Contributor I

FIXED: Sonos Playbar Remote Pairing with TCL TV remote – What Actually Worked

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 5, 2025
45 replies
9190 views

I wanted to share this in case someone else runs into the same frustrating issue I did:

TV: TCL P7K QLED Google TV (2025 model)
Soundbar: Sonos Playbar (2015)
Connection: Optical cable (no HDMI ARC)
Remote: TCL stock remote (IR + Bluetooth hybrid)

🧨 The Problem:

The Sonos S1 app wouldn’t complete remote pairing. Sometimes it would recognize the first Volume + press, sometimes not. If it did, it would fail on Volume - and say “volume control with optical is not supported” (which is nonsense — Playbar is designed for IR+optical).

Disabling HDMI-CEC on the TV didn’t help.
IR confirmed working via phone camera.
Bluetooth turned off didn’t work.
Factory reset on the bar made no difference.
Universal remote wouldn't pair either (even though it had worked with the Playbar before).

✅ What Finally Worked:

After all else failed, we just started mashing the requested buttons repeatedly during setup like we were speed-running a boss fight in a video game.

Literally just kept pressing Volume + rapid-fire at different angles, and eventually Sonos accepted it. Same with Volume -. If one of the steps timed out, hit the ‘back’ button once and try that step again.

Moral of the story: If everything else checks out, and Sonos sees some input but won’t pair, go full gamer mode on the remote. Don’t be gentle.

Hope this saves someone 2 hours and some sanity.

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A

aspete1369

Lyricist I

Having the same issue with a 2025 TCL Google TV (65Q77K). After talking with Sonos customer support, buying a new universal IR remote, and talking with Sonos again, all I got was that this is a known issue with new TCL Google TVs and there is no fix yet.

Still in the window to return my tv and wondering if it’s worth replacing with a LG UA7700. This is strike 20 in a long list of things going wrong buying all new tech for an old house.

A

aspete1369

Lyricist I

TCL says no way to get IR learning systems to learn from a TCL IR signal:

We would like to clarify that the only way to control external devices via TCL TVs is through HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). Our TCL remote does not support learning or pairing IR commands to external devices, except for select cable box providers that are officially supported.

As a result, the TCL remote cannot be used to directly control other devices via IR learning systems, and volume or other IR commands may not be compatible with third-party IR learning systems.

We hope this clarifies the limitations of TCL remote functionality. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Are they saying no TCL TV can pair IR commands to external devices or control other devices via IR learning systems? Or the TCL remote can not do that? Because I tried everything with a separate new universal remote and it still didn’t work (not even button smashing like its super smash bros worked). What does the TV have to do with our problem anyway? Point IR remote at tv connected to speaker via optical and it does what you want. How every tv/soundbar with optical has worked since I knew what a soundbar was.

T

tripmaster

Lyricist III

TCL says no way to get IR learning systems to learn from a TCL IR signal:

We would like to clarify that the only way to control external devices via TCL TVs is through HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). Our TCL remote does not support learning or pairing IR commands to external devices, except for select cable box providers that are officially supported.

As a result, the TCL remote cannot be used to directly control other devices via IR learning systems, and volume or other IR commands may not be compatible with third-party IR learning systems.

We hope this clarifies the limitations of TCL remote functionality. Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Are they saying no TCL TV can pair IR commands to external devices or control other devices via IR learning systems? Or the TCL remote can not do that? Because I tried everything with a separate new universal remote and it still didn’t work (not even button smashing like its super smash bros worked). What does the TV have to do with our problem anyway? Point IR remote at tv connected to speaker via optical and it does what you want. How every tv/soundbar with optical has worked since I knew what a soundbar was.

I suspect the IR codes being sent from remote are non-standard (maybe 2 codes sent serially).

I got it to work by setting my Harmony Smart Control to specifically control the Playbase when volume buttons are pressed, bypassing any TCL control.

T

tripmaster

Lyricist III

Having the same issue with a 2025 TCL Google TV (65Q77K). After talking with Sonos customer support, buying a new universal IR remote, and talking with Sonos again, all I got was that this is a known issue with new TCL Google TVs and there is no fix yet.

Still in the window to return my tv and wondering if it’s worth replacing with a LG UA7700. This is strike 20 in a long list of things going wrong buying all new tech for an old house.

Thanks for saving me the hassle of contacting Sonos support. TCL just responded to me today and said no guarantee that a Universal Remote works.

buzz

Grand Maestro

Try different dwell times as you press the remote button. A very brief press might send a different code.

T

tripmaster

Lyricist III

This thread above says the TCL remote sends an IR Toggle Bit code which alternates the code sent on presses (and long press).

I wish TCL support knew that.

K

Kdiff68

Contributor I

I wanted to share this in case someone else runs into the same frustrating issue I did:

TV: TCL P7K QLED Google TV (2025 model)
Soundbar: Sonos Playbar (2015)
Connection: Optical cable (no HDMI ARC)
Remote: TCL stock remote (IR + Bluetooth hybrid)

🧨 The Problem:

The Sonos S1 app wouldn’t complete remote pairing. Sometimes it would recognize the first Volume + press, sometimes not. If it did, it would fail on Volume - and say “volume control with optical is not supported” (which is nonsense — Playbar is designed for IR+optical).

Disabling HDMI-CEC on the TV didn’t help.
IR confirmed working via phone camera.
Bluetooth turned off didn’t work.
Factory reset on the bar made no difference.
Universal remote wouldn't pair either (even though it had worked with the Playbar before).

✅ What Finally Worked:

After all else failed, we just started mashing the requested buttons repeatedly during setup like we were speed-running a boss fight in a video game.

Literally just kept pressing Volume + rapid-fire at different angles, and eventually Sonos accepted it. Same with Volume -. If one of the steps timed out, hit the ‘back’ button once and try that step again.

Moral of the story: If everything else checks out, and Sonos sees some input but won’t pair, go full gamer mode on the remote. Don’t be gentle.

Hope this saves someone 2 hours and some sanity.

So what buttons did you keep hitting

T

tripmaster

Lyricist III

Not the OP but I did this, press the button you’re trying to have the Sonos ‘learn’ = VOL UP, VOL DOWN - repeatedly.

I got it to register but could not get it to actually control.

N

nickb10

Contributor I

There’s a simple fix for this and it’s not the original one posted here it doesn’t work for a new C7K.

I simply replaced the out of the box remote with one of these https://www.oneforall.com/en-au/universal-remotes/urc-4922-tcl-tv-replacement-remote and then used the learning function to over-ride the volume up and down from an old sony remote and then used these new codes with the playbar. Literally was up and working within 5 minutes.

J-roen

Lyricist I

There’s a simple fix for this and it’s not the original one posted here it doesn’t work for a new C7K.

I simply replaced the out of the box remote with one of these https://www.oneforall.com/en-au/universal-remotes/urc-4922-tcl-tv-replacement-remote and then used the learning function to over-ride the volume up and down from an old sony remote and then used these new codes with the playbar. Literally was up and working within 5 minutes.

Thanks for this solution, Nick. I also use the One For All URC4922. Learning the functions is indeed super easy. Here are the steps:1. Activate learning modePress and hold the Red + Blue buttons simultaneously until the red light behind the power button flashes twice.Enter the code 9 7 5. The red light will flash twice again.2. Transferring functionsPress the button you want to program on the URC 4922 (for example, the 'Volume Up' button). The red light will now flash quickly.Immediately afterward, press the corresponding button on the original remote control (in this example, also 'Volume Up').If the light on the URC 4922 flashes twice, the code has been successfully learned.If the light flashes once, it has failed. Try step 3 again.Repeat this for all the buttons you want to add.3. Save and exitWhen you're done with all the buttons, press and hold the OK button until the light flashes twice. The functions are now saved.

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🧨 The Problem:

✅ What Finally Worked:

🧨 The Problem:

✅ What Finally Worked:

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