Yes, me too since updating to tvOS 17 6hours ago. Have restarted TV and Raspberry pi DVR, still has problem…
Just found that it is doing the same with recordings too. So far only way to fix it is to close app with double click and restart.
Problem seems to be when using HomePod minis, it appears OK if internal Tv speakers are used.
Me too - I have original HomePod paired.
tvOS 17 definitely added more issues with and without pip invoked with HomePods. This is something this software has had trouble with for years now.
This doesn't seem to be happening with any other tvOS apps though.
Yes, this is a channels app issue only that's been going on for years. There is a master thread about it, it's a good history lesson.
This is an issue specifically with paired HomePods.
Each tvOS update brings changes in how Apple privately works with HomePods. This happens every year. They make changes, and we have to chase the changes to get them working as well as we can.
The reason other apps work just fine is because they're using the system player, so it all just works for free.
Channels does not use the system player. We have to work with making the HomePods happy ourselves, without Apple's help. It's all a big secret, and they, across 4 years, have never been willing to help, despite us reporting multiple bugs that they have even confirmed. So we just wait for them to maybe fix them.
So, HomePod support continues to be experimental, if not officially unsupported, for Channels.
We'll do another round at trying to make it better now that a new revision has rolled out, but if you're an Apple TV owner that pairs their HomePods with it instead of using regular speakers, you can expect to have troubles like this.
I can promise you, it's not from a lack of trying.
Fixed it with AppleTV Settings -> System -> Reset -> [Reset and Update]
Took about 45 minutes to get everything reset, but now seems to be OK…
Maddox, thank you for the explanation and for everything you do here. My life would be much worse without Channels!
The experimental audio driver with tvOS17 and HomePods seems totally broken, default audio driver works a bit, but frustrating how it goes backwards with each software iteration.
I know Channels team did a bunch of work on their own player from the onset of Channels release, but at the time it was to be faster than the built in player. Is that still the case where the default Apple Player would introduce lag when tuning? Even with the increase in people using TVE, ATSC 3.0, etc.? Just curious.
IIRC, the reason was that Apple's system player doesn't support MPEG-2 video, which is what most OTA broadcasts use. As long as Channels supports OTA tuners without transcoding, they have to use their own custom player.
You're right, I forgot about Mpeg2. I wonder if it's possible for an experimental player setting that used the built in Apple player, but forced transcoding at the server. Personally I'd take the delay in startup due to transcoding than the audio/video delay from the interaction with the homePods.
Same problem here in both Apple TVs using either a pair of HomePod and an HomePod mini.
I’m using experimental audio driver.
Are you sure that a full reset will fix this?
So far OK. It was inconvenient, but have run 4 recordings and about 6 hours of live TV across 3 different stations without problems. I just checked and am running the standard audio driver.
Some other apps give the option to use the system player, maybe this could be an option also for channels as well.
I've found that if I just skip back when starting something, the audio seems to then work. Started with the latest update.
Same issues here. Original HomePods in stereo pair. I also switched from the experimental audio driver back to default. Not great… waiting for a fix, understand it’s ‘best effort’.
An official Known Issue has been opened for this problem. Please continue discussion there as this topic is now locked.