The method described multiple times on previous pages in this thread does work - but it is a PITA. If you do have a reasonable password, and have to use the little remote that came with your apple TV - you aren't going to get it in in time. Period.
I have a 22 character camelCase + specials password. Normally entered via an application, which, of course, does not run on the second or third gen Apple TV (I have one of each). Trying to flip between multiple keyboards using the remote is just too difficult. Add to that, I have multiple apple devices (the whole infrastructure - laptop, iPad, iPhone, etc.) so when I entered the password the first time around, I got the 2nd factor request on all of my devices. Including the iPhone i was using as my remote. There are three ways to get that 2nd factor request in:
1) You are the ghod of the appleTV keyboard, and can use that to type as fast as you do on a standard keyboard. Yeah not me either.
2) Change your appleID password to something stupid easy for the AppleTV remote, authenticate, don't save the password when asked, log out. Change appleID password again, and log in again. Swear and curse as you now
have to update your password on every device you own that used the old one.
3) Use some variant of the method mentioned here
4) (nobody expects the Spanish inquisition!) Turn off 2 factor, log in, then turn it back on (also mentioned in this thread, but not something I did not want to do, even for a short time.)
The sequence of steps I wound up using:
1) prepare yourself for doing this a couple of times, doing lots of swearing, and possibly testing the throw-ability of the device you are holding when it tells you there is a problem with your password for the 27th time in a row. The timeout used clearly assumes a functional keyboard. I'm not sure what it is, but I suspect less than the 30 seconds mentioned. I'm a touch typist - around 125WPM, but I sure has heck can't type that fast using anything but a decent keyboard.
2) If you have a bluetooth keyboard, pair it. Then it should be fairly simple. *IF* you have one. I don't.
3) For the rest of us - I still have to assume you have an iPhone, iPad, or other device that can be used to enter the password quickly using the remote app.
4) Take a deep, calming, breath. Prepare to work as fast as you can. Ready? Begin:
-- Enter your normal appleID password using the remote App on your iphone or iPad.
-- When the 2 factor popup shows up on the AppleTV DON"T ACKNOWLEDGE IT YET.
-- Then when your iPhone, iPad, or laptop phone or whatever also gets the 2 factor pop up, allow the device. That will give you a 6 digit code. Yay, you have a code - junk it, as it is worthless. Those aren't the numbers you are looking for, move along.
-- *NOW* acknowledge the appleTV using the Remote app. Which will give you a *new* code on a popup, invalidating the one you got when you did the mandatory acknowledgement on your phone (or whatever). If you memorize fast, great, otherwise write it down.
-- dismiss that popup
-- go back around the login circle to the password screen.
-- enter your password (yes, again) but append the 6 digit code the appleTV displayed and you just wrote down. You did write it down, right? NO SPACES. if your password is "foo" enter "foo123456". Yes, I did that.. 'foo 123456', 'foo123 456', and 'foo 123 456'. The gap in the 6 digits isn't a gap. It's based on the fallacy that most people can remember 2 3digit numbers easily. Or maybe it's true. I definitely am in the other half of "most" and can't.
-- Yay, you logged in, right? Yeah, I didn't either.
-- Next time, really write down those numbers - your memory isn't as good as you thought, and frustration is going to make it harder and harder to remember as the day wears on.
-- Try and calm down your significant other that is getting increasingly ****** off because this is taking too long.
-- Try and calm yourself down. Yes I know you are frustrated, even more so because your SO is sitting there looking at you like you are an idiot, and if you don't calm yourself down that will just make you make a mistake in the password. Extending the agony.
-- Repeat until you *DO* authenticate. It will happen. Sooner or later. Probably later. But happen it will. Took me almost 30 minutes of trying until I finally got it to work. [Does not include the hours I spent before finding this thread. oh, and searching for that darn remote after I threw it. Fortunately I missed the TV]
-- Go get yourself an adult beverage to celebrate.