iMore:
Since my hands on with the HomePod, I’ve gotten a number of questions about how the HomePod deals with streaming from Apple Music, iCloud Music Library, AirPlay sources like your Mac, and if iTunes Match works at all in this crazy new world.
Here’s how everything is supposed to work.
This may or may not clear things up for you. The biggest thing I notice is that the HomePod cannot be used as a TV audio out speaker.
this is correct. however, if you have a receiver and it supports AirPlay, you can configure your receiver’s outputs to point to the HP via AirPlay. so if you use optical out from your TV as an input to the receiver, it should play your TV’s audio to the HP. or blueray or cable or whatever receiver modes you have outputting to the AirPlay endpoint (the HP).
Interesting – I’ve only seen receivers that support AirPlay as a source…
My understanding is that once AirPlay 2 is released, you should be able to use the HomePod as a TV speaker from an AppleTV. (Providing limited value…)
By that you mean, one HomePod would provide limited value? Two should be amazing by all accounts so far.
Oh you know, you may be right — I’m thinking Pioneer which has AP receivers, but maybe it’s only as a source. I got the model the year before so haven’t tried this.
I regularly listen to my AppleTV’s audio on a set of AirPods where it doesn’t disturb anyone else. So yeah, I’m sure they’ll add support for AppleTV + HomePod eventually.
I’d love to see Apple make a Playbar competitor with an AppleTV baked in. Would love to move away from Sonos to the HomePod, but the fact I use my Sonos system as part of my home theater is giving me pause.
I was about to say that macOS doesn’t even support FLAC, but I just hit Quick Look on a FLAC file in High Sierra and it played. Huzzah. ?
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No – that it’ll only handle audio coming from the AppleTV. Most of my TV-watching (right now) is what I’ve recorded on my TiVo.
Oh, what could have been.
It took Apple ~10+ years to make truly wireless bluetooth headphones for iPhone. Let’s hope it doesn’t take Apple another 10 years to figure out the value of a HomePod that connects to an ATV wirelessly.
The best reason I can come up with as to why this doesn’t work with TVs or ATV would be sync issues with the video. However, my AirPods connect to my ATV and my TV without any noticeable lag, so there you go.
The A8 in the HomePod tears apart the audio data in the stream or file it is playing and then renders it on its array of speakers using feedback from the array of microphones to constantly adjust for the room characteristics.
That processing must introduce a non-zero lag. Which leads to an A/V sync issue with most dumb TVs. Two smart devices like the HomePod and AppleTV will easily be able to nail down the sync, however.
I think a new device that combines the guts of the HomePod with the AppleTV into one ‘box’ is an obvious avenue for Apple.
All of my TV watching is from my AppleTV, so a pair of HomePods would work nicely for me.
It will work with Apple TVs
Wow, missed that.
That feature is the most useful for me. Yes, more than Siri, Apple Music & Home Kit integration. Although, Airplay 2 & stereo functionality (with two HomePods) should make these far more attractive once they roll it out.
Yeah this seems like a huge miss from Apple.
In order to use HomePod as a smart sound speaker to enjoy Apple Music, iTunes music and audiobooks, you can use this tool https://www.drmare.com/drm-audio-converter-for-mac to help you. It might work for you.