HomeKit AirPlay 2 Over HomeKit Doesn't Reach Multiple Speakers

[kirbyrun]

So, I have my Apple TV (4th gen) set up in HomeKit in my living room.

Then I have my old Airport Express set up with some speakers plugged in in the dining room.

When I say, "Hey, Siri, play Bruce Springsteen on all speakers," music comes out of the dining room speaker, but not the Apple TV.

This is what the playing screen from Control Center looks like on my iPhone:

No idea why this isn't working. Any ideas, hive-mind?

 

[Macwick]

So, I have my Apple TV (4th gen) set up in HomeKit in my living room.

Then I have my old Airport Express set up with some speakers plugged in in the dining room.

When I say, "Hey, Siri, play Bruce Springsteen on all speakers," music comes out of the dining room speaker, but not the Apple TV.

This is what the playing screen from Control Center looks like on my iPhone: View attachment 778542

No idea why this isn't working. Any ideas, hive-mind?

Well the screenshot does show that music is streaming from the iPhone directly to the Airport Express. That's what I would expect to see. I'm not sure why the AirPort Express isn't outputting audio - I assume you've tried all the obvious things (reboot AirPort Express, check volume levels and settings on amp, etc.)?

Also - just for fun try invoking this without using Siri (although shouldn't make a difference). Start playing something on your iPhone, click the AirPlay icon, and select the AirPort Express (should have an empty circle icon if it is running the latest firmware). After a brief pause, the AirPort Express should be 'checked' and music should start playing.

EDIT: sigh I completely misread your post. The music *is* coming out of the AirPort Express, but not the Apple TV. I've never tried the 'on all speakers' command so I can't comment. However when you do this and then click on the iPhone from the AirPlay menu, do you see both the Dining Room and Living Room checked?

 

[chabig]

I suspect Airplay 2 isn’t working because you haven’t updated the operating systems on all of your devices—AppleTV, iPhone, and Airport Express. I suspect this because your phone isn’t showing the Airplay 2 interface.

 

[kirbyrun]

Well the screenshot does show that music is streaming from the iPhone directly to the Airport Express. That's what I would expect to see. I'm not sure why the AirPort Express isn't outputting audio - I assume you've tried all the obvious things (reboot AirPort Express, check volume levels and settings on amp, etc.)?

Also - just for fun try invoking this without using Siri (although shouldn't make a difference). Start playing something on your iPhone, click the AirPlay icon, and select the AirPort Express (should have an empty circle icon if it is running the latest firmware). After a brief pause, the AirPort Express should be 'checked' and music should start playing.

EDIT: sigh I completely misread your post. The music *is* coming out of the AirPort Express, but not the Apple TV. I've never tried the 'on all speakers' command so I can't comment. However when you do this and then click on the iPhone from the AirPlay menu, do you see both the Dining Room and Living Room checked?

When I click on iPhone from the AirPlay menu, it just selects the phone and turns off whatever else had been selected.
[doublepost=1536066799][/doublepost]

I suspect Airplay 2 isn’t working because you haven’t updated the operating systems on all of your devices—AppleTV, iPhone, and Airport Express. I suspect this because your phone isn’t showing the Airplay 2 interface.

I'm pretty sure everything is updated. Airport Express is running 7.8. Phone is on iOS 11.4.1. Apple TV is on 11.4.1.

Can you point me to an image of what the interface is supposed to look like?

 

[chabig]

Can you point me to an image of what the interface is supposed to look like?

I know what you did (not) do. In the picture you posted, touch the icon next to the song title. It looks like a triangle with circular waves radiating from it. That gets you to the Airplay 2 controls, which look like this:

 

[kirbyrun]

I know what you did (not) do. In the picture you posted, touch the icon next to the song title. It looks like a triangle with circular waves radiating from it. That gets you to the Airplay 2 controls, which look like this:

View attachment 779623

Oh, yeah, sure -- I see that. Here it is:


This is exactly what it looks like after I say, "Hey, Siri, play Bruce Springsteen on all speakers." She responds, "Playing Bruce Springsteen everywhere." But, as you can see, the Living Room Apple TV doesn't get selected, only the Airport Express in the other room.

 

[chabig]

Ok. Siri apparently can’t do that (yet) but you can still manually select the living room.

Your thread title said AirPlay 2 wasn’t working when the problem seems to be that AirPlay 2 can’t completely control it yet.

 

[kirbyrun]

Ok. Siri apparently can’t do that (yet) but you can still manually select the living room.

Your thread title said AirPlay 2 wasn’t working when the problem seems to be that AirPlay 2 can’t completely control it yet.

Maybe not. But Apple's site says it should work:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208279



You're right that the thread title is misleading, though. Mea culpa. I should have written, "Siri can't control all Airplay 2 Speakers" or something like that.

 

[chabig]

You’re right about the support document. I get the same results you do.

 

[kirbyrun]

You’re right about the support document. I get the same results you do.

I guess we'll cross our fingers and wait for iOS 12.

 

[chabig]

Agreed!

 

[ctaylora1231]

I guess we'll cross our fingers and wait for iOS 12.

I am currently running all of the Beta OS’s, iOS tvOS and macOS. I can confirm that I get the same results as you even on iOS 12. If I say play music everywhere, it only selects the airport express’(I have 3), not the Apple TVs (I have 2).

 

[chabig]

Maybe this “problem” is specific to AppleTVs. Maybe it works fine with regular airplay speakers.

 

[Macwick]

Oh, yeah, sure -- I see that. Here it is:
View attachment 779637

This is exactly what it looks like after I say, "Hey, Siri, play Bruce Springsteen on all speakers." She responds, "Playing Bruce Springsteen everywhere." But, as you can see, the Living Room Apple TV doesn't get selected, only the Airport Express in the other room.

What happens when you say 'Hey Siri, play Bruce Springsteen in the living room and dining room.'

Does it play on both? If so, this sounds like a Siri bug/problem.

 

[PinballMagician]

What happens when you say 'Hey Siri, play Bruce Springsteen in the living room and dining room.'

Does it play on both? If so, this sounds like a Siri bug/problem.

I have an ATV4K and a HomePod in my living room. If you manually choose them, music plays on both. Siri control only plays on the Homepod when I say “play Bargain by The Who in the living room.”

My guess is that it’s by design. If I were to tell Siri to play music everywhere, I wouldn’t want it to turn on my TV or AVR via CEC and play there.

You do so you’ll have to do it manually.

 

[kirbyrun]

Maybe this “problem” is specific to AppleTVs. Maybe it works fine with regular airplay speakers.

Yeah, that’s what I’m beginning to think, especially after ctaylora’s comment above.
[doublepost=1536172625][/doublepost]

I have an ATV4K and a HomePod in my living room. If you manually choose them, music plays on both. Siri control only plays on the Homepod when I say “play Bargain by The Who in the living room.”

My guess is that it’s by design. If I were to tell Siri to play music everywhere, I wouldn’t want it to turn on my TV or AVR via CEC and play there.

You do so you’ll have to do it manually.

That makes sense. Wish Apple had actually said so, but still: makes sense!
[doublepost=1536172660][/doublepost]

What happens when you say 'Hey Siri, play Bruce Springsteen in the living room and dining room.'

Does it play on both? If so, this sounds like a Siri bug/problem.

Not home to try it, but I can try later.
[doublepost=1536174227][/doublepost]

What happens when you say 'Hey Siri, play Bruce Springsteen in the living room and dining room.'

Does it play on both? If so, this sounds like a Siri bug/problem.

OK, I just tried this. Yes, it works!

"Shuffle music everywhere" does NOT work, nor does "Shuffle music in all rooms" or "Shuffle music on all speakers."

But "Shuffle music in living room and dining room" DOES work.

So, yeah, a Siri bug, most likely. Thanks for the troubleshooting help!