User level: Level 1 (22 points)I have a 3rd gen AppleTV 4K (wi-fi and ethernet) with stereo-paired original gen HomePods as default. I got a HomePod Mini 2. Can I add that to the home theater set-up?
Posted on Oct 30, 2026 9:14 AM
User level: Level 8 (38,420 points)Nov 9, 2026 9:58 PM in response to Elros
You can add them in as extras to Airplay to but a true home theatre is not possible to do 4 with OG. Big HomePods (if this is the model you mean?)
With the new Apple TV 4K 4th gen it’s now possible to use 4 but they have to be sets of Gen 2 big HomePods and/or the new HomePod mini gen 2.
This article explains the models you have now and as I said you can airplay to extras: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102357 or https://support.apple.com/en-my/102357 I can’t find a support document for true hone theatre with 4. This is all new and I don’t have the 4th gen Apple TV to provide user experience. I don’t believe they’re released until November 13th
User level: Level 1 (14 points)Nov 8, 2026 5:39 PM in response to 6x6
I bought a couple of HomePod Minis 2 last week in readiness for the new Apple TV, but they’ve suddenly started working with my existing Apple TV and HomePods 2. Right now I’m getting sound out of all four, but I can’t tell whether it’s proper 5.1 surround sound.
User level: Level 1 (14 points)Nov 9, 2026 3:21 AM in response to APB1976
I don’t think that I’m getting front and rear sound, just sound from four speakers.
I bought the new HomePod Mini 2s last week, paired them and named them “Bedroom” (the same name as the HomePod 2s). The HomePods are connected to my Apple TV.
Last night, without having selected anything, television sound started coming out of the HomePod Minis. I then found that I could add the Minis to the Apple TV sound output.
User level: Level 7 (26,777 points)Oct 30, 2026 4:51 PM in response to Elros
You can only use 2 HomePods with the Apple TV 4K 3rd generation.
The new Apple TV 4K 4th generation supports surround sound with up to 4 HomePods ( https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/26/apple-releases-tvos-27-2):
It allows the Apple TV 4K to be used with four HomePod mini 2 speakers, four second-generation HomePods, or two HomePods and two HomePod mini 2 speakers to get surround sound.
User level: Level 7 (26,777 points)Nov 8, 2026 6:04 PM in response to APB1976
I'm a bit puzzled as well. The following article mentions the possibility to hook 4 HomePods (in the 27.2 beta version, at least) but states that there is no way (yet?) to set the front and back speakers: https://9to5mac.com/2026/09/23/tvos-27-2-adds-new-homepod-surround-sound-feature-to-apple-tv-4k/.
I don't have enough HomePods to test on my end but try to play with the sound balance to see how the four speakers behave: https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/tv/atvb1376e9d7/tvos.
User level: Level 8 (38,420 points)Nov 9, 2026 10:07 PM in response to APB1976
It requires the new 4th gen Apple TV for true stereo. Mine is not called “home cinema”.
3rd gen Apple TV 4K - gen 2 big HomePods
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256385970