Apple Seeds Second tvOS 14.5 Beta to Developers

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Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 14.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta software coming two weeks after Apple released the first tvOS 14.5 beta.

apple tv 4k banner
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 14.5 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

tvOS 14.5 brings support for the latest PlayStation 5 DualSense and Xbox Series X controllers, which can be used to play games from the tvOS App Store and Apple Arcade.

play station dualsense controller
Support for the new controllers has also been included in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, so the latest gaming controller options from Sony and Microsoft are now compatible with Apple's product lineup.

We don't yet know if there's anything else included in tvOS 14.5 in terms of features because tvOS updates are often minor in scale, but the release of tvOS will see Apple begin enforcing its new App Tracking Transparency rules, with developers now required to ask for and receive a user's permission to access their random advertising identifier (known as the IDFA) to track user activity across apps and websites for ad customization purposes.

Going forward, when an app wants to access a person's advertising identifier on tvOS, users will have a prompt with options to "Allow Tracking" or "Ask App Not to Track." Selecting "Ask App Not to Track" will prevent the app's developer from accessing the user's IDFA, and developers will also have to respect the user's tracking preference and refrain from using other invasive cross-app tracking methods.

The main tvOS 14 update released in September brought expanded Picture in Picture support, new HomeKit integration with HomeKit Secure Video cameras, support for multiple ‌Apple Arcade‌ profiles, and more, with details available in our tvOS 14 roundup.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

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Top Rated Comments

upandown Avatar
upandown
59 months ago
Macrumors. Please highlight the framerate issue and development.

Backstory: The Appletv hardware has never supported integer frame rates such as 24.000 FPS. Only fractional frame rates are supported such as 23.976 FPS. This is usually fine however there is more and more content, especially on Netflix that is produced at 24.000 FPS. So there is a skipped frame every 41 seconds or so. The viewer would see a stutter in the content. People like myself have been blasting on the forums and Apple feedback that their hardware doesn’t support a widely used FPS operation. (Side note, most if not all other streaming boxes that are much cheaper support both fractional and integer frame rates)

Two weeks ago: tvOS beta 14.5 beta 1 did something never seen before… it added support for 24fps!! However! They removed support for 23.976fps! With this configuration it presents a similar but opposite issue. Frame doubling when playing back 23.976fps material. It’s being forced to play it at 24fps.

Since beta 2 was released today we will see very shortly what steps Apple has taken to rectify the situation, but considering how our input has fallen on deaf ears for almost 4 years, I’m not too hopeful. So Macrumors please make a post about this in the likely event it’s not fixed today to support both fractional and integer frame rates. I can give links to other forums with better information if needed. Thank you.

EDIT: Well it appears in tvOS 14.5 beta 2 both fractional and integer frame rates are supported!!! Truly a day to celebrate!!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upandown Avatar
upandown
59 months ago
Well it appears in tvOS 14.5 beta 2 both fractional and integer frame rates are supported!!! Truly a day to celebrate!!

Macrumors, I still think this is news worthy considering how long it’s been an issue. It would be a positive post that it’s finally fixed and hopefully it would pressure them to not do something stupid like remove the change. Lol
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
Realityck
59 months ago
Note the Public Beta of this beta2 (tvOS 14.5) is available now that the Macrumors site is back up
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
upandown Avatar
upandown
59 months ago

I noticed with tvOS 14.5 beta 1 that the custom resolutions using DV got rid of 4K 24Hz and made it 30Hz, is that still the case with beta 2?
It is. Hopefully it gets added back with the next beta.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jairopena Avatar
jairopena
59 months ago
Now that the frame rate is finally resolved I just hope for bitstream audio, or at least something that makes PCM louder. I’m using a Sony DH790 receiver and PCM outside Atmos is low compared to DD+
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IT Troll Avatar
IT Troll
59 months ago
Disappointing that MR haven’t updated the article with the frame rate support news. I would argue that this is more report worthy than support for new game controls.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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