Remotes

[gregger77]

Hi all, total newbie here. I just got a new Roku Stick 4K and plugged it into my Onkyo TX-NR509 AV Receiver. (Yes, I know, Roku doesn't officially support remote control of AVRs.) The receiver feeds video to my old Panasonic TH-50PX50U TV.

After following the remote pairing process, I found the Roku Voice Remote was able to control power and volume of the TV itself. Controlling TV volume was not useful since the TV's little speakers are kept turned off.

I set the AVR to enable CEC control, but the Roku defaults to RF mode, so it did not pass along any commands via CEC mode; it kept controlling the TV. So I disabled RF on the Voice Remote (secret platform menu), and now:

• Home button turns on AVR (if not already on) and switches HDMI input to the Stick 4K
• Volume button controls AVR volume
• TV Power button does nothing. Not sure why it won't turn off the AVR. I've disconnected everything, unplugged power from everything, etc. a couple of times, but still no dice.

I wish I could find a way to make the TV Power button do something but, since I've disabled RF, it obviously can't do anything for the TV.

So I'm still stuck with having to use a separate remote for one thing, and one thing alone: Turn the TV on and off. I guess the only cure is to buy a learning universal remote and teach it all three devices' commands.

1. Have I missed something?
2. If I haven't, is there a Universal that you folks like in particular for use with Roku?

Thanks!

[Tivoburkee]

A learning remote cannot be taught the Roku stick commands since the only commands the stick accepts are wifi, no IR. IR is the only commands a learning remote can be taught. 

[gregger77]

Thanks. Looks like I might be better off exchanging the Stick for the Express so that I can use a learning remote like the SofaBaton R2. I don't think the Stick offers me any advantages. The reason I bought it vs. others was a good Black Friday deal! The SofaBaton has the classical Roku buttons, but also programming ones for other devices. It doesn't offer voice control however.

[Tivoburkee]

There are UEI made universal remotes under such brands as One-For-All, Inteset, Insignia, and ONN. In addition to being a learning remote. They also give you access to Advanced Codes or EFC's, these are 5-digit codes for individual commands like discrete inputs, and other things like 0-9 numerals even with the express. So far just with live tv guide channels on stand-alone Roku's. But I hope in the feture they will work with Pluto and other apps that number their channels. UEI remotes can be programmed by computer if you buy the right cable and use the free JP1 software. This thread at the jp1 forum is where we come up with Roku efc's:

JP1 Remotes :: View topic - EFCs for Roku (STB version) (hifi-remote.com)

I'm the Masked Man in that thread. 

[gregger77]

Thanks @Tivoburkee , that's VERY interesting about the UEI remotes. I'm guessing some models can also do sequence strings (ie "activities" I think is what Harmony calls them) which is really handy when you are controlling an AVR in combination with both a TV and a Roku! 

[gregger77]

P.S. 

I'm loving the simplicity of this one: 

7935 streamer remote 

@Tivoburkee , would this UEI model offer access to programming with EFCs as you describe?

Again, many thanks.

[Tivoburkee]

Not on the remote directly, it can be programmed via jp1 cable:

JP1 Remotes :: View topic - One For All URC 7935 Streamer Remote (hifi-remote.com)

They don't use EFC's when programming by cable, they use OBC's, Original Button Code. I was never JP1-er myself. 

The 7935 streamer remote is learning remote, a cheap UEI remote that does take efc's is learning remotes best friend. Like Onn 6 universal remotes on ebay:

onn 6 universal remote for sale | eBay

You want the one with white keys, not the older rounder with clear black keys. 

[atc98092]

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@gregger77 wrote:

Thanks. Looks like I might be better off exchanging the Stick for the Express so that I can use a learning remote like the SofaBaton R2. 

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I don't recommend the Express. Stick with the Express 4K+, Premiere or Ultra. The Premiere won't have dual band WiFi, so you might not want that one either.

That said, I've never had any issues controlling my Yamaha AVRs using the Roku remote via CEC. Make sure "One touch play" is enabled on your Roku, and CEC control is turned on in your AVR. I've never used the IR setup on any of my Roku remotes, but can control any TV or AVR I connect them to, always using CEC. You remember that you have limited control of the AVR or TV. You can control the volume (up/down) and can force the AVR/TV to change to the Roku input using the Home button on the Roku remote (assuming it's not already the active input). The power button will turn my TVs off, which in turn will power off my AVR, again using CEC. But there's no other control possible of the other devices using a Roku remote. Depending on your needs, a universal IR remote might be a better choice, and using a Roku Express 4K+ or Ultra player. 

[gregger77]

Edmund,

Thanks for the clarification re OBC's. 

To me it seems the 7935, being a learning remote and emulating the compact simplicity of the Roku remote, is the best answer for me. I can teach it the TV's on/off function from the old Panasonic TV remote. If I want to get ambitious and build macros, I can do that via jp1 cable and RMIR.  I just need to swap for a Roku with RF capability. (I actually have a 5-year old standard Roku that still works; might just keep it.)

[gregger77]

Thanks Dan for the advice on Roku models. Recall from my OP that the old Panasonic TV is the bottleneck here: RF only; no CEC. (No issue using the Roku Voice Remote via CEC to control AVR for power, input, volume... ) So I'll need to go with a learning RF remote and per your reco, maybe the Express 4K+, if I want to control BOTH TV and AVR power.