Sometimes when you run into a problem with a device, the simplest solution is the right one.
Recently, I bought a new entertainment center for my living room. It holds my TV, router, and my Apple TV among other things. The problem is, all the devices sit relatively low on the unit, almost at floor level.
It looks good and reduces clutter around my TV, but it created a problem with the Apple TV. It wasn’t working consistently. The IR sensor wouldn’t read signals from the Apple Remote.
Obviously, I thought something was wrong with the Apple TV. First I checked controller in remote, and it was fine. Then I checked for system updates and restarted it. My many years of experience with a computer told me that restarting it definitely should have worked. Nothing.
Finally – after reading some message boards – I figured it out. It just needed a little lift. The Apple TV was too low on the new entertainment center, and this created a bad angle for the IR sensor. (Yes, I know it took me too long to figure it out and that you figured it out two paragraphs ago.)
Anyway, to solve this problem I first stacked the Apple TV on a book. This wasn’t ideal. It looked bad and wasn’t a good long-term solution. Fortunately, I remembered that OWC has the simple and inexpensive answer: The NewerTech NuStand Alloy.
With the NuStand Alloy for Apple TV (or second generation AirPort Express), the sensor had just enough of a boost to go over the edge of the entertainment center so it can more easily pick up the signal from the Apple Remote. It also gives the device better airflow and easier access to cables, along with better looks and functionality.
Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with my oft-used Apple TV. And the simplest and best-looking solution also turned out to be one of the most affordable.
