Regarding audio quality, soundbars have the upper hand over TV speakers. Plus, you don’t have to break the bank to get a good one – plenty of affordable options exist. Soundbars can be stereo (with two speakers and a subwoofer) or have five speakers for a virtual surround sound experience.
But nobody likes having to fumble around with multiple remote controls. If you have a Roku TV, you can use the Roku remote to control your soundbar and eliminate the need for an extra remote.
Yes, Roku remotes can control the soundbar. The only requirement is the soundbar’s compatibility with HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). Besides that, it should support HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel). It would help to pair the Roku remote with the soundbar to control its volume, mute, and power.
Roku’s new line of voice-enabled remotes and the conventional ones can control your Roku player, TV, and your Roku-connected soundbar. You only need to pair your soundbar to your Roku TV connected via HDMI ARC, and everything is ready.
How to Set Up The Roku Remote to Control Soundbar?
If you have a Roku TV, you also own a Roku remote. Luckily it can control your soundbar of any make and size. To set up your soundbar with your Roku TV, follow these steps:
- Open the Roku app on your TV.
- Go to Home> Settings and scroll down to Audio
- Select Audio Output and choose Auto or ARC with the name of the soundbar from the list.
- Go to Settings > System > CEC and click on Search for CEC devices.
- Check that the soundbar is in the list of CEC devices found and that it displays eARC: ARC Active and System Audio control: Active.
That is how you will be pairing your Roku remote to your soundbar. From then onwards, you will ultimately control your soundbar through the Roku remote.
Troubleshooting Setup Issues:
- Check your remote batteries. Replace with new batteries of the same type and try again.
- Check if the soundbar is connected to the HDMI ARC port of the Roku TV.
- Repeat the pairing process.
How To Control Your Soundbar With A Roku Remote?
Once your soundbar is connected and paired with the Roku Remote, you can adjust the volume and do lots more with the touch of a button. Whatever features your sandbar is capable of, the controls are confined within the remote and are at your disposal.
Press (*) and access Sound Settings, and from there, you can choose the following features:
- Virtual Surround for Dolby Atmos – For surround sound experience
- One For All – for various sound formats
- Dialog Enhancer – For better speech quality output.
Connecting Roku remote with Roku box
The setup steps to connect your Roku remote to your Roku box are the same, except you must enable the feature that lets you choose external Audio Systems.
After following the first and second setup steps (as mentioned above), next:
- Step 3. Choose an Audio System instead of TV speakers.
- Continue with the setup process.
Connecting Roku remote with Roku TV
If you have a Roku TV, you can use a Roku remote to control it. A simple Roku remote uses IR technology and is ready when the batteries are inserted.
As for a Roku voice remote, you’ll need to pair it with the TV, and pairing is a one-time process that links your Roku remote to your Roku TV. To pair your Roku remote:
- Press to hold the Home button for 3 seconds on the Roku Remote.
- The Home button will flash three times.
- Hold the pairing button on your Roku TV for 3 seconds.
- The pairing button is usually on the back of the Roku TV, near the HDMI ports.
- The pairing button will flash three times.
- Your Roku voice remote and Roku TV are now paired.
Role of ARC and CEC in connecting Roku remote to the TV
Consumer Electronics Control, or CEC, is a feature that sends commands between devices over the same HDMI connection. It means you can use your TV remote to control the standard functions of different devices without juggling multiple remotes.
For example, with CEC enabled, you can use your Roku remote to control the volume of a connected soundbar.
ARC, or Audio Return Channel, is the gateway that sends AudioAudio from the TV to an external audio device. It also enables the transfer without the need for a cable. For example, it eliminates TV speakers and lets you connect to the soundbar.
You won’t be able to use a Roku remote to control devices connected to the Roku TV without CEC.
The ARC and CEC are both used to connect the Roku remote to the TV. The ARC sends audio signals from the TV to the Roku remote, while the CEC sends control signals from the remote to the TV. Both are essential for connecting the Roku remote to the TV.
Alternatives to Using Roku Remote to Control Soundbar
In addition to using the Roku remote to control your soundbar, another option is to use a universal remote compatible with your TV and soundbar. Finally, you can also control the soundbar volume directly on the soundbar itself or through the Roku app available on any device.
There are a few alternative ways to control your soundbar if you don’t have a Roku remote:
- Manually Using the Soundbar: If you’re using a soundbar with your Roku TV, you may find using the soundbar controls easier than the Roku remote.
- Using a Universal Remote: You should use a universal remote for a few reasons. One reason is that you want to control other devices in your home and your Roku; a universal remote can give you that flexibility. Another reason is that some universal remotes have additional features that the Roku remote does not have. For example, Logitech Harmony Companion All-In-One Smart Home Remote is compatible with 270,000+ devices. At the same time, Philips Universal Remote Control supports powerful brands.
- Using the Roku app from a tablet or an iPad – If you have a Roku soundbar, you can use the Roku app to control it from any device having the app installed. The app lets you control the soundbar like you would with a remote.
Conclusion
You can use Roku TV with some soundbars but compatibility is the important part. If the soundbar is compatible with Roku devices you can use the same remote. You can control the volume, can power ON/OFF, as well as can mute the volume.
On the other hand, if the soundbar is not compatible with Roku devices you might not able to use the same remote.
You can still do a few things in order to use only one remote that can handle both the TV and soundbar. As above in the alternatives section, I talked about using universal remote and recommend a few. You can check these and can handle both TV and soundbar.
All in all the concept of using a single remote to control both the tv and soundbar depends on your specific TV type, and Soundbar.