Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
Is anyone else seeing this behavior? My new gen4 aTV won't play some movies from my library - it says "this content cannot be played because it's format is not compatible with this device", but it plays fine on my Mac and my gen III aTVs whether I stream it or airplay it. The gen IV won't even let me airplay it which seems really crazy. What's going on? Otherwise I'm loving this box, but this is insane.
Mac OS 9.2.x
ghostgrafik wrote:
We may not be talking about the same function per the TV app in iOS. In the old Video app, it allowed you to connect to your iTunes library on a desktop/laptop and stream both ripped video files and video files purchased through iTunes. In the new TV app, it appears to only support streaming of iTunes purchases. Ripped files don't appear as playable unless you actually copy the file directly onto your iPad.
That's not what I'm finding. Here's a view of the TV app on my iPad. It shows the 2 computers (iTunes Libraries):
If I then select one of the computers shown, I then see the recorded shows in that computer's iTunes Library:
I have not copied these videos onto the iPad; they play (stream) from the computer.
Bummer. I used Makemkv and handbrake for the vast majority of my files. Good luck with TS
Just a thought... have you checked the file extension - mp4 vs m4v? Also compare tags and bitrates as there is clearly a glitch and it would be good to get it reported to Apple asap!
File compatibility can be a bit of a dark art at times, and has changed between ATV versions 1-3, so may have again with ATV4. If you have something like Handbrake you could open files that do and don't work in that and compare some of the finer details such as framerate, bitrate, H.264 profile etc and see if there is anything obviously different.
Exact same issue. Movies and TV Shows that play just fine on my 3rd Gen Apple TV will not play on the 4th Gen. I get the same error. I am also wired and 1GB local network with HDMI to the TV.
@Buffettrebel please report this too, they passed my issue onto engineering and will be looking into it but it'd be good if they get more reports. My files are all mp4, they did ask that I try (in iTunes) Create New->Apple TV Version, which I'll try, but that shouldn't be necessary.
I will. I did try the convert option in iTunes and it says that the files are already in the correct format!
Contacted support. After about an hour of resetting and restoring, my case was escalated up a level. They came back with that my files did not have the correct audio profile. It needs to be the Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio. Mine were not. If this is true, I will have to stay with 3rd Gen...I have 10TB of movies and TV Shows...no way am I going to start over on converting them.
MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio
So, creating a "Apple TV" version did work, and it cut about 1/2 the size (for Cymbeline going from 6.6 to 3.6 Gb) and reducing resolution from 1920x1080 to 1280x720, so I hope that's not the solution. For reference Abe Lincoln Vampire Slayer (7.1 Gb mp4) plays just fine, so it's not about the size or format really (1920x1080).
That's ridiculous. If that's the official answer mine will go back too. I have hundreds of movies in my library, and I'm not going to re-rip them, and 640x480?? Why would I do that on my big screen HD TV??
imac: 10.11.1
apple tv: gen 3
i've updated both devices and airplay only syncs the first 30 seconds of a movie in itunes to my sony tv. 😟
Yes, I've been getting the same types of error/incompatibility messages with the 4th gen Apple TV using WiFi. I'm wondering if it's a bug that's related to the bit rate used for the DVD rip, as newer files that were ripped with higher bit rates seem to be the ones not streaming. They work fine with the much older A4 processor in my 2nd gen Apple TV, so it can't be a performance issue with the hardware. That's the only setting that I can think of that's been changed vs. my older DVD rips.
Same Problem here in Germany. Maybe they fix it. I rip my DVD since 3 Years with the same Profile. Some work with Apple TV 4 some will end up in the "not compatible" message. I look the Files up in VLC and I can`t find the reason for it.
For me is switching back to AppleTV3 the only Option right now. I will not rip all my TV Series DVD again now way. Must wait this out for some TVOS Update. Today the AppleTV 4 is a complete failure from the Library streaming.
I did some experimenting with the DVD rip format and the issue does seem to be MPEG-4 files that have higher bit rates. I created a new rip from a DVD in the .m4v format that was 3000 kbps and the 4th gen Apple TV streamed it without a problem. Files that are ripped as .mp4 format and are 2000 kbps always get the error/incompatibility message. Lower bit rate .mp4 files (like 1100 kbps) still work.
SAme problem here, have over 180 movies ripped, only found 2 that will play without the incompatible message. went back to my APlleTV 3rd, may just return the 4th unless they fix this issue.
Same issue - wrong format. I have 3200 TV episodes that work fine with V3.
I happened to have "WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe" on a Windows7 machine so tried that converting one TV series season of 8 episodes to an H264 container and they all play now. Not the best solution but better than reripping them all.
Another difference I'm seeing is that the episode descriptions I have entered and dispaved with V3 don't show with V4. According to iTunes those descriptions are still there post conversion.
Hopefully a fix soon
Just an example of how odd the problem is with my files using the 4th Gen-
Works: Low Complexity, MPEG-4 video file, 1079 kbps, 720 x 304, MPEG-4 video codec
Does Not Work: Low Complexity, MPEG-4 video file, 1296 kbps, 720 x 404, MPEG-4 video codec
Works: Low Complexity, MPEG-4 video file, 4380 kbps, 720 x 540, H.264 video codec
Does Not Work: Low Complexity, MPEG-4 video file, 2026 kbps, 720 x 540, MPEG-4 video codec
Apple TV (4th Gen) won't play iTunes content from library
