John Zwiebel

Q: Can Apple TV 4 support either a Wi-FI or BlueTooth audio link to a sound bar

Can Apple TV 4 support either a Wi-FI or BlueTooth audio link to a sound bar?

 

I tried to post this question to "Apple TV" but apparently this is the only "community" I can post it to.

Apple TV, iOS 7.0.3

Posted on May 11, 2016 10:18 AM

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Q: Can Apple TV 4 support either a Wi-FI or BlueTooth audio link to a sound bar

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  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate May 12, 2016 8:02 AM in response to John Zwiebel
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    May 12, 2016 8:02 AM in response to John Zwiebel

    John:

     

    What are your trying to achieve?  Why do you want to use bluetooth or airplay to connect your audio system?

  • by Diana.McCall,

    Diana.McCall Diana.McCall May 12, 2016 8:12 AM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 4 (2,942 points)
    Apple TV
    May 12, 2016 8:12 AM in response to Vinceassociate

    Thank you. I overlooked that. So John can use a bluetooth soundbar, or an AirPlay receiver of his choice.

  • by John Zwiebel,

    John Zwiebel John Zwiebel May 12, 2016 5:28 PM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Apple TV
    May 12, 2016 5:28 PM in response to Vinceassociate

    "what are you trying to achieve?"

     

    Good Question.

     

    While I watch a lot of TV (I think) it is not the center of my life and I don't want to spend thousands for the experience.

     

    However, it has finally become obvious that the sound from my Samsung is completely unacceptable.  (Why it took so long to figure out is also a good question.)  So I tried a pair of PC speakers, not cheap but not expensive.  I can understand the Brits!  WOW!  But it is plugged into the line-out from the TV so the volume button on the remote doesn't work.

     

    I use my ATV3 almost exclusively to access programming.  Paying $60 for cable is (IMHO) stupid.  But every once in a while I have a mini mac I used that is in a separate HDMI port from the ATV3.  It doesn't help that the mini mac only supports DVI.  The TV does not support ARC.

     

    Because of all of this, the normally obvious solution of ATV3 ->sound bar -> TV via HDMI has some "holes"

     

    I also replicate the ATV and mini output through an HDMI switch so the video also shows up on another TV connected via HDMI over cat6.  My wife really likes that when she's in the kitchen and so do I.  (i can cook.)

     

    Well, the more I look into it, the more options that show up.  Do I really want DD5.1?  It gets expensive.  I already have a lot of airport express boxes.  I was thinking that "maybe" I could kludge something together and airplay relays looked like a good idea.  (It isn't, but...) 

     

    There are already cables "everywhere" from my TV.  There are 8 electrical outlets, all full with two of them servicing power bars that are also full.  (cable modem, wireless router, back up disks, Time Machine and other "stuff")

     

    So, I'm just looking for options.

     

    In the end, it is becoming clear that I need a sound bar.  It will be connected via HDMI  ATV -> bar -> TV.   Or it may be 

    ATV ->\

    mini ->^-HDMI switch -> sound bar -> primary TV

                        \> other TVs

     

    I'll probably have to upgrade my mini to get full HDMI to make this useful.  Or maybe I can just use Air Play from the mini to the ATV.

     

    This is complicated by DRM which then pushes me to the HDMI only connectivity.

     

    It doesn't help that UHD is coming.

     

    WRT Diana being mistaken, I can imagine that Apple may not allow the ATV to play to other speakers.  ATV is suppose to be an airplay receiver not sender (according to articles I've read, which isn't all that meaningful.)  And there have been issues where some components can take a signal (audio or video) in but cannot send that same signal back out because of DRM.

     

    It is "too bad" that the ATV cannot control volume so one needs to have a third remote for the sound bar.

     

    Thanks for your assistance.

  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate May 12, 2016 6:14 PM in response to John Zwiebel
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    May 12, 2016 6:14 PM in response to John Zwiebel

    Not sure the model number of your TV, but most have both a fixed and variable audio output.  Connecting the PC speakers to the variable output will resolve your issue.  Check your TV for a headphone jack (may be on the side and not rear of the TV) or check your TV settings to allow variable output through the output you are using.  If you want, post your model number and I will check the owners manual to verify.

    This will allow using the TV remote to vary the PC speakers and yield significantly better audio than built in speakers at a very low cost.

  • by John Zwiebel,

    John Zwiebel John Zwiebel May 12, 2016 7:49 PM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Apple TV
    May 12, 2016 7:49 PM in response to Vinceassociate

    Don't I wish!

    :-)

     

    My TV has a lot of useless stuff on it.  DLNA for example.  DVI, but no audio in.  Several USB ports, which I suppose one might find useful if they didn't have a computer server.  "Smart Hub" which would allow me to watch Netflix and a bunch of other stuff through the TVs ethernet connection, but much more difficult to use than ATV, with many fewer options than ATV.  It also has a Wi-Fi interface, but one cannot send audio out of it to something like a Airport Express.  As of 2014 Apple doesn't support WiFi Direct.  i could not find anything else to suggest otherwise.  But apple does support AWDL between its devices, again though, useless to me. 

     

    I found this article on peer-to-peer airplay, interesting since it would seem my airport express systems to not need to be on the same WLAN as the rest of my system, and they should still be available for audio. 

    http://chambersdaily.com/bradleychambers/2014/9/19/technical-details-of-peer-to- peer-airplay

     

    It has a built in manual that applies to many other versions of TVs than this one and which supplies pretty much useless information.  There is a "user manual" that one can download from the internet, that is two sides of one 8x11 sheet of paper, printed so small you need a magnifying glass to read it.  It has no diagrams of inputs or outputs.

     

    In the end, the only option is going to be to get a sound bar.

     

    Thanks

  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate May 12, 2016 10:48 PM in response to John Zwiebel
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    May 12, 2016 10:48 PM in response to John Zwiebel

    I begin to see your TV fits my experience with Samsung stuff:  Like a fish with a bicycle.

    Have you connected your powered PC speakers to the stereo mini plug on the back of one of your airport express units and direct the audio out from your ATV3 to it through the airplay speakers option?

    In that mode, the express gains a volume function via the ATV remote.

    Your mac mini should also support that airplay option as well.

  • by John Zwiebel,

    John Zwiebel John Zwiebel May 13, 2016 4:30 PM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Apple TV
    May 13, 2016 4:30 PM in response to Vinceassociate

    "Fish with a bicycle"  - ABSOLUTELY!  :-)

     

    Good idea to try linking to an airport express.  Didn't work.  (well, not totally)

     

    It appears that ATV3 allows you to select only -one- audio output. 

    The ATV3 or one (out of 3) of the airport express.

     

    I selected an airport express (using the apple remote) that automatically removed the ATV as an output.  So audio did NOT go to the TV.  (Yes I checked that TV speakers were selected).

     

    The only audio was directed through the single airport express.

     

    I had to manually turn up the volume on the PC speakers to max to even hear it.

    The apple remote didn't adjust the volume at all.  Perhaps there is some other "secret key"?  ;-)

    (Do I have the wrong remote?)

     

    The "most interesting" part was that now that the audio was directed to the airport express, NO audio was directed to the TV so I could put that to MAX and nothing happened.  The only sound came out of the speakers connected to the airport express.

     

    It is an old airport express so "perhaps"?

  • by Vinceassociate,

    Vinceassociate Vinceassociate May 14, 2016 4:46 AM in response to John Zwiebel
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    May 14, 2016 4:46 AM in response to John Zwiebel

    On the Express, with an ATV3 press and hold the center select button to get the pop up menu.  Navigate to top and over to speakers.  Select the Express then use the right arrow to turn up the level.

    On the ATV4 its a little more straight forward just using the volume buttons.

    Directing audio from iTunes on a computer has the ability to multicast to more than one Express.  For whatever reason, directing audio from the ATV does not allow multicasting.

  • by John Zwiebel,

    John Zwiebel John Zwiebel May 22, 2016 12:17 PM in response to Vinceassociate
    Level 1 (49 points)
    Apple TV
    May 22, 2016 12:17 PM in response to Vinceassociate

    GREAT ADVICE!

     

    Now, if I could just select more than one speaker system I could set up my own sown system.  I'm using some PC speakers that are set up in another room and the sound is nearly as good as the Samsung Sound bar I just bought.

     

    I tried to mark your comment as helpful, but it failed to be accepted.  I would have said that it "solved my problem".  But that wasn't an option

     

    The answer to my question is "Yes it can!"

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