I'm having a strange issue with my new Apple TV device and hope someone can point me toward a solution.

I had an older generation Apple TV device and decided to upgrade it to the 4K version in order to watch the World Cup.

The problem I'm having is that the device quits working after about an hour. It still has power because the status light stays on. It just stops streaming.

I've checked the connections - power, HDMI, and wifi. Everything seems to be in order. I thought maybe the TV was interfering, so I moved the device further away. I tried reconnecting my old Apple TV device and it works.

I could not find a similar complaint on any Apple forums. Apple's response was to tell me to bring it to my local Apple store, where they simply exchanged it for a new one. But, the problem happens with the second device too.

I'm at a loss as to what the issue could be.

Googlized it... perhaps...

Why does Apple TV keep cutting out?

Check your sleep timer. Your Apple TV may be just going to sleep, and you can extend the time it will wait before it does. Open the Settings app on the Apple TV, and then go to General > Sleep After. From here, you can choose 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 5 hours, 10 hours, or Never to keep it awake at all times.

https://www.lifewire.com/fix-a...-turning-off-5198907

Thanks. That’s not it though.

I checked and the sleep setting is at 15 mins. Plus, the device is cutting out while it’s still streaming.

Is the device overheating? The vents are on the bottom, so it can get hot. I throw mine in the refrigerator every now and then.

Is it app specific? What app are you using to stream the WC? Does the device quit if you use different apps (like Prime or YouTube)?

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Check your sleep timer. Your Apple TV may be just going to sleep, ...

The indicator light goes out when it does that. His isn't.

quote:

Originally posted by xd45man:
Is the device overheating? The vents are on the bottom, so it can get hot.

There's actually a small fan in there.

Hot? It shouldn't be getting hot, per se. I just checked one of ours. It's slightly warm to the touch.

Ours all have plenty of space around tops and sides.

quote:

Originally posted by xd45man:
I throw mine in the refrigerator every now and then.

I just have to ask: What do you believe that accomplishes?

quote:

I could not find a similar complaint on any Apple forums. Apple's response was to tell me to bring it to my local Apple store, where they simply exchanged it for a new one. But, the problem happens with the second device too.

I'm at a loss as to what the issue could be.

The odds that two Apple TV units are having the same defect causing the unit to shut down are pretty long.... It's possible, anything is.

It does act like a setting in the Apple TV since they both did it, or, some setting you are checking off, when you setup the new box,

Do you have any other streaming devices, ROKU, Firestick, do they shut down after an hour of running,

Wondering if your ISP has some restriction on volume for your account and the streaming content is kicking that restriction on, maybe they have some limit on data.

In many cases of inexplicable behavior it turns out to the the HDMI cable. 4K is much more demanding of the HDMI cable than your old HD ATV was. Seems like a long shot, but try a different cable?

Do you have another TV upon which you can try the ATV?

quote:

Originally posted by xd45man:
I throw mine in the refrigerator every now and then.

I just have to ask: What do you believe that accomplishes?[/QUOTE]

It get's a giggle out of my 4 year old when I say "Go get the Appletv out of the refrigerator."
But seriously, sometimes mine will overheat, especially if I am playing games.

Thanks guys.

I only have the one TV (a 5-year-old Samsung), so I can’t hook the device to another TV. I don’t think it’s app specific. I have Netflix, Amzn Prime, and got SlingTV for a month to watch the World Cup. I don’t recall specifically, but I think one outage occurred while watching Sling and the next time while watching Netflix.

The HDMI cable could be the culprit. I have some which go back 10+ years and just grabbed one to hook up the device when I brought the Apple TV home.

I’ll try a different cable. Thanks for the suggestion.

HDMI cables are finicky. I recommend latest spec and the best deals are monoprice. The cable has to be 4k specific.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
The HDMI cable could be the culprit. I have some which go back 10+ years and just grabbed one to hook up the device when I brought the Apple TV home.

Ten-plus-year-old HDMI cables likely won't meet spec for 4K.

Here's an article, chosen at random, on HDMI cable requirements: The 4K HDMI Cable Rip-Off: What You Truly Need to Know About HDMI 2.0 and Ultra HD Cables

When I bought our ATV 4k's they came which shiny new cables suitable for 4k.

Whenever DTV updates their anti piracy code your HDMI cable may not work, I've had to change them out from time to time...

PIA....

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Whenever DTV updates their anti piracy code your HDMI cable may not work, I've had to change them out from time to time...

Don't see how that could be. The last change to HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) was HDCP 2.2, and that was eight (?) years ago.

Once DTV's content is in HDMI format there's really nothing DTV, or anybody else, can do to/with/for it. HDMI and HDCP are an industry standards. IOW: They can't add copy protection the existing standards don't support.

I got a 4K HDMI cable and it looks like that solved the problem. I watched the entire Argentina vs. Netherlands game (including the 2 extra time periods and penalty shootout) without interruption.

Thanks ensigmatic and everyone else who took the time to respond.