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

Among the finest 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 isn’t at all times probably the most cost-effective house theater choice, however it’s good to eradicate muddle, 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, 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, recreation consoles, and Blu-ray gamers. The catch is that you simply want a selected {hardware} and software program setup for every part to work correctly — and as soon as you have obtained it going, you might end up caught within the Apple ecosystem until you are keen to shell out much more money for a substitute. I am going to clarify every part it’s good to know.

What {hardware} do it’s good to get began?

Excellent news and unhealthy information on this one

Apple

Earlier than the rest, you may want a TV with an ARC or eARC port. ARC stands for Audio Return Channel, and the brief 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 customary primarily based on HDMI 2.1, the profit being a lot greater bandwidth — at its greatest providing uncompressed, 192kHz, 24-bit sound. So, whereas each ARC and eARC assist widespread codecs like Dolby Atmos, you will not get probably the most out of your TV with out eARC. Test the labels in your TV’s HDMI ports to see what you are outfitted for.

Unavoidably, you may 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 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.

Remember to use the appropriate HDMI cable, too. You will 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 have solely obtained two choices: testing a cable to see what it is able to, or shopping for a substitute you recognize is appropriate.

You need to use both one or two HomePods, however if you happen to plan to make use of a pair, they should be the identical mannequin and technology — 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 suggest shopping for a pair — it is the one technique to allow stereo and

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

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Easy methods to get recreation consoles and Blu-rays to play by way of your HomePods

All of the steps it’s good to know

Apple

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

Observe the steps under. In case 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. Bear in mind, you want no less than HDMI 1.4 for ARC, and HDMI 2.1 for eARC.
3. If it’s good 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 if you happen to’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. Try 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 a substitute.
10. Ensure that all of the secondary peripherals you wish to use HomePod output (consoles, Blu-ray gamers, and so forth.) 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 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. 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 would possibly wish 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 isn’t solely wi-fi, however linked to Apple Dwelling, there’s additionally the potential for issues from wi-fi interference or unhealthy settings within the Dwelling app. To repeat, your Apple TV and HomePod(s) should 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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