YouTube TV announces improvements in picture quality and major fixes for Apple TV

2 min readUpdated Apr 22, 2023Apr 22, 20235:19 PM

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YouTube TV has announced via a post on their official Reddit account that it has made some updates to improve picture quality on its apps. The updates have been implemented in response to complaints from users about the streaming quality of YouTube TV and some major bugs specifically on the Apple TV platform

On the Apple TV, a major update (version 1.13+) is coming which will address difficulties with the app opening up to a dark screen, will allow HDR implementation, and fix some bugs with 4k playback. Not addressed with this app version, but available in the app store very soon, will be a solution to the issue in which the application would crash on the first-generation 4K Apple TV when it is left on.

Lastly, the team offered an immediately solution for users experiencing a momentary black screen when switching between content, explaining that this is happening because of the SDR/HDR transitioning that is taking place. The fix involves either setting SDR as content as your default format or disabling range matching altogether, both of which you can change from the Settings > Video and Audio menu.

Aside from the major fixes for Apple TV, the team also announced some new features that will impact all platforms where YouTube TV runs, including mobile.

YouTube TV successfully implemented “Multiview” to all its subscribers in response to the fervent demand during March Madness. Now, the company is working on further enhancements to the feature in order to ensure a seamless experience once the NFL season rolls around. No specific updates were shared in the blog post about what type of enhancements we will see, but as the Football season draws near, we can expect to receive more details soon.

Since we are on the subject of Football and the NFL, YouTube TV added that its users can now access NFL Sunday Ticket by navigating to the “Memberships” page in their settings. Alternatively, they can head to the “Movies & TV” section on YouTube to sign up for the service or explore the various plans that are currently available. For a limited time, interested parties can sign up for a full season package at a discounted price until June 6th.

YouTube TV is also addressing the issue of picture quality on their streams by conducting a series of tests on transcoding modifications in the next few weeks. The tests will involve a boost in bitrate for live 1080p content on all devices that are compatible with the VP9 codec and that benefit from fast internet connectivity. Assuming a successful outcome of these tests, the intention is to make this a permanent fixture by the upcoming summer season.

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Questions & Answers

Which specific Apple TV models are experiencing issues with the YouTube TV app crashing?

A solution will soon be available for an issue causing the application to crash on the first-generation 4K Apple TV when left on. This fix is not part of the upcoming major update.

What is YouTube TV doing to improve overall picture quality for all users?

YouTube TV is conducting tests on transcoding modifications in the coming weeks to boost bitrate for live 1080p content. This is for compatible devices with fast internet connectivity.

How can users avoid the momentary black screen when switching between content on YouTube TV?

Users can set SDR as their default format or disable range matching within the Settings > Video and Audio menu. This resolves the black screen caused by SDR/HDR transitioning.

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