Although the main idea behind a smart speaker is to use the voice assistant to give instructions and commands, these products often offer many more uses than are immediately apparent. Apple's smart speakers can also be used as stereo speakers for your TV. Many users say they are absolutely delighted with this functionality, and it's no wonder, since one of the great strengths of both the original model and the HomePod mini is their audio quality. So, if you're considering this option, we'll tell you everything you need to know about using the HomePod as a speaker for your TV.
HomePod as your TV speaker
Unlike other smart speakers that do offer the ability to be paired with any Bluetooth-enabled device, Apple's HomePods do not. And not only that, even with televisions with AirPlay support it is not something that is allowed either (at least for now).
Therefore, the only truly reliable way to use the HomePod or HomePod mini as a TV speaker is through Apple TV. This not only allows you to stream audio from any app or service you're using, but also gives you access to future features and an enhanced experience.
And with the Apple TV 4K in particular, you could even use the HomePod as a Dolby Atmos sound system . This is especially interesting and offers a unique experience that isn't yet commonplace, although it is a bit easier with the AirPods Pro and their support for spatial audio.
What devices do I need?
However, at this point, what else do you need to know about using the HomePod (original and mini) as speakers for your television. Well, let's go in parts:
- The first thing is that you can use your Apple TV as a player and that the sound comes out of the HomePods, wherever they are, without even having to have the TV on
- When configuring a stereo set, it can only be done with two identical models. That is, you can use two HomePods or two HomePod mini to have stereo sound, but never mix one and one. This limitation is quite logical, and it applies to competing models as well, so it doesn't surprise us at all.
- Only HomePod allows you to enjoy immersive 7.1 sound and Dolby Atmos to create a home theater experience thanks to its spatial audio support. The HomePod Mini does not support such an option, presumably due to technical factors.
How to connect HomePods to Apple TV
Now that you know all the options, let's see how the connection process is between the different HomePods that you want to use and the Apple TV. You can use a single device, or combine a pair of speakers for higher quality stereo sound. There are several methods to do this, so choose the one that best suits your needs. The simple method will work fine for you if you only have Apple TV 4K and HomePod. If you want a somewhat more complex installation, you will have to use the advanced method, which is used to output audio from HomePods to other third-party devices.
Easy method: playback via AirPlay
- The first thing you have to do is make sure that both HomePod and Apple TV are updated to the latest version available.
- Once you've started playing content on your Apple TV, press the Home button on the Siri Remote. This will open the Control Center
- Select the AirPlay option
- Next, choose the HomePod to start playing through it the sound of what you are playing with your Apple TV
This is the conventional method, but as we explained above, with version 14.2 of iOS and iPadOS the Home Theater option arrived (exclusive to the original HomePod) and thanks to it you can pair the speakers permanently and by default. Thus, when you use your Apple TV 4K you will not have to do anything extra, but all the sound will automatically be played by the HomePod.
This process for using the HomePod with the Apple TV 4K is as follows:
- Open the Casa App from your iOS or iPadOS device
- Long press on Apple TV and then tap on the gear icon to access the settings
- Tap on the Default audio output option and select the HomePod or the pair of HomePod speakers (remember that both must be identical)
- Done, from now on everything will sound through them, even navigation clicks
As a last piece of advice, Apple recommends that if you use only one HomePod it is centered and a maximum of 25 cm from a wall. In the case of using two, for this surround experience to gain effectiveness, both speakers should be approximately 1,2 meters apart.
Likewise, although using the HomePods as speakers for the television can be very striking and even attractive, it may be much easier and more economical to resort to such a task for a sound system designed for the television, for any television model and without rely on an Apple TV.
Advanced method with stereo support
You'll need to complete three steps to connect your HomePod to your Apple TV. You'll also need an iPhone or iPad with the Home app already installed and set up. Finally, make sure both your HomePod(s) and Apple TV are updated to the latest software version. Once you have those, let's get started:
Using two Apple HomePod devices is recommended for a good experience. However, if you only want to set up one unit, you can skip this step. The process is as follows:
- Open the Home app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Touch and hold the HomePod icon.
- Scroll down and tap Create Stereo Pair.
- Select the HomePods you want to pair.
- Adjusts the audio output so that they are assigned to the correct audio channels.
Once this procedure is done, your pair of HomePods will be ready to be used.
set up a room
Now it's time to place both the pair of HomePods and the Apple TV in the same room in the Home app. If you have never done this procedure, it is as follows:
- Open the Home app on your iOS device.
- Tap on the '+' icon at the top left of the screen.
- Hit 'add room'.
- Give the room a name. Tap on 'Save' and you're done.
After the stay, perform these steps:
- Within the Home app, in the main menu, touch and hold the HomePod icon.
- Scroll down and tap 'Room-
- Select the room that you have created in the previous steps or the one that you already had previously configured and you are going to use.
- Touch the icon to save.
- Repeat the process with the Apple TV, adding the device to the same room as the HomePod (or the pair if you've paired them and want to use them in stereo mode).
Final Steps: Set Up TV Output
Finally, we need to activate the eARC function on the second-generation Apple TV 4K . This allows the Apple TV 4K to receive audio from other outputs on the TV and transmit it to the HomePods in the same room. It's also worth checking your TV's manual to see if the ARC/eARC functionality is limited to a single HDMI input. If so, make sure your Apple TV 4K is connected to the correct port; otherwise, you could drive yourself crazy trying to find the problem.
Once you have everything ready, follow these steps:
- Go to the Settings app on your Apple TV 4K
- Select Video and Audio.
- Select Audio Output.
- Set your HomePod as default audio output.
- In the ARC options, select 'Play Audio from TV'.
Now, your Apple TV 4K will check if your TV supports the ARC/eARC standard. If it does, it will begin wirelessly streaming audio to your HomePod. And it won't be limited to what you play on the Apple TV, but will stream audio to everything coming through the TV. With this trick, you can take full advantage of the synergy between the Apple TV 4K and HomePod devices . This combination will significantly enhance your experience when watching movies, TV shows, or playing video games in your living room.
Is it worth doing this process?
It all depends on the audio quality of your home speakers. Setting up this system with the original HomePod is more appealing than with the Mini, as it generally offers very good audio quality .
However, if you are looking for a stereo system, it is not very convenient to use the HomePods as a fixed system. Apple's smart speakers are quite expensive, so it doesn't make much sense to use them continuously next to a TV or computer. For a lot less money, you can get a well-functioning audio system and put HomePod to do what really works for it.
However, the possibility is there, whether for occasional use or to satisfy your curiosity for an afternoon.