HomePod Mini Not Connecting to Apple TV

@Bam Bam - Sorry, but there will be no "fix". Things are working exactly as Apple described in their keynote and in this document:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207705

The relevant quote: "Home theater audio doesn't support HomePod mini or other AirPlay 2-compatible speakers." They are reserving this feature for the big HomePods only.

I certainly don't know the internal details because I don't work for Apple. But this seems pretty conclusive.

BTW, Apple engineers do not read the user forums, these are for users only. It is not a good place for feature requests.

on the advice of another person on this thread, I pressed and held down the button on the Apple TV remote that looks like a screen (rectangle). A panel

popped up that allowed me to select the “room” and then the mini-HomePod speakers. Not ideal but at least it connected.

AirPlay on Apple TV is purely "session based" - like other AirPlay connections, it is dropped after a period of non-use. The only exception is that on Apple TV 4K, you can assign the big HomePods as default devices. They do this with an interesting mix of interactions between the Apple TV 4K and the HomePods, allowing them all to be seen as one device in Apple Home. The HomePods still play music like usual, but instantly become the default audio destination when watching programs on the Apple TV 4K.

This does NOT WORK for the Mini, by design. It is not a bug.

With 14.2 Apple introduced Home Theater Audio. Unfortunately, the HomePod Mini is not able to support this form of output, even when the Mini's are set up as stereo pairs.

The reason you are able to view the Mini(s) in the AppleTV AirPlay menu is because things like music and podcasts can still airplay audio to any AirPlay 2 devices because it's not in HDR/DolbyDS, which I assume is what Apple's "Home Theater Audio" is referring to. This is also the reason you can see the Mini(s) in the AirPlay menu, but cannot select a Mini as a default audio output source in tvOS settings.

I suggest we use the feedback site requesting Apple engineering consider an update to tvOS to support automatic audio-output formatting so it may adjust based off the selected output source. Personally, I don't need Dolby or HDR audio in my bedroom, but the Mini's are certainly an upgrade from the TV's internal speakers.

I purchased 2 Mini's for the purpose of having AirPlay for my bedroom Apple TV. I assumed it was a small glitch that would work itself out with a software update until I happened upon this forum, which led me to research and find that it is simply not possible.

Giving Apple the benefit of the doubt to resolve this "issue" with an update has consequently put me out of the return/exchange window. Had I known this was not a supported feature, I'd have opted to purchase just one HomePod for bedroom audio and left the 2 Mini's on the shelf.

Additionally, the cost of my 2 Mini's (intended for Stereo Pairs for my TV output) falls JUST shy of AirPod's Pro, which are supported for Home Theater output from tvOS even though they're primarily marketed as an on-the-go audio solution. Meanwhile, Apple is marketing a HOME speaker (the mini) that is manipulated and managed in the HOME app and it lacks the ability to be a source of audio for AppleTV located in HOMES while my AirPods Pro have total TV AirPlay functionality.

I literally own every single Apple product released since 2010. I get the latest anything as soon as it comes out. I love the all-Apple-product life because it's one of the most seamless, easy, secure ecosystems of hardware, software, and services in the world. The innovation Apple turns out in their products/services is exciting, inspiring, and doesn't disappoint.

But this time.. for the first time as an Apple user, I am totally let down.

Are you using the Mini, as per the subject of this thread?

On Apple TV 4K, if you set your big HomePod(s) to be in the same room as the TV, it automatically recognizes this and offers to make them the default speakers. Doesn't work with Mini. Don't think it works without a room setup in the Home app.

FoxEone

that worked for me.

for everyone else, make sure they are also in the same ‘room’ in Apple Home.

According to that Apple article listed HomePod minis won’t work for a home theatre setup. If that is the case I am returning them.

Interesting. Hopefully this is a bug in the HomePod mini. With my AppleTV-HD after using AirPlay via the Remote to select my paired HomePods (Big), as long as I do not connect the AppleTV-HD to another speaker/system then every time I turn on the AppleTV-HD it immediately connects to the paired HomePods (Big). I should add that I only stream AppleTV+ (or channels within Apple TV+) via my AppleTV-HD to my Samsung TV so YMMV for other streaming/usages.

"With 14.2 Apple introduced Home Theater Audio. Unfortunately, the HomePod Mini is not able to support this form of output, even when the Mini's are set up as stereo pairs.

The reason you are able to view the Mini(s) in the AppleTV AirPlay menu is because things like music and podcasts can still airplay audio to any AirPlay 2 devices because it's not in HDR/DolbyDS, which I assume is what Apple's "Home Theater Audio" is referring to. This is also the reason you can see the Mini(s) in the AirPlay menu, but cannot select a Mini as a default audio output source in tvOS settings. "

If this were true, it would not have worked at all. But the fact is, it has worked. I've had these things the day they came out and have 6 in the home. I've watched plenty of movies with them in stereo pair. Problem is... one day they work, the next day they don't. Of COURSE you can't get 5.1, or Atmos or any other high end audio from these things... but you can get stereo. And it takes zero technology to simply use these two speakers in stereo to watch TV. Just ask your TV's internal speakers.

This is software glitching 101, and Apple has done jack squat to address it.

That works for me! But it sucks that I can't set it as default... Hopefully this is fixed soon!

That worked for me but for some reason it keeps on defaulting back to tv speakers. Very frustrating!

Even with the updates I still need to select each time I turn the tv on the home pods in the tv. The Apple TV doesn’t show the home pods as default

That worked for me! (after I made sure the HomePod Mini and Apple TV 4K had 14.3 loaded and rested both units). Thanks!

Yes, lots of problems with Apple's latest software releases across its product line (incl. Watches & MacBook XXX's). I have to use this method, i.e. using the Remote, for my AppleTV-HD because Apple did not include a "Default Audio Output" setting in tvOS 14.2 for the Apple-HD, it's just in tvOS 14.2 for the Apple-4K. I won't go into the Watch/MacBook Air battery drain and unlocking issues....