Michel-Ange

Q: My Apple TV 1st generation cannot log in to my Apple ID iCloud account

Hello ! New problem.

 

Now, when I want to connect my Apple TV 1st generation to my iCloud account, or when I want to rent a movie from my iCloud account for viewing on my TV, after I have entered my *correct Apple ID & pswd on the Apple TV, I receive on my iPhone a message stating that someone attempts to connect to my iCloud account, I reply "Allow the connection", receive back on the iPhone a 6-digit code which I must enter on the Apple TV. But the Apple TV 1st generation cannot enter any recognition code, there is no space to do that, it just tells me that the pswd is wrong (which it is not!). So the Apple TV fails to log in. After the 4th attempt, the Apple TV tells me that after so many failed attempts, my password is discarded by Apple & I need to connect to my iCloud account from the mac to receive a new pswd. I connected from the mac and saw no mention of any incident. I have signed in for two-factor authentication on 21 july 2016. My list of trusted devices remains unchanged (MacBook Pro, iMac, iPhone and iPad, no Apple TV).

 

I checked:

 

That the Apple TV is connected to my home wi-fi network as usual: it is;

That the Apple TV internal software is up to date: it is;

That my home network connects to internet: it does.

 

Could the two-factor authentication be the cause of my new problem ?

Should I turn it off ?

How can I log-in again my Apple TV 1st generation to my iCloud account ?

 

TIA (Apple TV 1st generation, MacBook Pro early 2011, iMac id 2011, OS 10.11.6, iPhone 5C, iPad mini 1st generation, iOS 9.3.3)

VIN,Apple TV, 1st generation, with internal HD

Posted on Aug 11, 2016 5:40 AM

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Q: My Apple TV 1st generation cannot log in to my Apple ID iCloud account

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Winston Churchill,Solvedanswer

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Aug 11, 2016 6:31 AM in response to Michel-Ange
    Level 10 (103,368 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 11, 2016 6:31 AM in response to Michel-Ange

    Turn off  factor authentication while you sign in, you should then be able to re-enable it afterwards.

  • by Michel-Ange,

    Michel-Ange Michel-Ange Aug 12, 2016 6:14 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 6:14 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    Thank you, Winston, for providing advise. I tried your suggestion right away.

     

    First, before turning two-factor authentication off my iCloud account, I tried an app-specific long password, as I have successfully done for CCC mail notice system. According to the Apple notice, I can use on my iCloud account up to 25 app-specific long passwords provided to me by the Apple server. I got that app-specific long password created, called it "Apple TV" and tried it on the Apple TV. After conferring with the Apple servers, the Apple TV did not -wrongly- recognize this Apple-TV-specific long password as legitimate for my iCloud account login.

     

    Second, I turned two-factor authentication off as you suggested. I tried my legacy iCloud account password on the Apple TV. After conferring with the Apple servers, the Apple TV did not -wrongly- recognize this iCloud account password as legitimate.

     

    I have let two-factor authentication turned "off", hoping this will help make my life easier.

     

    Now each of my machines (iPad, iPhone, MacBook Pro) tell me that I should change my iCloud password, as if it was compromised.

     

    I sill want to use my 1st generation Apple TV and don't know what to try next as it is not connected to the iTunes store any more.

     

    My internet connection is too slow so that streaming is not a possibility for me. Storing movies in a hard drive prior to viewing them is the only way. This rules out any non-1st-generation Apple TV as no other Apple TV than mine contains a hard drive.

     

    Can I try more ? TIA

  • by Winston Churchill,Helpful

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Aug 12, 2016 6:27 AM in response to Michel-Ange
    Level 10 (103,368 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 6:27 AM in response to Michel-Ange

    If it won't recognise your password then perhaps you might be best contacting Apple iCloud support for assistance.

     

    However on your last point, if you have a slow connection with the later Apple TV's there is always home sharing as an alternative to an internal drive.

  • by Michel-Ange,

    Michel-Ange Michel-Ange Aug 12, 2016 8:47 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 8:47 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    Thank you, Winston. The advice was as good as it can be.

     

    With Apple assistance by phone, I was confirmed there was no reason I could not connect as you suggested. Yet it continued to fail for no visible reason, even after a reset and full re-configuration of the Apple TV. Next attempt will be after I receive a USB-USB cable (I don't have one) to connect the Apple TV to the MacBook. Say in about a week. I keep hope.

     

    Also, your saying that "if you have a slow connection with the later Apple TV's there is always home sharing as an alternative to an internal drive" was a good new.

     

    Thanks, again.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Aug 12, 2016 8:49 AM in response to Michel-Ange
    Level 10 (103,368 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 8:49 AM in response to Michel-Ange

    I'm not sure what you propose using the USB cable for. You can't connect the Apple TV 1 to the Mac with a USB cable, not even to restore it.

  • by Michel-Ange,

    Michel-Ange Michel-Ange Aug 12, 2016 8:58 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 8:58 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    Ahem ! the senior advisor (Senior Advisor CPU FR) of Apple Europe  told me, after I confirmed to her there was indeed an USB plug on the Apple TV (there is I did not know), that I would receive a USB-USB cable by mail. I will then re-contact her for next session, where I expect to bring the MacBook Pro downstairs to connect it to the Apple TV by USB. The purpose is unknown to me but the objective has not changed: permit me to connect my Apple TV 1st generation to my iCloud account to be able to rent movies (old Star Trek movies). HTH

     

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Aug 12, 2016 9:41 AM in response to Michel-Ange
    Level 10 (103,368 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 9:41 AM in response to Michel-Ange

    There is indeed a USB port on the Apple TV 1, it isn't a user port though, but who knows they might be intending doing something that isn't for public knowledge. Please let us know what happens when the cable arrives.

  • by Michel-Ange,

    Michel-Ange Michel-Ange Aug 12, 2016 11:19 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 12, 2016 11:19 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    OK. I will (1) receive the required cable at home, (2) be in touch by phone with the same Senior Advisor CPU FR, and (3) post here a summary of findings. I believe this may take a week from 2016-08-12 (could be about monday 2016-08-22).

  • by Michel-Ange,

    Michel-Ange Michel-Ange Aug 22, 2016 1:23 AM in response to Michel-Ange
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 22, 2016 1:23 AM in response to Michel-Ange

    This is not yet a summary of findings. I received cable connecting the Apple TV 3 (mini-USB). Wrong cable. The Apple TV 1 has an USB 2 type A (big one) plug. I ordered the correct cable on amazon and will update this post next monday (29 Aug).

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Aug 22, 2016 2:36 AM in response to Michel-Ange
    Level 10 (103,368 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 22, 2016 2:36 AM in response to Michel-Ange

    I think you should check with Apple before purchasing a cable, as I said I'm not aware of anything that can be done by cable on your Apple TV, there may be things I don't know about, but since the cable Apple sent you doesn't fit, I kind of think they think you have a different model to the one you do have.

  • by Michel-Ange,

    Michel-Ange Michel-Ange Aug 25, 2016 12:59 AM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 25, 2016 12:59 AM in response to Winston Churchill

    Problem solved. Winston, your initial advice should have done it but, while the Apple TV insisted on having its firmware up to date (it was 2.0), it was not up to date. I found this website <http://www.iclarified.com/970/appletv-firmware-download-locations> which seems to indicate that the firmwares for Apple TV 1st generation are DMG files and finish at 3.0.2, NOT 2.0. I downloaded this v3.0.2 firmware and stored it on the mac to wait for the Apple support phone appointment. Instead of waiting for the Tuesday phone appointment to attempt to fix the problem, I reset again the Apple TV. Then, after this reset, the Apple TV accepted, at last, that there was indeed cause to update. Last night, 3 downloading and restarting the download hours later, the Apple TV rebooted on 3.0.2 and I was able to log in to my iCloud account. I won't be able to tell what the USB - USB cable is for, but I would guess it permits all forms of resets, configurations and system updates, from the mac, which means accessible to Apple support. I won't know. Winston, You were right: I needed to turn off 2-way authentication on my iCloud account. It is still off.