Apple TV "On" = Switches Input (YES!) But "Sleep" = TV Off (NO!)

[boltjames]

I've got a home theater setup via a receiver with HDMI switching that for years has forced me to manually switch the input from my DVR to Apple TV when we start to use it and then from my Apple TV back to the DVR again when we stop using it. Annoyance, but we live with it.

The new Apple TV has functionality that when it's powered on it changes the HDMI input of my receiver and TV from DVR to Apple TV which is fantastic, couldn't be happier.

But unfortunately, it turns the TV off when I put the Apple TV to Sleep. Nightmare.

We don't use Apple TV exclusively, we are on the DVR all the time, only switch the Apple TV on/off situationally, when we want to use it for an hour or so.

So here's the question: How can I keep the HDMI input switching from DVR to ATV upon waking up the Apple TV and then have the Apple TV go to Sleep and a) merely switch the input back from ATV to DVR and b) not shut off the TV?

BJ

 

[oldwren]

I don't think you can. If you have it set up to turn it on, it will also turn it off. Perhaps just switch inputs on your receiver while the ATV is on?

 

[sam3020]

Does the new Apple TV suppose to turn on your tv as well. It will turn off the TV but won't turn it on from stand by?

 

[boltjames]

I have other HDMI components (my Bluray, for example) that change the input when turned on and off but don't turn the friggin TV on or off in the process. They just return the input to the previous state.

I just don't get Apple on this one. The vast, vast majority of users use ATV situationally, few hours a week as an alternative to cable, very few of us want it to have the ability to shut our TV's off when put to Sleep but we do want the ability to have it flip the input.

BJ

 

[modnar]

Does it switch the TV or receiver off if Apple TV goes to sleep on its own after you've changed your input to something else?

 

[iSaul]

Does the new Apple TV suppose to turn on your tv as well. It will turn off the TV but won't turn it on from stand by?

I've found that you have to make sure to keep the remote pointed at the TV. The IR takes some time.

 

[boltjames]

Does it switch the TV or receiver off if Apple TV goes to sleep on its own after you've changed your input to something else?

I'll test that next, but I think it will do just that.

BJ

 

[Runt888]

For those who don't know, the new AppleTV uses a technology called HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). The idea is that you have one "master device" that you use to control which source you want to view, and commands are sent out over the HDMI cable that turns on connected devices and switches inputs. Generally this master device should be your TV (or receiver) so that you just switch to the proper input and everything gets turned on and setup automatically. For example, you could switch your TV to input 1, and your PlayStation would turn on. Switch to input 2 and the PlayStation turns off, and your cable box turns on (assuming you can find a cable box which supports CEC, but that's another story).

Unfortunately, using the Siri remote means that the AppleTV is the master device and you can't use it to switch to other inputs.

I've found that you have to make sure to keep the remote pointed at the TV. The IR takes some time.

I'm assuming he's not talking about using IR.

 

[boltjames]

Unfortunately, using the Siri remote means that the AppleTV is the master device and you can't use it to switch to other inputs.

I'm assuming he's not talking about using IR.

Correct. Not using IR.

I've got Sony components- HDTV, Blu-Ray, and HT Audio system that use the CEC standard (they call it BraviaLink) but the one thing it's smart enough to do is to not involve powering off the TV when one of the individual components is turned off. My Audio System handles all the HDMI switching, all components feed to it and through it via HDMI.

So we're watching live TV on the DVR and decide we want to watch a Blu-Ray. I hit the power button on the Blu-Ray and the CEC changes in the Input on the Audio System from "DVR" to "Blu-Ray". When the movie is over, I hit the power button on the Blue-Ray to shut it off and the Input on the Audio system goes back to its last state, in this example "DVR". The TV isn't shut off. That only happens if I hit the master power button on the remote and once the TV goes off it shuts off all the other components. It's very convenient. Turn a component on, it switches the Input. Switch that component off, it restores the Input to the prior state.

The new Apple TV is good in that when I power it up using its remote it switches the Input from "DVR" to "Apple TV" but it's awful in that when I put the Apple TV to Sleep it shuts off the HT Audio System and the TV. Ridiculous.

If I'm reading you correctly, Apple didn't set itself up properly and I have to wait for them to address it. It should behave like my Blu-Ray player does- power on = changes input, power off = go back to prior input, in either instance leave the damned TV on until I say to turn it off.

BJ

 

[RLRabb]

Di

Correct. Not using IR.

I've got Sony components- HDTV, Blu-Ray, and HT Audio system that use the CEC standard (they call it BraviaLink) but the one thing it's smart enough to do is to not involve powering off the TV when one of the individual components is turned off. My Audio System handles all the HDMI switching, all components feed to it and through it via HDMI.

So we're watching live TV on the DVR and decide we want to watch a Blu-Ray. I hit the power button on the Blu-Ray and the CEC changes in the Input on the Audio System from "DVR" to "Blu-Ray". When the movie is over, I hit the power button on the Blue-Ray to shut it off and the Input on the Audio system goes back to its last state, in this example "DVR". The TV isn't shut off. That only happens if I hit the master power button on the remote and once the TV goes off it shuts off all the other components. It's very convenient. Turn a component on, it switches the Input. Switch that component off, it restores the Input to the prior state.

The new Apple TV is good in that when I power it up using its remote it switches the Input from "DVR" to "Apple TV" but it's awful in that when I put the Apple TV to Sleep it shuts off the HT Audio System and the TV. Ridiculous.

If I'm reading you correctly, Apple didn't set itself up properly and I have to wait for them to address it. It should behave like my Blu-Ray player does- power on = changes input, power off = go back to prior input, in either instance leave the damned TV on until I say to turn it off.

BJ

Did you check to see if the hdmi-control settings for your tv have a setting that allows your tv to effectively opt out of the on/off function?

 

[ohio.emt]

If I'm reading you correctly, Apple didn't set itself up properly and I have to wait for them to address it. It should behave like my Blu-Ray player does- power on = changes input, power off = go back to prior input, in either instance leave the damned TV on until I say to turn it off.

BJ

I doubt you will see anything change. That's the big problem with CEC, and why it never really became popular. The HDMI standered only specifies that the wiring for CEC be in place not if it's implanted into the hardware. Devices also don't have to support all commands. They also allow for vender specific commands which is why CEC usally works best with all devices from the same manufacturer.

 

[Runt888]

The new Apple TV is good in that when I power it up using its remote it switches the Input from "DVR" to "Apple TV" but it's awful in that when I put the Apple TV to Sleep it shuts off the HT Audio System and the TV. Ridiculous.

If I'm reading you correctly, Apple didn't set itself up properly and I have to wait for them to address it. It should behave like my Blu-Ray player does- power on = changes input, power off = go back to prior input, in either instance leave the damned TV on until I say to turn it off.

BJ

This is one of my major complaints about CEC - everyone has a slightly different idea about what should happen, and there's never any options to tailor it to your needs. Throw in a remote like the Siri Remote (with very few buttons) and most likely it will only work correctly in a very few situations.

From what I've seen playing around with CEC in the past, the behavior you're seeing is correct. Since all commands are going to the AppleTV (the master device) it thinks that when you turn it off, everything else should turn off also. The problem you're seeing is there is no way for you to tell the tv to switch inputs using the Siri remote.

 

[critter13]

I will test this again but I am pretty sure the following happens:

Watching ATV.
Switch input to cable box. (leaving ATV on its home screen)
Watch Cable for 30min.
TV powers off because ATV went to sleep from inactivity.

Should that happen even if I am not watching the ATV? Shouldn't the tv only accept commands from the input that is currently selected?

 

[Steviejobz]

Does the Apple TV ever turn off?

 

[travoose]

My situation is as follows:

When the ATV is in sleep mode and then woken up, it will turn on the TV.

When the ATV is put to sleep, it does not turn off the TV.

Is there a way to have it turn off the TV when I put the ATV to sleep?

 

[critter13]

My situation is as follows:

When the ATV is in sleep mode and then woken up, it will turn on the TV.

When the ATV is put to sleep, it does not turn off the TV.

Is there a way to have it turn off the TV when I put the ATV to sleep?

Strange, it turns the tv off for me.

 

[ohio.emt]

Strange, it turns the tv off for me.

Thus the problem with CEC it doesn't function the same for everybody due to there being no standerd. Sony might allow a device to turn off a their TV, while Samsung doesn't allow it.

 

[DMjoselito]

I' ve noticed this in my lg tv,
- when i turn on my atv my tv turns on
- when i turn off my atv my tv turns off, i dont like this option as well as boltjames
- when i turn off my tv and my atv is on, the atv doesn't turn off, i do not why

And finally the craziest thing:

- when i turn off my tv and my atv is off, the atv TURNS ON!!!!

I think this option has to be upgraded in a new tvos version

 

[tanglemac]

I' ve noticed this in my lg tv,
- when i turn on my atv my tv turns on
- when i turn off my atv my tv turns off, i dont like this option as well as boltjames
- when i turn off my tv and my atv is on, the atv doesn't turn off, i do not why

And finally the craziest thing:

- when i turn off my tv and my atv is off, the atv TURNS ON!!!!

I think this option has to be upgraded in a new tvos version

You need to look into your tv settings. On my Panasonic, it is called Vierra Lync or something like that. Initially, sleeping the Apple TV would turn off my tv, but waking it did not turn on the tv. My tv has granular settings to allow power off, power on, and input switching. Power on was disabled. Enabling it allowed the Apple TV to power on the tv when I press the home button on the Siri remote.

 

[zone23]

same problem sleep the Apple TV and the TV turns off. Disabled ATV ability to control the home theater and I will control it the way I always have. The Xbox one does some funk like this as well. Its great when your life only revolves around those devises add something else like a cable box and all heck breaks loose. Its fine for me because I know how all that stuff works but my 12 year old daughter not so much.

 

[fitshaced]

I have set the Apple TV to never turn off. Not sure if it going to sleep on its own would trigger a tv power off.

If the Apple TV is deciding it is strong enough to be a master device, it really needs HDMI passthrough.

Anyway, this sort of reminds me of when the Xbox one came out and then allowed the 'Xbox On' voice command. Then Microsoft aired the ad with Aaron Paul where he said 'Xbox On' and peoples tv's turned off. Hil-arious. Different problem, but related.

 

[zone23]

I have set the Apple TV to never turn off. Not sure if it going to sleep on its own would trigger a tv power off.

If the Apple TV is deciding it is strong enough to be a master device, it really needs HDMI passthrough.

Anyway, this sort of reminds me of when the Xbox one came out and then allowed the 'Xbox On' voice command. Then Microsoft aired the ad with Aaron Paul where he said 'Xbox On' and peoples tv's turned off. Hil-arious. Different problem, but related.

I remember yelling at the Xbox at 7 am trying to get it to turn on the wife loved that. We had one morning of that.

 

[aces99]

I have a LG HDTV that have a feature called SimpLink that has a couple different options and also has the option to disabled the Auto Shutoff feature. Disabling the Auto Shutoff feature on your TV should fix the problem. My SimpLink option comes up when I bring up the input settings on my TV. Try disabling that and see if that solves your problem.

 

[boltjames]

Does it switch the TV or receiver off if Apple TV goes to sleep on its own after you've changed your input to something else?

TOUCHDOWN!

If I have the HDMI control set to "On" on the Apple TV and after watching ATV for awhile and wanting to go back to Cable, I switch the input on my HT Receiver to a different input (ex DVR) and then let the Apple TV put itself to Sleep (ex 30 minutes) then the Apple TV goes to Sleep but my HDTV does not receive the Power Off command.

So...

I now have the ability to be watching the DVR, pick up the ATV remote, wake ATV up, have my system automatically switch to the ATV input, watch ATV for awhile, and then manually switch back over to DVR and when the ATV goes to Sleep it doesn't affect the HDTV at all. That's great news, better than it was for years. The dream though is to be able to hit the button, put Apple TV to Sleep, and have it just switch the input back to the prior state. Praying for Apple to make this happen.

BJ

 

[betabeta]

Just had this happen to me too, thanks for the update, I'll have check the hdmi settings.