homepod mini locked to Apple TV

I used to have a homepod mini which I could connect to from all my devices (iPhones, iPads etc). I recently got an apple TV 4K (output to a beamer) and had it connect to the mini when watching e.g. Netflix.


Since then, the two devices (Apple TV + mini) appear joined together as one icon in every single other device and when I e.g. want to stream Spotify to the mini it shows like it's playing but there's no sound. In the home app it shows like the Apple TV is in use instead.


Steaming to the mini now always means streaming to the Apple TV which is almost always in standby, hence no sound.

iPhone XS

Posted on Nov 26, 2022 02:39 AM

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Posted on Nov 30, 2022 03:36 AM

Hi,

Yes that seems to be the issue. However if I don't add the homepods as the default apple TV speakers, every time I turn it on, the sound goes to the projector speakers and I need to temporarily send it to the homepods, which is annoying.

Why does the apple TV need to keep the speakers "hostage" when they are assigned as the default audio output?

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 30, 2022 03:36 AM in response to kamote0628

Hi,

Yes that seems to be the issue. However if I don't add the homepods as the default apple TV speakers, every time I turn it on, the sound goes to the projector speakers and I need to temporarily send it to the homepods, which is annoying.

Why does the apple TV need to keep the speakers "hostage" when they are assigned as the default audio output?

Nov 27, 2022 04:01 PM in response to LogXYZ

Hi LogXYZ,


We appreciate you reaching out to us. We understand that your Apple TV and HomePod mini now shows as one when attempting to use AirPlay.


Is it possible that you may have used your HomePod mini with your Apple TV to create a theater experience?

Set up home theater audio with HomePod mini or HomePod and Apple TV 4K - Apple Support


If yes, let's make sure that feature is disabled first, then check if the behavior persists.

Also, we recommend updating your Apple TV if you haven’t.

While it isn't inherently assured that an update will resolve the issue, updating to the latest version of tvOS for your device can help isolate potential software issues. 

Update your Apple TV




Take care!


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homepod mini locked to Apple TV

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