Apple TV + Homekit + multi-user

[dhruveonmars]

Does anyone know how I can setup an Apple TV, as an admin of a home, but not the owner?

Currently, to get Homekit support on my Apple TV, I have to get the home owner to set it up, even though I am a home admin. This means that the default account on the ATV is that person, when it’s in a personal room and they don’t need to be on the ATV at all. This also means the only photos in the photos app that show up will be for their account as they are the default user and this can’t be changed.

If I setup the ATV in my own account, it creates a new home instead of adding to that same home, which means I then don’t get access to HomeKit accessories, doorbell and camera previews. And it means I can’t use my Stereo Homepods as default output options for the ATV.

This means, whichever way I setup the ATV, I can’t get the full experience or use all the features fully. Feels like Apple have never fully thought through the process of adding items to a home in Homekit...

 

[McScooby]

I get what you're saying (had to think about it a bit) there's not much I think you can do. I don't have 2 AppleTVs to try things out, but I do know that the AppleTVs don't have to act as home hubs if other devices are available (HomePods/iPads) as you can turn off that in settings, airplay & homekit.

What i'd do in your situation (assuming killing the hub option doesn't work) is just set up all AppleTVs for those that use them (your home owner on theirs & you on your own) & use an iOS/macOS device for the cameras as the home app (which you must have set up the home on) allows you to toggle between homes & will still have access to the cameras/doorbells etc.

Edit: Having re-read this again, is it only the 1 AppleTV you've got? - I was going to say I can access homekit via another user, but my situ is slightly different as it's another user I've got on family sharing, I'm guessing the cameras is a security thing.

 

[dhruveonmars]

I get what you're saying (had to think about it a bit) there's not much I think you can do. I don't have 2 AppleTVs to try things out, but I do know that the AppleTVs don't have to act as home hubs if other devices are available (HomePods/iPads) as you can turn off that in settings, airplay & homekit.

What i'd do in your situation (assuming killing the hub option doesn't work) is just set up all AppleTVs for those that use them (your home owner on theirs & you on your own) & use an iOS/macOS device for the cameras as the home app (which you must have set up the home on) allows you to toggle between homes & will still have access to the cameras/doorbells etc.

Edit: Having re-read this again, is it only the 1 AppleTV you've got? - I was going to say I can access homekit via another user, but my situ is slightly different as it's another user I've got on family sharing, I'm guessing the cameras is a security thing.

Thanks for the suggestion @McScooby. We've got 3. One in the living room, and two personal ones. I tried setting up my personal one with my account, as I didn't mind not having HomeKit on it, as I still have it on my phone, HomePods, so wasn't a deal breaker. But without Homekit, you can't setup stereo HomePods to be the default output of ATV, which was an issue.

Have reset the AppleTV and set it up with the home owners account to get HomeKit, but sadly means I can't have my own photos on it, which makes the photos app (which can't be deleted) completely useless.
I was at least able to change Home Sharing to my Apple ID. Not sure if the home owner can remove themselves from an Apple TV through the home app, the same way residents can add themselves... Will have to see if that's an option, and if it is, if HomeKit would still carry on working with them gone.