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Why? I mean if it has good sound quality than potato, potatoe. I rather have a HomePod than alexa or google home.
Sonos are great, but I cant just get the sound bar, I need to get the whole package, sound bar, sub, 2 sonos 1 at each side. Rather just get a HomePod and be done with it.
Why? Ask Apple. Optical in would have been a nice addition in my opinion.
I’m no audio expert but there have been plenty discussions about this already. The HomePod is omnidirectional and probably as capable in creating a good soundstage as one single Sonos 1 or 3 speaker.
A decent soundbar will run rings around it for tv entertainment. I wish we see the day where one speaker that small can replace a decent home cinema system but not sure the HomePod is that speaker.
It’s just not a market Apple are interested in competing with yet. That’s what it basically boils down to. Maybe the day will come, but it’s not now.
I do get where you’re coming from though. If you’re happy enough with the sound from the HomePod and even like it when used for movies and so on when connected to the Apple TV. Then sure, it’d have been nice if they’d added an optical in to allow you to have it as your main sound source.
Unfortunately they just weren’t interested in going down that road. But who knows, if enough people go on the Apple website and send them feedback asking for it. Then maybe HomePod 2.0 will get it. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
At the end of the day, unless you’re willing to use the Apple TV as your only source of viewing entertainment, you’re out of luck.
Knowing Apple, they'll probably roll out a HomePod "Pro" in a couple of years which can do all these things and, oh by the way, they can price at $899...
I don't think you understand how home theater audio works.
You can just get the soundbar.
Even 7.1 or Atmos can be downmixed to stereo, or even mono if you really wanted to.
Is it the best way to experience it? Em, no, no, no. Not by a very, very long shot.
But if someone is happy to hear it that way and still glean enjoyment from it, who are we to argue?
You can’t tell someone if they like what they hear. Only they can decide that. And if they’re happy with it, that’s all that matters.
We can only have our own audio setups how we want them, because that’s how we like to hear it.
I think you've got the wrong impression if you think a HomePod will replace all of that, because it won't. And as you've discovered, there's no way to input cable/sat, console, etc. audio sources.
Extremely plausible. Because not every company has the courage to look out for the well-being of their Pro customers. Which is why the HomePod Pro will include an Aux port.
as in if it has enough bass and good sound im fine. I dont need 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. but If I do get a sonos I'd rather go all out.
I just want one speaker that I can use to control my Home, look up weather, play music hands free and also be used for my TV and gaming systems, and Apple TV
The bass on a Playbar/Playbase will crush a HomePod. Again, HomePod is not designed for what you are trying to do.
Sonos Playbar/Playbase is the closest choice minus the voice integration.
I know, but the Bass is good enough. I rather have a HomePod its a preferable preference. If I had money to burn I'd get both.
Why is it all or nothing? You couldn’t just do a stereo setup with Sonos? You’re also talking $350 vs $1700. Just for the record, I wouldn’t go with Sonos if I was spending $1700 either.
While it's certainly possible, I think 'intended' is a stretch.
https://www.apple.com/homepod/
Not a single mention of pairing with the ATV as a feature.
If you have to re-establish your connection to atv after each time you use the voice control like multiple people have already mentioned it is the opposite of what you are claiming here.
That's not entirely true. I can use Siri to adjust my smart lights, or get the weather, or a sports score, etc., while watching TV and I do NOT have to re-establish a connection to the Apple TV after doing so. I can even use Siri to pause and play the video.
When I do have to re-establish a connection to the Apple TV is after using the HomePod to play music from another source such as my iPhone, or directly from the cloud.
Thanks for the clarification. It still sounds like the atv integration is an afterthought at best. Still, better than what was described by others previously but I fail to see how a HomePod would be a better listening experience for TV than a medium quality sound bar.
You're right, the HomePod is not a replacement for a soundbar, or full-on surround system. However I disagree with the assessment that Apple never intended the HomePod to be used to watch TV.
Since the HomePod can be used as audio out on the Apple TV, I find it very hard to believe that the people at Apple never thought that people might only use it to listen to music "as intended." Of course they knew people would watch TV while streaming the sound to a HomePod.
So if a person, let's use me as an example, simply wants better sound than provided by the built-in TV speakers, and already has an Apple TV, then a HomePod is a completely adequate device. I don't currently have the room or the strong desire to setup a new surround system in my small flat at the moment. So the HomePod is an ideal solution for me. I get really, really nice music playback, and I get TV sound which sounds great. There have been a couple of times, since I bought the HomePod, when I was watching a back episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, that I almost thought I did have a surround system. When the audio source has good sound, the HomePod is really outstanding. When the audio source is 2-channel stereo, the HomePod is still very, very good.
As a middle ground device between a full-on surround system and the TV speakers, the HomePod fits in very, very nicely. The people who say Apple never intended the HomePod to be used this way are, I believe, mistaken.
There’s a difference between possible and intended use. It’s possible simply because both the ATV and HomePod support AirPlay. If this was an intended use case then Apple would’ve mentioned it at least once in their adcopy. Or do you not think Apple would’ve wanted to market the HomePod to those with an ATV, but no sound system?
Clearly Apple never intended it to be used this way since they didn’t bother to allow the HomePod to default back to a connection to the ATV after playing music from another source. If that’s how an intended use case functions, then that’s one of the most inelegant things I’ve seen Apple do. Additionally, the fact that it’s relegated to only the ATV for a source in your entertainment center lends even more credence to the fact that Apple didn’t give much, if any, consideration to them being used as a set of TV speakers. Maybe this will change in the future, but as it stands it was clearly an afterthought at best.