Remotes

[hanspl]

I added a Blu Ray player to my Samsung TV (HTML cable). The TV is already connected to a Roku box via Ethernet (from router to the box). Now, when I turn on the TV, it is stuck in the blue box ("No signal") on the screen which, if empty, does not allow Roku to start.

Whether I disconnect the Blu Ray cable or not, nothing works. that is, neither the Roku  not the TV remote does anything (except the Roku remote, which turn the TV off and on). Unplugging the power to the Roku box does nothing.

Could this have anything to do with where the Blu Ray cable is connected to the TV?

Thanks for tips.

Hans L

[Strega2]

On Most Samsung remotes, the source button is on the top center area of the remote. Press it to select your input. (I believe you can press it multiple times to go through the inputs, or press it once and then move around with arrows.)

If you're not changing the input/source, then your description sounds mostly normal, except a few details: The Blu Ray and Roku should both be connected to the TV via HDMI. If you think the TV is connected to the Roku via Ethernet, then that's not going to work. For example if you removed the Roku HDMI cable in order to plug in the Blu Ray, either due to a lack of HDMI cables or a lack of HDMI ports, then you will have to do the reverse to get to the Roku. (You probably want an HDMI switch if you are out of ports on the TV. But look carefully, most TVs have 2 to 4 HDMI ports - sometimes in more than one place.)

But hopefully your Roku is still plugged in to a different HDMI port and all you need to do is use the source button.

If you have HDMI-CEC/Anynet+ enabled on the TV, then the TV may automagically switch inputs at times. This can save a button press or two when it works, but can be confusing when it doesn't - especially if it fails infrequently enough that you forget how to switch inputs yourself. If you find yourself getting confused by that, you can turn off Anynet+ on the TV (under settings) and always select the input yourself.

Oh, and it helps to press the home button on the Roku remote to make sure the Roku is awake. If the automatic power savings option on your Roku is enabled, then the TV should still switch to the Roku's input, but will show it as "no signal". This is perfectly normal, since there is indeed "no signal" when the Roku is sleeping, but can cause some people to think they are on the wrong input and switch to another one. If that's annoying you can turn it off, since a Roku sitting at the home screen uses little power anyway. That setting is at: Settings -> System -> Power -> Auto Power Savings.

[hanspl]

1. Strega2, thank you for your answer. Now, my situation is very simple. I have Blu Ray connected via HDMI cable, as I have the Roku box. When I turn on the TV with the Roku remote, I see the blue lower box with "No signal" in it on the screen. Nothing more happens, and no other button on the Roku remote or the TV remote works. In other words, I can turn the TV on and off, but only with the Roku power button (and not, for instance, with the TV power button). If I remove the HDMI cable for the Blu Ray, same situation.

It seems as if my TV/Roku is stuck in Extra Device mode, and none of the two remotes mentioned above can change it.

Any ideas?

Hans L

[Strega2]

Oh, it sounds like you're saying the TV remote doesn't work at all???  In that case, changing batteries would be my first guess.  Next guesses would include: are you sure it's the right remote for the TV and not some other TV or device?  Since (I assume) it is an IR remote, it has to be aimed at the IR receiver in the TV and that can't be blocked.

If you can't get the TV remote working at all, there might be some buttons on the TV itself.  (Though there seem to be fewer and fewer of these.)

You can also try a replacement remote.  You may want to contact Samsung support.  I had to call once on mom and dad's TV and they were very good.

[hanspl]

My daughter-in-law asked to see the clicker, and she moved the slider-button on theleft side ffrom green to not green (has something to do with voice and not voice), and things started moving. Then, I connected the Blu Ray again and disconnected it, and nothing worked again. I then started the TV with the Blu Ray remote power button, and things moved. I turned the TV off with the Blu Ray remote, and then on again with the Roku remote. and things were dancing. Back in business.

Hopefully, there is a tutorial somewhere  about how  Samsung Blu Ray, Samsung TV and Roku  work together so that everything works.

Thank you for your input.

Hans L

[Strega2 · Accepted solution]

Well, as it happens, I have:

In one room, a 2008 Samsung TV, Roku, BD player. DVD player, Android player, Satellite receiver, AVR, LaserDisc Player, should I even mention the beta VCR? 

In another room I have a 2017 Samsung TV with a BD player, and a Roku.

My tutorial?  Use the source button to select inputs.  Seriously, they're the same as Sony TVs I had before them and the other brands of TVs before that.

At least both of my Samsungs are just normal TVs.

[hanspl]

Okay, I did see and click the source button today. It is on the Blu Ray remote, isn't it? I will experiment a little more in the coming days (I do not have time every day, as life is intervening).

Thank you for all your help.

Hans L

[Strega2]

Some blu ray player remotes do indeed have a source button, but it may only work if the Blu Ray player remote has been programmed for your TV.

The source button on your TV remote is the best choice since you know that one will work.  Did you check the batteries?  I noticed that the TV remote was not mentioned at all in your previous post. 

[hanspl]

I can turn the TV on and off with the Blu Ray remote. The TV remote has mostly been non-working. I will try it.

Hans L

[Strega2]

An external device should be incapable of causing a TV remote to stop working. However, certain buttons on the remote may be meaningless in certain situations. For example, if you select the Blu Ray player, then hopefully you realize that at that point, you need to use the arrow keys on the Blu Ray remote, not the ones on the TV remote in order to make selections on the Blu Ray.

Of course, even then, if you do something like press the Settings button or Home button on your TV remote - in that case you will be driving the TV UI with the TV remote arrows. But once you exit the TV UI, you'll be back to using the Blu Ray Remote on the Blu Ray.

If you can't even turn the TV on and off with the TV remote, then you may have the wrong remote, batteries could be dead, it could be defective etc. Replacement remotes are common and third-party remotes are inexpensive (do check model numbers for compatibility). I see someone selling a two-pack of Samsung-compatible TV remotes for $9.45 on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Remote-Samsung-Replacement-Compatible/dp/B0B7B6KLH3

In the picture on the Amazon site, you can see the Source button in the upper right.