Apple TV 3rd Gen Freezing/Buffering constantly

I've had similar issues with my 3rd gen Apple TV for a while now and finally got it fixed.

Symptoms:

Apple TV would freeze when watching Netflix, Hulu, Movies, whatever. Everything (Netflix, etc..) would play just fine on my computer, Wii, Roku, etc.. and all my speed tests came back fine (always around 15mbs). This had been happening for a while but has gradually gotten worse to the point where it was almost unusable. I tried messing with my router settings, bought an Airport Extreme router in case my router just didn't like the ATV and that seemed to help a little, but nothing really fixed it. I even brought it back under a recall, received a brand new one and had the same issue. Twice.

Solution:

I called Time Warner and they did a test on the connection to my cable modem (I purchased my own Motorola Surfboard cable modem a while back). They said that the speed checked out fine but that the signal was a little weak and there were some "black lines" in the test which I assume means lost packets or something along those lines. They did something on their end to boost the signal strength and it's been smooth sailing ever since. They did it remotely and the whole conversation took about 10 minutes.

My guess is that the Apple TV is more sensitive to those little spikes and interruptions in the internet connection and isn't able to ride through like my other devices. What finally tipped me off was that while the Apple TV has had issues on and off for over a year, the problem had just recently started expanding to my other devices. Because all my other devices worked fine and the speed tests always checked out I'd never thought to call the cable company, but they fixed it right away over the phone.

Mine still stinks on wifi. about 20 feet from airport express through floor. Every other wifi device works perfectly including Xbox one/360 and roku. The other night we sat down to watch episode 2 of the walking dead from iTunes and it kept stuttering and finally said 'ready to view in 2 hours 40 minutes'. I ran to the garage, grabbed a 50 foot CAT5, ran it up the stairs, and it works perfectly. I already had a couple of CAT 5 in the wall, so this morning I dropped one into the room with the Apple TV. It works flawlessly hard wired.

I am convinced it is a wifi issue with my Apple TV.

I have the same problem! My appletv (3rd gen., A1469) is completely useless now! after the latest software update it can't stream a single movie from my itunes library! some of them won't even start, some of them stops after a few seconds and doesn't start again. this is on one hand really ridiculous, but on the other much rather outrageous, totally unacceptable. why the **** do this **** company release un update if after installing it the device loses it's basic functionality??? I don't give a **** about their constant need of polishing the design (which is all subjective at the end of the day), this is ********! functionality must always be the main priority! fix this **** thing apple, please, now!

What firmware version did you upgrade to? I am still on 5.3 because of the stuttering problems. I was hoping that the newer versions had solved this.

I upgraded to 7 (actually it is 7.0.1 now, with the build nr 6912). I cant tell you, that I havent experienced this issue before, but it didnt occur very often, and although I thought it was very-very annoying, I lived with it, since 90% of the time it worked fine. Like I said, it still not acceptable, since it really should work every time you intend to use it, but I lived with that.

but now, as Ive written above, it doesnt work at all. it literally doesnt play one single movie. The best scenario is, that a movie starts, and then freezes in a few seconds.

Well, if you say, you have the same problem with fw 5.x, then it is not fw 7.x related, but then again, I havent had it before (I mean only relatively rarely).

Sorry, what I meant was: because I encountered stuttering problems in 6, I decided to stay on 5.3 till the problems would be solved. I read somewhere that 7 would be better.

OH, ok, sorry, I misunderstood you then. Anyway, the thing is, that I upgraded from 6 to 7 now. With5 it was fully ok, with 6 it was 90% ok, and now, with 7 it doesnt work at all. (congratulations, apple, beautiful development curve...).

In the meantime i restored it btw, and changed my router from an n airport extrem base station to an ac tp-link. Today. But no change at all.

I think they tightened the requirements for it to stream high-resolution things down to it's original capabilities.

Prior to 7, 6 worked flawlessly for me in 1080p or 720p, didn't matter which. Television shows, movies etc. Fine.
My internet connect was, and is, almost 6mbps.

Apparently, the necessary requirements for 720p is 8mbps, and 1080p is higher.
I think by upgrading the overall user interface with video, this tightened the holes regarding the download speed.

That's just my theory though, and it seems to ring true for me and my connection.
If I can figure out how to downgrade the firmware to a version before this one, I'll take it. I know there are some websites that have it downloadable.
If I can figure out an easy way to do it, without killing the whole thing entirely, I'll take it.
I hate not being able to watch things I pay for in 1080p, that streamed perfectly prior to this update.

If you find a way to do that, please let me know. I got an older firmware, but unfortunately I still couldn't downgrade it, the itunes didn't let me o it, it said, that "this fw is not compatibe with this itunes version", or something like this. it was a 6 btw, with itunes 12.

I Have the same issue. Buffering, pausing, then suddenly fast forwarding, losing siund, or getting raspy static sound. Here is something to ponder. I started netflix with chromcast, cuase its cheaper. It had the same exact issues. I had a lincsys router, super fast. I thought theissue was chromecast. So i tossed it in frustration, and bought apple tv. Same thing. I thought maybe its wifi, not compatible with app,e. I went to apple store and bought airport extreme. Installed with no probmlem. turned netflix on, same darn problem. No change whatesoever. I went online and read a whole bunch of stuff. I cinfigured network on apple tv manually, set the 8.8.8 stuff, turned airplay off, i tried everything. Noting works. It wasnt chromecast, its not apple tv, its not the wifi or the router. Im returning apple tv, and pple airport extreme. I spent $350 extra just for netflix. Where was my head? I got sucked into it trying to resolve the problem. I hate unanswered problems. Any other brilliant ideas?

Same issue as everyone is reporting. Just attempted to watch Monday Night Football and it was "buffering", "freezing", audio dropping every 30 seconds to a minute. Completely ridiculous this hasn't been addressed by Apple. I'm running ethernet and my connection is suitable and should be working fine. Tonight was the worst it's been. They need to stand behind the Apple and their customers. This is ridiculous.

My configuration: Apple TV 3 with latest update connected to 65" Panasonic Viera using Bose Lifestyle home entertainment system, Airport Extreme with a 100 Mbps connection.

The reason for confusion: As complained by everyone in this thread, the Apple TV stutters, freezes, stalls and buffers endlessly when I try to play my purchased movies but when I play a 1080p youtube video of even 60 min duration, it performs exceptionally well. What could be the logic?

Anyone else experiencing the same?

Nice to see this is still an issue. I can stream hulu on my laptop just fine at the highest settings, while the apple tv can't even load the hulu app's starting page (or its own itunes material) without freezing up. Ugh...

I Returned my atv. I even connected with ethernet and it made no difference whatsoever. The guy at apple said it has to do the speed of my internet. Well, its over 35. Why is it that i can watch it on laptop, ipad, wii, xbox, but not on tv. It would be nice help if those who have good success with watching netflix on tv, would share some detail such as, average speed of their internet, their internet provider company, whether they watch wired or wifi, how new or old their tv is. stuff like that. If you do, please dont get very techy, so the technologically challenged (me) can understand.

SHare your specs maybe we solve the mistery

WOuld you tell us if the one at the kitchen is newer? Some say the tv firmware have something to do with all this.