Question
Control Sonos Playbar volume with new Apple TV Siri Remote?
I have the new Apple TV, and the remote is supposed to control volume for external devices. I can't seem to make it do the volume on my Playbar. Has anyone found a solution for this? My TiVo remote *does* do it, and I tried learning from the TiVo remote, but it just doesn't ever work for some odd reason.
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I have a similar issue to Zorn. I control my Playbar with my LG smart TV remote. There is visual confirmation on the screen when I change the volume with the LG Remote, and the volume changes on the Playbar (the LCD light on the Playbar also lights up). With no setup at all, the Apple TV remote elicits the same visual response from the TV, but no response from the Playbar.
OK, I got mine to work. Zorn, can you describe the steps you took after "learning" the TiVo remote? Did the Apple TV indicate the learning was successful? If so, you'll need to select the appropriate audio source in Apple TV settings.
therein wrote:
I could get a response from the LG smart TV but not on the playbar
The Apple TV is controlling your LG TV via Ethernet, so even though you're seeing the plus and minus icons on the screen, the Playbar isn't picking up any IR signal. You need to set up a "new device" on the Apple TV. Use your LG remote (that I presume is programmed to control the Playbar) to set up the device, and call it SONOS or Playbar (or similar). Then under the volume control section of the Apple TV settings menu, choose this new device.
@austicious That works! Unfortunately, the "+"/"-" no longer appears on the screen. I already have the IR Repeater set to "On" for the Sonos Playbar. But don't think that's being forwarded to the TV.
I got this working. It's completely unclear that in order to learn from remotes, you have to point the remote AT THE APPLE TV and not at the Siri Remote (like you would expect from every other learning remote on the planet). I wondered why I was getting no response at all from the IR sensor on the Siri Remote and just randomly tried pointing the LG remote at the Apple TV itself and everything worked fine.
therein wrote:
@Zorn Does your LG TV display the "+" or "-" when you adjust the volume via the Apple TV remote?
When I use the LG remote, yes it does. When using the Siri remote, no.
Zorn wrote:
therein wrote:
@Zorn Does your LG TV display the "+" or "-" when you adjust the volume via the Apple TV remote?
When I use the LG remote, yes it does. When using the Siri remote, no.
Yeah, that's the same for me.
I have my new AppleTV 4th gen connected via HDMI to my Panasonic plasma TV. The optical digital out from the TV goes into my Playbar. (Luckily, my TV has the proper decoder to output Dolby Digital 5.1 into the Playbar.) I have the Playbar (and corresponding Sonos surround system) all connected wirelessly. None of the speakers have a hardline ethernet cable plugged into them.
I would like to figure out how to get my Siri Remote to control the Playbar / surround system volume. FYI, The volume control on the Siri Remote works some of the time on the Playbar via CEC, but it is flaky. For the 3 clicks that it works, it doesn't work the other 20.
I had programmed my previous Logitech Harmony remote to control the Playbar volume, and it worked great, so I thought I could use it to teach the AppleTV / Siri Remote the needed IR volume codes. I went through the learning process with the Harmony remote, and it appeared to all work. I went through the up volume and down volume process and the progress bars did their thing. I created an entry in the Apple TV remote area of settings. But the volume buttons on the Siri Remote don't work.
Any thoughts? One theory I have is that the CEC isn't turning off and is keeping the IR from controlling the Playbar. But I've set my Sonos remote entry in the Apple TV settings as the default, so the volume should be referring to it for control, not CEC...right?
I would like to figure out how to get my Siri Remote to control the Playbar / surround system volume. FYI, The volume control on the Siri Remote works some of the time on the Playbar via CEC, but it is flaky. For the 3 clicks that it works, it doesn't work the other 20.
I had programmed my previous Logitech Harmony remote to control the Playbar volume, and it worked great, so I thought I could use it to teach the AppleTV / Siri Remote the needed IR volume codes. I went through the learning process with the Harmony remote, and it appeared to all work. I went through the up volume and down volume process and the progress bars did their thing. I created an entry in the Apple TV remote area of settings. But the volume buttons on the Siri Remote don't work.
Any thoughts? One theory I have is that the CEC isn't turning off and is keeping the IR from controlling the Playbar. But I've set my Sonos remote entry in the Apple TV settings as the default, so the volume should be referring to it for control, not CEC...right?
I cannot get the Apple TV to "learn" from my Direct TV remote that is programmed to control my Playbar. What can I try?
I have a Samsung PNF518500AFXZA Plasma with IR remote (yes...the last plasma model Samsung made)
In my case I'd already set the Play Bar to receive volume commands from my Google Fiber remote which was programed to mimic the Samsung remote. Don't know if that has any bearing on the Apple TV remote controlling volume on the Play Bar, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
Here are the settings for Apple TV remote (4th Gen) to control Sonos Play Bar volume:
Settings
Remote and Devices
Volume Control
Auto
Menu
Volume Control will show as - Auto via IR (TV)
No learning of the Samsung remote was required. Don't know if this will work on a TV that's RF or BT remote driven.
In my case I'd already set the Play Bar to receive volume commands from my Google Fiber remote which was programed to mimic the Samsung remote. Don't know if that has any bearing on the Apple TV remote controlling volume on the Play Bar, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
Here are the settings for Apple TV remote (4th Gen) to control Sonos Play Bar volume:
Settings
Remote and Devices
Volume Control
Auto
Menu
Volume Control will show as - Auto via IR (TV)
No learning of the Samsung remote was required. Don't know if this will work on a TV that's RF or BT remote driven.
Just picked up my Playbar, followed these instructions to get my AppleTV remote working to control the volume. Issue I'm having now is the remote is only controlling the Playbar volume but not my grouped Play 1s and Play 5. In other words, I use the Apple TV remote to increase / decrease the tv volume. The volume of the Playbar goes up / down, but none of the other speakers volumes change. Any ideas?
Glad to hear that your Apple TV Siri remote is controlling volume of Playbar as suggested. The remote will only apply to the Playbar as a "Stand-A-Lone" speaker or those PAIRED to it (i.e. Sub and Surrounds). It will not lower volume of speakers GROUPED with the Playbar. Here's why IMO...as I am not a Sonos engineer...
When a sub and surrounds are PAIRED to the Playbar (which differs from being Grouped) the Playbar becomes the controller for all components. This is because the sub and surrounds are not acting independently but are receiving commands directly from the Playbar. (i.e. volume, low-end signal to sub and SFX to surrounds) as the Playbar is the only speaker (in the surround setup) with a direct link to the audio source. The Playbar is more than just a speaker it is also an audio processor for components that are PAIRED to it. Finally the Playbar is the only Speaker in the Sonos line-up that can receive and process an IR signal.
When speakers are GROUPED (two locations combined into one) they can still function independently meaning you can lower volume on speakers in the bedroom without affecting the volume of the speakers in the living room. This is possible via direct speaker controls or the Sonos Controller App on your tablet or computer. To simultaneously control volume on speakers that are Grouped you must use the Sonos Controller App. The only direct speaker function that affects all speakers that are Grouped is "pause/play".
Once again....Speakers GROUPED with the Playbar do not take commands from it. That is only possible with speakers that are PAIRED with the Playbar (i.e. sub and surrounds). I hope this answers your question.
Cheers!
When a sub and surrounds are PAIRED to the Playbar (which differs from being Grouped) the Playbar becomes the controller for all components. This is because the sub and surrounds are not acting independently but are receiving commands directly from the Playbar. (i.e. volume, low-end signal to sub and SFX to surrounds) as the Playbar is the only speaker (in the surround setup) with a direct link to the audio source. The Playbar is more than just a speaker it is also an audio processor for components that are PAIRED to it. Finally the Playbar is the only Speaker in the Sonos line-up that can receive and process an IR signal.
When speakers are GROUPED (two locations combined into one) they can still function independently meaning you can lower volume on speakers in the bedroom without affecting the volume of the speakers in the living room. This is possible via direct speaker controls or the Sonos Controller App on your tablet or computer. To simultaneously control volume on speakers that are Grouped you must use the Sonos Controller App. The only direct speaker function that affects all speakers that are Grouped is "pause/play".
Once again....Speakers GROUPED with the Playbar do not take commands from it. That is only possible with speakers that are PAIRED with the Playbar (i.e. sub and surrounds). I hope this answers your question.
Cheers!
Zorn wrote:
therein wrote:
@Zorn Does your LG TV display the "+" or "-" when you adjust the volume via the Apple TV remote?
When I use the LG remote, yes it does. When using the Siri remote, no.
I actually found a way to get the +\- when using the Siri Remote to control the volume.
Instead of learning the Apple TV the ir-commands used by the Magic Remote, just use the standard setup and let the Apple TV control the TV via hdmi-cec.
As described earlier in thia thread, using the Siri Remote will light up the +\- on the TV, as the commands are send to the TV via the HDMI-cable.
But the TV is actually smart enough to pass on the commands to the Magic Remote which will then pass on the proper IR-command to the Playbar.
This meant that everything was actually working for me out of the box, with the Siri Remote controlling the Playbar (as I had already set up my Magic remote to do the same). However, when I tried hiding my Magic Remote I figured out how (at least I think I did) how it was working.
So sort of a work-around, but which requires the Magic Remote to have clear sight of the Playbar.
Tejs Dyrvig Ernst wrote:
Zorn wrote:
therein wrote:
@Zorn Does your LG TV display the "+" or "-" when you adjust the volume via the Apple TV remote?
When I use the LG remote, yes it does. When using the Siri remote, no.
I actually found a way to get the +\- when using the Siri Remote to control the volume.
Instead of learning the Apple TV the ir-commands used by the Magic Remote, just use the standard setup and let the Apple TV control the TV via hdmi-cec.
As described earlier in thia thread, using the Siri Remote will light up the +\- on the TV, as the commands are send to the TV via the HDMI-cable.
But the TV is actually smart enough to pass on the commands to the Magic Remote which will then pass on the proper IR-command to the Playbar.
This meant that everything was actually working for me out of the box, with the Siri Remote controlling the Playbar (as I had already set up my Magic remote to do the same). However, when I tried hiding my Magic Remote I figured out how (at least I think I did) how it was working.
So sort of a work-around, but which requires the Magic Remote to have clear sight of the Playbar.
It works if I have recently used my Magic Remote to control the Sonos system. If not, the LG TV doesn’t send the IR message to the Playbar.
It may be my Magic Remote configuration.
I can confirm (in case someone is interested) I made it work with:
1. Magic Remote configured for Pioneer soundbar with Remote Type 2.
2. Magic Remote configured in Sonos app.
3. New remote configuration added to the Apple TV pointing the Magic Remote directly to the Apple TV
It works without lag and the problems I had with Philips Remote Type 4 are solved. The only thing is that volume +/- sings are not displayed in muy LG TV.
TV: LG OLED55C6V
1. Magic Remote configured for Pioneer soundbar with Remote Type 2.
2. Magic Remote configured in Sonos app.
3. New remote configuration added to the Apple TV pointing the Magic Remote directly to the Apple TV
It works without lag and the problems I had with Philips Remote Type 4 are solved. The only thing is that volume +/- sings are not displayed in muy LG TV.
TV: LG OLED55C6V
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