Remotes

[junior_money]

I had an older Roku 3800x stick with voice remote and it worked great controlling the audio on my Sony receiver. I don't use HDMI-CEC /ARC audio control as I have no TV, video is though a projector. Worked great for a year or so then I had an issue with that stick where the remote would need to get re-paired and batteries would go dead every week or so. I bought a new 4k streaming stick, that remotes works great but will not control audio on my Sony receiver. I tried many times to do the remote setup and say Sony is the type of TV, it doesn't work. Lived with it for a while then thought to pull out the old remote, new batteries and without pairing to the 4k stick it controlled the Sony receiver audio with no problem. So I paired the remote to the 4k stick and as soon as it paired the audio control stopped working.

What gives here? I see lots of threads about issues like this here with various solutions and many frustrated users. The issue here is that I know it can work, it did work with the IR code programed from the old stick but I assume when pairing with the 4k it automatically changed the IR code in the remote. Maybe somewhere along the way the IR codes in the roku software got broken??

Roku is the only device we use to interact with our video entertainment system, would be really nice to have volume control, I can't imagine this isn't a very simple fix since every cheapo universal remote can do it.

[Tivoburkee]

No Roku stick uses IR remote, or responds to IR commands. It has no IR sensor, roku sticks only work with wifi remotes, type of RF remote. The signal goes through walls, with IR remote you have to have line of sight from the remote to roku, how is thst done with stick behind the tv most of the time? 

Yes many are having problems controlling tv's, the software won't recognize the tv brand, so it can't procede in programming the remote to the tv. I haven't come across this myself and I have turned a few new roku models and have factory reset all of my other rokus. My only recommendation to those who come across this, to factory reset their roku again and again until you do have tv brands listed and can continue with activation. 

If it continues, I would upgrade to roku that accepts IR universal remotes like the express 4k, 4k+ or ultra. And get an aftermarket universal to control the roku, and be programmed for your tv. 

[junior_money]

This is entirely not true, the roku itself works with RF from the remote (that's why it works without pointing it at the stick) but the remote supports RF for TV control. that's why when you try to setup TV sound control it tells you to point the remote at the TV. With the non 4k remote I could control the receiver volume even if the roku was disconnected.

I just confirmed this by plugging in the old roku stick and repairing the remote. It automatically updated the IR code and the remote controlled the receiver volume again. I then unplugged the roku power and removed it from the HDMI port. I can still control the receiver volume with the roku remote without any roku or HDMI involved (just like any universal remote). If I now pair that remote with the 4k stick I loose the IR control. It seems very clear that the IR codes in the 4k stick are broken. I tried all 4 options it gives when setting up the remote for sony.

[Tivoburkee]

IR stands for Infra-red, a type of light that DOES NOT pass through walls!! RF stands for Radio-Frequency, that DOES pass through walls as I have  stated previously. A roku stick has a hdmi connecter attached, no place for a hdmi cable. Some people mistake the older express and premiere for sticks because of their slender form, but they're not. Express and Premiere do accept IR remotes. 

[junior_money]

yes IR = Infra-red, RF=radio frequency. The roku remote supports both. The roku itself runs on RF, that's why it works though walls, the black lens part on the front of the remote is an IR transmitter and only works line of site to the receiver, it only transmits when the programmable buttons on the remote are used which I think are only the power and volume buttons. Controlling the Roku is not the problem, controlling the receiver over IR is. There is no doubt that the remote has IR fuction, the issue is why does the 4K streaming stick not have the IR codes that the old non 4k stick does!

edit, I am definitely working with streaming sticks, built in male HDMI connector, I plug it directly into the receiver, has micro-usb for power. Both devices are streaming sticks, one is streaming stick 3800x, new one is a 4k stick, remotes are identical other than the quick buttons, old one has Sling and Now buttons, remote that came with 4k has Disney+ and VUDU. IR function works the same with both, if I pair with the 4k, IR codes won't control receiver, if I pair it with the older 3800x stick the IR code works and the volume on the receiver is controllable

[RokuDanny-R · Accepted solution]

@junior_money

Thanks for the inquiry.

Please be aware that Roku device remotes do not support control over external devices, such as AVRs.

Thanks,
Danny

[Strega]

Since Roku has always disclaimed support for controlling AVRs, I think you got lucky before and found some codeset that overlapped.  Maybe there is still something that will happen to work but you may have to do some sleuthing.

[junior_money]

I need to address this issue again as I think it is easily fixed by Roku. I recently tried getting this remote to work again and noticed something. On my old streaming stick which I have not updated with the latest firmware when I set the remote code, I select Sony, it tries code 1, then you tell it the music is still playing, then it tries subsequent codes. The remote starts working on code two or three.

On my 4K stick with the latest firmware it only tries code 1 when Sony is the manufacturer. If you tell it the music is still playing at code 1 it just ends the setup. This is clearly a bug or functionality that is broken. If I try another brand, say Panasonic it will try 7 or 8 codes.

Can Roku fix the Sony remote setup to try the remaining codes? I can't imagine this is a hard thing to do and its very clearly broken.