Pairing 2 Shaw XR11 remotes to Sonos Playbar

Hi @thealexpopes.

Welcome to the Sonso community and thanks for reaching out to us. I understand that you are looking for answers on how to resolve your concern of setting up both Shaw XR11 and Marital Harmony. Let me help out.

I would like to ask some questions to better understand what and how to proceed.

• You have mentioned you both have marital harmony remote. Do I understand it clear that you have 2 marital harmony remote? or 1 marital harmony and 1 shaw xr11 remote?
• You mentioned that you can pair either one but not both. Are you referring to not both marital harmony or not both harmony and shawxr11?
• Based on a little research, it shows that Shaw xr11 is an RF remote which would not work with a Sonos Playbar since the Sonos Playbar only have an optical connection to the TV which means it would only accept IR (InfraRed) capable remote and not RF (Radio Frequency) capable remote.
• The Shaw XR11 remote is a voice-enabled device. Do you have a voice service added on that device such as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa? 
• What remote works with your Sonos Playbar? 
• The Sonos Playbar can only register 1 IR capable remote through the Remote control set up on the Sonos App.

The more information you provide, the more we can help out. Here in the community, we are always ready to help.

Thanks,

Thanks for your response.

The reference to marital harmony was a joke. If we each have a remote we don't have to fight over a single remote. This is the secret to 40 years of marital bliss. 

So, my wife and I use two identical Shaw XR11 remotes. I can pair either one of them but not at the same time. Each time I pair one the other becomes inactive.

The Shaw XR11 remotes are voice-enabled which is why we like them but it is a Shaw system not Google or Alexa. The system only communicates with the Shaw cable box.

The Samsung remote will adjust volume but it is doing so via the TV optical output. The Shaw XR11 remotes will not control the TV volume when the optical output is in use. Interestingly the Shaw remotes will control the TV volume when using the built in speakers.

Hope this clarifies.

Thanks again.

Hi @thealexpopes.

Thanks for the immediate response and clarification.

The Sonos Playbar can only accept and register 1 remote control at a time using the Sonos App’s remote control set up feature. If we re-do the remote control setup feature on the Sonos app, the current remote control registered on the Playbar will be removed and replaced with the newly registered remote control. That is why you can only register 1 remote at a time. When you successfully configure 1 Shaw remote, what feature can you control and what feature you cannot control? you have mentioned that The Shaw remotes will control TV volume when using the built-in TV speakers. That means the TV is reading the RF (Radio Frequency code) coming from the Shaw remote and recognizes the command. If your Samsung remote can control and adjust the volume of the Playbar that means that the Samsung remote is an IR (InfraRed) remote and the Playbar recognizes the command. If this is the case, What we need to know is, if the Shaw system is capable of reading an IR remote so that we can register an IR remote to be able to control both your Playbar, TV, and Shaw cable box.

I hope this helps.

Please let me know if you still have any further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

Thank you for your explanations and advice. I had one Shaw XR11 remote successfully paired to the Sonos sound bar. With your help I now appear to have  the other Shaw XR11 remote paired to the Samsung TV such that is also controls the Sonos sound bar via the TV. SUCCESS! Thank you for your help. 

I would expect two (or more) remotes sending exactly the same ir signals would both work with a Sonos soundbar. If I understand the above explanation right this is not the case and you can only use one remote?

Yes, it seems very strange that two identical remotes sending the same signal would not work with the Sonos sound bar but after extensive trying and as advised by the Sonos staff member the sound bar will only allow pairing of  one remote at a time.