A derivative of the standard complaint

We have all read numerous threads about the slow downloads and streaming, and this is a derivative of that but a little bit more unique. This is specific to streaming content from my new (Nov-2011) mbp itunes to an atv2. Photos work fine if for a bit slow on generating thumbnails, music works great, movies work fine with maybe a 30 second buffer time at the max, but I cannot get a tv episode to play to save my life. I have everything running through a new time capsule and I have to believe that all settings are correct since everything works except for the tv episodes. These are kids shows that we bought four or five months ago. I can't make it work using the atv2 remote, I also can't make it work streaming to an ipad2 and choosing atv2 as the output. I cannot make it work period, and it is just the tv episodes. I am wondering if there is some copyright issue that has come up, or a setting in itunes?

I am an upgrade behind on the atv2 because the internet connection SUCKS here in South Africa, but that should not be the source of the problem in my mind. Boy did I take my 10 mbps connection for granted in the states......

I hardly expect anyone to know the answer to this as it has been beaten and beaten and beaten again on this forum (and others), but I had not seen a thread where everything worked but for tv episodes and thought maybe there was a chance someone knew of a setting that was off. It is also hard to find a thread where the line between itunes streaming and rental download connections aren't blurred.

A few questions:
1. We're the TV shows bought on the same iTunes account as the other content?
2. Where is the iTunes account based US or South Africa?
3. Do the TV shows play on the MacBook pro via iTunes OK?
4. If you were to buy a new TV episode (there are free ones you could try) will that play?

mrplow said:

A few questions:
1. We're the TV shows bought on the same iTunes account as the other content?
2. Where is the iTunes account based US or South Africa?
3. Do the TV shows play on the MacBook pro via iTunes OK?
4. If you were to buy a new TV episode (there are free ones you could try) will that play?

Click to expand...

Let me try to answer:

mrplow said:

1. We're the TV shows bought on the same iTunes account as the other content?

Click to expand...

The TV shows are the only items that I have bought. The music is all ripped from my CD collection, the movies are ripped from my movie collection. The TV shows were bought under the only itunes account that we have, the same itunes account that home sharing is set up under, etc.

mrplow said:

2. Where is the iTunes account based US or South Africa?

Click to expand...

We bought the tv shows in the US and I don't know that I have made any changes to the itunes account to indicate to apple that we are now in South Africa. Interesting point.

mrplow said:

3. Do the TV shows play on the MacBook pro via iTunes OK?

Click to expand...

I have never actually tried to play the episodes on itunes on the mbp. My kids never actually use the computer so I have never had the opportunity. The TV shows were originally purchased on our ipad and then transferred to the mbp from the ipad. They do play on the ipad(2).

mrplow said:

4. If you were to buy a new TV episode (there are free ones you could try) will that play?

Click to expand...

I will try that if I have the opportunity. Our internet is so spotty that I end up using my iphone's mobile hotspot function most of the time. It makes downloading and updating very challenging. If our internet connection suddenly starts working I will try to download something small and try to play it.

After writing this, maybe it has to do with the fact that we bought the content on the ipad2 and then transferred it to itunes? I do know that it is all the same itunes account. Or maybe it is a south africa regional thing?

Thanks for the help

Buying on the iPad and transferring to iTunes is a perfectly normal thing to do so that shouldn't give you any issues, providing the same iTunes account is used for the purchase and for Home Sharing.

I appreciate that an unreliable internet connection is a pain (i'm in the throws of changing provider and thoughout Christmas the whole family has been tethered to my iPhone!). But a 'pipe-cleaning' exercise would likely highlight where you're problem lies.

Maybe get a free song/music video/tv show/film, buy it in the iPad (use the iTunes account you use for Home Sharing).

Check they play on the iPad.

Sync to iTunes. Try and play them on the MBP in iTunes.

Assuming all has gone well to this point try and view/listen to them on AppleTV.

Ensure at all stages the same appleID is used.

I will try it. I will try to purchase a TV show tonight (tethered to my iphone) and go through the steps. I will post the results in the morning. Thanks again.

I tried a few things out tonight and here is what I found. All of my devices are on the same home share id and music and movies all work perfectly with every device. All the music and movies are my own discs which I ripped to iTunes. The TV episodes will not play on any device through homeshare. They show up, and I can click on the movie, but it says "unable to open". The TV episodes play on the ipad2 that they were purchased on and downloaded to, and they play on the MBP that they were synced to. They will not play on any of the iPhones, ATV2, or the other iPads. The info says that the episodes are protected mpeg-4 and FairPlay version 3. I verified that all devices are using the same home share account, the same account that the TV episodes were purchased under.

Does this narrow the problem down at all?

I also played the tv episodes on the ipad2 on which they were originally purchased, they play fine. I change the output to Apple TV and it stops playing with no output to the TV. I can push a movie this way from the iPad, but I cannot push one of the TV episodes.

Hmmmm.

There's nothing coming to light about why you can't play tv shows on the ATV.

I'd suggest a full reset (Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings).
Run through the setup. Then try pushing tv shows over airplay and over Home Sharing.

If that still doesn't work I'd suggest Restoring the firmware in iTunes.