Can you stereo two Homepods?

[scaramoosh]

Just wondering if you can buy two and stereo them? I’ll want to use them as Apple TV speakers as well when I watch content.

Also does Airplay still suck? last time I used it, there was a like 2 second delay when trying to play games.

Finally can you Bluetooth it with anything? Cause I’ll want to stream from non Apple devices.

Thanx.

 

[OllyW]

Using two for stereo will come later this year with a software update. Bluetooth streaming hasn't been conformed yet.

 

[scaramoosh]

Ah ok I’ll wait then, hopefully Airplay 2 will Fox the latency issues of Airplay.

 

[casperes1996]

Ah ok I’ll wait then, hopefully Airplay 2 will Fox the latency issues of Airplay.

As far as I know, AirPlay 2 won't better the latency, but it will improve the buffer time for long playing media. The latency however might be improved with a better home router

The buffering I mentioned means simply that if you listen to music, podcasts, etc. (anything that's fixed and not based on user input like a game would be), the RAM in the speaker itself will hold several minutes of data, so even if the AirPlay connection is lost for 1 minute or so, the audio won't stop

 

[Julien]

As far as I know, AirPlay 2 won't better the latency, but it will improve the buffer time for long playing media....

I seem to remember Apple saying it would and here is what 9to5 Mac says.

"...AirPlay 2 marks the first major upgrade for the audio streaming feature since its original introduction 7 years ago. Apple touts that the standard reduces lag and latency...."

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/24/airplay-2-rolling-out-ios-11-3/

 

[casperes1996]

I seem to remember Apple saying it would and here is what 9to5 Mac says.

"...AirPlay 2 marks the first major upgrade for the audio streaming feature since its original introduction 7 years ago. Apple touts that the standard reduces lag and latency...."

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/24/airplay-2-rolling-out-ios-11-3/

OK - Just wasn't mentioned in their talk about it at WWDC, but that may just be because developers didn't have to change any of their code to get that functionality, as opposed to the extended buffers that require explicitly telling the AirPlay system that you're sending long form media.

 

[maflynn]

OK - Just wasn't mentioned in their talk about it at WWDC,

Yeah it was, and Apple of course would for people to buy multiple units, so why not set up technology to use them like that. Too bad that option isn't available on day one

 

[casperes1996]

Yeah it was, and Apple of course would for people to buy multiple units, so why not set up technology to use them like that. Too bad that option isn't available on day one

That quote was not about the stereo feature, but about the reduced lag. Also I referred to one of the tech talks, not the main keynote

 

[canyonblue737]

iOS 11.3 in beta now and due this spring has Airplay 2, so hopefully the HomePod updates will be coming this spring and not later this year.

 

[scaramoosh]

The latency thing will be make or break for me, Bluetooth doesn’t have it but Airplay does... so bizarre. It’s not even a small amount either, it means anything that requires your input is not viable... like gaming.

That said I want stereo wireless speakers that are separate like these. These are cheap if they perform well... which they should as my main problem with current speakers is the poor integration and software.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Re: Airplay 2 - last night I noticed my Apple TV's were both updated to beta tvOS versions that mentioned Airplay 2 in that particular area of Settings.

 

[symphony]

OK - Just wasn't mentioned in their talk about it at WWDC, but that may just be because developers didn't have to change any of their code to get that functionality, as opposed to the extended buffers that require explicitly telling the AirPlay system that you're sending long form media.

Did you even bother to watch the actual AirPlay 2 keynote during WWDC, or did you just watch the main event for it?

 

[casperes1996]

Did you even bother to watch the actual AirPlay 2 keynote during WWDC, or did you just watch the main event for it?

My entire post referred to the tech talk about AirPlay 2, not the main keynote. Though I may be mistaken, since it is a while since WWDC and I'm not implementing AirPlay into anything myself

 

[scaramoosh]

Apple finally lists all the ways you can play audio on HomePod, and Bluetooth isn’t one

[doublepost=1517697810][/doublepost]Well then the speaker is useless.... Apple just get worse it seems... no wired connections and no Bluetooth support.. what is the point?