This trick obtained my Xbox and Blu-rays to play g...

Among the best makes use of of Apple’s HomePod is not as a standard

smart speaker
, like an Amazon Echo, which you are often meant to set on tables, cabinets, and counters for music and

smart home
management. As a substitute, a rising variety of folks — judging from anecdotes — are selecting to make use of HomePods as wi-fi audio system for his or her

Apple TV 4K
. It is not at all times essentially the most cost-effective dwelling theater choice, however it’s good to remove litter, and even a pair of HomePod minis can sound surprisingly good. A pair of full-size HomePods enjoying Dolby Atmos materials is a factor to behold.

Some folks do not understand, although, which you could funnel audio from extra sources than simply your Apple TV. In reality, absolutely anything related to your TV ought to work, together with cable packing containers, sport consoles, and Blu-ray gamers. The catch is that you simply want a particular {hardware} and software program setup for every thing to work correctly — and as soon as you have obtained it going, you could end up caught within the Apple ecosystem until you are prepared to shell out much more money for a alternative. I am going to clarify every thing you have to know.

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Excellent news and dangerous information on this one

Apple

Earlier than anything, you will want a TV with an ARC or eARC port. ARC stands for Audio Return Channel, and the quick clarification is that it permits audio system and different audio gear to ship their content material by way of

HDMI
, slightly than devoted audio cables.

eARC
is an up to date commonplace primarily based on HDMI 2.1, the profit being a lot increased bandwidth — at its finest providing uncompressed, 192kHz, 24-bit sound. So, whereas each ARC and eARC help widespread codecs like Dolby Atmos, you will not get essentially the most out of your TV with out eARC. Examine the labels in your TV’s HDMI ports to see what you are outfitted for.

Unavoidably, you will additionally want a second- (2021) or third-generation (2022) Apple TV 4K. The primary-gen mannequin merely is not suitable with Apple’s pass-through tech, and there is not any technique to attach HomePods on to a TV. As a substitute, they should be arrange within the

Apple Home
app, then chosen as audio output on the Apple TV.

Be sure you use the right HDMI cable, too. You may want an HDMI 1.4 cable or higher for ARC, and HDMI 2.1 or later for eARC. There ought to be some model marking on the cable you are utilizing. If not, you have solely obtained two choices: testing a cable to see what it is able to, or shopping for a alternative you understand is suitable.

You need to use both one or two HomePods, however should you plan to make use of a pair, they should be the identical mannequin and era — you’ll be able to’t hyperlink a full-size HomePod and a HomePod mini, for instance, or a first-gen and a second-gen. I would strongly advocate shopping for a pair — it is the one technique to allow stereo and

Dolby Atmos
playback. In fact, you will additionally have to examine if a selected app, video, or track is encoded for Atmos.

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The best way to get sport consoles and Blu-rays to play by means of your HomePods

All of the steps you have to know

Apple

So that you’re conscious, I am not going to run by means of the complete setup processes for Apple TVs, HomePods, or the Apple Dwelling app. That will prolong issues needlessly, since Apple supplies primary setup data within the Apple TV and HomePod packing containers. I’ll point out when every setup must occur, although, because you is perhaps unboxing every thing for the primary time.

Observe the steps beneath. When you’ve already obtained one or two HomePods linked to your Apple TV, skip forward to step 10.

1. Replace your iPhone or iPad to the newest software program by way of Settings > Common > Software program Replace.
2. Join your Apple TV 4K (second- or third-generation) to your TV’s ARC or eARC HDMI port utilizing an applicable cable. Keep in mind, you want not less than HDMI 1.4 for ARC, and HDMI 2.1 for eARC.
3. If you have to, end organising your Apple TV, together with assigning it to a room in Apple Dwelling. If you have not already arrange Apple Dwelling, use the app in your iPhone or iPad first.
4. Replace your Apple TV to the newest model of tvOS by going to Settings > System > Software program Updates and clicking Replace Software program.
5. Flip off your Apple TV utilizing the Siri Distant.
6. Set up the HomePod(s) you are going to use, placing one on all sides of your TV should you’ve obtained a stereo pair. Within the Dwelling app, be sure you assign your speaker(s) to the identical room as your Apple TV.
7. Nonetheless in Dwelling, go to … > Dwelling Settings > Software program Replace to verify your HomePod software program is present. Be affected person.
8. When your HomePods are prepared, flip the Apple TV again on.
9. You ought to be robotically prompted to make use of your HomePod(s) for TV audio. If not, use Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Output choices as an alternative.
10. Ensure that all of the secondary peripherals you wish to use HomePod output (consoles, Blu-ray gamers, and so on.) are related to your TV.
11. Again in your Apple TV’s Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Output menu, choose Play Tv Audio below Audio Return Channel.

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Extra notes

Troubleshooting, and the downsides of utilizing HomePods

When you’re nonetheless having hassle, examine that ARC, eARC, and/or HDMI-CEC are enabled in your TV’s native settings menu (not the one in your Apple TV). You may additionally have to double-check the model in your HDMI cable, and whether or not it is plugged into the correct port. Most TVs have a number of HDMI ports, however just one outfitted for ARC or eARC.

The foremost draw back of utilizing HomePods as a do-it-all audio supply is, in fact, that your Apple TV has to stay completely related. When you pull it out of the loop, a HomePod will lose its reference to the TV. That is a significant discouragement to leaving the Apple ecosystem, so that you would possibly wish to select a standard soundbar as an alternative should you’re not an Apple die-hard.

As a result of the connection between a HomePod and an Apple TV is just not solely wi-fi, however linked to Apple Dwelling, there’s additionally the potential for issues from wi-fi interference or dangerous settings within the Dwelling app. To repeat, your Apple TV and HomePod(s) need to be assigned to the identical room in the identical dwelling — if not, they will not have the ability to see one another.

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