apple tv airplay error: unable to connect to HomePod. You can switch to TV speakers in Settings

Greetings Robert Myers8,

Thanks for posting in the Apple Support Communities.

We appreciate the provided details in the steps taken to isolate this. Let's check a few things to be sure nothing was overlooked during this process.

With your Apple TV, confirm it has the latest tvOS update installed so we can check that off the list. For assistance with this, take a look at the steps here:Update your Apple TV - Apple Support

Update Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD

1. Go to Settings > System > Software Updates and select Update Software.

2. If there's an update, select Download and Install. 

3. Wait for your Apple TV to download the update. Don't disconnect or unplug your Apple TV until the update completes.

After the update downloads, your Apple TV will restart, prepare the update, then install it. When the update is complete, your Apple TV will automatically restart again.

If you're up-to-date with the latest tvOS version, let's check out the network connection one more time. While we understand you've reset this and checked into it, be sure you're connected to the exact same network name. For instance, you may have a 2.4GHz and 5GHz option provided by your router, so be sure these are the same. If you're using an Ethernet cable, try removing it and connecting to the same Wi-Fi name to see if the results change. Let us know what you find.

Have a great day!