AppleTV Bluetooth Connection Limit

You can pair multiple devices, but can only use one bluetooth device at a time unless you have an Apple TV 4K as it supports the bluetooth 5 protocol. That will allow to pair more than one, however the headphones would need to support BT 5. As it is a fairly new standard it is unclear what the maximum is and not many things support it just yet.

This is based on hardware.

It has nothing to do with Apple, that is a limitation of bluetooth. The 4K Apple TV is the first to support the new BT 5 standard, which is the only one that supports playback on 2 devices. The headphones would also need to support it though.

Not for native simultaneous playback, up until now that has required additional hardware. the bluetooth 5 standard is the first to introduce that right into the protocol. Apple has nothing to with bluetooth, they can only introduce it when the technology becomes available and thus they added bluetooth 5 to the current (4K) Apple TV

That is an article from 2015 and specifically referring to controllers, and as of now they support 4 of them. The above still stands, nothing more to say.

Use Bluetooth accessories with your Apple TV 4K or Apple TV (4th generation) - Apple Support

I have asked the developer of Zwift about this problem and they told me it’s a program restriction by Apple not a hardware one and it possibly will be cancelled in the future. Still waiting for Apple decision.

Are you using those simultaneously? From what i've read the connected devices would need to support the new standard in order to use more than one at a time. Up until now all bluetooth devices only supported one connection at a time.

The current iphones also support bluetooth 5, but nything older does not. Again there is a difference between pairing multiple devices and simultaneous playback, the latter won't work because the hardware doesn't have the BT 5 chip. That is the case on any device. The only way to do so on those devices would be with additional hardware from a 3rd party which would be splitting the sIgnal (BT 5 sends two streams as it has access to more bandwidth)

It seems I forgot to tell about connected remote control. That means I’ve already paired with Apple TV four Bluetooth devices simultaneously ( 1 remote control, 2 sensors, and 1speaker) all works fine together in the same time. That means it is an Apple TV OS program limitation, I’m guessing they reserved the room for connecting the remote control or keyboard and airpods. If so it *****.

Apple TV now beginning to get right up my nose an d I am a big fan of all things Apple. I have similar problems with Bluetooth connections. Firstly I will list the equipment being used then the issue I have.

Wahoo Kickr 17

Wahoo Cadence Sensor

Wahoo Ticker HR monitor

Apple TV Remote

Iphone 6

Old Ipad But works.

Issue: as we all know Apple TV can only connect with 3 devices. I connect Kickr, Cadence sensor and the last is the Apple TV remote I then have to connect the heart rate monitor via Mobile App which is fine but before I can see the HR Monitor on Apple TV I have to switch BT of on my phone.

once connected with my limit of BT devices the Apple TV then asks if I wish to connect with Mob App, so I do, but as soon as I switch BT on on my phone HR monitor vanishes!!!

I have had numerous calls to Apple support with no success in solving this issue, the did suggest that I remove the apple remote from the room and add the remote to my phone!!!!!! that is also BT so will not resolve issue.

I have also changed my WiFi to 5 GHz rather than the 2.4GHz, switched off all other BT devices and all equipment that could disrupt the signal.

Apple still have no answer but have suggested it may be my equipment!!! I am one of the old hands at Zwift and know what my kit can do and I am 150% sure it is working ok.

If I use my IMac and Ant+ everything connects right away with no issues, I hear you ask the question why not just use the Mac and Lightning cable. Good question, answer I don't want to. I have a 4k TV and Latest Gen in Apple TV and want to take the mac out of the loop all together.

Apple told me they would email me a form to complete to send to the tech guys at apple, still not received it.

I understand that they don't have the answers for everything and don't always understand the equipment we may be using but it doesn't make it any less frustrating plus I have waited so long for the app to come on Apple TV and when it came on I expected it to work.

The same situation in Apple TV previous 4 gen what was built on Bluetooth 4 it doesn’t support more then 2 cycling sensors simultaneously :(

Sure but these are sensors Bluetooth low energy sensors what can work with the iPhone simultaneously without any problem. I use 4 sensors simultaneously with Strava, Wahoo app etc. via Bluetooth 4.0 all work just fine. Why not to get the same on Apple tv?

Thanks. Anyway I've been talking about cycling sensors not Airpods and I'd just like I could use and pair them with Apple TV in the same way as I can do it with my iPhone now. But now I need to connect sensors to my iPhone to the special app and only after that they can be connected to Apple TV via WiFi in the same network.