Massive ARC Problems after tvOS 16.3

Greetings samflocis,

If you are having difficulty with that connection between your TV and your Apple TV device, begin by following the guidance found here.

Use HDMI ARC or eARC with your Apple TV 4K - Apple Support

"If HDMI ARC or eARC isn't working as expected

• If you can't set up HomePod or HomePod mini as the default speaker for Apple TV, make sure that your HomePod or HomePod mini and Apple TV are added to the same room in the Home app. Then try to set up your HomePod or HomePod mini as the default speaker for your Apple TV again. 
• Make sure that your TV supports ARC or eARC. You can check by seeing if there's an ARC label next to your HDMI port, or you can contact your TV manufacturer.
• You might have to turn on ARC, eARC, or HDMI-CEC in the settings of your TV. Check with your TV manufacturer for details. 
• Unplug the HDMI cables from your TV and Apple TV. Then plug the cables in again and try to use ARC or eARC."

Take care.

• In the Apple TV Audio Video settings there’s a test HDMI Connection. Run that test as well.
• Your TV may or may not have a way to configure the HDMI inputs. Look in settings - Inputs or external devices - ARC and your Nintendo device
• Check for any firmware updates on your Samsung and install.
• Restart your tv
• Restart your Apple TV
• Make sure you’ve also updated the HomePods and the iOS device you used to set up HomePods to 16.3
• You might need to Reset HomePod - use the pressing the top method, then set them up again. Be sure to Ungroup the stereo pair first.

Since my post I’m now having trouble with my HomePods, even on the ATV not connected via ARC, it won’t even play to HomePods. I will try resetting them.

The sound cuts out on the one connected via ARC/eARC HDMI but only while using the TV Apps. On the Apple TV Box and the cable TV audio, it’s fine.

As to the Audio Return Channel not showing or turning on in ATV settings, I was able to fix that by going into my Sony TV settings and changing how the inputs worked, once I turned on Dolby vision for that input, it finally turned on. For a Sony, you might need to turn on Braviasync. For other TV’s HDMI-CEC needs to be on. Check with your specific TV.

Note: You need at least second Gen Apple TV 4K

Use HDMI ARC or eARC with your Apple TV 4K - Apple Support

You can submit feedback to let Apple know: Feedback - Apple TV - Apple

I want to send my ps5 audio signal through my other HDMI port on my TV to the apple TV so I can get full Atmos use out of them …

That is not how it works. Use the (e)ARC port on the TV for the connection with the audio processing unit (Denon). PS5 audio then wouldn’t have anything to do with the Apple TV box.

(e)ARC through Apple TV is a special feature only for use with HomePod speakers. Not for use with an AV receiver, as Apple TV would be the audio processing unit for HomePods.

What kind of Denon? Is it an AV receiver?

Connect your devices through the Denon, and connect the Denon to the TV:

Apple TV 4K box →[HDMI]↘︎

PS5 →[HDMI]→ AV receiver ⇄[HDMI (e)ARC]⇄ TV

other HDMI device(s) →[HDMI]↗︎

Set up Dolby Atmos or surround sound on Apple TV with a sound bar or AV receiver - Apple Support

Play audio in Dolby Atmos or surround sound on your Apple TV - Apple Support

I have two Apple TV 4K latest gen both working fine with 16.2. Now with the 16.3 update both units have messed up the ARC audio and cannot find their separate receivers. In the tvOS system audio settings the menu “Audio Return Channel” to play television audio on ARC is not even visible or an option. This is clearly a 16.3 bug as the same problem is showing up on two ATV 4K units. Hopefully a bug fix 16.3.1 comes out very soon.

Come here for exactly the same problem, after the update a few days ago audio levels are so low that I have my amp turned up to 80% to barely hear films. The audio tracks in films are not there and looking at my AMP, which tells me that the signal coming in from the Apple TV is ‘unknown’ service clearly a bug in the output signal of AppleTV.

I’ve done all the tech support 101 stuff I’m and engineer thus can confidently say if the eARC / ARC signal contains no protocol your receiver/ TV won’t know what to do with the signal. (Switch to 16bit audio to use an old protocol and your volume might increase but that’s not a fix).

Workaround for my Audio levels but I've lost ARC, following the Input Signal might show 'unknown' the signal comes down the HDMI cable. On your receiver hunt out HDMI Setup and look for something like HDMI Control and turn it off, I get my output volume back but lost my HDMI control. 

Equipment. Apple TV 4k (circa 2020) and Sony TV (circa 2018) both connected to the Denon AVR-S750H 

Good luck

I’ve solved my issue (if I haven’t I’ll come back and post another update), while I thought there was no difference in HDMI cables, turns out there is. I went to the Apple Store booked an appointment to have them plug-in and do the diagnostic, the diagnostic came back clean. I had a chat with a very knowledgeable Apple genius person and it was interesting that he didn’t say why, when I sure did the video of what was going on he just instantly said it is the cables, I purchased two minutes of 4K, certified Belkin cables, and everything works again.

I’m thinking Apple have changed in their software in the negotiation that happens for HDMI 🤷‍♂️

note you need both cables to be certified TV to AV and AV to Apple TV

Yes, since the tvOS 16.3 update, my wife and I have to *daily* unplug and replug the HDMI cable in order to get video signal from our brand new 3rd gen Apple TV 4K. As you might imagine, reaching around the back of my receiver every time I want to watch something has become a real pleasure. HDMI, as a standard, tries to do too much, does it all poorly, and as such has become a nightmare. I can assure you that nothing in our setup changed except for the Apple TV (4k gen2 to gen3) and tvOS software update. My coworkers have similar issues.

Regarding HDMI cables, yes the Apple TV is the most sensitive device I've come across, but once you get a cable that works, you're good. Any problems you start experiencing after you've been stable with a cable - that's the fault of Apple software updates.

I had a problem with HomePods making clicking and popping sounds when playing back audio from my Samsung TV (connected to ARC HDMI port). It sounds like radio interference and doesn’t occur until the speakers have been in use for a couple of hours.

Other posts suggested decoupling the speakers which work as a stereo pair, then removing them from Apple Home then reinstalling and then re coupling. I found that whilst the HomePods were running 16.3.2 the AppleTV which they also serve was running 16.3.1.

having upgraded Apple TV so everything was on 16.3.2 I installed a super high speed HDMI cable then did the remove and replace procedure above. I used the AppleTV for a couple of hours this afternoon and the TV for three hours tonight. The speakers have been faultless throughout. Hope this helps anyone with this awful clicking problem.

By any chance did you connect an HDMI splitter/switcher to your setup?

I was having an issue where my Apple TV no longer recognized my receiver for ARC. HDMI-CEC functions were also not working. I realized after a lot of troubleshooting, that the issue began when I hooked up an HDMI switcher to the receiver. As soon as I disconnected the switcher everything worked properly again.

hope this helps someone.

I am having the exact same issue. Happened once and restarting the Apple TV fixed it. Now nothing seems to work to get it going again. It acts as if everything is fine, but no sounds is coming to the HomePods.