Apple TV 1st gen doest't appear in iTunes

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Level 1

23 points

Apple TV 1st gen doest't appear in iTunes

Hi,

I have the problem that my apple tv 1st gen 160 GB doesn't appear in the device list of iTunes any more. I used the Apple TV with no problems but for a week I can't sync my photos any more.

I use an iMac late 2009 with mac OS High Sierra and iTunes 12.7.0.116. The Apple TV has the latest Software 3.0.2.

I already tried all the steps in this Troubleshooting instruction but with no succes:

• I restarted iTunes

• I reinstalled iTunes

• I connected Apple TV and iMac via Ethernet AND Wifi

• I tried watching trailers on Apple TV and it worked, so it has internet access

• I don't use firewall

• I unplugged power cords of Apple TV, iMac and network router and started the devices again

The interesting thing is that I can connect from iTunes to Apple TV via AirTunes and I can stream music. When I open Preferences > Computer on Apple TV I can see that it is connected to my iTunes library.

But Apple TV still doesn't appear and I can't sync any photos.

Can anybody help me? Thanks a lot!

Franz

iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13), Late 2009

Posted on Oct 13, 2017 6:11 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,548 points

Oct 14, 2017 11:51 AM in response to FancyFranz

FancyFranz wrote:

Could it be that the latest iTunes version just doesn't support the 1st generation any more? Or does anybody have other tips?

Unless anyone has found a solution this inference seems correct as many others have seen the same thing.

I don't have access to a generation 1 AppleTV currently to test with latest iTunes but I've not updated that for a variety of reasons.

The biggest change in current iTunes is that it removed the iOS App Store which many of us were annoyed about.

There is a relatively unknown iTunes version it might be worth trying here, or alternatively try to install an older version.

Deploy apps in a business environment with iTunes - Apple Support

Apple - Support - Downloads

Downgrading iTunes can be fiddly so Google for a good way of doing so.

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Answer 2

FancyFranz Author

Level 1

23 points

Oct 15, 2017 9:21 AM in response to Alley_Cat

Thanks a lot for your helpful answer!

I downloaded iTunes 12.6.3 following these steps and this solved my problem. Now apple TV appears in the device list. There's only one strange thing: With this iTunes version you can't sync photos any more without syncing your whole iTunes library including movies, music, etc. If you have a big library this could be a problem. But streaming photos and music works perfectly fine!

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Answer 3

Rudegar

Level 10

170,814 points

Oct 13, 2017 7:28 AM in response to FancyFranz

back when I used the 1g it would get messed up like that at times and unpairing the computer on the appletv and repairing it would fix it but it would result in a full sync which tooks days but it worked and fixed the problem did it 3-4 times during it's life time

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Answer 4

FancyFranz Author

Level 1

23 points

Oct 14, 2017 10:01 AM in response to Rudegar

Hey Rudegar, thanks for your answer!

I followed your advice and unpaired apple TV from my iTunes-Library. But except that now all my pictures on apple TV are deleted, nothing changed. I tried to repair it but it didn't work. I also reset the whole apple TV and configured the network again. No succes. Apple TV tells me to enter the shown number code in iTunes on my mac. But I'm not able to enter the code because apple TV still doesn't appear in the device list.

Could it be that the latest iTunes version just doesn't support the 1st generation any more? Or does anybody have other tips?

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Answer 5

ajahearn

Level 1

4 points

Nov 4, 2017 8:42 PM in response to FancyFranz

I see on the apple support page that they have dropped support for Apple TV gen 1 so that is why I guess we are no longer seeing them. Really disappointed in Apple for this kind of behavior. Makes me think my kids are correct when they say that Apple is the "new bad guy".

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Answer 6

vazandrew

Level 8

40,354 points

Nov 4, 2017 10:24 PM in response to ajahearn

The 1st gen device is 10 years old, so while unfortunate it isn’t completely surprising that current software is no longer supporting it. The workaround would be to downgrade iTunes. Other platforms wouldn’t have provided support for such a device for nearly as long so that statement really doesn’t hold weight.

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Answer 7

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,548 points

Nov 5, 2017 1:57 AM in response to vazandrew

The problem is they removed support with a software 'upgrade' without making it clear to the user what the upgrade implications were - this has left many people in a pickle having to try workarounds.

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