This trick acquired my Xbox and Blu-rays to play good with my HomePods

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 individuals — judging from anecdotes — are selecting to make use of HomePods as wi-fi audio system for his or her

Apple TV 4K
. It isn’t all the time essentially the most cost-effective house theater choice, however it’s good to get rid of muddle, and even a pair of HomePod minis can sound surprisingly good. A pair of full-size HomePods taking part in Dolby Atmos materials is a factor to behold.

Some individuals do not realize, although, you could funnel audio from extra sources than simply your Apple TV. The truth is, absolutely anything related to your TV ought to work, together with cable bins, sport consoles, and Blu-ray gamers. The catch is that you just want a selected {hardware} and software program setup for the whole lot to work correctly — and as soon as you’ve got acquired it going, you could end up caught within the Apple ecosystem until you are keen to shell out much more money for a substitute. I will clarify the whole lot it’s essential know.

What {hardware} do it’s essential get began?

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 rationalization is that it permits audio system and different audio gear to ship their content material by way of

HDMI
, reasonably than devoted audio cables.

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

Unavoidably, you will additionally want a second- (2021) or third-generation (2022) Apple TV 4K. The primary-gen mannequin merely is not appropriate with Apple’s pass-through tech, and there is no methodology to attach HomePods on to a TV. As a substitute, they must be arrange within the

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

You’ll want to use the appropriate HDMI cable, too. You may want an HDMI 1.4 cable or higher for ARC, and HDMI 2.1 or later for eARC. There must be some model marking on the cable you are utilizing. If not, you’ve got solely acquired two choices: testing a cable to see what it is able to, or shopping for a substitute is appropriate.

You should utilize both one or two HomePods, however if you happen to plan to make use of a pair, they must be the identical mannequin and era — you possibly can’t hyperlink a full-size HomePod and a HomePod mini, for instance, or a first-gen and a second-gen. I might strongly advocate shopping for a pair — it is the one option to allow stereo and

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

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How one can get sport consoles and Blu-rays to play by your HomePods

All of the steps it’s essential know

Apple

So that you’re conscious, I am not going to run by the complete setup processes for Apple TVs, HomePods, or the Apple House app. That will prolong issues needlessly, since Apple offers fundamental setup info within the Apple TV and HomePod bins. I’ll point out when every setup must occur, although, because you could be unboxing the whole lot for the primary time.

Comply with the steps beneath. In case you’ve already acquired 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 > Basic > 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 a minimum of HDMI 1.4 for ARC, and HDMI 2.1 for eARC.
3. If it’s essential, end establishing your Apple TV, together with assigning it to a room in Apple House. If you have not already arrange Apple House, 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 either side of your TV if you happen to’ve acquired a stereo pair. Within the House app, you’ll want to assign your speaker(s) to the identical room as your Apple TV.
7. Nonetheless in House, go to … > House 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 mechanically prompted to make use of your HomePod(s) for TV audio. If not, use Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Output choices as a substitute.
10. Be certain that all of the secondary peripherals you need to use HomePod output (consoles, Blu-ray gamers, and many others.) 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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Further notes

Troubleshooting, and the downsides of utilizing HomePods

In case you’re nonetheless having bother, verify 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 right port. Most TVs have a number of HDMI ports, however just one geared up 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. In case you pull it out of the loop, a HomePod will lose its reference to the TV. That is a serious discouragement to leaving the Apple ecosystem, so that you may need to select a standard soundbar as a substitute if you happen to’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 House, there’s additionally the potential for issues from wi-fi interference or dangerous settings within the House app. To repeat, your Apple TV and HomePod(s) must be assigned to the identical room in the identical house — if not, they will not be capable to see one another.

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