How to Use Your HomePod as a Speaker for Your Apple TV

[H3LL5P4WN]

Are you talking about watching videos on Apple TV? Because music is very loud but videos are not, in most peoples’ experience

Both, actually. But I'm primarily using it for audio from my TV.

 

[ersan191]

If I could somehow get the sound from my tv to output on the HomePod then I could get rid of my stereo.

If the HomePod is paired with my Apple TV can I still AirPlay to it from my phone or must I first un-pair it?

When it’s paired using Apple Music (aka AirPlay 2) to play songs the two devices show up as one (mine says Bedroom Apple TV + Bedroom HomePod for example), and any music you play is played through the Apple TV.

For legacy AirPlay they are separate devices - you can just select the Apple TV though and it will continue playing audio through the HomePod.

The annoying part is that it disconnects if you ask the HomePod to play music via “hey Siri”

 

[JohnApples]

Fortunately, he had his info wrong. You can indeed control playback using hey Siri. He’s since corrected that paragraph of the story. I’m still not sure you’d want to use it as you main TV speaker, but it will do in a pinch.

Oh, that’s actually a relief. I want a HomePod, and i want it to control my ATV *without* using it as a TV speaker, if that makes sense. Hopefully that should be possible?

 

[xraig]

My only ultimate disappointment with this product thus far is 2 home pods are explicitly not designed to work as stereo TV speakers together. If I could replace a set of traditional tower speakers with these puppies, it would be an instant sale.

That functionally is built in to AirPlay 2.0 which the HomePod will support when its released. So it will be there, just give it a little time.

 

[davybe]

My only ultimate disappointment with this product thus far is 2 home pods are explicitly not designed to work as stereo TV speakers together. If I could replace a set of traditional tower speakers with these puppies, it would be an instant sale.

Hi,

Fortunately it is coming 'later this year' to have this feature, where 2 HomePods will act as a stereo pair.
https://www.apple.com/homepod/
[doublepost=1518713462][/doublepost]

What? You unplug your tv? All the components connected to it? Your refrigerator? Microwave? Stove?
....ahhhhh, you get where I’m goin.
[doublepost=1518312687][/doublepost]I see several people saying the HomePod’s volume isn’t very loud when airplaying from Apple TV. It doesn’t sound like it is that loud when playing music directly, either.
Homepod sounds like a joke.

Hi all,

In my personal experience of HomePod for 1/ playing music directly and 2/ playing music from the phone and airplaying it into the HomePod and 3/ playing an iTunes movie on Apple TV while having selected the HomePod as sound output device, that it all works perfectly and the sound goes pretty loud. I did not notice a low sound in case 3, but it is true movie may require a louder output (if you are in movie night mode) than regular music playing (except party mode . The HomePod is powerful for its size but does not go to deafening levels.

 

[shk718]

That functionally is built in to AirPlay 2.0 which the HomePod will support when its released. So it will be there, just give it a little time.

I hope they allow for virtual surround sound - and also allow a persistent connection from ATV to the HP

 

[breather]

When it’s paired using Apple Music (aka AirPlay 2) to play songs the two devices show up as one (mine says Bedroom Apple TV + Bedroom HomePod for example), and any music you play is played through the Apple TV.

For legacy AirPlay they are separate devices - you can just select the Apple TV though and it will continue playing audio through the HomePod.

The annoying part is that it disconnects if you ask the HomePod to play music via “hey Siri”

Thanks for the info.

 

[Bswails]

That’s really disappointing, I wanted to possibly get two HomePods and put them on each end of the tv. If they fix the volume issue and enable volume control through the Apple TV remote do you think two HomePods would be sufficient for a sound bar replacement?

The sound being low just saved me a trip to Best Buy today

 

[webada]

There are numerous stories and comments about the abilities and limitations of a HomePod as used for audio while watching TV/movies.

I really can’t understand wanting that device for that purpose. It’s designed to produce room filling sound for music, it just doesn’t seem suitable. I haven’t seen Apple mention it as a purpose or possibility. It’s great tech that allows HomePod to tune for, and spread around, any given room, but it is still so directionless for use in a home theatre. Apple could make few adjustments to allow for multiple HomePods to be arranged and tuned for home theatre use, or make another soundbar-esque addition to the lineup. But they haven’t done it yet, and haven’t signalled that they intend to.

If you really are considering using HomePod(s) as a home theatre, please reconsider and look into sound bars with subwoofers or other 3.1 audio setups. There are many excellent options that will sound so much better, and be more flexible by working with your other audio/video inputs.

And this is how improvements and innovations die.

It is natural for people wanting the HomePod to be the only speakers for movies, music and smart assistance. Sound bars filled the need of people not happy with TV sounds but does not want a full fledge home theater systems.

Think about the market HomePod can be capturing. It can potentially disrupt the sound bars market. This is what Apple is known for, iPhone killed MP3 players, recording device, pocket camera and handheld gaming..... HomePod has the potential to be the only speakers you need for most people in their house. It isn’t right now. The fact that it doesn’t even work entirely well with ATV is an evidence that the ecosystem wasn’t well thought out and there product was developed in a silo for a very dated purpose.

 

[Gregrobb]

Why is it you have to keep the HomePod plugged in for it to work I just don’t get it couldn’t it have been rechargeable or something I don’t like leaving things plugged in when I’m off to work

15 years ago, a friend had her house burn down. The fire department located the starter-an electronic entertainment system that was OFF but the power standby light was on. She now always unplugs everything but her non-electronic frig. when she leaves the house

 

[@Adamski]

Not sure anyone will see this but just in case, as of this posting using your HomePod in Stereo Pair mode disables the ability to use your HomePod(s) as speakers for your AppleTV. Took a long time to get this answer from Apple over the phone however they did confirm this is a known bug.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

Not sure anyone will see this but just in case, as of this posting using your HomePod in Stereo Pair mode disables the ability to use your HomePod(s) as speakers for your AppleTV. Took a long time to get this answer from Apple over the phone however they did confirm this is a known bug.

Thanks for that. I had submitted it a while ago and haven't heard anything. This is maddening because it used to work.

 

[robbiemc]

Not sure anyone will see this but just in case, as of this posting using your HomePod in Stereo Pair mode disables the ability to use your HomePod(s) as speakers for your AppleTV. Took a long time to get this answer from Apple over the phone however they did confirm this is a known bug.

My stereo pair works perfectly with my Apple TV I can report.