HomePod Any quick way to target like 10 homepods at once?

[podfrog]

So, I’ve got like a dozen homepods. When I use the AirPlay device selection screen from my iPhone or iPad and want to play something on all of them, I need to tediously tap each one. And… while i’m doing that the interface is simultaneously moving them around as it groups them all under a single expando group (which can result in tapping the wrong thing). I find this to be kinda annoying and wish there was a quick way to choose all of them — HomeKit maybe?

If they were recently grouped that seems to be remembered for a while, so they’re all in a single expandable group. But eventually they get ungrouped for whatever unknown reason.

Can I be saved from my excessive HomePod nitemare?

 

[Phil77354]

This sounds like a perfect opportunity to use the Shortcuts automation either on macOS or iOS depending on how you are controlling your music.

Also the Scenes feature in HomeKit may be of use - you could put all of the HomePods into one scene and possibly control them in that way.

Unfortunately I am no expert on doing that but others here may pick up on this discussion and be able to provide more detailed guidance if you are not familiar yourself with how these work.

 

[iStorm]

This sounds like a job for Siri. Just tell her "Play this in My Home"...or whatever you named your home. "Play this everywhere" should work too. (Or say the name of a room if you just want it in that room.)

I only have one HomePod mini, so can't confirm 100%; but when I do it, she switches it to my HomePod and then says it's playing everywhere. I tried this while playing Apple Music, and while playing a video in YouTube on my phone.

 

[podfrog]

Thanks. I've tried that Siri approach using Zones in the Home app. This kind of works, but only in certain situations:

• If I ask Siri to play music from Apple Music it works. I can say, play this everywhere, or play this downstairs, etc.
• If I airplay something from my phone (ex. a podcast from Overcast), Siri just says sorry I can't do this when asked the same thing.

Have tried the Shortcuts approach too. Is possible to group a bunch of accessories together and play something. But the list of 'somethings' does not include the currently output of the phone. If the shortcut is written to group, play silence, and the transfer the phone's audio to one of the speakers in the group, it only plays on that one speaker while the rest of the group continues to play the silent track.

I wish the AirPlay selection UX on the phone allowed selection of Zones rather than just individual airplay devices.

 

[pup]

In my experience, Siri/HomeKit does a terrible job of picking speakers. If it works for others, then great for you; but ten times out of ten when I try it, only a random handful of speakers get turned on, if any, and only after a long wait.

I’ve also tried shortcuts and I can’t remember the problem there but there was one.

The answer should be that apple lets you group sets of speakers like you do a playlist, then just hit that one button for whichever group you want to play to. But that would require adopting a user oriented UI element, which is verboten in the halls of apple today.

 

[malcky77]

Easiest option for playing music on all my 4 HomePods is to ask Siri “hey Siri, play ……. Everywhere.
I am directing my vocal request to the HomePods for this though….not starting it via a iPhone or iPad.
I only use my phone or iPad to skip tracks or change what I’m listening to etc.