Apple TV Fail!
Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 1:22PM 
Just putting the final touches to this week's ScreenCastsOnline show, which is due out for publication tomorrow.
The catalyst for the show was the new Apple TV which I received on Monday, although the show also covers other aspects of the Apple iTunes ecosystem such as iTunes 10, AirPlay and the new Remote App for iOS.
As I needed to capture the screen of the Apple TV for the show, the Apple TV has been on my desk since it arrived, connected to my Mac Pro via a Matrox MX02 Mini capture box, which allows me to take high quality video captures via the HDMI port straight into FInal Cut Pro.
It works a treat and the output is superb with beautiful high resolution video for the show.
What I hadn't done as yet is to connect the Apple TV to my HD TV, until this morning that is.
I have a Sony KDF-E50A12U HD rear projection HD TV. Not exactly state of the art compared to today's models, but it does a fine job with great picture quality. Only a single HDMI input however, but I have a HDMI switcher for up to 4 HDMI connected devices. Currently connected to the TV area Mac mini which allows me to output in 1080pi or 720p with or without overscan, as well as a first generation Apple TV which again, allows me to output in 1080i or 720p.
Both devices work fine on the Sony HDTV and have done so since I installed them.
So I connected the new Apple TV expecting nothing less that a smooth ride and a quick installation.
When the device started, I got a "ghosted" image as the machine started up and when fully started, the "ghosted' image remains. It's basically a fuzzy image with what looks like two screens overlaid on top of each other. You can see the menus etc, but it's barely readable and completely unwatchable.
I wasn't unduly concerned as the original Apple TV did that also, when I first got it. The solution on the original Apple TV was to go into the Settings menu and the select the correct TV Resolution, namely 720p 50Hz. The "ghosting" was due to the fact that the device was outputting at 720p 60Hz, which my TV didn't like.
Switch it to 50Hz and the picture was fine.
So, with the new Apple TV displaying the same symptoms, I dove into the Settings menu to switch it to 720p 50Hz
And I looked....
and I looked...
and I looked...
Nope, nowhere to be seen?
Even under the Audio & Video options, there is no option to change the TV resolution.
Strange?
So I looked again..... Nope!
WTF!
So, straining my eyes to read the serial number on the bottom of the device, I called AppleCare.
After a 15 minute conversation, they said they'd get back to me.
They just did - with the rather startling news that you can't change the TV resolution on the current version of the Apple TV.
WTF!
So my shiny new Apple TV won't work on a HDTV that happily supports the Mac Mini and the old Apple TV? Really? Even though the new Apple TV spec states:
Compatible with high-definition TVs with HDMI and capable of 720p 60/50Hz,2including popular models from these manufacturers: Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba
A quick trawl of the Apple support groups shows a high number of people with display problems similar to mine but they think it's a HDMI cable problem but I think it's a 50Hz/60Hz issue.
What a mess!
Apple need to resolve this pronto, especially for us out here in the UK where 720p/50Hz is fairly widespread. I can't believe that they didn't include an option to manually change the resolutions as they did on the 1st Gen Apple TV.
My gut feeling is that Apple will fix this in the next firmware release as it seems that this must be a feature that has been omitted in error.
Let's just hope it happens sooner rather than later.
Reader Comments (13)
Ouch - not much consolation, but thanks for finding that out for the rest of us...
Don,
The solution is obvious...you're going to have to buy a new TV. Isn't that the case with most technology purchases? They just snowball into other purchases?
In all seriousness though, this is a horrible oversight that I have not read about anywhere else until now. I hope this issue gets some mainstream media attention quickly to prompt the guys at Apple to issue a software update sooner rather than later. Might i suggest sending a link to this post to a few friends at Macworld and other popular Mac publications.
I love Apple but as late I am very disgusted with the way they have been releasing what I consider to be half done products, software as well as hardware. With all the competition lately you would think they would be trying harder or at least as much as they used to. Love Apple but.......
I can truly sympathize with your plight.
Part of my business is home theater/whole house entertainment installation and configuration. I have had many instances with Mac Mini's and one Mac Pro set up as HTPCs where the inability to get the resolution set correctly has caused me hours of pain and aggravation. I stopped using Macs as HTPCs because of this. Apple seems to be insensitive to the needs of customers using displays Apple doesn't manufacture.
I expect that Apple will eventually fix this in an iOS update but in the meantime perhaps one of those new Roku boxes would be more satisfying.
I had the same problem with the Playstation 3: my old HDTV would happily do 720p and 1080i, as long as the input signal was 50Hz. As is widely documented, however, the PS3 does not support a 50Hz output mode—it’s 60Hz or standard def.
In the end, I had to buy a new TV to get my HD gaming on.
Don,
Through all of your thoughtfully worded and artfully delivered screencasts, I cannot imagine the phrase "wtf" coming out of your mouth. Hehe
Hopefully Apple will patch this up for all those affected, but I can't help thinking about the concept of planned obsolescence and it makes me shed a single tear for my Power PC G5...*sniff*...sorry, still a little emotional here.
Ears the issue about needing to check your HDTV can do HDCP over hdmi, but if it says it'll support 50 and 60hz then they're in for a lawsuit/fully justified returns if thy don't push out a quick firmware update.
Sorry to hear about your ATV problems. Love hearing you on Macbreak Weekly now and then but I feel compelled to mention that the past tense of "to dive" is "dived". "Dove" is US English really.
[from Wikipedia]
The past tense dove is found chiefly in North American English, where it is used alongside the regular (and earlier) dived, with regional variations; in British English dived is the standard past tense, dove existing only in some dialects. As a past participle, dove is relatively rare. (Compare Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary; The American Heritage Dictionary; The Cambridge Guide to English Usage)
I'd say the fail is more on Sony's side. There's no good reason for a fixed-pixel display to have any refresh rate restrictions, at least in terms of the normal range for TV signals. With CRTs it was excusable because for reasons I don't fully understand (but seem to make sense) it's easier to drive them at a refresh rate that matches the power input frequency.
I agree that the ATV issue is likely an oversight given that they note support in the specs, but to me anything that ships with a HDMI port and doesn't support all major TV resolutions is a huge fail. If my cheap Dell LCD that cost me $150 two years ago can do anything from 320x240@30Hz up to 1680x1050@80Hz everything more expensive than that should just be expected to meet or beat it.
I'm still not seeing enough compelling features on Apple TV that would make me want to buy one. I suppose once Apple enable apps on it that may change. I'm currently looking for something to stream video and audio from my iTunes library to my TV and had thought Apple TV would suffice but I'm more and more leaning towards one of the new Xbox360s. For £140 or so plus Connect360 it looks like I can achieve my goal of streaming movies, TV shows, podcasts, browse my iPhoto library and maybe play a few games at the same time. Have you or any of your readers any experience of this solution?
This is a bummer... but does the AppleTV puck not have component out? If so, I expect that would work?
BOb
Hi Don,
I have the exact same problem with my new ATV2 bought in the US.
Have the issue been fixed in an update?
Thought my TV could handle any HD input but now I found out the hard way it does not support 60 hz... :(
Regards,
Morten
I'm afraid not :(