Controlling My (non-CEC) HDMI TV w/ Siri Remote

[Caliber26]

I have an older LCD TV that has a non-CEC HDMI port and I can't figure out how to use my new TV's remote to power it on/off as well as control the volume.

When I go to settings and try to turn on the "Turn On Your TV w/ Your Remote" feature it says I can't use System Control with this configuration. I'm not sure what configuration I need? Or is this message coming up because my TV doesn't have CEC?

Is there a way to program the Siri Remote to control my LCD TV's power and volume? Everything I've tried to look up in this forum and other places is so confusing and doesn't quite address my specific issue.

 

[Kja201313]

It's my understanding that older televisions that do not have CEC, the Siri remote will not operate the tv.
I don't understand the difference to be honest.

Best of luck and I hope I am wrong for your sakes.

 

[jljue]

Actually, you can go into settings on the AppleTV to setup the remote to control a TV's volume via IR. I honestly thought that my old Vizio Plasma was being controlled by IR until it died and we broke the newer HDMI cable in the wall changing TV's and found out that the older HDMI cable (installed in 2007) didn't support CEC. I discovered the IR setup just digging around settings.

 

[priitv8]

Siri Remote can only control volume over IR. Not the power.

If volume control doesn’t work automatically, you can manually program your Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote:

1. On your Apple TV (4th generation), go to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Volume Control.
2. Select Learn New Device.
3. Follow the onscreen steps to program your Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote to control volume for your television or receiver.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205225

What you can do, though, is to have aTV learn the commands of your TV's remote.

 

[Caliber26]

Siri Remote can only control volume over IR. Not the power.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205225

What you can do, though, is to have aTV learn the commands of your TV's remote.

Thanks! I thought there would maybe be a way of programming it like you would any other cheap universal remote. I did try the learning a new device option but it's not controlling my volume at all. And since this TV is so old, the OEM remote is completely dead and I can't access my menu options (which weren't many to begin with) to check if there's that tiny possibility of it having CEC option. Doubtful, though. Might be time for me to finally breakdown and buy a new one.

 

[greymac]

There are many devices that need HDMO arc/CEC. Why doesn't Apple allow Apple TV to function on any HDMI port. When the settings in Apple TV to control the volume requests you push volume up and down on the Siri remote to set up volume, why not add another task "turn TV on/off". Apple TV would have all mnfgrs TVs on/off IR codes and sends individal signals, then pauses waiting for the user to say yes/no until your TV turns on/off.

 

[priitv8]

...why not add another task "turn TV on/off".

My Sony Bravia turns both on and off together with appleTV, without any special settings on the aTV itself.
On the TV on/off over HDMI CEC is enabled, naturally.
Unfortunately, CEC is very relaxed protocol, so different manufacturers have implemented it differently.

 

[Roy Hobbs]

I have an older LCD TV that has a non-CEC HDMI port and I can't figure out how to use my new TV's remote to power it on/off as well as control the volume.

When I go to settings and try to turn on the "Turn On Your TV w/ Your Remote" feature it says I can't use System Control with this configuration. I'm not sure what configuration I need? Or is this message coming up because my TV doesn't have CEC?

Is there a way to program the Siri Remote to control my LCD TV's power and volume? Everything I've tried to look up in this forum and other places is so confusing and doesn't quite address my specific issue.

CEC is what allows the AppleTV to control your TV. So if you don't have it you can't control your TV.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Thanks! I thought there would maybe be a way of programming it like you would any other cheap universal remote. I did try the learning a new device option but it's not controlling my volume at all. And since this TV is so old, the OEM remote is completely dead and I can't access my menu options (which weren't many to begin with) to check if there's that tiny possibility of it having CEC option. Doubtful, though. Might be time for me to finally breakdown and buy a new one.

If you are otherwise happy with the TV and/or don't want to buy a new one now, you somewhat resolve the problem with your answer: get a universal remote. In other words, flip the problem from wanting the Apple remote to do something it can't to substituting a different remote that can manage BOTH TV and AppleTV (and any other components you may use too).

I've been actively using AppleTV since gen 1 and I've rarely used the remotes from Apple. Instead, I paid up for a (not cheap) learning universal remote to be my "one remote to rule them all." Now the bulk of product-specific remotes are mostly retired in a drawer (accessible in some special case where I or a guest would prefer to use them) and the single remote manages everything.

You might want to consider a cheap or not cheap universal to resolve this issue for now.

 

[martens]

Consider getting a new TV. I resisted doing so for a couple of years, but got a Fire TV 4K UHD 50" for $240 on Black Friday sale. It's not only a much nicer display than our previous (plasma 42" 720p) HDTV, but it's great only needing the Siri Remote to turn the TV on and off. I only connected Fire TV to get whatever update was available (it did improve the CEC functionality) and only see its screen for a few seconds before it switches to Apple TV.

It seems like someone could make a HDMI W/CEC pass through adapter that could send IR signal to control power but if one exists I was unable to find one.

 

[TehFalcon]

Grab a Function101, Channel Master cm-7000xrc, or a SofaBaton A2 remote.

 

[waw74]

CEC is what allows the AppleTV to control your TV. So if you don't have it you can't control your TV.

not 100% true

if your TV doesn't have CEC, then the aTV figures out which TV model you have using the HDMI handshake, and will send the appropriate codes to the remote to use via IR.
it can also figure out your sound bar / audio amp and use those codes for volume.

It's a little picky though, it will only send the TV on command when the aTV wakes up, so if you don't have the remote pointed at the TV when that happens, the TV won't come on, You need to put the aTV back to sleep (without being able to see the TV screen), and wake it up again, or hit the power button on the TV or the TV remote.