Roku setup

[PetuniaGivner]

The question is how to do the switch. My Sony TV remote has an "input" button that allows me to switch inputs, but the Roku set up disabled the Sony remote, and the Roku remote does not have such a function. I see from other responses that there's such a thing as a separate HDMI switch that I could purchase, but is there any way to switch without getting such a switch? Or would I have to pull out the Roku HDMI plug to reenable my Sony TV remote to choose the cable input? And if I did that, would I have to go through setting up Roku all over again?

[Strega2]

I've never heard of a Roku disabling a TV remote and it's hard to imagine how it could even if Roku wanted to.

[Strega2]

Oh on second thought, maybe the Roku keeps grabbing the TV's attention?

If so, on the Roku try disabling 1-touch play.

Settings -> System -> Control other devices -> Uncheck 1-touch play

[Anonymous]

@Strega2 

I have a samsung tv that assigns roku-specific functions to some buttons on the TV remote whenever a roku is initially detected on an HDMI input. Now you've heard of it.

I can select "universal remote" from the tv source selection and delete the roku option there. I only have to do that when an input is unplugged and then the set has to detect what's connected via hdmi again and it will assign those functions to the tv remote again if it sees a roku. I have to unassign the roku functions again, but as long as the devices remain connected, there's no detection again and everything remains as I set it.

Using an hdmi switch might actually aggravate the problem.

[atc98092]

Sorry, I can't believe any TV remote would "disable" the Roku remote, or vice versa. I have Roku players connected to Samsung, LG and Vizio TVs, and none have remote interference between the two devices. 

Depending on the Roku remote, it might have some CEC functionality with the TV, such as power and volume control. And I'm not saying that some TV remote might be able to control some Roku functions. But no, not one device completely disabling the remote functionality of the other. Your TV remote is almost certainly an IR remote, so make sure nothing is blocking the IR receiver window on your TV. It's going to be somewhere along the bottom of the TV screen, but I can't say where exactly. 

To answer your other questions. Yes, they do sell HDMI switches that could be used to connect more than one HDMI device to a single HDMI port in your TV. When people use an AVR for video switching, it's doing the same thing. No, it won't cause any issues with either your TV or your Roku (or any other device). No, disconnecting your Roku from the HDMI port will not require setting your Roku back up again. But again, I can think of no reason you would need to disconnect your Roku to make your TV remote functional again. 

[Strega2]

@Anonymous,  I've heard of universal remotes.  What I hadn't heard of is a TV remote being disabled by a device connected to the TV. 

Although I could see where someone could be confused by 1-touch play.

[Anonymous]

@Strega2 @atc98092 

I'm not talking about my TV remote being disabled. I'm talking about specific buttons being reassigned to Roku functions. In the OP's case it's the input button. In my case it's the info button. The info button normally shows the current screen resolution, hdr status, framerate, date & time. When a Roku is connected to an HDMI port and detected for the first time, the TV remote has specific buttons mapped to Roku functions. The info button no longer works. I have no idea what Roku function it's supposed to perform. I hit the tv remote "source" button, see that the port that the roku is connected to is now labeled "ROKU" and scroll through the rest of my source options until I reach "universal remote". I select that, see that it's assigned roku functions, delete that, and the "ROKU" source label is removed and my tv remote button functions are restored. Everything remains that way, unless I were to, e.g., decide I need to unplug hdmi cables and power down devices because CEC stopped working. Then I'd most likely see the hdmi device detection start over again.

The OP may state that the tv remote is disabled, but I read it as the tv remote input button is disabled, because of what I just described. I know that the Roku doesn't have an input function so there's no reason to reassign that button, but it also has no info function and I have yet to determine what that button is supposed to do once the tv universal remote is in roku mode.

If the OP's TV remote is completely disabled, please correct me.

[Strega2]

Well I just went by what the OP said, and they have a different brand of TV, so I’m not so sure that anything your TV does applies.  In your case, you might want to consider disabling CEC in your TV as it seems kind of messed up from your description.

I would hope no TV maker would be dumb enough to reassign their input select function to be something other than selecting inputs, because input selection is such as fundamental feature of a TV.

I have a Samsung too, and I originally had CEC enabled, and introducing a Roku didn’t do anything to its remote. I just say that to point out that not even all Samsung TVs have that feature/bug.

[atc98092]

As I mentioned, I have Roku players connected to Samsung, LG and Vizio TVs. None of them has altered the remote buttons on any of the TV remotes. And I have CEC enabled on all my Rokus and TVs. 

[Anonymous]

@atc9809 Irrelevant.