New ATV2 selectable resolutions - 720p/60Hz fail!

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Level 1

65 points

New ATV2 selectable resolutions - 720p/60Hz fail!

Hello All,

I'm in the UK and I've been waiting (with bated breath) for Apple to include selectable resolutions for output to my A/V amp and through to my Panasonic TV.

The TV is capable of 50Hz or 60Hz at 720p/1080i/1080p, and the ATV2 has been defaulting to 50Hz.

Not a problem for UK 25fps content, but when I play anything else, e.g. HD stuff from the Apple TV store the picture jumps every couple of seconds. Similar (in fact identical) content plays back smoothly on my PS3, which defaults to 1080p/60Hz or 720p/60Hz. All content plays back fine, regardless of its source.

I was pleased (thrilled in fact) to see that I could now select 720p/60Hz for the ATV2 output - imagine then my dismay when I received the dreaded "plonk" of "you can't do that" and the ATV2 reverted to 720p/50Hz reporting that my TV is "probably" not capable of 720p/60Hz.

Sorry ATV2 - I know that it IS! 😠

Any idea how I can overcome this? All I want to do is output 720p/60Hz from the ATV2 and I can start properly enjoying content from the store and my iTunes libraries etc. etc.

Thanks in advance,

JF

Posted on Oct 14, 2011 7:24 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Buckethead82

Level 1

15 points

Oct 17, 2011 9:49 AM in response to J F

Same problem here. It's an issue Apple are aware of, as it was present in the last beta firmware which was released about 6 weeks ago! Despite them knowing about the issue, they've gone ahead and released the latest official firmware without fixing it.

They're absolutely useless. I've been waiting months upon months to get 60Hz output back on my AppleTV. How bloody difficult can it be to implement? Not very is the answer.

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Answer 2

J F Author

Level 1

65 points

Oct 17, 2011 12:45 PM in response to Buckethead82

Cheers for the info... difficult to believe they just leave known bugs in there! What chance is there of Apple releasing another ATV2 update soon?

Maybe I should pester them....

JF

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Answer 3

Roy B

Level 3

570 points

Oct 17, 2011 9:46 PM in response to J F

Can you two please provide the manufacturer and model number of your TV?

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Answer 4

J F Author

Level 1

65 points

Oct 18, 2011 3:38 AM in response to Roy B

Hi Roy,

Thanks for checking this out...

My TV is a Panasonic TX-L37D25B (UK model obviously 😝), if it matters the HDMI is routed through my A/V receiver, which is a Yamaha RX-V367.

This is also the setup for the PS3.

James

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Answer 5

Roy B

Level 3

570 points

Oct 18, 2011 8:29 AM in response to J F

J F:

Are you able to choose 720p if you plug your Apple TV directly into the television?

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Answer 6

gfroma

Level 1

0 points

Oct 20, 2011 9:20 AM in response to J F

Another user here experiencing the same issue. ATV2 defaults to 720p 50hz with 720p 60hz showing as a selectable option. When I try to select 720p 60hz says something like 'there was a problem selecting the resolution' and goes back to 720p 50hz. Ahh!! Tried on 3 Panasonic tv's: my 46GT30 plasma, a 42PX600 plasma and a 32LXD500 LCD. All sets support 720p at 60hz. All connected via HDMI direct. All show the same error.

Was pretty happy when i saw the option in the update, expecting an end to jerky playback. Disappointed now! Please fix Apple....

Maybe an error with the ATV reading the Panasonic EDID properly as using this on my girlfriends LG LCD allows me to select 720p 60hz (plus a range of other resolutions) with no problem??

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Answer 7

gfroma

Level 1

0 points

Oct 20, 2011 9:30 AM in response to J F

To confirm UK user here too...

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Answer 8

Gunhed

Level 1

0 points

Oct 20, 2011 1:25 PM in response to J F

Hello Rob and all,

I am in Australia and we have the same apple tv 2 50hz issue down here too. Almost all itunes content is formatted to run properly at 60hz rather than. At the default 50hz you get a glitch in motion. I was happy to see the new 4.4 update appeared to address this issue by allowing users to select 720p/60hz output. To my dismay when I selected that mode I got the "your tv may not support this resolution or refresh rate" message. This message appeared on both my panasonic v20 and sharp lcd d77x series televisions.

A couple of points:

- when the atv2 is booting up and the silver apple logo appears both tv's indicate the resolution 720p/60hz which changes to 720p/50hz when the menu appears so the atv2 can output 720p/60hz on both sets !

- my original apple tv can output 720p/60hz to both sets.

- i get a different list of possible output resolutions from the same atv2 depending on which tv it is connected to which suggests the list is generated from the EDID from the tv. Which also means all listed resolutions should work !

- the old apple tv had an internally generated set list of output resolutions which the tv could accept or not.

The only solution so far is to insert my dvdo vp30 between the atv2 and either tv. The atv2 defaults to 720p/60hz for the processor which i upconvert to 1080p/24 or 1080p/60 to get the best signal.

Why not drop the EDID generated list and go back to the old apple tv format where you had a choice of many more resolutions ?

Why do I stick to apple tv 2 if the previous model worked so well ? Well it everything to do with the fact that I have managed to get netflix working in Australia (but that is another discussion). I have to say the atv2 so far seems quite inferior to the previous model. Please fix the 720p/60hz issue. Why not provide a range of selectable resolutions which does not depend on which tv it is connected to like the previous model ?

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Answer 9

Oct 21, 2011 5:29 AM in response to J F

Same problem for me. Also in UK.

TV: Panasonic TH-50PZ70B

Amp: Yamaha RX-V1900

Going through the amp or direct to TV will only do 720p/50. TV is capable of 720p/60. And 720p/60 works fine on original Apple TV, PS3 and xbox 360.

Plugged same ATV2 into a Samsung LE55B650 and 720p/60 worked fine.

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Answer 10

Oct 21, 2011 6:25 AM in response to Gunhed

Gunhed, the first Apple TV only gave you a full list of resolutions if it didn't receive a list from the TV, if it did it only displayed the resolutions the TV would work with.

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Answer 11

J F Author

Level 1

65 points

Oct 21, 2011 12:26 PM in response to Roy B

Roy B wrote:

J F:

Are you able to choose 720p if you plug your Apple TV directly into the television?

Hi Roy,

Sorry for not getting back sooner... I've tried the ATV2 straight into the TV - exactly the same result I'm afraid.

Thanks to all the others for chipping in with their comments and observations 🙂

JF

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Answer 12

Oct 21, 2011 1:02 PM in response to J F

Same problem here. I cannot choose the 720p 60Hz resolution.

My settings are:

Apple tv --> yamaha rx-v471 --> sharp lc-46d65e

Other devices like my PC and PS3 are working well in 720p 60Hz

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Answer 13

at74

Level 1

0 points

Nov 8, 2011 3:26 PM in response to J F

I have the same issue with my Panasonic VT20E plasma TV. I can play e.g. video games on my PS3 in 720p/60Hz and (of course) according to the TV manual this setting is supported. However, ATV2 with latest update denies to switch from 720p/50Hz to 720p/60Hz and tells me instead my TV does not support this mode. I hope this can be fixed soon!

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Answer 14

Nov 15, 2011 2:01 AM in response to J F

I have the same issue: Panasonic DT30 (2011 LED tv); same motion flicker at 50hz + can't change the frequency manually...

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Answer 15

at74

Level 1

0 points

Nov 17, 2011 2:02 PM in response to J F

One month passed, no useful support yet. And in the release notes of the latest update, it's not mentioned either. OK, my small black box will return to Amazon this weekend. Good luck to all other ATV users. Regards, Andreas

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