I am unable to synchronize my apple tv first generation with the new version of itunes (11)

Hi,

I have this problem too... I did search on google about that, but no chance... This is 100% related to itunes 11 update. I don't know much about last itunes, but it seems they have integrated iCloud. In my case, I can't see ATV1 link on itunes that can allow me to sync data (movies, music...). But I still can use airplay... My apple tv appears in airplay icon. I tried everything I could (reboot atv, factory restore, updates...) I still can sync it with my girlfriend macbook, wich is not updated to itunes 11. I'm wondering if they could have bumped the sync option, wich is useless to ATV2 and 3. Wich would be taking away the only ATV1's edge, built-in storage.

Again, I'm not a pro... Only, most of the time I'm able to fix those problems without having to post on forums...

Thanks in advance!

Macbook pro i7, ATV 1st gen 300go, airport express, time capsule 500go.

Same problem. There does not appear to be a sync button in the lower left corner like there is for all other devices attached to itunes. Apple TV is there, I can slect the items I want to add. I apply and then the next step should be to synch ( I have it set up for manual synch) and there is no way (I can see) to synch.

Add another to the list, I can't sync either (Mac).

In iTunes 11, the ATV button should appear at the top right right next to the iTunes Store button. If the button is not there, you may need to start the pairing process again which is to go to Settings > Computers. Once you have the passcode screen on ATV, the ATV button should appear at the top right. Once you click on that, you can change the settings to start syncing.

Does this button not show up?

The ATV button is there. I have mine set up to synch manually - with the old itunes I add the particular item. Select "apply" and then a synch button appears and I select "synch" to complete. With itunes 11 I add the item, select apply and then there is no synch button. I have searched everywhere on the screen and in the menus but there is no sync button or icon or anything and nothing is getting synched this way. I can select sync newest items, etc and that does work but a manual sync is not possible with the new itunes.

I upgraded to iTunes 11 last night and was panicking for a while when I couldn't find the 'Sync' button in the Apple TV panel, and the 'Apply' button seemed to be permanently disabled. I realized that if I went to any of the tabs (Music, Movies, TV Shows...) and made a change, the 'Apply' button turned on and allowed me to sync. I'm hoping I won't have to do this every time, though; I'm subscribed to several TV Show season passes and would not want to have to manually select the new episodes every time they come in order to copy them to the Apple TV!

Also, a tip: Before you do any of this, you may want to turn off 'Show iCloud Purchases' in your iTunes Settings, otherwise you may get vey long lists of TV episodes that are probably not in your local iTunes Library.

Will report back...

I contacted AppleCare about this issue, and after being passed around to three different people, was provided with the following solution:

in iTunes 11:

Click on View, then select Show Sidebar.

Click on the AppleTV in the sidebar and select the content you want to sync.

Back in the sidebar, ctrl-click or right-click on AppleTV.

In the menu that pops up, click Sync.

After a few seconds, my 1G AppleTV began to sync.

When I asked if they planned to put the sync button back in, the guy couldn't comment on that. He did say that he was happy that the 1G AppleTV is still supported in iTunes 11.

In ver 11.0.1.12, Apple appears to have killed the ability to sync iTunes with G1 ATVs.

For fear of this happening, I rarely upgrade my iTunes but one of my kids must have said yes recently. So, now I have two great G1s that I cannot update to reflect my newest edits and additions to my library. VERY FRUSTRATING.

I have rebooted from scratch all components of my network, my PC, and my ATVs and no change. I can stream to the ATVs using Airplay but I cannot see the ATVs under DEVICES and I cannot find any way to sync or apply changes.

If I am missing something, please help me out. If Apple has in fact made the changes I describe, please just step up and weigh in here so we don't spend a lot of cycles trying to solve an issue that is not solvable.

Thanks.

Try this: enable the Sidebar so that you can see the Apple TV listed as a device (like in old-style iTunes), right-click on it, and see if you get the 'Sync' option.

iTunes 11 still supports 1st gen ATV. I see the sync button on my machine (Windows 7). If you have the sidebar enabled, ATV should show up there after pairing. If you don't have the sidebar enabled, you should see the ATV button appear on the top right next to the iTunes Store button. Once you are paired, it's business as usual.

I also found that my previously paired 1st Gen Apple TV did not show up at all in itunes, after updating to version 11.

I basically resolved this by re-pairing it.

There may be less drastic steps that can be taken? But I found removing and then re-adding the pairing did the trick.

A bit arduous I suppose... effectively a minor reset of sorts... but my resolution steps were:

1) Removing the itunes sync account (at top) from the Settings->Computers screen on the 1st Gen Apple TV.

This took a while, and some faith, as it then removed all synched content from the Apple TV, which took several minutes... and I wasn't convinced I'd be able to then restore the sync.

2) After that process completed, I then clicked the option to add (re-add) the itunes sync account, on the Apple TV, noted the new code, went back to itunes (11.0.5), found the now unpaired Apple TV (that was now showing up again) in the left hand "Devices" list, and clicked "Setup", and then entered the new pairing code.

This let me set up synching again (although I sync the majority of my library content, in fact I set it up with the "Custom Sync" option) ...and so far, so good. It is now synching my purchases from the Apple TV into itunes, and vice versa, as it was before.

Hope this info helps someone else with a 1st Gen Apple TV...