PIP pauses when another app video starts

Channels Apple TV
#1

I just upgraded to the PIP version of the channels appleTV app. i noticed that if i have live video streaming from my HDHR to the PIP window, that when i go into another app and start its video, the channels PIP pauses.

while this might be intended to prevent the PIP audio from continuing while the other app is in the foreground, it kind of limits the usefulness of PIP from channels. or is this a bug?

thanks,

rob

#2

This is intended. You can’t have two videos playing at the same time due to audio conflict. If you start a new video while one is already playing, the existing video will be paused.

#3

makes sense i guess but makes the utility of PIP pretty low. not sure what apple were thinking with this.

#4

Video while:

  • checking email
  • browsing the web
  • chatting
  • other normal non-video consuming activity
  • …
#5

checking email, chatting and web browsing on an appleTV? the main activity on an appleTV is consumption of video.

the point of PIP on a DVR or other video device is to keep an eye on a channel with a commercial or something while looking at other channels, or maybe to keep an eye on one sports broadcast while watching another. in both cases you just want the PIP to be muted, not paused.

heck the picture-in-picture thing on macosx works better than this. i can watch youtube in a browser and a video from iTunes in "PIP" mode (and hear the audio from both.)

#6

It's more of an iOS feature that lingers across to tvOS. You can see the point of the functionality more on iOS.

#7

totally... unfortunately on tvOS i think this is pretty useless.

#8

it's useful for continuing on a channel if browsing guide, or other channels functions, but it's def. not as full-featured as "real" PiP.

#9

that's true, it's sort of like a shortcut to get back to what you had been watching if you go out to the guide.

#10

There is a fix for the pause issue in the latest TestFlight beta. Now both videos will play, but both audios will also play at the same time. There seems to be no way for us to control the audio focus.

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#11

huh i didn't know there was a TestFlight for channels, thanks. actually would have never occurred to me for tvOS (though that is just because i am dumb) :slight_smile:

anyway thanks for the fix. hopefully apple will get a clue about this and provide ducking or at least muting of the PIP.

#12

i have loaded the TestFlight beta and it works great. thanks for adding that.

#13

This has been shipped and is available with the normal release now.

1 Like