Forum Discussion

scotty2541's avatar
scotty2541
Binge Watcher
4 years ago
Solved

Second Roku, what does the remote do?

I have searched, but cannot find that someone has asked this... And yet, it should be a question or an issue.

I have a Roku stick on my TV in the main living room.  Works great, I love the thing.

And now I want to add another one to a TV in a bedroom, which is just behind a wall to the first TV.

I have ordered the second unit, but have not received it yet.  So I wanted to try something.  I notice the stick does not have any IR window in it.  Must be some RF signal (with IR controlling the volume on the TV)

So took the remote into the bedroom, where no device is, and pressed the power button.  It activated the TV in the living room...  With no line of sight.

Is this normal?  Is this what will happen?  Someone in bedroom ends up controlling the device in the living room?

How is this issue addressed?

Thanks in advance.

remotes
  • Strega's avatar
    Strega
    4 years ago

    Sticks are usually behind TVs so they do RF remotes only.  Box models (express etc.) can work with IR or RF remotes.  RF reports are paired.  IR remotes run whatever can see their light.

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  • Tivoburkee's avatar
    Tivoburkee
    Community Streaming Expert
    4 years ago

    It wouldn't happen if it were controlling the tv by IR. Your's is using Hdmi-cec, it's wifi signal from the remote to the Roku stick, then a cec signal through the HDMI connector to the tv. Once you have two systems in place there shouldn't be conflicts because the wifi remote will only communicate with one Roku at a time, so it can't control two tv's a time either. Through a wall. If both TV's are the same brand and the newer were to control it be IR it could control both but not through walls. 

    • Strega's avatar
      Strega
      Roku Guru
      4 years ago

      Sticks are usually behind TVs so they do RF remotes only.  Box models (express etc.) can work with IR or RF remotes.  RF reports are paired.  IR remotes run whatever can see their light.

      • scotty2541's avatar
        scotty2541
        Binge Watcher
        4 years ago

        I'm not worried about the IR.  That's a no brainer.

        (I've got a few TV's and monitors, some the same brand, some different.  I know which TV remotes can be used where).

        I'm just concerned that the stick obviously is using RF, and didn't want one room, changing the app in another room (me changing to Hulu, when someone in the other room is watching NetFlix on the other device and it gets changed too).

        If they are paired, that should be a problem.  I just don't recall how that's done.  I'll figure that out when it arrives and I set it up.