Bebias
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: How do I play music with the TV off?

With the previous Apple TV I connected the audio output to my sound system so I wouldn't have to leave the TV on to listen to music. How do I do that with the new Apple TV?  My sound system doesn't have HDMI input.

SInce that's a huge part of what I do with the Apple TV, I'm thinking of returning it If it can't do it.

Posted on Nov 14, 2015 2:36 PM

by Bebias,Solvedanswer
Bebias Bebias
Level 1 (1 points)
A:

I brought the new Apple TV back.  It is completely useless to play audio because it shuts down when the TV is turned off.  I tried with an HDMI audio splitter, but the splitter is transparent on the HDMI (for DRM) and as soon as the TV is turned off, the ATV shuts off.  I also tried using my old ATV as external speakers, but again the new ATV shuts down when the TV is turned off.  So if anyone hopes to use it for music think twice: you HAVE to keep the TV on.  That is unacceptable for me; I will not leave the TV on all day just to listen to music.  So I canceled my music subscription and returned the Apple TV.


As an aside, the Netflix app on the new Apple TV is really bad.  Not Apple's fault, and it might get better with time, but it was still another negative factor.

Posted on Nov 24, 2015 6:57 AM

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Bebias

Q: How do I play music with the TV off?

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  • by Winston Churchill,Helpful

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Nov 18, 2015 7:41 PM in response to Bebias
    Level 10 (103,392 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 18, 2015 7:41 PM in response to Bebias

    You might try an HDMI to HDMI + optical adapter, but I've not seen anything anywhere to suggest the Apple TV is designed to work without a TV being on. Another thing you might consider is leaving your old Apple TV connected to your receiver and selecting it in the menu from your new Apple TV for audio output.

  • by Bebias,

    Bebias Bebias Nov 14, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 14, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Winston Churchill

    Both good ideas. I was hoping to give the other Apple TV away, but this is my short term solution (I still have to try it though).

    As for the Adapter, do you have experience with any?  What about DRM?  All the ones I found don't mention anything about it, so I assume it might not work if there is DRM.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Nov 14, 2015 4:30 PM in response to Bebias
    Level 10 (103,392 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 14, 2015 4:30 PM in response to Bebias

    I haven't used an adapter myself, but some have posted here that have and said they work. My concern about an adapter is whether the Apple TV will send an audio signal over HDMI if it doesn't detect an HDMI device connected to it.

  • by Bebias,

    Bebias Bebias Nov 14, 2015 4:56 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 14, 2015 4:56 PM in response to Winston Churchill

    That's definitely a concern.  For the price of one of those adapter, I might just try it anyway.

     

    I'm still bummed about the loss of the audio output on the new Apple TV; stupid.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Nov 14, 2015 5:06 PM in response to Bebias
    Level 10 (103,392 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 14, 2015 5:06 PM in response to Bebias

    I Think the problem is that optical doesn't support 8 channel audio and is considered out of date technology.

  • by Bebias,

    Bebias Bebias Nov 15, 2015 4:17 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 15, 2015 4:17 PM in response to Winston Churchill

    Maybe, but that is ignoring the use case of music playing from the Apple TV.  I personally don't care about the number of channels, a pair of RCA jacks (or even an earphone plug) would suit be fine.  I'm not an audiophile, so I am not after the quality of the audio.

  • by Protodd,

    Protodd Protodd Nov 15, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Bebias
    Level 4 (2,069 points)
    Nov 15, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Bebias

    Bebias wrote:

     

    Maybe, but that is ignoring the use case of music playing from the Apple TV.  I personally don't care about the number of channels, a pair of RCA jacks (or even an earphone plug) would suit be fine.  I'm not an audiophile, so I am not after the quality of the audio.

    Then the older ATV 2/3 sounds like the best solution for your personal needs...

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Nov 16, 2015 2:20 AM in response to Bebias
    Level 10 (103,392 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 16, 2015 2:20 AM in response to Bebias

    Bebias wrote:

     

    Maybe, but that is ignoring the use case of music playing from the Apple TV.  I personally don't care about the number of channels, a pair of RCA jacks (or even an earphone plug) would suit be fine.  I'm not an audiophile, so I am not after the quality of the audio.

    I understand, no optical has caused myself to require a workaround too, however don't forget this is Apple's product for video, it has a different product for audio which works exactly the way you want it to.

  • by Bebias,

    Bebias Bebias Nov 18, 2015 7:51 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 18, 2015 7:51 PM in response to Winston Churchill

    I'm assuming you are referring to the airport express, but that is not the same.  I can't do anything with the airport express by itself (i.e.: you need something else to stream to it), whereas the Apple TV is self contained.  What's more, the Apple TV is for audio also, with the music app, access to my music, radio, airplay destination, etc.  It is not their video device, but their living room device.

    That's why I believe it is really a shortcoming of the device, I even thought of bringing it back.  I ordered an HDMI-to-HMDI+Audio device, we'll see if that does the trick.  Fingers crossed.

  • by klaascuvelier,

    klaascuvelier klaascuvelier Nov 19, 2015 2:09 AM in response to Bebias
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2015 2:09 AM in response to Bebias

    Which one did you order?

    I order a fairly cheap on a few weeks back but it did not work well for me; "some" of the audio was sent to the audio jack, but still some was sent to the TV.

    I tried some Apple TV settings but no luck.

     

    Can you let me know which one you bought and what your experience was, I'll be ordering a new one asap.

  • by Bebias,

    Bebias Bebias Nov 24, 2015 6:55 AM in response to klaascuvelier
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 6:55 AM in response to klaascuvelier

    I had no problem sending all audio to the audio out on my old one (I guess it was the ATV3).

  • by Bebias,Solvedanswer

    Bebias Bebias Nov 24, 2015 6:57 AM in response to Bebias
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 6:57 AM in response to Bebias

    I brought the new Apple TV back.  It is completely useless to play audio because it shuts down when the TV is turned off.  I tried with an HDMI audio splitter, but the splitter is transparent on the HDMI (for DRM) and as soon as the TV is turned off, the ATV shuts off.  I also tried using my old ATV as external speakers, but again the new ATV shuts down when the TV is turned off.  So if anyone hopes to use it for music think twice: you HAVE to keep the TV on.  That is unacceptable for me; I will not leave the TV on all day just to listen to music.  So I canceled my music subscription and returned the Apple TV.


    As an aside, the Netflix app on the new Apple TV is really bad.  Not Apple's fault, and it might get better with time, but it was still another negative factor.

  • by Lost in Asia,

    Lost in Asia Lost in Asia Nov 24, 2015 6:21 PM in response to Bebias
    Level 3 (607 points)
    Apple Music
    Nov 24, 2015 6:21 PM in response to Bebias

    Slightly off-topic inquiry: I want to stream music from my computer, to the Apple TV, through my TV's sound bar, with the TV screen turned off. However, I'll be buying the Apple TV, and the TV, and the sound bar over the next few weeks (we're redoing our living room). What should I be looking for when purchasing to make sure I can play music without the screen on? Or is this simply impossible?

     

    I do have an old Apple Express that may have to serve instead, but same question applies: what should I be looking for in a sound bar?

     

    Or should I rush out and buy an Apple TV 3 while there are still a few available?

  • by Bebias,

    Bebias Bebias Nov 24, 2015 6:49 PM in response to Lost in Asia
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Nov 24, 2015 6:49 PM in response to Lost in Asia

    You're asking the wrong guy

    But here is what I think: There is no way to get the ATV to keep outputting if it believes the "TV" is off or disconnected.  So the trick would be to make the ATV believe there is an active TV connected to it.  Maybe some TVs can have their HDMI input active with audio out but no TV display, I don't know?

    Or it could probably be done with an intelligent HDMI device (not one that defers to the TV for all the HDMI signalling). Maybe one of the newer sound systems with HDMI input/output could do it.  It has to be an intelligent device that "acts" like a TV (and I don't know exactly in which way: probably HDCP related), from which you take the audio.

     

    On the other hand, maybe they'll change some settings in a future update and that will be made easier, but I doubt it, I think it is a Copyright "safety" feature to keep the Copyright's holders off their back.

     

    Obviously there are many other ways to get your music out with the TV off if you get the Apple TV out of the loop, but that is not a discussion for this post

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