ATV2 stuck on screen saver slide show. Unable to access MENU

Try pressing and holding the Down and Menu buttons on the remote until the status light on the AppleTV blinks rapidly. After the main menu reappears, it'll take a little while longer before it responds to the remote (still booting).

okay...then what? i see the quick flashes and the screen saver slide show just keeps going. i can access menu when I just unplug the ridiculous thing. is that apple's idea of an "off button" and still can't reliably get the remote to work. batteries are good...is box fried? maybe needs a skid across my driveway to "adjust" it?

Seems you maybe have a remote pairing problem.

Does the light on the black box blink 3 times when ever you press a key on the remote?

yes, if I unplug and plug the atv2 and use the remote before the screen saver comes on, it seems to navigate okay. the black box blinks when i press anything on the remote even when the screen saver is on but nothing responds?

Ok, looks like it's time to do a RESTORE from the settings.

On August 15, 2012 12:30 AM Pacific ATV2 is stuck at the menu screen. When I press any key on the remote, ATV2 simply flashes 3 times. Unplugging and replugging restarts, the white apple appears, then comes the Menu screen. But I can navigate nowhere. When pressing any button on the remote, ATV2 flashed 3 times. Pressing and holding Down and Menu makes white light on ATV2 flash continuously. I unplugged and replugged multiple times to no avail. Please assist.

Three flashes means the remote is not paired with the AppleTV. Here's how to "repair" it (har har har):

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1555

I have no idea why that happened. I am savvy and I know when I press any button. This happened by itself. Thanks to Sgt. Pinback's link to kb/HT1555 - Apple TV:Pairing and unpairing the Apple Remote - I unpaired the silver remote and re-paired it. and it worked.