To maintain backward compatibility with older devices such as the iPod Hi-Fi, the aluminum Apple Remote does not replace the existing IR code for Play/Pause/Select. Instead, to allow newer devices to distinguish between the separate Select and Play/Pause buttons, it sends two IR codes for each press of those: a prefix code (0x2e and 0x2f, respectively), followed by the original Play/Pause code (0x02). Older devices ignore the prefix code and thus interpret either button as Play/Pause, while newer devices interpret both codes and use them to determine which button is being pressed.

It turns out that the ATV units don't require 0x2E or 0x2F to be sent as code #1 in a 2 code sequence 0x2E + 0x02 or 0x2F + 0x02.