Remotes & Accessories

[AgsMyDude]

If I run it though my Sony STRDH550 audio receiver which has HDMI in and out to the TV, can the Roku remote handle everything? Or am I still looking at needing a universal remote?

[fluke]

Short answer is ... maybe.

Controlling the audio receiver is not a feature directly provided by the Roku Ultra remote.

However, if you can enable HDMI-CEC on both the TV and the audio receiver then maybe TV volume up and volume down from the Roku Ultra remote will be passed by the TV to the audio receiver.

If that does not work, then maybe a Logitech Harmony remote might work best.

[atc98092]

Like he said, maybe. Yes, the Roku remote will control the AVR volume via CEC. I have no issues controlling my Yamaha AVRs that way. However, that's about the limit of what you can do with the Roku remote. If the TV and AVR are set to different inputs (say you're watching broadcast TV), then hitting the Home button on the Roku remote will cause the TV and AVR to change to the correct inputs to show the Roku on the TV. But that's it. You can't control the TV or the AVR in any other way. I believe the latest version of the Ultra has a power button on the remote, so you should be able to turn the system off with it. But you can't change TV channels or input, nor change any setting on the AVR other than volume. The Roku remote just isn't designed for that. If you want a true single remote experience, then something from the Harmony line might work for you. 

[fluke]

As a side note, several Samsung TVs like to hide the HDMI-CEC enable option under the name of "Anynet+" so make sure to look for that if you own a Samsung TV.

[KenIrwin]

Seems a little cheesy considering the Roku remote only really has the minimalist capacity to control Volume Up/Down, Power, and on some models Mute, it's not like it's an extensive list of features. So why would you not provide the ability to control 3 or 4 codes for at least popular receivers to something marketed as essentially a cable box eliminator and not provide a functionality that virtually every cable box remote provides.  I just see this as kind of lazy.

For me the CEC solution is a non-solution, my Roku is not connected directly to the TV but rather to the receiver, and the output is a 3x3 video wall. So controlling through CEC turns up an down the volume of 8 of the nine TVs that make up the wall, the sole exception being the one that has the fiber audio link. So my only solution would be to either switch remotes for volume despite the volume keys being there, or trying to build some IR translator that can take an IR code that is supported and convert it to the Receivers code, unnecessarily ugly.

Rokus biggest competitor, FireTV does not have this issue it just has Receiver codes in it's database.

[DustanD]

Yep the only sad thing about Roku to me seems they just want to sell their inferior soundbars as that's the only way to easily control stereos with one remote. 

Edit: Actually since this post, I researched and discovered HDMI ARC apparently that's the new way to do this and it works great just get a soundbar that supports arc, and bang can control your volume with a Roku remote I bought this Pheanoo cheap one and it works great not the best sounding but it was only $99 and is decent comes with a subwoofer but I'd recommend getting a better one is standard subwoofer out so can use any $99 #https://amzn.to/2VqVnSN 

[Google-me-mitch]

How did you set up the HDMI- ARC? I don’t understand any of this I just want my roku remote to turn the volume up and down on my yamaha SURROUND SOUND BOX. Please help. 

[RokuDanny-R]

@Google-me-mitch

Thanks for the post.

Please be aware that Roku device remotes do not support controlling AVRs or external sound devices.

Thanks,
Danny

[KenIrwin]

Which given the very limited scope of functions the remote would be expected to control: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute if the remote even has that button, and power (which honestly I don't think anyone would care if it worked or didn't on a receiver), is pretty lame, but yea.

[atc98092]

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@Google-me-mitch wrote:

How did you set up the HDMI- ARC? I don’t understand any of this I just want my roku remote to turn the volume up and down on my yamaha SURROUND SOUND BOX. Please help. 

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ARC has nothing to do with a Roku player. It is solely between the TV and the audio device (AVR or soundbar) when connected via HDMI. Assuming your Roku is connected directly to the Yamaha via HDMI, it should control the volume automatically. If not, ensure CEC is enabled on the Yamaha and One-touch Play is enabled on the Roku.

If your Roku is connected directly to a TV, and the TV is connected to the Yamaha via optical, then there's no way to control the Yamaha with the Roku remote. The IR controls in the Roku remote will only control a TV, and the TV cannot control the Yamaha via optical. If they are connected via HDMI, and both the TV and the Yamaha support CEC, then the Roku might control the Yamaha through the TV's CEC function. But that's up to the TV to implement, nothing can be done from the Roku side.