Remotes

[makaiguy]

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@renojim wrote:

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

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FWIW, my 2012 vintage Samsung UN55ES6100 is still my main living room TV after 12 years of nearly constant use.  Samsung's Anynet+ is enabled on it.  But the Roku CEC test via Settings > Remotes & devices > Remotes > √ {Your current remote} > Set up remote for TV control > CEC setup  fails so I cannot control the TV power/volume/mute functions over CEC commands sent over the HDMI connection.  I was really hoping this would work so I wouldn't have to point the remote at the TV for these functions.

All of the Voice Remotes I've paired to the set HAVE, however, been able to find the right command set to control these functions via IR.  This includes two Voice Remote Pros, models RC701 and RC795.

This is with the Ultra 4800 I'm currently using on this set, and was the same with the Streaming Stick 4k+ 3821 I used there before.

[IdiotBastard]

Indeed it does support CEC and I tried it.  Still no good.

[stillconfused]

I think I may have relevant info for anyone who stumbles across this discussion and is having trouble controlling their Samsung TV or soundbar with Voice Remote Pro model RC795.

Edit: My TV seems to be the same model as the OP, and we both tried to configure VRP model RC795.  But, we have different Roku devices, and it isn't clear whether the OP is using a soundbar.  My motive for using a rev 1 VRP is the same: I want a rechargeable remote with headphone jack so I can stream at night without waking my wife.

My setup:

• 2018 Roku Ultra 4660X with original Gaming Remote RC193, configured to use IR, not CEC.
• additional rev 1 Voice Remote Pro model RC917 (purchased Dec 2023), configured to use IR, not CEC.
• 2014 Samsung UN65H7150AF TV
• 2017 Samsung HW-M550/ZA soundbar, connected to TV by optical audio (TOSLINK) cable.
• From Samsung TV Settings | Sound | Speaker Settings set TV Sound Output to Audio Out.
• From Samsung TV Settings | Sound | Speaker Settings, under TV SoundConnect select Samsung Audio Device List, select your soundbar and set its status to "Use"

Both the original Gaming Remote (model RC193) and Dec 2023 rev 1 Voice Remote Pro (model RC917) are able to control Samsung TV power and volume, and Samsung HW-M550 soundbar power and volume without any problems.  I don't remember what I did to set up TV control for those 2 remotes.  But, I don't remember doing anything special at all.

I tried to set up a new rev 1 Voice Remote Pro model RC795 (to replace the Gaming Remote), but was not able to.  I can pair the VRP model RC795 to the Ultra, and set up TV power and volume control using code #5.  But, VRP model RC795 won't control the soundbar power and volume.

In order to setup VRP model RC795 to control TV power and sound, I had to disable the soundbar and configure the TV to use its internal speaker.  In detail:

1. From Samsung TV Settings | Sound | Speaker Settings, set TV Sound Output to TV Speaker
2. From Samsung TV Settings | Sound | Speaker Settings, under TV SoundConnect, select Samsung Audio Device List, select my soundbar and set its status to "Don't Use".
3. Turn off the soundbar
4. with VRP model RC795, set up the remote for TV control, like you normally would.

In my case, VRP model RC795 muted the TV at code #5.

Before anyone responds with the blanket "Roku remotes cannot control soundbars" statement, this is not true in my case.  As stated explicitly above, both the Gaming Remote RC193 and Dec 2023 rev 1 Voice Remote Pro model RC917 are able to control my Samsung UN65H7150AF TV power and volume, as well as my Samsung HW-M550/ZA Soundbar power and volume, without any problems.  There seems to be something different about VRP model RC795.

I'm still experimenting with manual, exhaustive TV control setup, so I'll probably post a follow-up. 

[renojim]

It may be that the soundbar and TV can respond to the same set of IR codes, so the remote may not really be controlling the soundbar, per se.

[stillconfused]

@renojimThanks for the response!  I don't actually know whether the remote is controlling the soundbar.  At first, I thought Samsung TV SoundConnect sent control codes from the TV to the soundbar.  But, here is some more info.

When I disable the soundbar from my Samsung TV settings and turn off the soundbar, as mentioned above, then setup TV control, VRP model RC795 is able to mute the TV internal speakers with code #5.  I can then control TV power and TV internal speaker volume with the VRP model RC795.  However, when I turn the soundbar back on and re-enable TV audio output to the soundbar, the VRP does not control the soundbar.  I haven't changed the VRP settings at all.  All I did was turn the soundbar back on and re-enable it.  The signals are still received by the TV - I can see the blinking red LED at the TV's IR sensor when I press a button on the VRP.  However, there's no change in soundbar volume.

Now, switching remotes to the Ultra's Gaming Remote RC193, when I point that at the TV, away from the soundbar, I am able to power the TV off, but there's no change in soundbar volume.  When I step back, or point the remote at the soundbar, soundbar volume is controlled by the remote.

That seems to imply that the soundbar is actually receiving IR signals from the remote.

Lastly, I decided to re-setup TV control on the original Gaming Remote RC193 to see if there is any difference in setup codes between the RC193 and RC795.  I left the Samsung soundbar enabled and turned on for this.

The setup iterated more codes, and muted the Samsung HW-M550/ZA Soundbar at code #19!  I tested the Gaming Remote afterward and it is able to control TV power and soundbar power and volume, just like before.

So, there is a difference.  The Gaming Remote sends at least 19 codes and has the codes to control Samsung HW-M550/ZA Soundbars.  The VRP RC795 stops after code #8

One last comment, I tried each of the 8 available codes on the VRP model RC795, but none of them worked.  That is, I entered setup TV control, chose a code, then just chose the "music has stopped" option, even though the music was still playing.  Afterward, I tried to control soundbar volume with the VRP model RC795 and nothing happened.

Also, the link lookup on this forum needs help!  It doesn't recognize any of my remotes.

[stillconfused]

Last follow up.  I bought a 2nd rev 1 Voice Remote Pro (SKU RCS01R) online direct from roku.com.  Model RC917 was delivered, same model the 1st rev 1 VRP I bought in Dec 2023.

I paired the new VRP with our Roku Ultra 4660X, and it controlled power on our Samsung UN65H7150AF TV, and power and volume on our Samsung HW-M550/ZA Soundbar immediately.  No need to enter "Setup remote for TV control".

I'm not sure how that works, but I'm glad it does 🙂

I don't understand what's going on with the VRP model RC795.  Either:

• it's broken, or
• it's nerfed and isn't compatible with as many Samsung devices as the VRP model RC917, or
• I messed it up upon entering "Setup remote for TV control", and can't figure out how to get it back to its factory settings.