apple tv remote app - volume glitch / poor responsiveness

Question

Level 1

9 points

apple tv remote app - volume glitch / poor responsiveness

Recently upgraded my ATV3 to an Apple TV 4K.

Using it i.a. to stream music from my Mac Mini with tunes library, controlling with the remote app on iPhone 13.

Music streams fine, but the volume slider in the Remote app is very unresponsive and 'skips' from for example 0 to 50% when I am trying to set it to appr 25%. Also have the impression that the initial connection is not as fast as with the ATV3 and it takes longer before the first song starts to play when I open the remote app and hit the play button.

-Both the ATV 4K and the Mac Mini with iTunes have a fixed IP. Other settings are also the same as with the previous ATV3 setup.

-Not sure if relevant, but the ATV 4K is connected to the eARC HDMI of my TV (and which I also recently replaced; previous TV only had standard HDMI).

-The ATV3 is also still connected to the network but now in a different room.

Any thoughts?

Posted on Feb 3, 2022 12:13 PM

Reply

Answer 1

dee221 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 8, 2022 7:28 AM in response to bgmeek

Thank you very much both.

I indeed listen to music on the TVs internal speakers in this room. So the Remote app on iOS tells my Mac Mini with (big) iTunes library to stream to the ATV4K and which is connected to the Sony TV. No soundbar or receiver. The ATV3 now serves as streaming receiver for the Hifi set and which is in a different room. (the audio quality of the latest Bravia XR series is great by the way).
I wasnt aware what you explained re the the ARC input. When setting up the new TV, I decided to use this for the ATV4K because it's so convenient that the TV is auto switched on when I start a stream etc (from any of the iOS devices or the Mac w iTunes) to the ATV4K.
The ATV remote is as responsive as it should be.
Feels as if there is some kind of connection conflict, maybe because of/between the multiple Airplay devices (the two ATVs, the Bravia (which also has Airplay capability, but this doesnt work for streaming from iTunes as far as I have been able to figure out) and the Mac with iTunes. Also have 3 iPhones in the household.

Still have to test disabling ARC and will report back.

Reply

Answer 2

Tim_4_All

Level 3

973 points

Feb 3, 2022 11:50 PM in response to dee221

--Has the Remote delay issue been there since day 1 of the switch to the newer AppleTV box?

-Does the delay happen all the time or just sometimes? For example better responsiveness after a reboot?

-I haven’t used iTunes in a long time so I can’t speak on the App. Have you tried to AirPlay audio from a different app on your Mac, does that volume control also respond sluggish?

-If it’s Airplay + eArc problem as you theorized (using eArc with my new AppleTV gave me miscellaneous trouble with a several year old soundbar), I’m guessing it could happen with any device that Airplay to the AppleTV. What if you try to Airplay audio from your iPhone to AppleTV, is that volume control sluggish too?

If you can isolate this down to an ITunes + New AppleTV box issue or Mac + New AppleTV box, it’d definitely get it closer to a (possible) remedy/improvement.

Reply

Answer 3

dee221 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 6, 2022 7:56 AM in response to Tim_4_All

Just did a bit of testing. Seems the problem with streaming from iTunes to the new ATV is always there. Also noticed that switchting (in the remote app) between which 'receivers' should play from iTunes i.e. the ATV3, ATV4K, jst the Mac containing iTunes or a combination oif these, is also very unresponsive. Swichted from the ATV3 to the ATV4K for example and needed to repeat this a couple of times before it worked or the music just stopped playing and I had to go back to the beginning of the song and hit play again.

Airplaying from music app on iPhone to the ATV4K seems to work fine and no sluggishness with the volume slider.

Thanks again.

Reply

Answer 4

Tim_4_All

Level 3

973 points

Feb 6, 2022 2:09 PM in response to dee221

Good testing, I think may be a Mac issue not the new AppleTV issue. I was in another post about Mac Airplay to HomePod Mini stereo pair. That's definitely having intermittent comms problems too. Possibly all part of an issue that needs a patch(possibly).

These WB/Wifi baed type remote controls can be tough to resolve. It may be worth trying disabling ARC and testing. I don't think it will resolve it but it may be worth a try. Otherwise open a case with Apple Support. Enough feedback to them may get a resolution or better performance in next update.

Reply

Answer 5

bgmeek

Level 4

1,201 points

Feb 6, 2022 2:37 PM in response to dee221

How responsive is the actual Apple TV remote? What’s your default audio device? I mean, are you listening to an AV Receiver or a Soundbar? A set of HomePods?

The only reason for connecting the new ATV4K device to your TV’s ARC/eARC-enabled HDMI port is if you want all TV audio (from local channels, TV’s internal “smart” apps and all other HDMI-connected video sources) to play through the ATV4K to HomePods (set as the ATV4K’s default audio output).

If you’re using a soundbar or AV receiver/surround system as your primary audio device, that’s what should be connected to the TV’s eARC port.

If you’re listening to the TV’s internal speakers, then I expect the only way to control the volume would be via the TV remote or the Apple TV remote via infrared (so I guess that’s not the case given your reported issue :-).

Reply

Answer 6

dee221 Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 4, 2022 2:20 AM in response to Tim_4_All

Thank you very much for your response.

The issue has indeed been there since day one.

Will troubleshoot further as per your recommendations sometime soon and post my findings.

Reply