Resolved Trying to split audio from Apple TV HD

[kirbyrun]

I'm hoping someone with greater home theater knowledge than I can help here.

In the kids' playroom, I have an LG TV and an Apple TV HD that they use to watch cartoons and play games. I realized that I had a set of powered speakers and thought it would be cool to set it up so that they could stream music without having to have the TV on.

So I bought an HDMI splitter/extractor (this one) and ran HDMI to it from the Apple TV. Then I ran HDMI out of it to the TV and an audio cable from the splitter to the speakers.

Everything works...when the TV is off. But when the TV is on, the sounds comes from the TV and the speakers (of course!)...but with a tiny lag, so that it sounds like an echo.

I've explored the Apple TV's audio options and can't see anything that would fix this. Does anyone out there have any thoughts/ideas?

 

[AZhappyjack]

Does your TV have an ARC (audio return channel) HDMI port? It would be labeled something like HDMI/ARC. If so, run an HDMI cable from the AppleTV to the TV, and then from that HDMI/ARC port on the tv to your splitter... and the audio cable to the speakers.

 

[waw74]

The splitter is HDMI so the ARC port won't work, (regular HDMI audio and HDMI-ARC use different pins in the cable)
also that defeats the purpose of not having the TV on.


If you purchased a homekit compatible smart outlet, you could have siri turn the powered speakers off and on for you.
another nice feature of this, you can set up timers, so the speakers automatically go off at bedtime every night.

if you wanted to get fancy, and your TV is new enough and supports homekit, you could make some automations that when you turn the TV on it would automatically turn the speakers off and vice-versa.

If you want to get fancy, but the TV is "smart" but older, and you've got a bit of computer skills, you might still be able to add homekit to it by using homebridge. It's a program that runs on a computer that acts as a translator between homekit and a lot of other gear. There are plug-ins for a lot of things... cameras, robot vacs, and several other smart home products.
There is a plug-in that works well for LG TVs,
there is also another plugin for appleTVs that give you 2 switches, power and playing. They work both ways, the aTV will control them, and they will control the aTV. (turning off the ATV could power down your speakers)

you do need a computer on all the time for it to work, (windows, Mac or linux)
It can also run on a raspberry pi. There is a pre-made image that will set it up for you called Hoobs.

 

[kirbyrun]

So... I appreciate the suggestions! (And I'm actually already running Homebridge, though I don't have a spare smart outlet at the moment. But cool idea!)

Turns out I was able to fix the problem by going into the LG's audio menu, turning on Audio Sync, and then messing with the slider until everything lined up. Works a treat now!