Remotes

[IdiotBastard]

Hello,

I bought a new Remote Voice Pro (for the headphone jack feature) to replace my existing Remote Voice.  My old remote fully supported my Samsung UN65F7100 (about 10-years old).  But the new Remote Voice Pro has dropped support for this TV.  I can guess they ran out of room in their TV code storage and had to trim out older units (rather than upping the size of the PROM).

So I'm wondering if there is some user slot that can be manually programmed with my TV code or some secret menu feature that might help.  I have already tried answering "No" to the dialogue about "can you still hear the music" and it does not work.  I am frustrated that this new remote has less support than my old one!

Please let me know if anyone has any other ideas.  Otherwise, I'll have to return it for a refund.

Thanks

[renojim]

I have a Samsung TV that's older than yours and another that's less than a year old next to each other and my VRP can control both of them at the same time.  I doubt Samsung has changed their remote codes, so assuming the TV's own remote is still working (proving there's nothing wrong with its receiver), I'd suspect a faulty Roku remote.  Do you have a different TV that you can try to set it up to control?

Since the remote is using IR (infrared) for the TV functions, you can see if the remote is sending a signal by pointing it at a digital camera like the one in a phone and checking if there's any flashes appearing on the camera's screen when you're going through the process if setting up the remote for TV control.

[IdiotBastard]

Great ideas, @renojim.  Thanks.

I do see the IR output from the VRP on my cell phone camera, so I think the remote IR transmitter is good.

I also added it successfully to a different TV, and not only channel/menu navigating works, but so does the TV sound controls and power buttons.  So I think the remote is good in this regard as well.

What I really think is they had to add so many new TV codes with this new firmware that they ran out of room and had to trim down the supported TV control codes and my TV just happens to have not made the cut.

That is why I was asking about possible USER codes or secret menus that could be programmed manually with whatever the old remote was emitting for this TV... but I think that would be too much to ask for.  (How would I even capture the old code anyway?)  Maybe my Harmony learning remote could do it, but then where would I put it?

Remember how this all started: my older Voice Remote (non-Pro) used to handle all this deftly... and still does... I'm just disappointed I can't use the new one what with its cool earphone output (for late night viewing without disturbing the wife).

Anyway, thanks for your helpful reply.  Ciao.

[makaiguy]

@IdiotBastard-

Only thing I can offer, and I have no clue why this might work, is that some people in your situation have reported having success by temporarily connecting to a different WiFi network, such as a phone's WiFi hotspot, long enough to program their remote for their TV.

[IdiotBastard]

Thanks @makaiguy @renojim,

Good idea to try using my cellphone hotspot to try a different WiFi network.  But same result.

I'm about to return it to Amazon because it does not work.  I wonder if I should bother asking for a replacement (as in a defective unit), or just a cask-back credit (because its very likely any other unit will behave similarly).  Opinions?

Thanks everybody.

[renojim]

@IdiotBastard, I would give another one a shot.  Just for fun, I set up a different VRP on my old Samsung TV.  It took until code 5 for the music to stop.  The TV was manufactured in 2010.  🙂

[IdiotBastard]

Thanks @renojim.

I filed for a return/exchange for a new remote from Amazon.  But the delivery is a week out...  I'll let you know how things work out.

I can't imagine Roku would remove codes that were known-working, but I have to think this is exactly what happened.

Regards,

Matthew

[IdiotBastard]

So radio silence from Roku on this?  Where are the support people!!!

[IdiotBastard]

OK, so despite the radio silence from Roku support team on this, I have determined that the current Remote Voice Pro they are selling does not work on the sound & power buttons for the Samsung UN65F7100 TV.  The first unit failed to do so and the replacement unit failed in exactly the same way.  Too bad for me.

Note: my original (non-Pro) Remote Voice control continues to work like a champ, so clearly, Roku screwed the pooch on this!

So now, both the New Remote Voice Pro and the replacement units are both going back through Amazon returns and I will just have to make do without the advertised headphone feature.

Thanks for nothing, Roku Support Team!

[renojim]

Too bad you're not in Reno (I assume).  I'd love to take one of my remotes that's already set for my UN55CU8000F TV over to see if it works.

I don't think it's been mentioned, but I assume the TV doesn't support CEC or Anylink+ as Samsung calls it.