ATV4 homesharing 1080p buffering/file-loading issues

So much for "painting the back of the fence".

I'm hoping tvos release 9.1 fixes this. Read this on idigitaltimes.com: "The tvOS 9.1 Beta 1 Wi-Fi optimization updates specifically includes a change in how the Explicit Congestion Notification works, enabling it by default on Ethernet and Wi-Fi. This supposedly should reduce network delays and packet loss." This seems like a logical reason to why home sharing currently suffers from constant buffering issues.

After logging a call a week ago, I was advised by Apple Care yesterday that there was still no fix as the last update (which I had installed) was meant to restart everything and that the fault might possibly be an "exceptional" hardware fault. I was in the process of returning it and did a complete reset to take to factory settings. The option stated that it would restore to factory settings and update the firmware to the latest version. This actually took 2 hours, so obviously a major update and I thought I would try setting up again to see if it had any effect. Just done some short trials in the last couple of hours and all seems to be working ok with HD films at present.

I hope someone can shed some light on this as its related to the above

I have a Windows PC in the garage with an Ethernet wired connection to an AirPort Extreme, the Windows PC is acting as a media server and runs the latest version of iTunes.

Home sharing has always worked but recently it has been giving me problems. I hope someone can help as it is a real pain.

OK....

Home sharing works great to the older Apple TVs that I have, the progress bar for loading every film that is stored locally is very quick.

note I am not streaming from the Internet just from the local PC, there is acces to the internet though.

Anyway older Apple TVs all work great.

The problem has recently started with the NEW ATV4, IPads and Iphones that we have, some movies pause repeatedly on playback on iPads/iPhones and new Apple TV 4 . However some movies work ok.

John Wick in HD is an example but it's not just HD films predestination in SD does it too, although I did buy predestination in HD too and that did the same thing. These movies are unwatchable even on new hardware.

These movies stream brilliantly to the old apple TVs even if I run all the old Apple TVs at the same time so it can't be the network speed as the whole network is wireless.

On the IPads some movies fill up the bar a little way in advance of the current paying position of the film but some don't and these tend to be the ones that pauses repeatedly.

I have tried firewalls on and off and disabling IPv6, I have tried streaming these films from a different PC with a library that on contains just one film to exclude effects of a large library and these problems still exist

One thing I did notice is that iTunes creates lots of instances of mdnsresponder and ipv4 loop backs when playing these films to the iPads and ATV4 also the old Apple TVs run bonjour services when home sharing and none of the iPhones or iPads run any bonjour services that show on a network scan.

The older Apple TV 3 run 4 bonjour services on ports 7000 and 3689 when on

The new Apple TV 4 only runs bonjour services on port 7000 and 65015

I have just bought the new Apple TV 4 64gb, and this annoying for a new product. Older Apple TVs still work perfectly on same network.

Any ideas?

Anyone?

Same issue here, speaking with Apple support now. Customer service rep gave me run around initially, I said the issue is being discussed in the Apple discussions forums. She then backed off and replied that she believes a senior advisor has heard of the issue and she will discuss it with him. The senior advisor then speaks directly to me and goes through a quick hit list (unplug these, reboot that) which I already did. He then asks me to reset my modem which I unfortunately did because I cut off my phone UGHHHHH.

With all of the information I gave them at the beginning of the call (including phone number) I never received a call back. Resetting the modem did not help.

I bought the Apple TV on Wednesday, watched a movie via My Computer on Wednesday night, Thursday evening. Now (Monday) it buffers endlessly. My other iDevices all appear to be working fine. As a side note music from My Computer also buffers. I will try to contact Apple later tonight or tomorrow and post if I find out anything.

Spent another 3 hours on this last night.

no improvement.

did notice that older movies bought over a year ago play without pausing.

Newer movies bought recently pause on play back.

purchased I am legend last night (old film bought recently) and this had the same problem pauses all the time.

Noticed in resource monitor in task manager that when itunes is streaming a movie that the Network TCP connection page indicates a problem.

with a movie that plays normally itunes.exe sets up a tcp connection on port 3689 to a remote port on the iPhone or APPLE TV 4 it and it has 1 active connection and share the data for the movie over this. Apple TV and iPhone now have static ips.

With a movie that pauses the TCP connection is not stable to the iPhone or APPLE TV 4, it starts sending data on one TCP connection and then after a short while this connection stops and another TCP connection is created to the same device ip, but to a different remote port on the device. Data is sent from port 3689 on each occasion.

The PC sends large amounts of data on each TCP connection but when the TCP connection ends and a new one is created this corresponds to the progress bar filling up on the Apple TV 4 and then flicking backwards like its lost the data when a new TCP connection starts.

The complete reset and 2hr download of software update has certainly made things a lot better, but not cured completely. I watched a brand new HD film last night, purchased on iTunes, downloaded to my Mac and viewed via Home Share. The film played for 1hr 12mins before buffering for no good reason. It buffered for 3 mins then played the rest. None the less, I have had enough. The unit is being replaced by the retailer I will try again and if a problem persists I will return for good. Apple needs to sort out basic usability before bringing things to market.

Any news on this?

Replacement unit had exactly the same problems. I have chased a further update from Apple Care, but an returning the unit as it is simply not fit for purpose.

I am so glad I have found this post, but only after suffering through 2 two days of troubleshooting and resetting my network and ATV4. I am having the same buffering and stalling issue during playback of certain iTunes movies. My ATV3 plays back fine. Originally thought I had a corrput version of Ant-Man and reported the issue to iTunes support. Re-downloaded the movie and had the same issue with buffering and stalling. Hope this gets fixed soon. I have had all the ATV's from the original till now. I have submitted feedback via the link provided in this thread regarding this issue an advise all to please do the same.

Has anyone tried installing the tvOS 9.1 beta to see if that solved the issue?

I am having the same problem has others. I too went back to the ATV3. I was trying to watch Ant Man purchased via iTunes. ATV4 has buffering problems when I streamed my windows computer. Now, Microsoft had a pretty big update on Windows 10, I am wondering if that has anything to do with it.

Note to those trying to debug this issue. Try with HD TV episodes rather than movies. With all-new content just purchased and downloaded from the iTunes store, I find that episodes of X-Files, Star Trek Next Generation, Falling Skies, Community, Firefly, Arrested Development in HD 1080 all stream flawlessly with no interruptions for buffering. However HD 1080 movies including Inception, Close Encounters, Serenity, Corpse Bride and several others all exhibit the buffering issue described by several in this thread. No idea why the content type would make a difference. Seems to, for me.

Same issue. Getting super-toqued off about this. Brand new Apple TV 4. I've also called Apple Care. Same "reboot this" and "log off then log on" that and eventually transferred to "Senior Advisor." No help. Weird thing is I plugged the ATV3 back in after I got sick of it all and still have the same issue!!! Right now, trying to watch Ant Man. Takes. Forever. To. Load. Aaaarrrggghhh!!!