Remotes

[itorres008]

Hello, folks.

The Android Roku remote control App allows private listening by directing the TV audio to the phone for listening with headphones. In short, I want to do that on the PC.

I always have the PC headphones on for using phone and listening to other audio. I don't want to have to switch headphones between the the phone and the PC all the time.

I see Roku Remote Control app for Windows existed, but has been discontinued - although all over the web it's still being recommended.😔

❓Did it have a private listening option?

I found a free RRemote app for Windows that does do Remote Control, but it has no Private Listening function.

❓Is there an App for Windows out there that has private listening functionality?

❓Does anyone know of any app or way to direct the audio to the PC wirelessly? It's inconvenient to use cables for connecting audio out to a laptop. Also, I guess it must be a Roku specific app so it mutes the TV speakers when the sound goes to the PC.

Thanks for the help.

[kclantern1984]

As far as I can tell, no such beast exists, though I want one too. Roku needs to get off their ass and make this an option.

[atc98092]

Roku used to offer a control app in the Microsoft store, but it was removed a number of years ago. There are a couple of apps in the store that claim to be able to control a Roku, but I have no idea if any of them support pulling the audio into the computer. 

The only apps I am aware of that will do that are the Android and iOS apps in their respective app stores. They work on both phones and tablets, but I don't know of any way they can be used from a PC unless there is some sort of iOS or Android emulator that will work on your PC. I've never looked into something like that, but a quick web search appears to show they do exist.

[kclantern1984]

@atc98092I know the app does work with LDPlayer, but that emulator is very resource intensive and won't let me run anything else outside the emulator while it's running.

[atc98092]

Yeah, emulators are not usually a very efficient way to run something. I would suggest finding an inexpensive Android tablet (I don't think there's any such thing as an inexpensive iPad!) and use that for private listening. Even an old Android phone that isn't activated on a cell network would work as well. I'm just listing what might be the simplest way to have private listening without getting into more complicated setups. 

[itorres008]

Thanks.
I can do private listening on my Android phone and it works well, but the main point is I want to do that on the PC. I want to have only one headset and be able to listen to PC sounds, phone calls, video/audio calls use voice recognition for apps, etc.

Another solution would be getting a small audio mixer and plug in audio output from phone and PC and have them on one headset w mic connected to PC. Or one could probably do that with an external audio interface with audio in and connect the PC to that, if one can mute the speakers independent of the audio out. A software solution for PC, similar to the phone remote would not need the trouble of devices and cables and would be more simple.

[makaiguy]

@itorres008 @kclantern1984 @atc98092 --

Bringing this old thread back to life.

There now is a MIcrosoft app called Link to Windows.   When installed and running on both a Windows computer and an Android or iOS device you can view and operate your mobile device via the PC.  This means you can run the Roku remote app on your Windows computer.  There is an option to listen to your mobile device's audio on the PC as well.

[atc98092]

Interesting. I do see it in the iTunes store. I also see that it requires Windows 11, which I only have on two of my many computers. Overall ratings in iTunes are only average, but it apparently overall does work. I might give it a try just to see how it works. 

[kclantern1984]

@makaiguyThis option only works if you have a Samsung phone. If you use a Nokia phone -like I do- Phone Link only lets you check your text messages, and nothing else.

I have taken to using scrcpy. It doesn't use many resources on the computer, because the phone is doing most of the work.

[itorres008]

This could be an option. I hadn't considered it, probably because I use Phone Link for years now and I can't control the phone with it. Apparently it has to be supported by the phone, I read somewhere.
I have a Samsung A21S that has enough RAM, storage, etc but is not one of the latest models. Have to keep this in mind if/when I upgrade.
Thanks.