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I am able to rip and convert THREE new Blu-ray movies but they will NOT play using either of my new Apple TV 3 devices. I have successfully ripped and converted 551 movies from DVD or Blu-ray discs and can play them with both of my AppleTV 3 devices.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Equalizer (Denzel Washington movie)

1. I can rip the Blu-ray disc with MakeMKV (most recently 1.9.1) successfully; VLC (most recently 2.1.5) plays the output file perfectly.
2. I can convert the MakeMKV movie title output file into the AppleTV 3 preset format using HandBrake (most recently 0.10.0 x86_64); VLC plays this output file perfectly.
3. I can add meta data to the above file using Subler (most recently 0.31); VLC plays the output file perfectly.
4. I can import the above file into iTunes (most recently 12.1); VLC plays the imported file perfectly fine.
Note: I can play the movie within iTunes!

5. When I try to play any of the three movies above using either of two new AppleTV 3 devices, I get a large spinning gear in the middle of the TV screen for several minutes, after which the timeline appears with a spinning gear on the left of the time line and 0:01 for the time FOREVER (I have allowed it to sit and spin for up to six hours just to see if it ever worked within an unreasonable time).

I have repeated this over and over again, re-ripping when a new version of MakeMKV is released, re-converting when a new version of HandBrake is released, re-updating when a new version of Subler is released, and re-importing when a new version of iTunes is released. All 551 of the other movies work perfectly fine. The AppleTV 3 devices work with all other movies. I have updated them whenever Apple releases a software update.

I have tried other ripping and converting software, but the same problem exists. I have tried reducing the frame rate in HandBrake, but at best it still does not play and at worst I get an error when I try to play them.

Has anyone else experienced this? Has anyone figured out how to work around it?

As recently as a couple of weeks ago, the Apple TV 3 revision A (current version) was listed as not supporting MKV files, so the main question is, how were you playing the MKV files before?

I have never played .MKV files using an AppleTV.

In step 2 above, I use HandBrake to convert the .mkv file to a compressed .m4v file that eventually gets imported into iTunes and played using two AppleTV 3 devices. 551 movies work, the three I mentioned do not.

Thank you.

Using a Mac? Try retagging the files using Meta Z. I've had the same issues and had to retag the files in order for them to play back on my AppleTV. Still don't know what caused it, but retagging worked. I do use Subler, but only to write the HD tag to the file.

What audio CODECs are you passing through in the m4v file? iTunes is "allergic" to several that are popular nowadays on BDs, and simply refuse to serve them up to some iOS devices.

Since the issue is really with the output from Handbrake, the best thing to do would be to get the logs from one of the conversions that fails, and post it on forum.handbrake.fr for support. Several people there have AppleTV players, so they know what the restrictions are on audio CODECs.

Thank you, I will re-examine the Audio CODECs used.

I use the default "AppleTV 3" preset, so I am not sure what to leave in and what to leave out. But, I will experiment until it works or I run out of options.

You are very kind to have offered a suggestion.

Thank you and have a great day!

I use HandBrake, but not with apple tv. I use it for plex, with a Roku. If it was me I would go to the picture tap and turn off the anamorphic. and on the video tab select fast decode. switch h.264 profile to auto and see what that does for you.

I think the idea is to disable the AC3 passthrough track in the audio settings.