diff --git a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera.ts b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera.ts
index 8cccbb1c1..0f2576438 100644
--- a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera.ts
+++ b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Camera, MotionSensor, ScryptedDevice, ScryptedDeviceType, ScryptedInterface, VideoCamera, AudioSensor, Intercom, ObjectsDetected, VideoCameraConfiguration, OnOff } from '@scrypted/sdk'
 import { addSupportedType, bindCharacteristic, DummyDevice, HomeKitSession } from '../common'
-import { CameraRecordingDelegate, AudioRecordingCodec, AudioRecordingCodecType, AudioRecordingSamplerate, CameraRecordingOptions, RecordingManagement, OccupancySensor, CharacteristicEventTypes, DataStreamConnection, Service, WithUUID , AudioStreamingCodec, AudioStreamingCodecType, AudioStreamingSamplerate, CameraController, CameraStreamingOptions, Characteristic, VideoCodecType, H264Level, H264Profile, SRTPCryptoSuites } from '../hap';
+import { CameraRecordingDelegate, AudioRecordingCodec, AudioRecordingCodecType, AudioRecordingSamplerate, CameraRecordingOptions, RecordingManagement, OccupancySensor, CharacteristicEventTypes, DataStreamConnection, Service, WithUUID, AudioStreamingCodec, AudioStreamingCodecType, AudioStreamingSamplerate, CameraController, CameraStreamingOptions, Characteristic, VideoCodecType, H264Level, H264Profile, SRTPCryptoSuites } from '../hap';
 import { makeAccessory } from './common';
 
 import sdk from '@scrypted/sdk';
@@ -27,13 +27,14 @@ addSupportedType({
         // webrtc cameras (like ring and nest) must provide opus.
         // use this hint to force opus usage. even if opus is not returned,
         // for whatever reason, it will be transcoded to opus and that path will be used.
-        const forceOpus = device.interfaces.includes(ScryptedInterface.RTCSignalingChannel);
+        const forceOpus = true;
 
         const codecs: AudioStreamingCodec[] = [];
         // homekit seems to prefer AAC_ELD if it is offered.
+        // so forcing opus must be done by not offering AAC_ELD.
         for (const type of [
             AudioStreamingCodecType.OPUS,
-            ...(forceOpus ? [] : [AudioStreamingCodecType.AAC_ELD])
+            // AudioStreamingCodecType.AAC_ELD,
         ]) {
             for (const samplerate of [AudioStreamingSamplerate.KHZ_8, AudioStreamingSamplerate.KHZ_16, AudioStreamingSamplerate.KHZ_24]) {
                 codecs.push({
@@ -102,7 +103,12 @@ addSupportedType({
                 samplerate.push(sr);
             }
 
-            for (const type of [AudioRecordingCodecType.AAC_LC]) {
+            // homekit seems to prefer AAC_ELD if it is offered.
+            // so forcing AAC_LC must be done by not offering AAC_ELD.
+            for (const type of [
+                AudioRecordingCodecType.AAC_LC,
+                // AudioRecordingCodecType.AAC_ELD,
+            ]) {
                 const entry: AudioRecordingCodec = {
                     type,
                     bitrateMode: 0,
@@ -118,7 +124,7 @@ addSupportedType({
 
             const h265Support = storage.getItem('h265Support') === 'true';
             const codecType = h265Support ? VideoCodecType.H265 : VideoCodecType.H264
-    
+
             recordingOptions = {
                 motionService: true,
                 prebufferLength: numberPrebufferSegments * iframeIntervalSeconds * 1000,
diff --git a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-recording.ts b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-recording.ts
index b8094de9a..09b69eb74 100644
--- a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-recording.ts
+++ b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-recording.ts
@@ -91,10 +91,9 @@ export async function* handleFragmentsRequests(device: ScryptedDevice & VideoCam
             if (!(noAudio || transcodeRecording))
                 console.warn('Recording audio is not explicitly AAC, forcing transcoding. Setting audio output to AAC is recommended.', audioCodec);
             audioArgs = [
-                '-acodec', 'libfdk_aac',
                 ...(configuration.audioCodec.type === AudioRecordingCodecType.AAC_LC ?
-                    ['-profile:a', 'aac_low'] :
-                    ['-profile:a', 'aac_eld']),
+                    ['-acodec', 'aac', '-profile:a', 'aac_low'] :
+                    ['-acodec', 'libfdk_aac', '-profile:a', 'aac_eld']),
                 '-ar', `${AudioRecordingSamplerateValues[configuration.audioCodec.samplerate]}k`,
                 '-b:a', `${configuration.audioCodec.bitrate}k`,
                 '-ac', `${configuration.audioCodec.audioChannels}`
diff --git a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming-ffmpeg.ts b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming-ffmpeg.ts
index c28b3f1ae..c2db02116 100644
--- a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming-ffmpeg.ts
+++ b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming-ffmpeg.ts
@@ -114,18 +114,18 @@ export async function startCameraStreamFfmpeg(device: ScryptedDevice & VideoCame
             "-vn", '-sn', '-dn',
         );
 
-        // homekit live streaming seems extremely picky about aac output.
-        // be extremely sure that this is compatible.
+        // homekit live streaming seems extremely picky about audio formats.
+        // sending the incorrect packet time or bitrate, etc, can cause streaming
+        // to fail altogether. these parameters can also change between LAN and LTE.
         const perfectAac = audioCodec === AudioStreamingCodecType.AAC_ELD
             && mso?.audio?.codec === 'aac'
-            && mso?.audio?.encoder === 'libfdk_aac';
+            && mso?.audio?.encoder === 'scrypted';
 
         const requestedOpus = audioCodec === AudioStreamingCodecType.OPUS;
 
-        // homekit opus does not need to be perfect, i don't think. need to test.
         const perfectOpus = requestedOpus
             && mso?.audio?.codec === 'opus'
-            && mso?.audio?.encoder === 'opusenc';
+            && mso?.audio?.encoder === 'scrypted';
 
         let hasAudio = true;
         if (!transcodeStreaming
diff --git a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming.ts b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming.ts
index 4cbe00a87..d3fe3aa10 100644
--- a/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming.ts
+++ b/plugins/homekit/src/types/camera/camera-streaming.ts
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ export function createCameraStreamingDelegate(device: ScryptedDevice & VideoCame
                 const msos = await device.getVideoStreamOptions();
                 selectedStream = msos.find(mso => mso.name === streamingChannel);
             }
-            console.log('isHomeKitHub', session.isHomeKitHub, 'selected stream', selectedStream?.name || 'Default/undefined');
 
             const tryReconfigureBitrate = () => {
                 if (!session.isHomeKitHub)
@@ -198,6 +197,10 @@ export function createCameraStreamingDelegate(device: ScryptedDevice & VideoCame
             }
             tryReconfigureBitrate();
 
+            console.log('isHomeKitHub:', session.isHomeKitHub,
+                'selected stream:', selectedStream?.name || 'Default/undefined',
+                'audio.packet_time:', session.startRequest.audio.packet_time);
+
             try {
                 if (CAMERA_STREAM_FORCE_OPUS) {
                     await startCameraStreamSrtp(device, console, selectedStream, session, () => killSession(request.sessionID));