So I got an Apple TV up and running, have one small playback issue...

spincut

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 19, 2005
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Setting up the apple TV and streaming/mirroring from my MBP was pretty easy. The only real hangup I encountered (aside from discovering an updating download will cancel if you engage in mirroring mode while it's happening) was learning that I needed to disable the overscan compensation to get it to look pixel to pixel like and fill the screen properly.

ANYway, I have noticed a small oddity in the playback, and this I believe counts for both mirroring playback, but also playback from the internal apps as well (at least from the one football clip I watched via the ESPN widget). The audio and video seem slightly out of sync? Or, there is this odd smoothing/judder issue. It's VERY sublte, moreso different even, but it feels off. Again, when I look at mouths, they seem ever so slightly out of sync from the odd moving video (like there is some weird interlopation going on). And the football clip I watched looked decidedly different from the broadcast version in terms of motion (like it wasn't moving as smoothly).

Anyone else understand what I'm talking about and if there's a fix, or perhaps that's just how the Apple TV processes stuff?
 
No idea. I have two AppleTV 3's in my house and have never really noticed that happening. I've seen some content in the past that did what you're describing on NetFlix, but I chalked it up to the service/content more so than the device.

I'll take a close look tonight for ya.
 
I had that issue, try setting your apple tv to 720p see if it help you any.

What would it be running at now? 1080p? I'd be surprised if that was the case. But hmm I guess I don't recall seeing that option, I'll have to take a look when I get home next. Just fyi, my tv is 1080p and stuff.

No idea. I have two AppleTV 3's in my house and have never really noticed that happening. I've seen some content in the past that did what you're describing on NetFlix, but I chalked it up to the service/content more so than the device.

I'll take a close look tonight for ya.

Thanks! Let me know. I mean, heck, the content is solidly watchable even....just....off looking.
 
I had this issue with Netflix. I fixed it by going into the ATV's settings and selecting Restart.
 
Well alright, when I next have access to it I'll see about changing the resolution and restarting it once. Hopefully one of those two things help if a better solution isn't brought up before that.
 
Make sure your TV and your sound system are properly in sync. If your TV has a low-latency "gaming" mode or something similar, try turning it on and seeing if you find it an improvement.
 
Make sure your TV and your sound system are properly in sync. If your TV has a low-latency "gaming" mode or something similar, try turning it on and seeing if you find it an improvement.

Yeah this TV has never had any sync issue and games just fine even without the game mode. I remember reading up and making sure the response time for it was good on it's own specifically actually. I also use the built in speakers on this TV so I doubt it's out of sync in that regard. Aside from the sync seeming slightly off though, the video motion wise does look a tad funny, hard to put my finger on it, but it's like if I was streaming something on an early gen LCD (like the streaming is creating this slight blurr or video judder).
 
Yeah this TV has never had any sync issue and games just fine even without the game mode. I remember reading up and making sure the response time for it was good on it's own specifically actually. I also use the built in speakers on this TV so I doubt it's out of sync in that regard. Aside from the sync seeming slightly off though, the video motion wise does look a tad funny, hard to put my finger on it, but it's like if I was streaming something on an early gen LCD (like the streaming is creating this slight blurr or video judder).

Hmm, could just be an artifact of the streaming video. I would still try a "game" mode if your TV has one. It made a difference for me when I hook my iPad up to the TV.
 
Unfortunately neither the resolution change or the reset fixed it :/ . I also noticed video freezes and jutters severely on occasion when playing back videos in mirroring mode.
 
Unfortunately neither the resolution change or the reset fixed it :/ . I also noticed video freezes and jutters severely on occasion when playing back videos in mirroring mode.

Hmm... You may want to get a replacement.

But first, how is the media being streamed to the ATV, wired Ethernet or WiFi?
 
Being streamed via Wifi...but I really don't think that's the problem? My network works fine otherwise.
 
Update on this? I kinda get the same results. 1080p but I am using plexconnect hack so could be that.
 
Also, Apple has admitted to the wifi on some of these too be faulty thats why they extended the warrenty for 2 yrs, I sold one a week before that happened because of the streaming issues I was having unlike my second unit both were 3rd gen bought sametime from apple.
 
Also, Apple has admitted to the wifi on some of these too be faulty thats why they extended the warrenty for 2 yrs, I sold one a week before that happened because of the streaming issues I was having unlike my second unit both were 3rd gen bought sametime from apple.

When did they admit this? Because I got mine late this year, would think they would have taken care of that problem by now. Further more, I would think a faulty wifi issue would lead to larger more obvious issues than mine? It's just about 100% functional...(and downloaded a whole updated fine via wifi...)

Any update to report on this?

Hey spincut... anything new on this?

No updates yet, I was gone over thanksgiving. I may have time tonight to move it to my media room closer to my wifi (and an ethernet connection) to test and be sure.

*Since it took me well over 30 days to open the thing, I'm glad to hear it has a 2 year warranty...would be particularly lame to have to buy another Apple TV over this (assuming replacing it would ultimately fix this problem).
 
Ok so, I moved it into the other room and hooked it up to my ethernet. Now, I am not sure if that fixed it or not, because at the same time I made it a point to switch my GPU to discreet (not sure why it wasn't doint it automatically like it usuually does) and I "think" that largely fixed it.

Now the only odd thing I'm still noticing is, and I got this specifically from a streaming app so it is not to do with mirroring, it's how the video looks. I was watching an ESPN video, and it looked largely fine, but the past way to describe it is that when I saw the crawl on the bottom of the screen that had the sports news and stuff, it was juddering like no tomorrow. It had major crazy motion blur....is that just a normal feature with how the apple TV processes it's videos/streams?
 
Could it possibly be your tv? Something called "trumotion" or something similar. Is that on or off?
 
Might be due to the single core A5 processor. I've read in passing about quality issues with streaming to the ATV, but heard that other boxes had similar or worse problems, especially with HD quality.

This is one reason I've been waiting to get one... they should have updated the damn thing with the iPad Airs A7x processor for this Christmas season. They would have sold a LOT of them, which is probably why they didn't. They are only now catching up with iPhone 5s demand. Probably not enough processors to go around for both.
 
I took a longer look at my ATV over the weekend and found some of my content, streamed with Plex, did have audio sync issues. That was a problem with the actual media though as it was out of sync on my PC as well (stupid pubs). With that said though, and outside of bad quality media, the audio sync was fine. Even with a poor Wifi signal the actual sync was spot on.... the quality just suffered

Could it possibly be your tv? Something called "trumotion" or something similar. Is that on or off?

Thats what I'm thinking.

I've never noticed what the OP is describing with the motion. Sounds like interpolation artifacts
 
Could it possibly be your tv? Something called "trumotion" or something similar. Is that on or off?

No, it's definitely not that. Not only have I used it on multiple TV's, but they are both plasma's, meaning they either do not have/need that feature, but if they did/do, I would never have it turned on. I think interloped frames/smoothing/120hz tv modes are the devil.

Might be due to the single core A5 processor. I've read in passing about quality issues with streaming to the ATV, but heard that other boxes had similar or worse problems, especially with HD quality.

This is one reason I've been waiting to get one... they should have updated the damn thing with the iPad Airs A7x processor for this Christmas season. They would have sold a LOT of them, which is probably why they didn't. They are only now catching up with iPhone 5s demand. Probably not enough processors to go around for both.

I really hope that isn't the reason :/ . I mean it would explain why apparently people are slowly noticing similar issues or aren't dismissing mine merely as faulty...but yeah it would be kind of crummy if the one thing I got my ATV for it can't do really well because the processor is out of date :/ .

On the upside, HD porn streamed through mirroring looks ok? Which reminds me, is there a way to close my macbook pro once I have a video going so I don't have to sit next to it open? It's kinda distracting.
 
Which reminds me, is there a way to close my macbook pro once I have a video going so I don't have to sit next to it open? It's kinda distracting.

This is one reason I've been holding off on buying one. I have a decent portion of our library ripped and stored on a NAS box, but the ATV can't stream from it (or access it in any way) without a computer.

But... they do have channels I wouldn't have on a Mac Mini as an HTPC.

As for the Macbook sleeping, I know there is an app you can get that will prevent sleep, but I don't know if it will do so when you close the lid.
 
This is one reason I've been holding off on buying one. I have a decent portion of our library ripped and stored on a NAS box, but the ATV can't stream from it (or access it in any way) without a computer.

But... they do have channels I wouldn't have on a Mac Mini as an HTPC.

As for the Macbook sleeping, I know there is an app you can get that will prevent sleep, but I don't know if it will do so when you close the lid.

Uh, given that that last sentence was more in response to that quote, I'm less sure how your NAS comment specifically relates (also have you looked into a cloud NAS type solution, WD seems to offer a newish one that looks like it has potential, and may also work via an apple tv? At least, I noticed there was a "computers" tab in the settings).

And really? There isn't a basic way to shut my laptop so it can stream/airplay without it glowing at me? I read briefly last night about an app, but the one I actually tried to install got a warning message that it was not approved by apple and basically wouldn't let me...felt fishy so I backed off (also kept thinking it must have been an out of date solution, given that once Apple added Mirroring as part of the new Macbook package that they would have an option for this somewhere?).
 
*Since it took me well over 30 days to open the thing, I'm glad to hear it has a 2 year warranty...would be particularly lame to have to buy another Apple TV over this (assuming replacing it would ultimately fix this problem).

No. All apple devices come with a one year warranty. Some 3rd generation apple tvs have an issue where it will not connect to wifi or stay connected to wifi. Those are covered under a quality program, but any new units already have the issue addressed
 
its an apple product not to high quality in the audio codec department..

Preeeeety sure that is not the reason, if not a kind of far fetched suggestion...especially doesn't explain that ESPN crawl issue I noticed...
 
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