I'm finally installing an Apple TV for the first time, and all is going pretty well except for a killer menu issue.

Oddly, the remote that came with the unit is dead, so I'm charging it while using a) an old Apple TV remote that's here and b) the URC codes for Apple TV.

With both means of control, keys generally seem to work, except for this: When the screen is up that's got five movie titles across the top and five categories down below, if I scroll one position to the right, the screen often goes white, then returns to the initial screen with movies highlighted. Those times that it stays at the second position (tv shows/iTunes), I can go up and down and left and right, and Select works.

But if I try to scroll TWICE to the right, to the App store, it ALWAYS goes white, then goes back to the initial screen with movies across the top and the five categories across the bottom, the left one (movies) highlighted. It's stopped a couple of times on Photos, and on music, but it generally goes back to the left.

Is it broke? It's supposedly just been purchased, but the dead new remote is a suspicious thing!

Thanks for any help with this.

You have to do a software update and it will fix the issue.

How in the world do you make money? Do you?

I don't see a model number for the ATV.

KOT

P.S. I know it's an ATV 4 with the rechargeable remote.

Interesting. I just KNOW I typed A1625 (IIRC). I thought it was in that post and I don't find it in my other notes. Note that the unit didn't say ATV anything.

edit: I put it here: [Link: remotecentral.com]. That's no way to communicate!

Just for reference...Ernie is referring to a 4th Gen Apple TV.  2 things to knwo about the 4th gen as opposed to the other gens...

1.  Instead of a light tap to make a choice, you have to "click" the top pad of the remote.

2.  When you first install it, you must do a software update or it will act exactly as Ernie has mentioned.

The 4th generation Apple TV supports the same IR signals as the previous generation Apple TV devices. You can also use CEC control through HDMI and forgo IR entirely.

That said it is a one way communication device. Do not under any circumstance try to automate navigation through the menu. The icons on the home screen can be rearranged.

Depending on the use case of the Apple TV if it is just for wireless presentation capabilities the Crestron Air Media is a good alternative if you have the budget for it.

Well, gents, that's pretty interesting stuff you're peddling.

The client bought the first Apple TV yesterday. He just went to the store and got a replacement. The Geniuses said they had no idea what the problem was, you'd have to go find the rabbit hole labeled "iTunes" and throw yourself headlong into it.

The unit he just brought back is ALSO an A1625. The graphics asking you to pair the remote are the same, but the manual setup procedure, which we used on both units, used a different layout of the alphanumerics. Then, when we got to the screen with five categories at the bottom and five examples across the top, the unit responded correctly to all commands.

What the hell and thank you all, we found that there was an update to be done, but with the differences between the two, can anyone say that need for an update was the reason the other one failed? I particularly enjoyed the response of the Geniuses here.

Yes, the need for the update is the reason.  If you don't do the update immediately, it acts like the unit is defective.   A blinding white light when you try to go to the app section,  the swipe function doesn't work properly...In short, it works like a steaming pile of S#!t.

Once you do the update, everything works swimmingly.

Winner!

Brilliant design! I would be happy if it turned on and just say it needs an update.
I could start a thread about things that disturb me. Maybe I will.

Let me think, last networkable thing I plugged in that DIDN'T need an update right out of the box......

I'm still trying to figure out how you have not hooked an Apple TV until now. Do you still use VCR's?

VCR's are so 2015, time to switch to DIVX, that DVD format will never fly with the movie studios.

Until now, clients have not wanted them, except in the big overseas project where two techs connected things and the CAIP that we took with us for the month programmed the control. It seems totally possible to not have hooked one up, yet still make some money.