Apple TV (#4): Another fix for purchased media not playing/syncing ("not authorized"); Running diagnostics

Another fix for purchased media not playing/syncing ("not authorized") We continue to report on an issue where the Apple TV will not playback any media that is purchased from the iTunes Store (DRM-protected).

Users experiencing this error generally find an inability to synchronize or stream purchased media, sometimes accompanied by an error stating that the Apple TV could not contact the iTunes store to authorize. The same users can generally synchronize and/or stream all other non-DRM restricted media.

As previously noted, the Apple TV does not count as one of the 5 computers authorized to play your iTunes Store purchases. This precludes the possibility that users experiencing this problem do not have any authorizations left.

We recently reported that the Apple ID used for an iTunes account may need to use an e-mail address rather than a simple login name in order to operate properly with the Apple TV. In other words, you may need to use username@sample.com rather than simply username for your Apple ID login. You can change your Apple ID using Apple's MyInfo page.

It now appears that removing any spaces from the Apple ID used with the Macs or PCs streaming/syncing content to Apple TVs can resolve this issue in some cases. Again, this requires that you go to Apple's MyInfo page and modify your Apple ID. Remove any spaces that are contained within the Apple ID login name, and also check for spaces on either side of the login name -- a trailing space (at the end of the login name) is particularly common.

After changing your Apple ID, log out then back in to the iTunes store on the host Mac/PC (Go to the "Store" menu in iTunes and select "Sign Out," then "Sign In"), and re-attempt synchronization or streaming to the Apple TV.

Running diagnostics Apple Knowledge Base article #305190 describes how to run diagnostic tests on an Apple TV. To do so, simply hold down the Menu and Down (-) keys on the remote for about 6 seconds. This causes Apple TV to restart in a special mode.

Eventually, you will get to a screen with three options: Restart, Run Diagnostics, and Factory Restore.

The middle option is the key one here. If you run it, it will hopefully say that "Your Apple TV is working correctly." Otherwise, you will get an error message -- at which point Apple says to take it in for servicing.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

• Apple TV (#3): Purchased media not playing: fixes; Crashes when syncing large number of/heavily nested photos; more
• Apple TV: Purchased videos not playing (cannot be authorized); Disappears from devices list in iTunes -- fix; Translating video so it plays on the Apple TV; more
• Slew of Apple TV Knowledge Base articles posted

Resources