Playbar doesn't work with RF (Philips) remotes

  • 22 February 2015
  • 14 replies
  • 4359 views

Playbar doesn't work with RF remotes (Philips), welcome to the wireless world of Sonos! When will this problem really be solved and not by using another remote!

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14 replies

Userlevel 7
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I'm not sure how you expect sonos to see rf frequencies. You have the option of using any smartphone as remote with sonos app or as you said just use some other it remote. Sonos has no way to EVER work with RF. It must have method via ir or wifi
Oh, but the Philips TV can handle both IR and RF but the remote is unfortunately just RF but has all the functionality you need for the TV. So why can't Sonos make a Playbar that handles both IR and RF? Sorry but your explanation doesn't make sense and lets the Sonos guys off the hook too easily. Mind you I love Sonos and am using their products since 2008, but I really think that Sonos dropped the ball on this one the same for only having only an optical input in the Playbar.
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Sonos isn't gojng to be able to make a unit that handles all rf from different mfg. And playbar has no Rf receiving ability anyhow. Not letting people off the hook I'm stating the product has no ability to do what you are asking And there is no announced new playbar that you assume should have rf. I guess Phillips is off the hook for not giving you a remote that outputs ir


Have you seen a consumer product that outputs proprietary Rf for various TV manufacturers. I have not but maybe I am uninformed. Ir has long been the standard. And you can operate the playbar via wifi. My Logitech ultimate remote will also control Sonos equipment.
Userlevel 7
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Some TVs will have a blaster cable output on back if TV that will allow the TV to output the ir he remote does not. Have you checked that. Hat is what a TV mfg should do in case of Rf remotes.
I'm not sure how you expect sonos to see rf frequencies. You have the option of using any smartphone as remote with sonos app or as you said just use some other it remote. Sonos has no way to EVER work with RF. It must have method via ir or wifi

That is one lausy answer. Off course it is possible for Sonos to ajust and develop a method to support Philips Remotes. IF Them want to!
Userlevel 7
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Its a proprietary RF remote.... can you name me a consumer device that works with the Phillips remote RF. The answer is Phillips should have a blaster cable on the TV to output IR where needed in order to be able to make the remote compatible with other consumer electronics. Does it not have a blaster cable. If not then it is bad development on Phillips part.

So DVD manufacturers should make their DVD players read Phillips RF signals....that your point or they are just making bad DVD players.
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http://televisions.reviewed.com/features/what-s-an-ir-blaster-and-why-are-tvs-coming-with-them
While we are at it, why hasn't SONOS solved global climate change and fixed my VW diesel and shined my shoes? Why cannot SONOS deliver all the free beer I wish to drink?

Sorry, I usually have managed to restrain myself in the face of delusional complaints about SONOS equipment, but this flame about proprietary IR has pushed me over the edge.

There are after-market IR blasters (very good ones) that will do what you wish for less than the price of a PLAY:1 (actually, for about the price of a BOOST).

SONOS equipment does what it does well. It may or may not meet the needs of every consumer. Research the products and the competition. I did so for YEARS before I decided that SONOS most gracefully met my needs. It may NOT meet yours. I'm a happy consumer because I understood what I was buying.
Userlevel 7
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Wait....they promised free beer ?
Yeah, perfect pints... .
In my opinion companies use the RF option to deliberately make their products incompatible with everything else, the advantage being that the customer is encouraged to purchase more (sometimes compatible) products from the company. It is particularly difficult to maintain RF compatibility because legal and customary frequencies vary by geographic region. One of the reasons driving Bluetooth adoption is this chaos of RF standards.

One of the few advantages of RF over Bluetooth is increased operating range. This is also a big disadvantage in many areas because there is more unwanted interaction between neighboring systems. Also, some of the RF frequencies are shared with industrial devices. I've seen situations where there was so much interference that consumer RF devices could not operate in an urban residential area. A disadvantage of RF is that we customarily use lower frequencies (to provide provide increased operating range) and these lower frequencies require larger antennas (this is the physics of the situation) -- resulting in physically larger devices. Finally, there is economy of scale. At this point there are many more Bluetooth and WiFi controlled devices than RF controlled devices -- driving the relative production costs for Bluetooth and WiFi down.
I to have a philips rf remote. All i get from the support is get/buy a separate remote to controle the sound. I think more and more tv's will have a rf remote so the problem will get bigger and bigger. The best solution would be for sonos to make a small receiver for rf signals that turns out ir codes or controle through wifi so we can controle the whole system with the standard tv remote. second best would be to include that second small ir remote in the package of the bar for those that have rf remotes. Als put a large warning on the site about the soundbar is not working with rf remotes!
Userlevel 7
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It would be near impossible for them to make an RF repeater that works for all RF TV's.

Most RF TV's have a blaster cable for the very reason in that no consumer devices are compatible with their RF.

What device will work with your TV RF - name one?

Any TV IR remote you have in your house will work to control the playbar. No included is needed.

Are you saying your TV has no blaster cable output?
I solved this by buying a remote for ie 60pus6809 on eBay. Almost same remote but with ir. Lost the pointer functionality and qwerty keyboard on the back, but Works perfectly on everything else.