Wi-Fi & connectivity

[hahniv]

Roku Ultra 4670x

Software version:  11.5.0

Build:  4312

It would appear that when launching my Roku box, it is turning on other Tvs in the house along with the Tv I’m launching on.  This is a new behavior, it’s been happening for a little over a week.

The system:

4 Tvs are connected via a dedicated HDMI ethernet extender network. 3 Tvs share a TIVO and Roku box via the network. Each Tv uses a IR Harmony 880 remote, no native remotes are used.

Main TV is LG OLED65W7P in the living room. It is the home of a TIVO Roamio OTA, Roku Ultra 4670x and StarTech ST12MDLAN2K transmitter box. The extender has its own dedicated network. It is not mixed in with the computer LAN. While it has IR capabilities, my IR system has a dedicated wire for a Xantech system that has worked flawlessly for over 20 years. There is no mixing of the IR signal with the StarTech system. LAN on this Tv is connected via ethernet cable. I do not have satellite or cable, it’s all OTA or streaming via Fubo, Prime, Appletv, Netflix and local Plex.

Both the TIVO and Roku boxes go into a 1x2 splitters (Orei UHDS-102) with one leg going directly to the LG TV the other to a Kinivo 3x1 switch (350BN) which feeds the StarTech transmitter. This gives the remote Tvs access to these boxes and can have them playing on multiple Tvs in the house at the same time.  3rd input to the switch is a feed from the security NVR.

Turning on the living room TV will sometimes turn on both the bedroom and family room TV???? Turning on the family room Tv will sometimes turn on the bedroom Tv.  So far none of the other Tvs turn on the living room.  Living room is the oldest Tv.  

Family room has a Sony XBR55X90CH connected to LAN via ethernet cable. Has a StarTech receiver. Turning on this tv turns on the bedroom tv???

Bedroom has a LG 43UM7300AUE connected to LAN via wifi. I’m not a wifi fan, if I can wire it, I will. I couldn’t here. Also has StarTech receiver. Turning on this Tv sometimes turns on the family room tv????

Studio has Vizio D24f-F1 Tv connected to LAN via ethernet. Has a StarTech receiver. It is the stupidest of all the Tvs and had no troubles, doesn’t turn on nor does it turn anything else on. It is usually tuned to a security NVR feed on another HDMI input on the TV.  It is used the least.

I also run a Plex server which is the only local app common to all the Tvs. It is mainly watched through the Roku but each Tv has a dedicated app on them.

What I’ve done so far:

I’ve gone through the setting of all the Tvs making sure any devices connections are turned off (they were). Bluetooth is turned off which really doesn’t make any different because all this is happening via IR. The Harmony remotes are older so they don't have any bluetooth capabilities.  I’ve done the same for the Plex app on each Tv and the server. I’ve checked both the Roku and TIVO boxes for device connections.

I turned the wifi off on the bedroom Tv. This is the most constant Tv to mysteriously turn on. 

I just recently replaced the switch and the Roku splitter but I first noticed the bedroom Tv turning on while I was trouble shooting the old switch & splitter so I don’t believe this is a factor.

Wifi off, bedroom Tv turned on. I think I've got it narrowed down to the Roku box. Also seems to be coming most often from the Sony Tv (newest) in the family room. If I turn on TIVO at that Tv all is well. If I turn on Roku, bedroom LG turns on. Happens more often than not but not 100% of the time.  Not coming from LAN, wifi is disabled. Not coming from IR, there is no IR transmitter in the bedroom only a receiver. I don't think they've developed an IR beam that can penetrate walls and go from one end of the house to the other. Has to be coming in via HDMI. I guess the StarTech system does a good job of transmitting the entire HDMI spectrum.

I've gone into the Roku setting and disabled anything doing with remotes and device connections. 

Control by mobile apps, Network access is disabled

Device connect, it won’t let me disable Device connect, “Device connect cannot be turned off when these devices are paired to your Roku player *Enhanced Voice Remote”

I don’t know if this is the culprit, I don’t use the native remote very often but for some functions you need it.  It hasn’t been an issue until recently.  Has there just be a software update?  

I'm scratching my head on this one.  Any suggestions?

[AvsGunnar]

@hahniv 

Since you have a HDMI splitter involved, possible that Roku's CEC 1-touch play feature (which will automatically turn on the HMDI connected TV and switch to appropriate HDMI input upon any remote button press) may be your culprit.

Try disabling the 1-touch play feature.

Settings/System/Control other Devices/1-touch play [uncheck to Disable]

[hahniv]

On my Roku box it is showing a little box for that option.  I'm assuming that unchecked means disabled which it has been.

Just when you think you've isolated a problem, it isn't.  Another day, more mystery.  It had seemed that when I launched going to the TIVO box the other Tvs weren't effected.  Today TIVO is turning on the other Tvs.  

I used the studio Vizio Tv, one that I thought was immune to all of this to check the Roku CEC 1-touch play feature, it turned on the bedroom LG tv.

This is crazy.  It isn't a new system.  It's been in place for many years, decades in fact.  I know that the LG Tvs have gone through updates recently as well as the Plex server.  Don't know why Sony & Vizio Tvs would turn on a LG Tv.  So far the living room OLED LG hasn't been turned on but it has turned on others.  But hey, tomorrows another day, it could happen tomorrow.  

The bedroom LG is the most effected.  It has no connection to the LAN network, wifi is turned off so it has to be coming in through the StarTech HDMI network.

Family room Sony turns on once in awhile, it is mainly turning on the bedroom LG.

Living room LG has never (knock on wood) been turned on but has turned on both the bedroom LG and family room Sony.  

Studio Vizio has never been turned on but for the first time turned on the bedroom LG.  But most of the time it is tuned directly to security NVR on a different HDMI input from the StarTech network.  

All the Tvs as well as the Roku box have Netflick, Prime, AppleTV+, Fubo and Plex apps installed.  Plex is the only one conducting business on the local LAN other than connecting to the internet.  But since the prime offender (bedroom LG) has no LAN access I'd say Plex isn't a factor.  

The living room Tv also has an AppleTv box installed on another HDMI input.  It is isolated to that Tv so I'd say that also isn't a factor.   Roku box is used most of the time on the remote Tvs for access to the streaming apps.  Once in awhile the apps installed on the Tvs are used.  AppleTv box is used for access to the streaming apps on the living room LG.  

Very Strange!

[AvsGunnar · Accepted solution]

@hahniv 

Try disabling HDMI CEC on one of your televisions from their Settings.  Then see if the strange behavior affects only those with the CEC still enabled.

It is probably just a matter of isolating which setting or gizmo (splitter, switch, etc) is introducing or causing issue.  

Since it is more of a signal that is causing this behavior (by turning on unintended TVs) and the new switches and splitters are exactly the same as the olds ones and experiencing same behavior, I would think either HDMI CEC related, and/or the StarTech setup.

I know you mentioned they are seperate, but have you verified there are no IP conflicts and the connected switch is operating properly. (assuming you are using a managed switch with this setup).

[hahniv]

I thought I had disabled the CEC on the bedroom LG Tv but it was on.  All others are off.  I turned it off so we'll see what happens.

StarTech is DHCP and all stations are working correctly so shouldn't be any IP conflicts.  HDMI switch is a simple IR controlled ABC switch and all Tvs are seeing it so no conflicts there.  

Hopefully disabling the CED on the bedroom works.  I'll let you know.

[hahniv]

Looks like that did it!  I thought I had turned that off, it was off on all the other Tvs.  The set had been nagging me recently to update.  That's one I'd like to roll back.  I don't know if the update turned CEC on where it had been off or the update gave it new super powers but it sure wreaked havoc on my system.  

Seems to have been reflecting on to other Tvs because The other LG would turn on both the Sony and the bedroom LG and the Sony would turn on the bedroom LG.  All has been working normally for 2 days now.  However I do have an Exorcist pissed at me for canceling them.  Not a person you want mad at you. 🙂  Thanks for the suggestion.