How to Play MP4 Files on Apple TV without Error?

“… My gen IV ATV won't play some .mp4 movies from my library - it says "this content cannot be played because its format is not compatible with this device", but it plays fine on my Mac and my gen III ATV whether I stream it or airplay it. … What's going on?”

The interesting thing about the MP4 format is that it can contain more types of video files than Apple TV can play. And the most likely reason why your MP4 not playing is that it uses a/v codecs not supported by your ATV. Also, as ATV-supported video formats vary by generation, it could happen that the MP4 supported by one gen of ATVs cannot be played back on another. You may also like to know that not all videos supported by iTunes and other iDevices can play on ATV. But this is not the case other way around.

Anyway, ATV has pretty weak and tricky format support. But there is a possible solution, which is to convert MP4 to H264 with AAC audio, a format that should be supported by all ATVs. Meanwhile, you may want to go into the deeper compression details of your video and know what bitrate, frame rate, etc. your MP4 uses and make some adjustments to them, say, if they are too high, convert them to a lower value.

Also Read: Apple TV MKV | Apple TV AVI | Play DVD on Apple TV | Convert Video to TV Format

WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a professional application to deal with all forms of video conversions. It can be used as an Apple TV converter to turn videos into Apple TV compatible formats. It comes with an Apple TV profile preset for one-click conversion, but it also allows you to change video to other common video formats and manually modify the video settings, including the codec, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, and more. The entire workflow is simple. Free download Free download the software and follow the steps below to convert your MP4 to Apple TV format now.

Step 1. Add the Unplayable MP4 to the Converter

Open HD Video Converter Factory Pro on your PC and enter the “Converter” program. Next, drag your MP4 files into the converter interface. (Bulk support)

Step 2. Choose an Apple TV Format

Click on the format image to open the output format page on the right side of the program. Then, navigate to the “Video” tab and select “MP4” from the formats below. Alternatively, you can open the “Apple” device category and choose the “Apple TV” profile that fits your TV.

Next, open the “Parameter settings” below. In the Video Settings, change the Video Encoder to H264. You can also change the video codec, resolution, bitrate, and frame rate if needed. Now, in the Audio Settings, ensure that the Audio Encoder is set to AAC. Click “OK” to save the changes.

Step 3. Convert MP4 to Apple TV Format

Finally, set an output folder at the bottom of the program and click “Run” to start the conversion. Now, try to play the converted MP4 on your Apple TV and see if it works.

If the problem persists after the conversion, you may need to reach out to the Apple Support Team. But before that, here are some other tips you can consider.

1. Set up a Plex server and stream all your video files through the Plex app on your Apple TV.

2. Download VLC Media Player for Apple TV to access your video files.

3. Upload your video on YouTube or other supported video stream sites, and play it from the Apple TV app.

Now, that’s everything we want to share about how to play MP4 on Apple TV. Thanks for reading. Have a nice day!