same network. I just can't get ATV2 to open the iMac library that it sees. Everything else works great. All software/firmware of all components are up to date. Have rebooted the iMac and restored and reconfigured ATV2.

I'm stumped. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

iMac (2006), Mac OS X (10.6.6), Windows 7 Laptop

Posted on Mar 13, 2011 3:06 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 13, 2011 3:20 PM in response to Joe Amato

You may be suffering interference, have you tried another wifi channel.

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Answer 2

Joe Amato Author

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Mar 13, 2011 4:13 PM in response to Winston Churchill

The iMac is connected to the Airport via ethernet at one end of the house. The ATV2 is in the middle, and the laptop at the far end, both using wifi. The laptop can access the iMac from across the house. The ATV2 can access the internet from the Airport co-located with the iMac. The iPhone can connect to the iMac library from the ATV2 location via wifi.

It therefore shouldn't be interference, but I'll try anything. However, I don't have any idea how to try another channel. Didn't see any such options on the Airport--I thought it just automatically used the better of the 2.5GHz or 5 GHz band.

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Answer 3

Mar 13, 2011 5:05 PM in response to Joe Amato

You need to choose whether you use 2.4 or 5 Ghz, I've heard it said it will choose the channel itself although I've always had to set them myself.

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Answer 4

Mar 14, 2011 11:45 AM in response to Joe Amato

I am having the same problems, and only since the latest round of updates (iTunes 10.2.1, iOS 4.3, ATV 4.2). I phoned apple support to complain and the only advice they could give is to logout of home sharing and itunes and start again. This worked until the next time I switched on ATV and again it couldn't see the content of my iTunes library. I would hold on until Apple fix their latest buggy update. It is really annoying to have to go through such a procedure each time I want to listen to a song or watch a movie. I use an iMac, Time Capsule and ATV, controlled by an iPad on iPhone. There is no excuse for this not to work as it did a week ago!!

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Answer 5

Joe Amato Author

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Mar 14, 2011 6:31 PM in response to 1st Gen Jobs

I think you're right--I'll just wait for a bug fix. With everything else working it's inexplicable. I couldn't swear to this, but I thought I had it working the first minute or two until the software updated. I tried to restore to the original factory settings, but there doesn't seem to be any way to do this without an immediate and automatic software update launching after restoration.

I'll leave the issue as "Not Answered" until a bug fix is pushed out.

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Answer 6

bellab00

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Mar 14, 2011 10:20 PM in response to Joe Amato

Your not alone. I too just downloaded all the latest updates and my ATV2 sees my library and will still not connect, although I've reset everything countless times and internet/wi-fi are working great. Please Apple, FIX OUR ISSUE! My kids love our new ATV2, but it's been frustrating the last few days to try and explain why it's not working. They're too young to understand and wait for me to troubleshoot. Please post if there's a fix!

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Answer 7

bellab00

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10 points

Mar 14, 2011 10:52 PM in response to Joe Amato

FOUND THE FIX! Just got off the phone with ATV2 tech, after troubleshooting we found:
Unplug ATV2 and Internet Router, wait 2min, plug router back in first, then ATV2. This resets your internet connection with ATV2 and then it will work with the new updates iTunes 10.2 and ATV 4.2. You'll notice a change in what's displayed under Internet on ATV2 menu. Mine changed from baseball game icons to YouTube featured videos of music artists and their instruments. Also, now when I click my library, it connects instantly and I no longer see "connecting to library..." message. It switches automatically. Hope this helps, I'm all good now 🙂

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Answer 8

Mar 15, 2011 5:26 AM in response to bellab00

THANK YOU! Resetting the ATVs did the trick. Just in time, too, since we have a dogsitter staying at the house next wkend and she wanted to veg and watch movies! 😀

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Answer 9

Joe Amato Author

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Mar 15, 2011 8:22 AM in response to bellab00

Confirmed--your procedure solved the problem. Thanks for finding the fix for us!

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Answer 10

Mar 19, 2011 10:49 AM in response to bellab00

This fix does not work for me...
I've unplug my router and then my appleTv, waited 2 mins. Plug back the router make sure I've connection, then plug in the appleTV.
When I try to connect my library, I still have the same problem...
either no connection to the library or there are no songs in this library....
any ideas?

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Answer 11

Apr 6, 2011 10:08 AM in response to Joe Amato

I have the same problem. I can't connect to my itunes library on PC that runs on windows 7. Although, my ATV2 and itunes are updated, ATV2 sees the library, but can't connect to it. However, it seems to have no problem connecting to my MacBook Pro itunes library. Can you help, please...

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Answer 12

Jon Karl

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Apr 14, 2011 10:28 PM in response to Joe Amato

I have exactly the same problem. I have an AppleTV2 connecting to a MacBook Pro through a Time Capsule network. The AppleTV sees the library. If I turn off iTunes, the library goes away, and if I rename the library, it sees that....so I know it's connected. But trying to connect to the library spins and spins and then tells me that it can't connect to the library.

Everything else works fine...this is incredibly annoying and Apple/"Geniuses" are of no help thus far. Restarting iTunes does nothing. Restarting router does nothing. Restarting ATV does nothing. Anybody who's found a solution to this yet?

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Answer 13

sbillens

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May 4, 2011 12:43 PM in response to Jon Karl

Still no solution for this?

I do have the same problem

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Answer 14

Jul 31, 2011 12:23 AM in response to Joe Amato

WHY DOESN'T APPLE ADDRESS THIS DISCUSSION...??? This thing is going back, had the ATV1 and SAME EXACT PROBLEM...!! Am a PC person for this reason, you have to solve your own problems until they get their bloated carcass up off the bean bag to decide to address a seemingly simple problem, but only after 6-8 months of wait.....uhhh....I think I made the right choice to stick with PC......and stay sane...!!

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Answer 15

dmccurdy

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Aug 11, 2011 5:59 AM in response to sbillens

Had the same problem, but the above solution didn't work for me. When I first hooked up my ATV2, everything worked fine for about 4 days, then it just stopped working. It could see the library, but failed to connect. I just triumphed over this problem by opening iTunes and selecting the Apple TV as an Air Play device. In the lower right corner of the iTunes window is a small rectangular shaped icon with a triangle in the middle. I clicked on that and selected the apple tv. The icon then turned blue and, wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, my ATV2 was suddenly able to connect to the library again. Hope this works for others.

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