[AppleTV] No sound on Apple TV when streaming to other devices over AirPlay2

[Xenia]

Hey folks,

We're seeing reports that using AirPlay to stream Spotify from an Apple TV to other AirPlay 2-enabled devices stops the sound on the source Apple TV. 

The relevant team is aware of this and they are currently looking into it. 

If you're experiencing this, we'd first recommend making sure your TV has been added to the room as described here.

If the issue persists, let us know by adding your +VOTE and follow the instructions in the Status Update below.

We'll be keeping everyone up to speed here, so make sure to subscribe to this thread!

[sonomats]

Yes! Let’s crank up the volume.🥳 Either from the Apple-TV OR the Airplay 2 connected device. 
🤣 We can’t have them both. It’s sad!

[sehendrickson]

@Xenia ,

I just updated my Apple TV 4k to tvOS 14.7 and I am still experiencing the problem. Can you please update us on the progress?

Thanks,

Scott

[Eric83]

@Xenia 

You are still ignoring this thread and it's been over two and a half months.

I've raised this Technical Issues - Spotify app / feature isn’t working [ ref:_00DD0pxIW._5002o2mp5Mo:ref ] as well. Why is it so hard to address this?

Regards,

Eric

[Eric83]

@Xenia

Will this help getting any attention?

https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/AppleTV-No-sound-on-Apple-TV-when-streaming-to-othe...

And this:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/AppleTV-No-sound-on-Apple-TV-when-streaming-to-othe...

And this:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/AppleTV-No-sound-on-Apple-TV-when-streaming-to-othe...

And this:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/AppleTV-No-sound-on-Apple-TV-when-streaming-to-othe...

You're ignoring us for over a year and this post for two and a half months now.

Regards,

Eric

[Eric83]

@Xenia  , @Eni and everyone else that's following this:

Please see the the next post here:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/AppleTV-No-sound-on-Apple-TV-when-streaming-to-othe...

Content

Dear @Eni,

Let's not try to whitewash what's happening here with phrases like: 'We understand where you're coming from and that it can be frustrating when an issue takes longer than expected to be fixed'.

Let's be very clear about what's happening here.

*FACT 1* - Even ignoring the fact that the problem has been ongoing for over a year now, you are ignoring the thread I've opened. Despite repeated attempts spanning *21* MESSAGES, over a period of *2 and a half months* on what was the *3rd* thread opened on the issue, you are simply *IGNORING* your customers and all the legitimate attempts to get you to acknowledge the bug, let alone fix it.

*FACT 2* - 'Being looked at' is not an update. To resolve any bug 3 things need to happen:

A) You need to reproduce it on your side and acknowledge it is happening.

B) Then you need to understand WHY it's happening.

C) And need to understand HOW to fix it and fix it.

So far you have not even acknowledged that you can reproduce the problem on your side, let alone the WHY or HOW to fix it.

Can we agree that 'looking at a problem' FOR OVER A YEAR, without being able to reproduce it and acknowledge it to the customers that are complaining about it is simply INCOMPETENT?

*FACT 3* - Taking it one step further, a simple bug as this one, should not take over a year to analyse and fix by any competent team of engineers. People have managed to design a vaccine to a novel virus, and distribute billions of doses of it worldwide in a year, all while you can't fix a simple issue of sound disappearing when using AirPlay.

If it's simply a bug on your side this is pure incompetence. If there's a deeper reason why the problem happens, such as some licensing issues related to AirPlay 2, or a dispute you have with Apple, then please share that information, so that your customers can understand what's happening. But you don't do either, so you're either being incompetent or dishonest. Take your pick.

GETTING BACK TO BASICS, CAN YOU FINALLY CONFIRM THAT YOU CAN REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM ON YOUR END?

Regards,

Eric

[okänd]

I have this issue but it isn’t exclusive to Spotify for me. It feels more like a thing with the Apple TV itself but when googling about it I end up here so might as well post anyway.

I have an Apple TV and a HomePod Mini. I want audio to be output over both HDMI from my Apple TV and over AirPlay to my HomePod in another room but when enabling that the audio goes silent on HDMI. I’ve got this behaviour both in Spotify and when watching a steam using the Twitch app.

All devices run the latest stable version of tvOS and whatever it might be called for the HomePod.

[Eric83]

Thanks @okänd. I don't use Twitch or the particular setup you described with HomePod Mini, so it could be a separate issue, either related to HopePod or Twitch. 

I definitely don't get that behaviour with any other app other than Spotify and specifically when AirPlaying from one AppleTV to any number of other AppleTVs. To name a few:  Apple Music, Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, BBC (UK), Channel 4 (UK), so definitely wouldn't class this as a general Apple TV or AirPlay issue.

Regards,

Eric

[okänd]

You are correct @Eric83. I just did some more tests with Netflix and SVT Play as well and it works as expected with those. This is indeed an issue with Spotify and Twitch instead then.

[matou2]

I'm slowly transitioning to Apple Music because of the lack of attention this is getting. Apple TV using Airplay and HDMI is THE major requirement for me on the way I consume Streaming Music. Apple Music does this flawlessly

[spotmik]

**bleep**, it's been over 1 year since this problem was reported and still no fix! Apple Music and Tidal works fine, both apps are using Airplay 2 and Spotify uses Airplay 1. Just implement Airplay 2 and everyone will be happy!

[PehrJ]

@spotmik 

Airplay 2 workes just fine. I use four ouput devices.

It is the internal output on the HDMI port on the Apple TV that dont work when Airplaying to other devices. 

[spotmik]

@PehrJ

If you pause and play music while airplaying from Spotify do you have 2-3 second delay or is it instant?

[PehrJ]

@spotmik 

There is a short delay, maybe a second or shorter. Same delay on ”Podcaster” but Netflix, HBO, Disney+ and other streaming services it is instant. 

Do you say that the delay prooves that the Spotify App uses AirPlay 1? 

[Eric83]

@PehrJ and @spotmik

I can confirm that Spotify is in fact using AirPlay 1.

[matou2]

If Spotify is still using Airplay 1, then for sure the devs must have turned off hdmi output intentionally when airplay is active because they can't get both streams in sync.

Now, why Spotify is still using Airplay 1 and didn't update to Airplay 2 ??? I suspect it has something to do with Spotify connect or some of hardware components in 3rd party bricking the current Spotify Connect hardware!

[matou2]

This issue won't get fixed! Time to switch to a different music service, who support modern standards and looseless audio

[okänd]

- Lossless

- Latency free airplay

- Cheaper

- No ads for exclusive podcasts

[PehrJ]

@matou2  Where did xenia write that?

[Ghaaaa]

@PehrJ here -> https://community.spotify.com/t5/Closed-Ideas/iOS-Airplay-2-Support-for-iOS/idc-p/5244350#M229127

[Eric83]

@Xenia and @Eni 

Please, can you confirm the above is indeed correct and that what this in fact means is that switching to AirPlay 2 will not be supported within the foreseeable future, and that any hope of fixing this issue in the foreseeable future using AirPlay 1 is in fact none existent?

Kind regards,

Eric