Apple TV 3rd gen replacement program?

Apple needs to offer a replacement program. Nearest Apple store is 4 hours round trip. My warranty just expired yesterday because I couldnt get any Apple rep to assist me on the phone.

I mentioned the problem and offered to mail it to the nearest store. Was informed not to mail it in because it would just get lost in the store. As a matter of fact, they stated I would not get one back.

Did you folks have to report dropped connections, in order for Apple to replace the unit? I took the Apple TV 3 to the Genius Bar, where Mr Genius agreed that the serial number complied with the service announcement. He then ran a "test" consisting of downloading a couple of movie trailers. He informed me that my unit did not need to be replaced.

He also told me that the service announcement (sent to me by an authorized reseller) was supposed to be an internal document, not distributed to the public.

If the dropped-connection problem is an intermittent one, then it's quite likely that he was merely unable to demonstrate the issue, right? I haven't used my Apple TV 3 enough to know whether there is a problem or not.

Do all of the units described in the service announcement need to be replaced?

I told them I had to keep reentering my wifi information everytime I turned it on.

there is a replacement going on for apple tv's 3rd gen with wifi conection problems.

the apple tv must fall under the correct serial number

and it must undergo a few wifi trouble shooting steps before the apple tv can be replaced free of charge.

I just found out about this replacement programming when google sent me a page at mac9to5. I bought my 3rd gen Apple TV in May 2012, and within a week I had called support about connectivity issues. Whatever I did then seemed to make it better, but I've always had these, where I have to restart the Apple TV. I checked my serial number against the page on mac9to5 and it matches: last 4 are DRHN and 4th and 5th characters are HH. I'm rather annoyed that I didn't know about this within the 2 year window (it's now 2 1/2 years). The nearest Apple store is only 5 miles away, so I'm going there with my ATV and hope that they replace it. Has anybody else been able to do this that long after purchase?

Mine just started crapping out on me in the past week, but the issues have probably been ongoing and I just blamed it on Comcast. When I check from my phone it says the ATV is only transmitting at 6mbps, while all my other devices are transmitting much higher, it has basically become unwatchable, always freezing up.

My 4th and 5th digit do not match, JM, but I was wondering/hoping this had been expanded? The last 4 match.

Calling tomorrow.

EDIT: Just checked my Amazon account, purchased two on 11/25/2012, this is one of those two that I'm having trouble with. FML. I guess I'll look at running a CAT5 through the walls.

Same problem here. I just learned a few weeks ago that there was a replacement program. I called Apple and they told me it was just a rumor. That was a huge disapointment. I have that problem since I bought that unit 4 years ago. I never had a problem with my 2nd gen unit but the 3rd gen was dropping connection quite often. At times, it wasn't able to see the network as well. Sometimes I had to reconnect a few times to watch an entire movie. There was just one word to describe my experience with this unit and it is "pain".

I took a chance and I wrote an email to Tim Cook explaining my problem but I didn't get any feedback yet. I was expecting much more consideration from such a rich company. Since some people seem to have success by going to an AppleStore, I may try that route. I really wonder what they will say since it is such an old unit. I keep my fingers crossed.

P.S. The serial number of that unit matches the range of serial numbers of the replacement program.

Here is Apple's current list of Exchange and Repair. If it is not on the list, then it is rumor.

http://www.apple.com/support/exchange_repair/

Have a nice day.

It's not on the list but according to what we can read here some people had success to get a replacement unit.

The 3rd gen is now discontinued, and even during that time it was still required that proper troubleshooting take place as there were very few that actually had an issue.