HomePod Occasional problem switching between HomePods.

[yegon]

Having a reoccurring problem that I find is only resolved by rebooting my phone (iPhone X).

I have a HP in bedroom and living room. The living room, where I've used it most so far, works as expected. When I go to the bedroom and change output on my phone to Bedroom HP 50% of the time it just won't connect. The pop up spins constantly and then gives up, defaulting back to iPhone output. This occurs in Music & default Podcast app, and switching via cc.

Only after rebooting the phone does it connect again. Conversely, every time I've switched to the Living Room HP it's worked every time. I've reset the bedroom HP but alas, still happening.

Software or hardware problem? I'm leaning towards software but I wonder if anyone has experienced similar?

 

[yegon]

So no one else is experiencing this?

Sorry for dp, I'm just surprised that searching doesn't yield anyone else have connecting problems. Which leads to me think one of my HomePods is duff and upsetting the other. I swapped them between rooms to see if it was a reception issue but both exhibit the same problem when placed in bedroom. I have a great wifi signal in that room too, so I've ruled that out.

Edit: Hmm, it seems like it doesn't play nice if I've got an AirPod connected at same time.

Edit 2: Problem still occurs, active AirPod or not.

 

[Farsider]

I had this issue for the first 24 hours with my HomePod. Then it mysteriously vanished and Airplay from my iPhone and Apple TV has been rock solid ever since.

Never did figure out what caused it to trip up.

 

[yegon]

Interesting.

When it does work, it’s great. It’s just been an awful experience so far whenever I move between HomePods.

One issue I’m curious about is AirPlay and how long the connection stays active.

If I’m listening to a podcast, pause, then try to resume 5 or 10 minutes later or so, I’ve got to re-select AirPlay as the phone output. Sometimes it loses it within a couple of minutes. Is this by design or is it misbehaving? It’s kind of a deal breaker for me. If I have to keep re-selecting the output I’ll be going back to using my Echo Plus’s. Inferior sound but the BT connection between phone and Echos has always been bulletproof for me, and I use hifi for serious listening anyway.

 

[Farsider]

Try playing the Podcast directly on the HomePod.

I just did this and it works fine:

• "Hey Siri, Play podcast MacBreak Weekly". It started playing.
• "Hey Siri, Pause". Went had a shower.
• <30 mins later> "Hey Siri, Play' and it resumed fine.

I also use my HomePod as an Apple TV speaker and it holds the Airplay stream indefinitely.....unless someone plays audio from a different source and then it switches to that.

 

[maflynn]

Yeah, I find the pause/continue feature to be nice addition, I use that all the time.