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MrLeG8
Reel Rookie

Control my Soundbar separate from TV?

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This thread seems to imply the Roku remote will ONLY control a Soundbar through the TV (only if the TV itself can do it via HDMI-CEC)??

https://community.roku.com/t5/Solving-playback-issues/Roku-and-soundbar/td-p/634004

I have an older Samsung TV, Vizio Sound bar and all my other streaming platforms (FireTV, Apple, etc) allow separate control: TV for power on/off only and separately, direct to Sound bar for volume/mute.

Please tell me that’s an older thread that no longer is accurate with the latest Roku updates?

I’d love to use Roku remote for both.

Roku Ultra with latest updates as of 12/12/2022

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MrLeG8
Reel Rookie

Re: Control my Soundbar separate from TV?

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Amazing... a "secret menu"??  Nice!

Just for reference HERE if anyone is searching (because there ARE inaccuracies in that article, maybe due to Roku software versions), the article says to access the secret by doing the following on your REMOTE:

Press the Home key 5 times, then FF once, Play once, RW once, PLAY once, and FF once.  A secret menu will show up. Go to RF Remote Menu option. IR Transmit Menu, look for Querying AVR's (instead of tvs)

Here's where it's a bit different (for my Roku Ultra December 2022).  Now back in your main Roku menu choose:

Settings > Remote & Devices > Remote > Voice Remote Pro > Set up remote for TV control > choose to change brand. Now audio brands are listed (even though it doesn't SAY they are audio - it still thinks you're picking a TV)

Note: because I picked Vizio as my "TV", the power putton for On/Off doesn't work, but thankfully Volume Up/Down and Mute all work!  I can live with the power not going off.

Strangely Volume Up/Down also turns on/off my LED Lights behind my TV (bought separately), because they came with a remote. Fortunately, I don't really care and just unplugged those. haha

So there you have, it!  A solution that mostly works and that I'm happy with.

I probably could have cycled through a few more options, telling it falsely that I couldn't hear the music playing and maybe I'd find a code that didn't also control the LED lights, but I was just so happy to finally have SOUND BAR volume/mute control!

Thanks!!!

View solution in original post

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MrLeG8
Reel Rookie

Re: Control my Soundbar separate from TV?

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Clarification Note: my Vizio sound bar is connected to my Samsung TV via optical cable, NOT via HDMI-CEC.

Is that just not a viable configuration for the Roku remote to work with? My Amazon Firestick, Apple TV and XFinity Flex all handled it fine.

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Tivoburkee
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Control my Soundbar separate from TV?

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See this post at remote central:

 

RC: Roku Ultra w/ Receivers (Post 9 by edmund) (remotecentral.com)

Edmund
Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee.
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MrLeG8
Reel Rookie

Re: Control my Soundbar separate from TV?

Jump to solution

Amazing... a "secret menu"??  Nice!

Just for reference HERE if anyone is searching (because there ARE inaccuracies in that article, maybe due to Roku software versions), the article says to access the secret by doing the following on your REMOTE:

Press the Home key 5 times, then FF once, Play once, RW once, PLAY once, and FF once.  A secret menu will show up. Go to RF Remote Menu option. IR Transmit Menu, look for Querying AVR's (instead of tvs)

Here's where it's a bit different (for my Roku Ultra December 2022).  Now back in your main Roku menu choose:

Settings > Remote & Devices > Remote > Voice Remote Pro > Set up remote for TV control > choose to change brand. Now audio brands are listed (even though it doesn't SAY they are audio - it still thinks you're picking a TV)

Note: because I picked Vizio as my "TV", the power putton for On/Off doesn't work, but thankfully Volume Up/Down and Mute all work!  I can live with the power not going off.

Strangely Volume Up/Down also turns on/off my LED Lights behind my TV (bought separately), because they came with a remote. Fortunately, I don't really care and just unplugged those. haha

So there you have, it!  A solution that mostly works and that I'm happy with.

I probably could have cycled through a few more options, telling it falsely that I couldn't hear the music playing and maybe I'd find a code that didn't also control the LED lights, but I was just so happy to finally have SOUND BAR volume/mute control!

Thanks!!!

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