Remotes

[jdub53]

I bought a new Roku 4k+ device with voice remote specifically to use the remote's volume controls. My Samsung's TV's sound is provided via a Sony sound bar I have connected to the TV with a digital optical cable, but the remote's volume controls will not work with the sound bar at all. If I switch from digital optical sound output to the TV's internal speakers via the TV settings, then the remote's volume controls work with the TV's speakers.

My son has the same type of TV/sound bar set-up which also uses a digital optical cable, and his Roku's voice remote volume buttons work fine so apparently something is wrong with my set-up. Appreciate any help! 

[renojim]

If your son switches his TV to internal speakers, does his remote control the TV's volume?  Likewise, if you try your son's remote on your soundbar, does it control its volume?  I'm thinking your son's remote is set up differently than yours.

[Tivoburkee]

When a soundbar is only connected by optical the only way to control its volume is by IR. Since there is no hdmi connection between the soundbar and the tv hdmi-cec is out of the question. Some soundbar models have learning feature that allows you to teach the soundbar the tv volume or whatever IR code you wish. Some other brands of soundbar respond to tv's volume from the same brand. Roku remotes only control tv's by IR, not avr or soundbars. 

@jdub53 

What's identical in your son's setup, same tv brand and same soundbar brand along with optical link as you? Or is it just that he has a tv, a soundbar, and optical? 

[jdub53]

@renojim   I ask my son to try his Roku remote with his TV's speakers vs his soundbar, and he'll let me know this evening after he tries it. Trying his remote isn't practical as he lives 1,300 miles away.
 
@Tivoburkee    I realize now I erred when stating my son and I had identical set-ups. While my TV and soundbar are Samsung/Sony respectively, his are Panasonic/LG. I also failed to mention earlier I have an Xfinity cable box connected to my TV via HDMI as well as the Roku, and but my son only uses TV/soundbar via optical cable and his Roku. My normal method of powering on the TV is with the cable box's remote and then I use that same remote for channel and (soundbar) volume selection. To use Roku, I press the Home icon button on the Roku remote and then use that remote for all but volume selection (I still have to use the cable box remote for volume).
 
Because it sounds at this point that my Roku remote's volume controls won't work with my set-up, I'm disappointed that Roku doesn't provide such disclosure/stipulations on their packaging or anywhere in their instructions that I can find. Although it wasn't much, it appears I needlessly spent extra money for the voice remote which will only serve the same function for me as their simple remote. I turned to this Roku community forum after too much of my time wasted trying to get this working (including a frustratingly unproductive session with Roku's online chat "support", and I appreciate the responses. 
 

[jdub53]

@renojim   To answer your question, my son replied that his Roku voice remote controls the volume of his TV speakers once he changes to them from the soundbar in his TV settings.