MacBook Pro and Recognizing Paired HomePods

Actually that is the case for AirPlay, but you can also use iTunes as a remote control for HomePod with the Switch to: control, or at least you can with a Mac and Apple Music. In that mode the stereo pair is recognized correctly and plays what you ask it to in stereo. In this case Bedroom is my stereo pair and I used iTunes to start the track that is playing before switching back to controlling the computer so show the different AirPlay options. The Apple TV is also playing Mad World independently, but iTunes isn't providing feedback for that. 😕

tt2

iTunes control doesn't work for me. See enclosed screenshot. Kitchen (2) I presume should be my paired homePods but see how the slider doesn't have a knob?! I also can't get the pairing I had earlier when moving them next to each other so is there a way to reset the iTunes network settings?

Cheers,

Peter

What version of iTunes do you have? 12.7.5.9 was released yesterday. It might see the stereo pair properly. iTunes supports multiple output destinations, whereas I don't think the switcher on the Mac's volume control does.

I only have the one HomePod so far so I cannot investigate further.

tt2

I just added a second HomePod and set up a Stereo pair. Everything works fine in IOS. But from a Mac, I don't see the pair, only the individual HomePods. If I try to connect them both, the Airplay icon turns orange and one of the Home pod connections shows a malfunction.

Hello,

Updated to 10.3.5 and using iTunes 12.7.5.9. One pair of HomePods.

iTunes doesn't recognise the pair when more than 20' apart in the same room with no obstructions etc, but works when the Homepods are within 8'. I have a good network and work software tech support so I know it's ok.

I restarted the network anyway (AirPort Extreme which is located almost in between the HomePods).

When apart it seems to be reading two HomePods - the singular with the same name and now a copy which only plays one speaker. If I click on the other nothing happens and it then greys out.

When the HomePods are close and work as a pair somehow and I still see the dummy speaker and when I change the volume on one both sliders jump about like crazy.

So two icons - 'Kitchen' and 'Kitchen2' both showing singular icons. Is there a way to reset the network connections for iTunes without blowing up all my network or music settings?

Cheers,

Peter

Thanks for your help and reply. That's what I have done as you describe.

BTW, I've just come back from the Apple Store in Sydney and they tried it. Same thing - only one of the pair in their set up worked! I was told it obviously hasn't been implemented... yet, it worked for me once when the speakers were closer than 20', but fails now. Maybe I need to wait for Airplay 2.1?!

Cheers,

Peter

Dear Logan,

Yes it seems very un Apple-like not to see this work, unless it's just us of course!

It does seem though that the Apple employees have not been briefed about this capability (in iTunes) either. It seems Apple had to rush out Airplay 2 ASAP and hopefully get around to fixing iTunes playing a pair later.

Cheers,

Peter

I am having the same problem, and it persists in macOS 10.13.6 Beta. Stereo pairs are recognized in all my iOS devices, but none of my macOS/iTunes devices. And I cannot send music to both of the paired devices from iTunes in macOS.

Hi! I'm a German customer using iTunes 12.7.5.9 x64 on a Windows 10 x64 platform (actual reviosn with all updates installed 06/08/2018).

The paired Homepods are just shown as single Homepods and iTunes always loses connection to one of them. it's neither possible to use paired homepods nor airplaying to both of them via iTunes.

All other (iOS) devices work perfectly.

Greetings! :-)

Through iTunes, my MBP does recognize the paired HomePods, but that only fixes playing music/video from iTunes. If you try anything else outside of that, such as Netflix streaming, forget stereo as it will only play from one. Not sure why this isn't fixed already...

I'm a Mac user. Bought two homepods. Paired them using IOS. But I cant watch youtube on my macmini or macbook pro in stereo.

I cant listen to Spotify on stereo from my macs nor can I watch netflix with stereo homepods. (which was the purpose of getting two in the first place)

Yes I know, I could play music on the iphone or Ipad and will work, but what about while i'm working on my Mac and need to watch a youtube video?

As of now, only itunes in Mac is supporting these APPLE speakers paired. Not the "system" sound output.

Apple, please fix this with the public release of macOS Mojave...

(macOS Mojave 10.14 Beta)

Amen. There's absolutely no reason for any paired homepods not to work outside of the iTunes app on a mac... If iOS can do it, macOS should too, and then some. The ONLY interim solution (if you consider it one) is to go with the single option until our trillion dollar giant decides to enable it. :/