Hi, My Apple TV 1st generation is showing the apple logo and the amber light keeps blinking, after a while it shows a little Apple TV with a question mark blinking on top, any ideas?

Question

Well my question says it all.  I wasn´t using the apple tv, but noticed that the amber light started to blink, so I put it on the tv and there was the apple logo.  I did the recory with the "MENU" + "-" button, but came back the same.  After a while it showed a little Apple TV image with a "?" mark blinking on top.  I disconected it the whole night but today is doing the same. Is like it got stuck on the restart. Can anyone help me?

Answer 1

Fixed it after trying everything listed here with no success.
First you will need to make sure you have the ability to connect your ATV box directly to your router via a cable.  This issue is directly related to networking from my experience and once connected to wifi you will have a nightmare of a time to complete the fix.
1.  Make sure you have NO network connection to the ATV box.
2.  Hard reboot ATV using remote (aim remote at device and hold "menu" and "down/minus" until amber light blinks)
3.  When ATV reboots to a diagnostic menu select "Factory Restore"
4.  After Restore has completed select a language
5.  You cannot skip the the wifi selection screen without setting up a connection, however: DO NOT SETUP WIFI!  Instead plug in the direct cable to your router, and hit the menu button on your remote.  You will see "connecting to network."
6  Once you are past the start up splash video you will eventually arrive at the connect to itunes screen which will start looping the apple logo and a new code about every 2 seconds.  Disconnect the network cable.
7.  After a few seconds the loop will stop.  Press the menu button to skip the itunes connection (you will be able to do it later.)
8.  At the following menu go to Settings > Screen Saver > Set delay for "Never"
9.  Go back to the main menu, then go to Settings > Network > Configure TCP/IP > Click on "Using DHCP"
9.  Click "Done"
10.  Connect cable to router, and then proceed with updating your ATV.
After I was updated the problem did not return.
I have completed this solution personally twice on the same unit.  After getting updated and stable, I recovered my ATV again, and had the same problems again.  Repeated these steps and good to go.
Hope this helps someone, and good luck!