Tux Kapono
Level 1 (85 points)
Apple Music

Q: How does one use Airplay while the TV is on?

It seems I can't use Airplay when the TV is on, and I'm not sure if that's possible or what setting I need to change if it is. Anyone know?

 

I have a receiver hooked up to the TV and Apple TV, and once I turn the TV on, Airplay shuts off. When I turn the TV off, Airplay does not come back, I have to hit play again on my iOS device/Mac.

 

Also, when I use Airplay, it skips every 5 seconds, but not when I play music directly through Apple TV. Maybe it's all related.

 

I really don't want to have a screensaver or music menu filling the wall every time I play music, and I'd rather play music through my phone or Mac without any TV presence at all.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11), Early-2013

Posted on Nov 14, 2015 6:55 AM

by Gino_Cerullo,Solvedanswer
Gino_Cerullo Gino_Cerullo
Level 3 (567 points)
Apple TV
A:

So I tried it on my system as I think I have a setup similar to yours. An A/V receiver, TV and Apple TV all connected using HDMI. Apple TV and TV connected to A/V receiver so the receiver is the hub so-to-speak (all device switching is done by the A/V receiver.) I AirPlayed audio to my Apple TV from iTunes on a Mac while the TV screen was turned off and the audio played as normal from speakers connected to the receiver. As soon as I turned on the TV the sound stopped playing form the speakers. As far as iTunes was concerned it was still connected to the Apple TV and playing and the album artwork was displayed on the TV screen for the current album that was playing. HDMI-CEC is disabled on all devices (always has been in my case as it gave me problems even before I hooked up the new Apple TV.)

 

When I have time I'll hook up the older Apple TV 3rd Gen and see if it behaved the same way. Incidentally, I normally AirPlay audio only to a different receiver hooked up to an AirPort Express which is why I never came across this issue in the past.

 

Also, their is a setting on the new Apple TV in the Remote s and Devices setting under Home Theatre Control for turning off HDMI-CEC control on the Apple TV. It is labelled ,"Turn On Your TV with Your Remote."

 

As for the second issue you reported. I am not experiencing that issue. If I hit menu on the Siri remote in that case the music keeps playing. But reading your post it seems your Apple TV is connected directly to your TV where as in my case the Apple TV is connected to my A/V receiver. That may be the difference.

Posted on Nov 16, 2015 2:34 PM

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Tux Kapono

Q: How does one use Airplay while the TV is on?

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  • by Gino_Cerullo,

    Gino_Cerullo Gino_Cerullo Nov 14, 2015 1:24 PM in response to Tux Kapono
    Level 3 (567 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 14, 2015 1:24 PM in response to Tux Kapono

    Just noticed something else. I was AirPlaying an audio only podcast from my iPad to the Apple TV with the TV turned off. When I turned on the TV the audio was interrupted while the screen came on but it did continue to play the audio once the picture came on.

     

    I then tried the same experiment again as before, AirPlaying from iTunes on the Mac and again the audio was interfered with while the screen came on but then continued to play the audio once the screen picture came on. So it appears to be hit or miss whether turning the TV on will interfere with the audio playing.

  • by Gino_Cerullo,Helpful

    Gino_Cerullo Gino_Cerullo Nov 16, 2015 2:35 PM in response to Tux Kapono
    Level 3 (567 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 16, 2015 2:35 PM in response to Tux Kapono

    I think I figured out what the problem is and it has to do with the HDMI/HDCP handshake. The HDMI/HDCP handshake is the initial handshake between HMDI connected devices related to Digital Rights Management (DRM). When HDMI connected devices turn on they have to perform this initial handshake that essentially is telling the rest of the HDMI devices it is authorized to play the content being delivered over the HMDI chain. I've experienced this handshake interference before when I turn on my home theatre components. If the last thing I turn on is the TV, the sound coming out of the A/V receiver will be temporarily interrupted until the screen comes on.

     

    So, what is happening in your case, and I experienced it as well, is that when you turn on the TV, the HDMI/HDCP handshake is interrupting the audio from your Apple TV and once the handshake is complete the audio flow is not being recovered.

     

    If you do a Google search for HDMI handshake you will find plenty of posts by people describing this type of interference and and how some device do not recover from it.

  • by Tux Kapono,

    Tux Kapono Tux Kapono Nov 16, 2015 2:37 PM in response to Gino_Cerullo
    Level 1 (85 points)
    Apple Music
    Nov 16, 2015 2:37 PM in response to Gino_Cerullo

    Oops, I check the wrong post as 'this solved my question' - it was the last message on this second page, not the previous page. Anyway, thanks for the answer, that seems to explain what's going on!

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