How does one use Airplay while the TV is on?

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Level 2

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How does one use Airplay while the TV is on?

It seems I can't use Airplay when the TV is on, and I'm not sure if that's possible or what setting I need to change if it is. Anyone know?

I have a receiver hooked up to the TV and Apple TV, and once I turn the TV on, Airplay shuts off. When I turn the TV off, Airplay does not come back, I have to hit play again on my iOS device/Mac.

Also, when I use Airplay, it skips every 5 seconds, but not when I play music directly through Apple TV. Maybe it's all related.

I really don't want to have a screensaver or music menu filling the wall every time I play music, and I'd rather play music through my phone or Mac without any TV presence at all.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11), Early-2013

Posted on Nov 14, 2015 6:55 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 14, 2015 6:58 AM in response to Tux Kapono

Surely you mean it doesn't work when the TV is off.

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Answer 2

Tux Kapono Author

Level 2

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Nov 14, 2015 7:37 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Ideally I'd like Airplay to work when the TV is off and running completely independent of the TV.

When the TV is off, Airplay works. When I turn the TV on, it shuts off. What is causing that?

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Answer 3

Protodd

Level 4

2,092 points

Nov 14, 2015 10:24 AM in response to Tux Kapono

my suspicion is that when you turn on your tv it interrupts the AirPlay - as designed. For example, if I am air playing from my MacBook to the ATV if I hit the home button on the Siri remote it will stop the AirPlay. Same thing here, by turning on your tv its "waking" the Apple tv from the AirPlay process. I am curious, why do you AirPlay through the ATV if the TV is off? Why wouldn't you AirPlay through a iPhone, iPad, laptop? The whole basis of the ATV is to bring online media to the television having the TV turned off while still using the ATV is confusing to me...

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Answer 4

Nov 14, 2015 10:34 AM in response to Protodd

I don't think (no proof, I just don't think) the Apple TV was ever designed with the intention of being used while the TV is off or there is no TV at all, it simply doesn't work in some scenarios and Apple produce another device for airplaying audio only.

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Answer 5

Protodd

Level 4

2,092 points

Nov 14, 2015 10:37 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Agreed, thats why I asked the OP "why" he does it. I'm just not aware of any purpose since the ATV is designed for a TV (it's in the name)

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Answer 6

Nov 14, 2015 10:40 AM in response to Protodd

I wasn't really sure what they were asking a t first. 😕

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Answer 7

Tux Kapono Author

Level 2

165 points

Nov 14, 2015 11:27 AM in response to Winston Churchill

I have my TV hooked up to my stereo speakers. I'd like to have my TV play sound through my stereo speakers, and my music play through my stereo speakers. I don't want to have the TV on whenever I play music. Why does turning on the TV turn off my stereo playing music? Does this mean I need another device to play music from my phone to my stereo? Seems redundant.

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Answer 8

Protodd

Level 4

2,092 points

Nov 14, 2015 11:33 AM in response to Tux Kapono

The Apple TV was designed as an device for the TV. I already explained my suspicion as to "why" it's happening. My receiver has a bluetooth adapter so I just AirPlay from my phone/tablet direct to my receiver. I use the ATV for watching movies, mirroring or now playing games. And during a party I have the slide show going on ATV while air playing from my phone to the receiver for music (his allows me to change music wherever I am rather than having to go back to the ATV)...

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Answer 9

Tux Kapono Author

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Nov 14, 2015 11:38 AM in response to Protodd

Apple TV was designed as a home hub: Use HomeKit-enabled accessories with your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support. You don't need to have the TV on to utilize Apple TV to adjust your lights, temperature, make coffee... but not play music?

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Answer 10

Tux Kapono Author

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165 points

Nov 14, 2015 11:45 AM in response to Tux Kapono

What I was able to figure out:

1. I can play music through the Apple TV without the TV on, but I had to disable the Siri remote from the TV. However, the music skips every 5 seconds, so I first have to turn the TV on for some odd reason, wait for the skipping to stop, then turn it off. Weird. But at least it works, and I can switch between apps to play music without skipping thereafter. This does suck though when spontaneously wanting to play something however, especially when guests are over.
2. I can even control the volume of the receiver through the Siri remote by setting it up through the Apple TV Settings > remote control.

So, I can't turn on the TV without the TV remote, but I'd rather be able to play music through my stereo without the TV on.

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Answer 11

Protodd

Level 4

2,092 points

Nov 14, 2015 11:44 AM in response to Tux Kapono

I Haven't looked into HomeKit much but my understanding is that each device will need to be HomeKit enabled. Not that you could take any old tv/receiver/security system/lightening system etc and plug it in. Rather it needs to be a "HomeKit approved" device.

this article may help...

http://www.cepro.com/article/5_things_to_know_about_apple_homekit/

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Answer 12

Nov 14, 2015 12:13 PM in response to Tux Kapono

This all sounds like problems related to HDMI-CEC. If your TV, Stereo and Apple TV are all connected using HMDI cables it might be that when you are turning on your TV it is sending a signal over the HDMI cable to the Apple TV and telling the Apple TV it wants to take over thereby cutting off AirPlay.

If you are hooking everything up using HDMI cables check the settings on your TV and possibly on your Stereo and try disabling HDMI-CEC. Note, every manufacturer uses there own trade name for HDMI-CEC so you may have to search the Internet to find out what settings on your TV and Stereo are used to enable/disable it.

Unfortunately, HDMI-CEC is a very poorly implemented standard and causes the type of problem your seem to be experiencing.

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Answer 13

Tux Kapono Author

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165 points

Nov 14, 2015 12:39 PM in response to Gino_Cerullo

I turned off HDMI-CEC on the TV (aka Anynet on Samsung). Nothing changed, surprisingly.

I'm not sure you can turn off HDMI-CEC on the Apple TV, Apple touts that feature pretty prominently Use your Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote to control your TV or receiver - Apple Support

Here's more weird stuff: If I hit 'MENU' on the Siri remote when the TV is off and Airplay is playing, the music shuts off (only if the TV source is set to Apple TV, which it almost always is). If I hit 'MENU' on the Siri remote when the TV is on and the Apple TV menu is up, it keeps playing.

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Answer 14

Nov 16, 2015 2:34 PM in response to Tux Kapono

So I tried it on my system as I think I have a setup similar to yours. An A/V receiver, TV and Apple TV all connected using HDMI. Apple TV and TV connected to A/V receiver so the receiver is the hub so-to-speak (all device switching is done by the A/V receiver.) I AirPlayed audio to my Apple TV from iTunes on a Mac while the TV screen was turned off and the audio played as normal from speakers connected to the receiver. As soon as I turned on the TV the sound stopped playing form the speakers. As far as iTunes was concerned it was still connected to the Apple TV and playing and the album artwork was displayed on the TV screen for the current album that was playing. HDMI-CEC is disabled on all devices (always has been in my case as it gave me problems even before I hooked up the new Apple TV.)

When I have time I'll hook up the older Apple TV 3rd Gen and see if it behaved the same way. Incidentally, I normally AirPlay audio only to a different receiver hooked up to an AirPort Express which is why I never came across this issue in the past.

Also, their is a setting on the new Apple TV in the Remote s and Devices setting under Home Theatre Control for turning off HDMI-CEC control on the Apple TV. It is labelled ,"Turn On Your TV with Your Remote."

As for the second issue you reported. I am not experiencing that issue. If I hit menu on the Siri remote in that case the music keeps playing. But reading your post it seems your Apple TV is connected directly to your TV where as in my case the Apple TV is connected to my A/V receiver. That may be the difference.

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Answer 15

Nov 14, 2015 1:24 PM in response to Tux Kapono

Just noticed something else. I was AirPlaying an audio only podcast from my iPad to the Apple TV with the TV turned off. When I turned on the TV the audio was interrupted while the screen came on but it did continue to play the audio once the picture came on.

I then tried the same experiment again as before, AirPlaying from iTunes on the Mac and again the audio was interfered with while the screen came on but then continued to play the audio once the screen picture came on. So it appears to be hit or miss whether turning the TV on will interfere with the audio playing.

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