Features, settings & updates

[Whatthehay]

Dear Roku developers. We have 5 Roku's. Some to a sound bar, some use the TV sound and 1 doesn't operate the sound because it's a sofisticated receiver based sound system. Thanks for keeping the Roku unit compact and easy to operate, but that annoying sound issues a doozie. One thing that would help everyone who likes high quality audio, ease of use and the elderly (one less remote) would be to add an optical cable for their existing sound system. 

I realize it might be a bit difficult, but it would be great to be able to operate your volume/mute buttons via the Roku remote. 

Thanks for listening.

Ken

[andyross]

There are many adapter cables that can convert HDMI to output optical or even analog audio. This is just one example:

https://www.amazon.com/Optical-Toslink-Bi-Directional-Converter-Splitter/dp/B084T4QDFP/ 

[Whatthehay]

That's a cool gadget but I suspect it doesn't have the logic to let the Roku remote operate the Sony receiver. Thanks, K

[Strega2]

According to Wikipedia, Roku’s last model with optical came out in 2016.  Since they’ve been making Audio Video Receivers with HDMI since around 2005, it seems that Roku has decided that the market for non-HDMI connections is too small to worry about at this point.

So these days, an adapter like @andyross mentioned, or a more modern AVR are the solutions.  The latter is obviously much more expensive, but might have an advantage on the number-of-remotes issue. Oddly, Roku disclaims any control of anything but TVs with their remotes, but quite a few people have gotten AVR volume control to work via HDMI-CEC from their TV to their AVR.

[Whatthehay]

Great ideas. I'll give them a try. Ken