Rett5

Q: How do you get the AT4 play the next episode of a TV show automatically?

I heard that the AT4 would automatically play the next eisode of a tv show, but it isn't doing that on ours.  I didn't change any settings.  We started at Season 3 and selected the first episode from the ribbon- but that shouldn't have mattered because it would have been awfully stupid of Apple to finally add binge watching and then only letting it work under special circumstances. please help/

Apple TV (4th generation)

Posted on Dec 27, 2015 10:09 PM

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Q: How do you get the AT4 play the next episode of a TV show automatically?

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  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Dec 27, 2015 11:38 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Dec 27, 2015 11:38 PM in response to Rett5

    Recommend sending feedback to the apps your referring.  Other than iTunes apps, Apple does not have any direction as to how the apps are developed or function.  The ATV can do what your asking (Netflix app does) but content owners need to add that functionality...

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/

     

    Contact Apple TV content providers - Apple Support

  • by Rett5,

    Rett5 Rett5 Dec 28, 2015 12:18 PM in response to Protodd
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Dec 28, 2015 12:18 PM in response to Protodd

    To be clear, I am not using any 3rd party apps.  I am using iTunes to stream purchased TV shows.  All this hype about finally being able to binge-watch properly and it doesn't actually work.  The only reason I upgraded to gen 4!  And it doesn't work.

  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Dec 28, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Dec 28, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Rett5

    Interesting. Binge mode is available on the ATv4 iTunes app.  Most of the feedback is how to disable the functionality - yours is the first post I have seen saying its unavailable...

     

    How to turn off continuous play of tv episodes from iTunes library

    Re: ATV4 Can I disable Binge Mode for TV?

    Re: ATV4 goes straight to next episode

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Dec 28, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 10 (103,346 points)
    Apple TV
    Dec 28, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Rett5

    It does this when playing TV shows over home sharing, I'm wondering if it doesn't does this from the internet to protect against you falling a sleep and using up all your allowance.

  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Dec 28, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Dec 28, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Rett5

    Here are a few more posts asking how to disable auto play but I haven't found any saying its not working...

     

    Can I turn off auto play of the next tv episode on the new apple TV?

    How to stop "Auto Play Next Episode" when streaming from iTunes

  • by tyco_brahe,

    tyco_brahe tyco_brahe Dec 29, 2015 8:56 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 29, 2015 8:56 PM in response to Rett5

    I'm having the same problem. I purchased 2 seasons of shows off my ATV4 from the iTunes shows menu, and once an episode is done it goes directly to the menu. I'd love to have it start the next episode the way some others are saying it does.

  • by tomj08,

    tomj08 tomj08 Dec 31, 2015 7:15 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2015 7:15 PM in response to Rett5

    I had to chime in here to clarify that it DOES NOT automatically play the next episode the way it should. I'm on the Apple TV 4 by the way. You should be able to go into your purchased TV shows and just play an episode and it should play the next episode when the one you're watching is finished, but it doesn't... The only way it DOES play the next episode is if you create a playlist on your computer, have Home Sharing enabled and have the computer turned on with iTunes open (AND you have to download all the episodes you want to play or they don't show up in the playlist on Apple TV). Then you have to go into the "Computers" section in Apple TV to select the Playlist. Very, very annoying and I thought for sure Apple would have made it happen by now.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Jan 1, 2016 4:59 AM in response to tomj08
    Level 10 (103,346 points)
    Apple TV
    Jan 1, 2016 4:59 AM in response to tomj08
    The only way it DOES play the next episode is if you create a playlist on your computer

    Firstly, you don't need to make a playlist to play sequential episodes in a series via home sharing.

    You should be able to go into your purchased TV shows and just play an episode and it should play the next episode when the one you're watching is finished

    I'm not saying you are definitely wrong, but what do you mean 'You Should'. Where have you seen it written that this is how it should work. Are you sure it isn't just you that thinks this way or have Apple actually said this.

  • by merman93,

    merman93 merman93 Aug 23, 2016 2:22 PM in response to Rett5
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 23, 2016 2:22 PM in response to Rett5

    I really have very little of my Apple iTunes purchases kept on my home system, as they have continued to develop and market/advertise their cloud centric systems. All of my iTunes music purchases stream to my iPhone which is connected via Bluetooth to my factory stereo in my car, and auto play works seemlessly in that environment.

     

    These same iTunes audio purchases stream from the cloud to my home media system via ATV4 and auto play is not an issue. However, my tv series iTunes purchases will not auto play from the cloud through ATV4, which is unfortunate.

    I have purchased every classic Doctor Who series, and find it annoying that there is not an option to " play the next episode" on ATV4. I don't understand why it should be necessary for me to download, and store, every iTunes purchase I have made if I want to utilize Auto play. I dont see the reasoning for omitting this option, and suggest Apple consider including it in the next software update.

  • by Diana.McCall,

    Diana.McCall Diana.McCall Aug 23, 2016 5:21 PM in response to merman93
    Level 4 (2,895 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 23, 2016 5:21 PM in response to merman93

    You're not talking to Apple here. You should suggest this at https://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html

  • by merman93,

    merman93 merman93 Aug 24, 2016 5:48 AM in response to Diana.McCall
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 24, 2016 5:48 AM in response to Diana.McCall

    Yes, I know, there have been many posts requesting this feature since the release of ATV2, (and the introduction of iCloud,) on Apple.com/feedback, but, still no updates offering this feature, so couldn't hurt to post here also.

     

    On a non-Apple forum, I did find a workaround, but I am still interested to find out why Apple hasn't offered this feature. At first I assumed they were hesitant to add a feature that could accidentally use up a large portion of a customers data allowance if it were to stream an entire catalog of HD movies for example. Obviously that could be a big issue if the data was streamed over a cellular network, but very few customers have limits on their home broadband service.

     

    My workaround to play iTunes purchased videos on ATV4, using auto play, streaming from iTunes, without home sharing;

    I Setup AirPlay mirroring between ATV4 and my iPhone 6, ( usual requirements that both devices be on same Wifi network etc.). On iPhone 6, select videos. Begin playing any video, the following video will begin to play immediately after first one completes, with each successive video doing the same. I used this workaround last night and watched the entire "Trial of a Timelord" 14 episode story arc of classic Doctor Who without needing to use remote after beginning first episode, almost 4 hours.

     

    Maybe this will be of assistance to someone.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Aug 24, 2016 7:30 AM in response to merman93
    Level 10 (103,346 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 24, 2016 7:30 AM in response to merman93

    but I am still interested to find out why Apple hasn't offered this feature.

    I suspect most people would find it irritating.