Answered

Apple TV 5th Gen and Playbar Not Connecting or Detecting

D

I can’t seem to get the Sonos Playbar to detect the Apple TV 5th Generation remote in order to control the sound… What can I do to get this to work…??

 

(Note:  The exact same Playbar and Apple TV previoously worked fine together and the remote could control the sound.  I now get a new TV and can’t get it it work.  I have tried factory resets on both the Sonos Playbar and Apple TV… And everytime when trying to pair the remote with the Playbar via the Sonos App on my iPhone i get the error that nothing is dected…. One in every 5 times, it’ll tell it me notices the remote, the screen on the app will switch and say “now press the ‘+’ 3 times...”  which Ill then try long, presses, short presses, everything… and no luck…  What gives?

 

(And yes, the Remote is fully charged.)

 

If it helps, prior TV was Samsung Qled (perhaps a 2017 model), and new TV is TCL Series 6 (September 2019 model).

 

Please help!!

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Best answer by Sebastien D. 19 March 2020, 18:05

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12 replies

Sebastien D.
Userlevel 4
Badge +11

Hi there,

I have suggested things that can reduce IR interference so please attempt to reduce the IR interference in your room so the remote can talk to the Playbar. Check for and eliminate potential sources of IR interference:

  • Direct sunlight
  • Fluorescent lights
  • Plasma TV's
  • For testing purposes, try paring it with other TV remote control.
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D

No such luck or impact.  What else can I try?  

 

FYI:  Yes.. I have paired the Sonos Sounbar w/ another spare remote…  Works fine… Therefore why isn’t the soundbar picking up the signal from the Apple TV remote??  I’ve done the test to verify that the Apple TV remote is sending an IR signal (and it is… evidenced by both: this worked previously and secondly, turned on my iphone camera, and shot beamed the remote directly into the camera, to which you can then see the purpleish light)..  So it’s note a remote / apple tv thing.. Its something wtih Sonos ignoring the signal or not detecting it...

AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

Hi @djvan_d12 

Go to settings in the AppleTV menu and look under “Remotes and Devices”. make sure the options are active. Let us know the outcome.

Cheers!

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
D

Did so… Those are all setup correctly (active).  Therefore, no change, unfortunately.

AjTrek1
Userlevel 7

Hi @djvan_d12 

I the AppleTV menu make sure the it’s set to “Control by IR” and not “Auto”.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
D

Thanks AjTrek for the attempts.. - - Unfortunately again, yes, I have already tinkered with that setting...

Sebastien D.
Userlevel 4
Badge +11

@djvan_d12, 

You’ll want to teach it a different remote control other than your TV for volume control. From there, you can teach that remote code to your Playbar. This way, the TV won't see the volume control commands but the Playbar will. To program your Apple TV remote, follow the steps here on your Apple TV Settings > Remotes and Devices > Volume Control. Select Learn New Device. Follow the onscreen steps to program your Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote to control volume for your television.

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Sebastien - - Can you clarify that a little bit further please?

Sebastien D.
Userlevel 4
Badge +11

No problem, I understand it worked previously, the Apple TV remote uses HDMI-CEC technology, which allows the Apple TV to detect the television settings automatically. Apple TV cannot properly detect a Sonos home theater speaker using an optical connection. If you would like to control your Sonos Playbar with your Apple TV remote, you will need to program the Apple TV remote to control the speaker manually.

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Yes -  Thank you, Sebastien.. Very clear!! I follow… But could you further clarify how I go about doing that ?  I.e., “You will need to program the Apple TV remote to control the speaker manually.”  <---- How is that accomplished?  Hoping you can clarify that part for me, please!

Sebastien D.
Userlevel 4
Badge +11

On your Apple TV, follow these steps right here: Apple TV Settings > Remotes and Devices > Volume Control. Select Learn New Device. Follow the onscreen steps to program your Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote to control volume for your television.

Help others find useful content by clicking the like button and selecting best answer to your question.
D

So if I am understanding this correctly… What you are telling me to do is: 

(1) Grab a completely different / general universal / unrelated remote. 

(2) Through the Sonos iOS app, program the Sonos Soundbar to that universal remote in order to control the volume. [Did this / got it / checked]. 

(3) Go back to Apple TV. 

(4) Go through the steps above [[[[Apple TV Settings > Remotes and Devices > Volume Control. Select Learn New Device]]]] to program the Apple TV to recognize the completely different / universal remote volume control. (i.e., get apple TV to recognize the volume control settings of a remote that I don’t even plan on using)…  [Did this / got it / checked]….   

(5) Pick back up my Apple TV remote.

(6) And try and change the volume……  

 

Because, that works.  That is the weirdest hack in the world.  Unbelievable.   Why on earth did Sonos make that so complicated?

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