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User profile for user: mklybor
mklybor Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Apple TV 4K no sound through AV receiver if TV is not turned on?

I recently bought an Apple TV 4K primarily to play Apple Music through my AV system. I find that it goes on standby, no sound or video, whenever the TV is turned off (even though the TV is doing nothing but showing screensaver). All audio and video is going through the AV receiver (Onkyo) via HDMI. Are there any settings on TV, receiver, .... that can fix this? Any HDMI hardware hacks? It's very wasteful energy-wise and tv-lifetime-wise to burn the TV all day showing a screensaver when music/audio is all I want. This happens with Apple Music playing natively on the Apple TV or airplay from my iPhone. I saw this problem reported a few years ago and guessing that it persists. thanks for your help!

Apple TV 4K, tvOS 15

Posted on Jun 11, 2022 9:49 AM

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User profile for user: Urquhart1244
Urquhart1244
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
142,650 points

Posted on Jun 11, 2022 7:47 PM

Apple TV is a primarily a video device, and expects to output to a screen.

You can try if it behaves differently with CEC off on all devices (but then you wouldn’t have the benefits of CEC either), then you might be able to set the TV to standby with music use, independently of other devices.

You can set a black screen saver, although not sure if that reduces energy use significantly.

Some receivers may be AirPlay enabled, and then wouldn’t require an Apple TV box to AirPlay audio sources.

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User profile for user: Urquhart1244
Urquhart1244
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
142,650 points

Jun 11, 2022 7:47 PM in response to mklybor

Apple TV is a primarily a video device, and expects to output to a screen.

You can try if it behaves differently with CEC off on all devices (but then you wouldn’t have the benefits of CEC either), then you might be able to set the TV to standby with music use, independently of other devices.

You can set a black screen saver, although not sure if that reduces energy use significantly.

Some receivers may be AirPlay enabled, and then wouldn’t require an Apple TV box to AirPlay audio sources.

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User profile for user: mklybor
mklybor Author
User level: Level 1
16 points

Jun 12, 2022 7:15 PM in response to Urquhart1244

so this now started to work as I had hoped. I think here is the hack:


  • I have a home pod also.
  • turn on everything, TV, AV receiver, Apple TV
  • set up the audio to airplay on both the Apple TV and the home pod. or start something on the Apple TV from Apple Music
  • turn off the TV
  • audio continues to play on both devices
  • now alter the airplay so that it only plays on the apple tv
  • voila audio playing on AV system and no TV burning
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Apple TV 4K no sound through AV receiver if TV is not turned on?

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