iTunes artwork displaying grey square on Apple TV recently added row

[Former user]

I'm experiencing an odd issue with files tagged using Subler with iTunes metadata/artwork. Essentially, pulling the iTunes store tags and artwork for TV shows and saving the files works fine, but when they appear on the Apple TV 4 on the recently added/watched row, they appear with a grey square. They look fine in iTunes itself, and if I navigate 'into' the show via the orange 'Computer' tab that denotes Home Sharing content, the artwork appears on the left side of the screen absolutely fine.

If I go to an older episode of the same show (prior to the start of this issue) and manually copy and paste it into that episode, after getting info on that episode on iTunes it will then work fine. I have noticed in manually getting the artwork for certain shows that Apple is now providing 3000x3000 artwork, whereas before the upper limit was 1200x1200 (up from the older pre-retina max of 600x600). Although I think Subler is pulling 1200x1200 artwork, my manually resizing it a little smaller normally fixes the issue — typically to 1000x1000, or 800x800.

I know this is a bit specific, but if anyone has any theories I'm all ears! The ATV is on the latest version of tvOS, ditto the Mac mini media server running iTunes.

[Damiano Galassi]

I guess I can change it to get a smaller artwork for tv show. Did you already report the bug to Apple?

[Scott Sharritt]

I've run into this same issue as well. For movie posters anything over 800px wide won't display on the AppleTV 4, including artwork imported from iTunes. I'm always having to resize artwork for movies and have started my own library of TV artwork since not only does it need to be no more than 800x800 it also has to be square with the new ATV. Poster size artwork like what is used for movies doesn't display correctly when used for TV shows.

Is there anyway to set a default directory for artwork rather than the default opening to TheTVDB or iTunes import? Neither of those options ever provides useable artwork now.

[Jaffa]

I don't actually think it's to do with size after all. I tagged a bunch of TV shows (about 6-8 separate episodes of various shows) using the iTunes tags without alteration, then added them to iTunes, where the artwork showed up in the recent view without issue. I double checked too and the artwork was 2000(ish)px each way.

(I'm the original commenter btw. Anonymous no more!)

[Damiano Galassi]

Does hit still happens with the latest tvOS?

[Scott Sharritt]

Still happening to me. Even if I have a tv show that works at a higher pixel size, the minute I add a new show with the "oversized" image it messes all of them up. I just recently redid my second season of MAS*H and used the image I had that was 680x680 and all 11 seasons ceased showing the image. I resized down to 600x600 (the highest I can get to be consistently recognized by the ATV) and retagged all the episodes and now all is fine.

I just have to remind myself every time I add something new tv posters have to be no larger than 600x600 and movie poster have to be no larger than 700x1050.

[Damiano Galassi]

Next version will support http://squaredtvart.tumblr.com so there will be some additional square arts available. Does the AppleTV still have the 600x600 limitation?