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Apple TV 2.0.1 update on your TV and in your living room

Posted by Derik DeLong | Monday, March 31, 2008 7:10 AM PT

Apple TV As if I needed yet another reason to finally splurge and get an Apple TV, an update for the box has been released. You know me, I’m a software update fiend. I get an odd thrill seeing version numbers increase. You need to invoke the update by using the software update command in the general section of Apple TV’s settings.

Is there anything new? Or will we be forced to rely on a curt, almost antagonistic, description from Apple? No friends, there is something new. Genres have been added to the My Movies section to help those of you with large collections of movies.

Oh, and as usual, it brings the snappy.

Comments (10)

Nevermind my email. ;-)
Also, is it just me or is streaming radio from iTunes improved since this update?

March 31, 2008
7:48 AM PT

This is a buggy update. I've had 4 crashes since the upgrade and it's having a hard time holding onto my "n" based network. If it was easy to do, I'd like to wind it back till they get some of this sorted out.

Scotty
March 31, 2008
9:12 AM PT

I have had the same problem as Scotty - it keeps disconnecting from my "N" -based wireless network (but so far no problems with g network), causing disruptions in movie downloads or movie streams from my computer - even though very strong signal strength. Only started after the 2.0.1 update. I spent a couple of hours with a product specialist in Apple Tech support trying to troubleshoot. While a bit better, problem still occurs intermittently. It is surprising; in all my experiences with various wireless devices, I have never had this problem losing a connection - slowing data transfer maybe, but a dropped connection is really bad.

Barry
March 31, 2008
10:11 AM PT

Turn off "use wide channels" on your router for N, or change to 2.4 Gh.

As you go up in the spectrum, range goes down... it's a balancing act, higher frequency gives greater bandwidth, but your range decreases, and ability to transmit through concrete and wood (buildings) is decreased. Lower frequencies give great ranges, but lower bandwidth.

That's also a problem with '3G', as you do not get good reception in doors compared to 'Edge/2G'.

Have you gotten a new cordless phone with the higher Gh spectrum? Hows the range? A lot worse then the older 900 Mh versions which had great range. The new phones simply do more things and with better security because of the high bandwidth, but the range is crap.

Wind in the Dust
March 31, 2008
11:53 AM PT

Yeah, ever since the v2 update I have ben less than happy with my Apple TV's reliability. I really wish they would get this sorted out...

nwmike
March 31, 2008
12:02 PM PT

I've rented a number of movies, played Podcasts both on the web and my Mac, streamed my large music library and watch Youtube videos without any issues with my 2.0 updated ATV. I haven't updated to 2.1 yet, so knock on wood. I have the N extreme BS and a G Tivo usb adapter so the station is set to n/g compatibility. I have Qwest DSL 7 mbs speed which is wonderfully fast compared to my old 1.5 speed.

lantzn
March 31, 2008
1:25 PM PT

Wind in the Dust - in my case, this is not an issue with signal strength at all - the N router is only 20 ft away and I am getting maximal strength to the Apple TV. And no problem with the same router to my Macbook Pro even further away. Most significant, I did not have this problem with the same router, Apple TV, and network, until I did the 2.0.1 update. Besides, Apple sells these products to work with 5 GHZ band to avoid interference with other 2.4 GHZ products, and the Apple TV - extreme base station should work easily under these conditions.

Barry
March 31, 2008
2:31 PM PT

Barry- I stand corrected. Thanks for the explanation.

Wind in the Dust
March 31, 2008
4:20 PM PT

Thanks for the links Wind in the Dust. Especially the last one - others experiencing the same problem with the update and 5GHZ wireless. Apple tech suggested I turn off wide channels - and in preliminary testing, it seems to help (we'll see, since problem is intermittent). It's too bad though, as I am also using this base station to do time machine wireless backups to a connected USB drive (not officially support by Apple though!), and the first article suggests that this significantly slows down throughput speed. I am looking forward to an Apple update to the update that fixes this so I can use by base station optimally for all applications.

Barry
April 01, 2008
6:16 PM PT

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