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HomePod Does macOS 10.13.5 not support stereo HPs?
- Thread starter JPGR_Fan
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Just as soon as you update the software for your HomePods, and after you've paired two in stereo, you'll see that stereo pair listed as one of the choices for the audio output from iTunes.
Thanks. I have stereo from an iOS device, and it is just as good as I hoped it would be. However, I expected the update yesterday to macOS 10.13.5 would also recognize the paired stereo Home Pods, but so far iTunes will only let me play one speaker at a time.
OK, I'll try to answer my own question. From an Apple support document dated May 29, 2018 we have this:
Devices you can stream from
- iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 11.4 or later
- Apple TV 4K or Apple TV (4th generation) with tvOS 11.4 or later
- HomePod with iOS 11.4 or later
- Mac or PC with iTunes*
This is from the section about Air Play 2 compatible devices, and the key is the asterisk. So we are stuck with limited support, meaning basically not happening, and they are saying iTunes is the limiting factor.
The document can be found here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208728#airplay2
To be clear, I have not yet updated my iMac (am currently running macOS 10.13.4) and my iTunes recognized my paired stereo HomePods just as soon as I set updated their OS and set them up as a stereo pair.
In iTunes (12.7.5.9)., the Air Play icon at the top of the menu bar and just to the left of center - it shows both the individual HomePods, as well as the stereo pair which are listed lower, under 'switch to'.
Wait, so I can't buy two home pods and use them as stereo out from my MacBook via airplay 2 for all audio on the Mac?
The audio choices for sound output on my iMac (via the Sound control panel in System Preferences) does not show the stereo pair, it continues to show the individual HomePods.
The OP asked about iTunes, systemwide support sounds like a feature request for 10.14. Considering that they just introduced iTunes AirPlay 2 yesterday, I would not be surprised if it might take them some time.
The macos 10.13.5 support for homepods stereo pair / Airplay 2 is well inferior to the one of ios 11.4.
The screens below show this. I have 3 homepods ("HPD_Mesa", "Porta Q" and "Tomada"). Two Homepods (“Porta Q” and “Tomada”) form a stereo pair.
In Itunes they are partially recognized (under the "Computer" menu, which makes it possible to select multiple destinations, the homepods appear all separated - blue rectangle for “independent homepod“ and green rectangle for the two that form the stereo pair).
Only in the "Switch to" menu I can select the stereo pair - orange rectangle (but in this case, I can not, for example, send the same song to the pair and to the other homepod). In the system sound menu (other than itunes), there is also no recognition of the stereo pair.
The screens below show this. I have 3 homepods ("HPD_Mesa", "Porta Q" and "Tomada"). Two Homepods (“Porta Q” and “Tomada”) form a stereo pair.
In Itunes they are partially recognized (under the "Computer" menu, which makes it possible to select multiple destinations, the homepods appear all separated - blue rectangle for “independent homepod“ and green rectangle for the two that form the stereo pair).
Only in the "Switch to" menu I can select the stereo pair - orange rectangle (but in this case, I can not, for example, send the same song to the pair and to the other homepod). In the system sound menu (other than itunes), there is also no recognition of the stereo pair.
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OK but that shouldn't be necessary - my system is still at 10.13.4 and the stereo pairing is functional with my iTunes now.
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If by 'master sound output' you mean the sound settings available using your System Preferences, then the stereo HomePod pair is not available in that way on my system, but it is available when playing music using iTunes.
I look at this as a delay, just like AirPlay2 in any fashion was delayed. I think Apple will put this together, and even speculate that the awkward delay in macOS 10.13.5 may have been them trying, but failing, to get everything to work together. Not sure it is a macOS 10.14 request, really don't want to wait that long. On the other hand, this stereo pair, limited to iOS, is very satisfying, worth the wait, and is my favorite music system (together with Apple Music) of my seven decades.
I also can't get iTunes (12.7.5.9) on my iMac (macOS 10.13.5) to stream audio correctly on my stereo pair HomePods. Unlike iOS, the two HomePods show as two separate speakers. Selecting one seems to auto-select the other, but then the music only comes out of one HomePod. Streaming from my iPhone X (which shows the HomePod stereo pair as one option) works fine i.e. music comes out of both speakers.
I think the 'Switch to:' options at the bottom of the AirPlay list in iTunes is about selecting a 'source' i.e. AirPlay devices that can independently stream e.g. Apple Music. If I attempt to select one of those as an 'output' it says I have to sign in to Apple Music to play songs on my HomePod. I don't have an Apple Music subscription, so although I correctly enter my AppleID password nothing happens.
I'm hoping this is just some bug related to iTunes and not having Apple Music and it will hopefully be fixed soon.
I think the 'Switch to:' options at the bottom of the AirPlay list in iTunes is about selecting a 'source' i.e. AirPlay devices that can independently stream e.g. Apple Music. If I attempt to select one of those as an 'output' it says I have to sign in to Apple Music to play songs on my HomePod. I don't have an Apple Music subscription, so although I correctly enter my AppleID password nothing happens.
I'm hoping this is just some bug related to iTunes and not having Apple Music and it will hopefully be fixed soon.
Assuming, you did the pairing with an iOS device already, first, you see the two speakers in iTunes and when you start it should change and look like in the attachment. In that case it is stereo-paired. Before the update it was "Living Room + Living Room (2) above the title of the music where it says "Living Room" now. There was a hiccup when I tried first, but it's been working since then.
Amazing screen shot, not the behavior I have ever seen in iTunes, especially the two lines of the title of the piece, not the drop down you show. In classical music (and all other music) you get and need more information there, two lines worth, not Living Room (unless that happens to be the title of the piece). Anyway, are you on iTunes 12.7.5 and macOS 10.13.5?
Yes, it's macOS 10.13.5 and iTunes 12.7.5.9. I think Apple has quite a bit of work to do to make the stereo-pairing more intuitive in iTunes. The implementation in iOS works seamlessly. In iTunes, you get some information about the composer/artist in the moving title bar but the all caps 'LIVING ROOM' looks very 1990s.
Just found this: https://www.kirkville.com/why-is-airplay-2-not-available-for-the-mac/
There is an interesting reply on the behavior of Airfoil after the updates.
There is an interesting reply on the behavior of Airfoil after the updates.
To me it seems that AirPlay 2 is somewhat implemented with 10.13.5 but it's less than ideal. I have to check both HomePods in the iTunes dropdown menu, then switch from computer speakers to 'Living Room' and then start the music. The other odd behavior is that the Equalizer is grayed out, but at least there is decent stereo separation unlike before the update.
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