Apple TV 4K to tvOS 15 wireless audio sync issues

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Apple TV 4K to tvOS 15 wireless audio sync issues

this is a new thread for the same question because the original thread (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253207158?login=true) was marked incorrectly as resolved.

I updated my Apple TV 4K to tvOS 15 and now, all my *Apple* devices will not sync audio wirelessly. This includes AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max. Doesn’t matter what I’m watching, or what app/service I’m watching, the audio is out of sync. I tried using the calibrate wireless audio feature in the settings, but when I try it defaults the audio output to TV speakers which doesn’t have any problem…because it’s wired! So not sure what wireless audio sync is good for if it’s only checking if wired audio is synced. The closest fix I could find, but it’s still really out of sync, is setting my video output to 4K Dolby Vision and turning off Match Content and Frame Rate. The problem with that is the TV menus are not in HDR, so if I change my TV’s input and then go back to the Apple TV input channel, the screen starts flashing green and static until I power reset both the TV and the Apple TV. Everything worked flawlessly before the tvOS update…BUT, I have the new Apple TV 4K which doesn’t have a USB-C port…so I can’t downgrade it back to 14.7. Anyone else with similar issues?? I will add that when using my HomePod stereo pair as the default output, the audio seems to be in sync, but if I try to calibrate wireless audio to the HomePods, the Apple TV changes the audio output to TV speakers. And even though it seems to by synced with HomePods, if I temporarily change audio to headphones it goes completely out of sync. I’ve also tried defaulting Video output to every available option and tried wireless audio, still out of sync.

UPDATE: Apple TV is running latest tvOS as of 12/7/21 and the wireless sync between headphones (all apple) or HomePod pair still goes out of sync with every session. I also can’t run the wireless audio sync because it turns the output to tv speakers for the test which does not resolve the issue.

Apple TV 4K, tvOS 15

Posted on Dec 7, 2021 10:15 AM

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Answer 1

vazandrew

Level 8

40,834 points

Dec 25, 2021 9:32 AM in response to AJ4756

AJ4756 wrote:

i have run the sync, apple tech informed me that I should be getting audio out of my HomePod speakers,

That tech is giving misinformation, which is unfortunate but it does happen. As already stated the sound will always come out of the TV speakers and as explained calibrating between phone and external speaker would do nothing to fix the issue. This process has worked like this from the moment it was released.

Downgrading is not supported (on model that have the USB it just means it can connect to computer to restore, but just like a restore on device it will load the latest firmware) and there is nothing wrong with the process as that how it is meant to work (which has also been stated in Apple support articles).

I would suggest contacting Apple again and getting a higher-tiered rep so you can actually fix the issue with the lag. Again, the issue isn't with the fact that the sound comes from the TV speakers (which is normal) but the fact that it isn't fixing your issue with the lag.

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Answer 2

vazandrew

Level 8

40,834 points

Dec 25, 2021 10:11 AM in response to AJ4756

That thread is about a specific set of users who have general sync issues, and not specifically about using this feature. Just to be clear, I am not debating that there are people who have issues but that there is a misunderstanding on how the wireless sync works.

If you used the wireless sync when you set up the HomePod then audio would have come out of the TV speakers just like it does now as that is how it works. Again, the purpose is to take the native ATV output (which is the TV speakers) and use the phone to measure the lag and communicate back so it can fix it. It is not to calibrate between phone and an external speaker.

It's not that there is no sound, but rather you were expecting it out of the HomePod instead of the TV (which is not how it works).

Apple has reconfigured their articles so I can't find the original one at the moment, but I had this quote from it saved "Listen for a special audio tone your Apple TV will play. It will will always play from your TV speakers even if you set your audio output to AirPlay or Bluetooth". It also went on to say if match content is on then it would need to be run multiple times to ensure the different formats were calibrated.

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Answer 3

AJ4756 Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 25, 2021 9:12 AM in response to vazandrew

i have run the sync, apple tech informed me that I should be getting audio out of my HomePod speakers, which is wasn’t, because the output audio auto changes to tv during sync. They said it shouldn’t do that. I was advised to downgrade my Apple TV to the last tvOS 14 version until the issue is resolved, which I would do if I didn’t spend money on the newest Apple TV that doesn’t have a USB port to connect to a computer to downgrade with. So at this point it’s 5-10 minutes of sound in sync followed by a connection reset to get things back in sync then repeat the process every 5-10 minutes.

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Answer 4

vazandrew

Level 8

40,834 points

Dec 7, 2021 10:53 AM in response to AJ4756

The purpose of the wireless sync is to emit the audio out of the TV's speakers and use the phone's microphone to calibrate and negotiate any latency detected between the Apple TV (connected to the TV) and an external device. You need to fully run the sync and see the results. If it fails then move the phone closer to the TV and also raise the volume of the TV's speakers. If it shows as successful but you were still having sync issues then you can contact Apple support to see what else they can suggest.

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Answer 5

vazandrew

Level 8

40,834 points

Dec 7, 2021 11:34 AM in response to AJ4756

Nothing has changed. It has always emitted the tone from the TV speakers.

It needs to use the phone to detect the latency detected against the wired Apple TV output. In the other scenario that would be between phone and external speaker, so it would do nothing to fix Apple TV’s output.

Again, if you did fully run the sync and it was successful but you are still encountering issues then it’s best to contact Apple.

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Answer 6

FumDuk

Level 1

12 points

Dec 28, 2021 7:56 PM in response to vazandrew

This article Adjust video and audio settings on Apple TV - Apple Support under “calibrate audio and video” shows the following bullet…

Wireless Audio Sync: Select to run a test with your iPhone to sync the sound of your wireless speakers to your wired speakers. See Calibrate audio between your wired and wireless speakers.

This implies WIRELESS SPEAKERS (ie: HomePods, HomePods mini) can be calibrated. If that isn’t the case that text is extremely misleading!

This article Calibrate audio between your wired and wireless speakers describes synchronizing wired and wireless speakers, but says select “wireless audio sync” then follow the instructions. For me the procedure ALWAYS play sound out of the TV, which implies its not calibrating wireless speakers at all..

So as it stands, I cannot make sense of apples procedures or instructions, and I have massive lip sync offset (audio late) when using HomePods minis.

Very frustrating.

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Answer 7

AJ4756 Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 7, 2021 11:16 AM in response to vazandrew

Unless it’s changed, when I first set up my HomePod pair, I had a sync issue so when I ran the wireless audio sync the audio came out of my HomePod and the microphone on my iPhone collected the audio to adjust the latency. But now, since it defaults to the tv speakers which are wired directly to the Apple TV through HDMI it never detects delay. Wireless sync defeats the point if it’s using wired speakers.

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Answer 8

AJ4756 Author

Level 1

56 points

Dec 25, 2021 9:49 AM in response to vazandrew

I agree with the misinformation comment. But, if you go to the link to the original thread, you'll see this has been an issue since the end of September when tvOS 15 came out. I've talked with numerous apple techs, each one connecting me to a supervisor which tells me the same thing and has me go through he same steps, and concludes the conversation by saying it baffles them that no sound comes out when the wireless sync is run. When I set up my HomePods I had to do a wireless sync then with my phone and the process was flawless. Ever since tvOS 15 it's been a nightmare.

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Apple TV 4K to tvOS 15 wireless audio sync issues

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