HomeKit Apple TV Creating New Home?

[AbSoluTc]

I have a feeling I know what needs to happen but I am trying to understand this. My partner just moved in and brought his HomePod and ATV with him. He had it setup with his own home. That home was removed from his phone. He is set to full access on my Home (always has been) and we have family sharing. His HomePod was setup under me because it wouldn't allow him (kept saying only the owner of the home could do it). The ATV will not find the HomePod even though its on the same network and in the same room. It just creates a new home. "Home 1". Already have a "My Home". He is signed into the ATV as himself, with his Apple ID.

I am guessing, I have to sign in with my Apple ID to make things work. Is that correct? Why can't he have his own stuff in the home?

 

[xraydoc]

I have a feeling I know what needs to happen but I am trying to understand this. My partner just moved in and brought his HomePod and ATV with him. He had it setup with his own home. That home was removed from his phone. He is set to full access on my Home (always has been) and we have family sharing. His HomePod was setup under me because it wouldn't allow him (kept saying only the owner of the home could do it). The ATV will not find the HomePod even though its on the same network and in the same room. It just creates a new home. "Home 1". Already have a "My Home". He is signed into the ATV as himself, with his Apple ID.

I am guessing, I have to sign in with my Apple ID to make things work. Is that correct? Why can't he have his own stuff in the home?

The AppleTV needs to be on one specific account to act as a home hub -- the same account as all the other HomeKit accessories in the house.
If you just want to have an AppleTV and not have it be part of the HomeKit setup, go to settings and turn off the setting for 'Act as HomeKit hub' (not exactly certain how it's phrased on the AppleTV settings).

If you've got the newest AppleTV software, however, you can set up multiple accounts on it. So you can reset the AppleTV, set it up under your ID to run as a hub in your home, then have your partner sign in under his own ID as a second user. That way he can access movies, music, etc., purchased by his account, but it'll still connect to your local HomeKit things.

The HomePod will be the same way. It all needs to be registered to the main AppleID for the home it's in (for it to control HomeKit things), but if he's added as a HomeKit user, it can recognize his voice and access his things on his account.

 

[AbSoluTc]

The AppleTV needs to be on one specific account to act as a home hub -- the same account as all the other HomeKit accessories in the house.
If you just want to have an AppleTV and not have it be part of the HomeKit setup, go to settings and turn off the setting for 'Act as HomeKit hub' (not exactly certain how it's phrased on the AppleTV settings).

If you've got the newest AppleTV software, however, you can set up multiple accounts on it. So you can reset the AppleTV, set it up under your ID to run as a hub in your home, then have your partner sign in under his own ID as a second user. That way he can access movies, music, etc., purchased by his account, but it'll still connect to your local HomeKit things.

The HomePod will be the same way. It all needs to be registered to the main AppleID for the home it's in (for it to control HomeKit things), but if he's added as a HomeKit user, it can recognize his voice and access his things on his account.

Thanks.

I had a chat with Apple last night and they confirmed the same thing even though they said it should work the other way too? I swear Apple support is useless - at least the first level. Senior level techs seem to be more reliable.

The other thing that bothers me is I get the now playing on my lock screen. If someone in the house is playing music in a room to a HomePod, it shows on my phone and I don't like that. I accidentally mess with the volume. I talked to Apple about that and said why does it not go to the person who requested the song? They said that's just how it works.

Dumbest thing ever. Why would it not go to the phone/person playing the music? I don't want it on my phone. Ever. Only when I am playing it.

 

[xraydoc]

Thanks.

I had a chat with Apple last night and they confirmed the same thing even though they said it should work the other way too? I swear Apple support is useless - at least the first level. Senior level techs seem to be more reliable.

The other thing that bothers me is I get the now playing on my lock screen. If someone in the house is playing music in a room to a HomePod, it shows on my phone and I don't like that. I accidentally mess with the volume. I talked to Apple about that and said why does it not go to the person who requested the song? They said that's just how it works.

Dumbest thing ever. Why would it not go to the phone/person playing the music? I don't want it on my phone. Ever. Only when I am playing it.

In this case it's because the music is sourced from the HomePod (if you ask the HomePod "hey siri, play fleetwood mac", the source of the music is the HomePod itself), so iPhones on the local network can act as a remote control. Siri doesn't really know which one of you asked for the music.

If you're using Airplay to stream music from your phone to the HomePod, I don't think others will see the controller pop up on their homescreen.