Solution: AirPlay freezing when screen mirroring from iOS devices to Apple TV 4K (2021 model) with HomePod Speaker Pair as Audio Output

Approximately 5 seconds after starting screen mirroring to my new Apple TV 4K (from my iOS devices (iPad Pro 2020 and iPhone 12 Pro) the screen on my Apple TV was freezing and would not recover until I ended screen mirroring. After troubleshooting, I determined that the screen mirroring freezing only happens when my HomePod pair is configured as the audio output for my Apple TV. Although I restarted all my other devices, I hadn’t previously thought to restart my HomePods, but once I did this has resolved the issue (being going strong for a few minutes now, so we’ll see if it lasts).

Putting this out there for anyone else who may be having the same problem, because I was pulling my hair out for a while.

Apple TV - 2021 latest version Model A2169, tvOS 14.6 (18L569)

HomePods - MQHV2LL/A, HomePod OS 14.6