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HomePod + Symfonisk stereo pair + eARC

  • September 8, 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 1470 views
L

I am using eARC via my Apple TV to play audio from my TV ( LG C1) to my HomePod. That seems to be working fine except that it doesn’t seem to recognize the Symfonisk stereo pair that I also have connected to the Apple TV. Is there a way to play audio to both my HomePod and Symfonisk speakers using eARC, or is playing audio to both the stereo pair and HomePod only limited to AirPlay? 
 

From what I understand, I can’t play audio from my TV to the Symfonisk speakers without another speaker. I believe I read that I can play audio from my TV to the Symfonisk speakers with a Roam using Bluetooth. Would that be the only way to get the Symfonisk speakers to work with the TV outside of a sound bar? (A sound bar would make my life much easier, but I don’t have the space for it.)

Best answer by melvimbe

I can get the HomePod to work with the Symfonisk speakers simultaneously while eARC is enabled, but only with the Apple TV itself and not the other inputs on the TV (eg. cable box, PlayStation).

The issue is when I use the Apple TV with eARC enabled to play audio simultaneously using the HomePod and Symfonisk speakers and then switch to another input, all the other inputs only use the HomePod. 

 

 

I had not realized that Apple TV had ARC/eARC capabilities as a sink for audio from your TV.  Interesting.  Regardless, according to Apple support, this function only works with Homepods, not any other airplay enabled speaker.   What you’re seeing is expected.  Not sure if this is a technical limitation, but I suspect that it is.  Apple, like Sonos, would have a hard time syncing video on a TV with wireless audio, since wireless audio requires some buffering.  

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207117

 

I was wondering if there’s a way to get the Symfonisk speakers to work with the other inputs using the Apple TV, eARC and the HomePod, and if not, if there’s another workaround that doesn’t involve a soundbar.  

One workaround that seems possible would be to group the Symfonisk speakers with a Sonos Roam and pair those three speakers to the TV using Bluetooth, but it seems as if in the best-case scenario, that would likely only mean the choice between the HomePod through eARC or the Symfonisk speakers and the Roam as the TV doesn’t appear to have the option to play audio simultaneously using eARC and Bluetooth.
 

I don’t think that would have good results.  As you mentioned, TVs usually don’t send audio through eARC and bluetooth at the same time.  As well, the Symfonisk probably would be playing behind the homepod, creating an echo effect.

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5 replies

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • September 8, 2021

I believe you have a choice. Sound via eARC to your TV and HomePod, or AirPlay 2 to the IKEA speakers, but not both at the same time. 

Neither company, Apple or Sonos,is interested in allowing you to use both at the same time, and certainly not in a home theater situation. 

Bruce
melvimbe
  • melvimbe
  • September 8, 2021

I believe you have a choice. Sound via eARC to your TV and HomePod, or AirPlay 2 to the IKEA speakers, but not both at the same time. 

Neither company, Apple or Sonos,is interested in allowing you to use both at the same time, and certainly not in a home theater situation. 

 

I thought you could airplay to both homepod and Sonos speakers concurrently?

Danny
Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • September 8, 2021

Right, only if you’re doing AirPlay 2, I think. I don’t believe you can use both the ARC/eARC output and the AirPlay 2 option simultaneously. And AirPlay 2 would only be a stereo signal, and not a home theater signal, at least to the IKEA speakers. Not ‘surround’ information. I’m not sure what signal Apple would send to the HomePod. 

Upon reading my post again, I see I wasn’t clear on that, good catch.

Bruce
melvimbe
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  • September 9, 2021

I can get the HomePod to work with the Symfonisk speakers simultaneously while eARC is enabled, but only with the Apple TV itself and not the other inputs on the TV (eg. cable box, PlayStation).

The issue is when I use the Apple TV with eARC enabled to play audio simultaneously using the HomePod and Symfonisk speakers and then switch to another input, all the other inputs only use the HomePod. 

I was wondering if there’s a way to get the Symfonisk speakers to work with the other inputs using the Apple TV, eARC and the HomePod, and if not, if there’s another workaround that doesn’t involve a soundbar.  

One workaround that seems possible would be to group the Symfonisk speakers with a Sonos Roam and pair those three speakers to the TV using Bluetooth, but it seems as if in the best-case scenario, that would likely only mean the choice between the HomePod through eARC or the Symfonisk speakers and the Roam as the TV doesn’t appear to have the option to play audio simultaneously using eARC and Bluetooth.
 

melvimbe
  • melvimbe
  • Answer
  • September 9, 2021

I can get the HomePod to work with the Symfonisk speakers simultaneously while eARC is enabled, but only with the Apple TV itself and not the other inputs on the TV (eg. cable box, PlayStation).

The issue is when I use the Apple TV with eARC enabled to play audio simultaneously using the HomePod and Symfonisk speakers and then switch to another input, all the other inputs only use the HomePod. 

 

 

I had not realized that Apple TV had ARC/eARC capabilities as a sink for audio from your TV.  Interesting.  Regardless, according to Apple support, this function only works with Homepods, not any other airplay enabled speaker.   What you’re seeing is expected.  Not sure if this is a technical limitation, but I suspect that it is.  Apple, like Sonos, would have a hard time syncing video on a TV with wireless audio, since wireless audio requires some buffering.  

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207117

 

I was wondering if there’s a way to get the Symfonisk speakers to work with the other inputs using the Apple TV, eARC and the HomePod, and if not, if there’s another workaround that doesn’t involve a soundbar.  

One workaround that seems possible would be to group the Symfonisk speakers with a Sonos Roam and pair those three speakers to the TV using Bluetooth, but it seems as if in the best-case scenario, that would likely only mean the choice between the HomePod through eARC or the Symfonisk speakers and the Roam as the TV doesn’t appear to have the option to play audio simultaneously using eARC and Bluetooth.
 

I don’t think that would have good results.  As you mentioned, TVs usually don’t send audio through eARC and bluetooth at the same time.  As well, the Symfonisk probably would be playing behind the homepod, creating an echo effect.

Danny
L
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