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STJ
Contributor I
May 6, 2017

Control Sonos Playbar/Playbase volume with more than one TV/Tivo/other remote

  • May 6, 2017
  • 8 replies
  • 2971 views
I would like to be able to use more than one TV or Tivo or other remote to control volume of Sonos. Kind of a pain if you're holding your tivo remote and navigating with it, but you have to get your tv remote or iphone app just to decrease or increase or mute the volume. Seems like a simple thing, my last soundbar allowed me to use at least two different remotes to change it's volume and it was a much less expensive soundbar than the Sonos.
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    8 replies

    Airgetlam
    Airgetlam
    May 8, 2017
    Are you asking for the Playbar / Playbase to store two different sets of commands that it responds to via IR, or to allow 2 remotes of the same type to be used? The former isn't there, that I'm aware of, but the latter should work fine. I've often used two remotes sending the same IR code to the Playbar, both a TV and a DVD remote. But ultimately, I ended up getting a Harmony remote to consolidate, I got tired of having 5 or 6 remotes on a table.
    Bruce
    Matt R
    Sonos Staff
    May 9, 2017
    Hi STJ

    Airgetlam is correct, the PLAYBAR/PLAYBASE can only "learn" one remote, but there's nothing to stop you programming a second remote to send the same codes as the 1st remote you have set up.

    i.e. you learn remote A to the PLAYBAR/PLAYBASE in the Sonos Application and then you program remote B transmit the same IR codes as remote A and then both remotes will control the PLAYBAR/PLAYBASE.

    Hope this makes sense
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    Stephen Worgan
    Lyricist II
    May 19, 2017
    Useful question and replies. Thanks. Saves me looking further for a solution - because it looks like there isn't one.

    My scenario seems to be similar to STJ's:
    1. Smart Sony TV with dedicated buttons on its remote. When I'm streaming directly via an App (e.g. Netflix), I want to control the Sonos Playbar volume using this (Sony) remote. I've set-up the "TV" button to select my Virgin Media TV input - at which point I need to switch remotes, because ...
    2. my Virgin Media TV remote also has lots of dedicated buttons - e.g. to navigate 'on demand', TV guide, personal TV recordings, and so on. So when viewing Virgin Media (cable) TV, it's more convenient to use just the Virgin remote, including controlling Sonos with the volume key.

    I COULD try to configure one of the remotes for both: controlling the TV and Virgin Media. But I'd lose the dedicated (labelled) buttons. I've followed this path previously using a universal remote control - it wasn't pretty!

    So the easiest solution would be to be able to programme the Playbar to respond to two remote controllers. I appreciate there's a remote (sorry!) chance that there might be a conflict - i.e. the Sony volume codes are used by the Virgin remote to fast-foward. But I'd like to be able to try! Surely, it can't be that difficult?
      ratty
      ratty
      May 19, 2017
      Volume codes are volume codes. They wouldn't trigger fast forward. Why don't you simply tell the Virgin remote that the TV is a Sony? This is a common situation and most cable/DTT remotes let you specify the TV type so their volume buttons can operate it.
      dribando
      Lyricist III
      August 27, 2017
      Anyone have a solution for using two remotes with Playbase/ Playbar? I can control my Playbase with my LG magic remote. That's great. I now want my Apple TV (4th gen) remote to also control the volume on the Playbase. I think the trick is to get the Apple remote to learn the same volume codes that the LG remote is passing to the Playbase. Can't seem to figure out how to get this working in practice. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
      Airgetlam
      Airgetlam
      August 28, 2017
      I'd agree with your supposition. I believe the Playbar will only learn to respond to one devices set of infrared commands, not two. So you would have to set up the Apple TV's remote to learn whatever the LG's magic remote is setting. I'd imagine, without looking in to it, that's there's probably a place in the settings of the Apple TV where you could do that.
      Bruce
      Two remote Pete
      Lyricist I
      December 16, 2017
      nothing to stop you programming a second remote to send the same codes as the 1st remote you have set up.

      How exactly do I do this? Trouble finding resources to this effect.
      Kenneth_14
      Renowned Enthusiast I
      April 27, 2018
      So I have a playbar attached to my bedroom TV. There is also a Sky box and Xbox 360.
      The Samsung TV remote obviously controls the Samsung TV volume without any adjustment. I taught the Sky remote to control the Samsung TV:
      https://www.sky.com/help/program-your-remote

      I taught the Xbox remote to control the Samsung TV:
      https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/xbox-360/accessories/universal-media-remote

      I then quite a long time later bought a Soundbar and during the set up, when prompted, told the Soundbar I was using a Samsung TV (by pressing the Samsung TV volume button when asked).

      Without further ado all the remotes now work with the Playbar.
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