Soundbars, which traditionally function as a basic home theater system, have become popular in recent years as they offer an affordable way for people with small living spaces or those on a budget to enjoy surround sound.
Many also come with wireless subwoofers and built-in Bluetooth for easy streaming from your mobile device. If you have a soundbar or are thinking of buying one, this article will show you how to use your TV remote to control it.
Soundbars can be adjusted to sound better in a living room or bedroom without breaking the bank or shoving your TV against a wall. They’re cheap and easy to set up, and they also serve as speakers for headphone use when you’re watching TV.
The best part is that you can watch what you want while listening to what you want, which allows you to control your sound from anywhere in the room without interrupting anyone else’s viewing experience.
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How to Use Your TV Remote to Control a Soundbar :
Using your TV remote control to use a soundbar is really simple once you know how. As some soundbars require you to use the remote and others don’t, you’ll need to check your device’s manual before proceeding.
This article will discuss how to control a soundbar with just your TV remote. This article mostly talks about the functions of the TV remote and how to use them appropriately on a soundbar. This will be helpful to those who already know how to control a soundbar with their TV remote.
Now, let’s go ahead and learn how you can easily control your soundbar using your TV remote. The following tutorial will guide you through the various functions of the TV remote and the buttons that correspond to them:
Command Buttons
The TV remotes for most Samsung TVs, Panasonic TVs, Sony TVs and LG TVs follow a certain pattern for their corresponding remotes. On some TV remotes, the buttons on the right will also include the number keys as well as specific buttons like Clear and Info.
On other remotes, like those from TCL and Vizio for example, you will only find the standard functions noted above on those keys.
The first step to using your TV remote to control a soundbar is to identify which button on your TV remote is used for controlling volume.
If you’re using a remote that’s supposed to be used with your soundbar, this will be the first button on the remote.
Then, learn how to use that key and its functions:
The TV remote functions:
There are various features on the TV remote, and I’m going to talk about them here. If your TV remote does not have all of these buttons, don’t fret! They can still be used on your soundbar as long as you follow the next steps:
- The Cursor Keys: Using the arrow keys on your TV remote is a great way to scroll through a menu without using a mouse, and it’s even more useful when you need to navigate through the various functions on your soundbar.
- The Minus Key: Use this key if you want to decrease the volume on your soundbar. In some cases, it may also let you back out of a certain screen or menu as well.
- The Plus Key: Use the plus key to increase the volume on your soundbar.
- The Clear Key: This will delete what you have selected on the remote, so if you press it once, it will scroll through all of your menu options until you find what you are looking for.
- Info Key: Use this button to display various info about your soundbar or TV or other features on your TV that are not normally displayed on screen.
- The Home Button: This button lets you choose your default home menu, which is the main menu on the screen. By pressing it once, you can return to your home menu without having to navigate through all of your different menus again.
- The Power Button: This is the button that turns off your TV or soundbar when you don’t want it to be on anymore.
- The Next/Previous Channel Keys: Use these keys if you want to change channel quickly without having to navigate through all of the different menus.
- The Up/Down Arrows: These arrows will let you change channels, so if you press the up arrow, your channel will increase in number.
How to Use a Soundbar Without a TV Remote:
If your TV remote does not have any of these buttons, then you’ll need to do a little more research on how to control a soundbar without a TV remote.
If your soundbar requires only the basics to work, then you’ll need to control it using the buttons on your soundbar itself.
For example, if you have a Sony Soundbar, then it needs only the Volume up and the Volume down buttons to work.
However, if your soundbar has other functions like Bluetooth or inputs for other devices, then you’ll need to access those functions via other options on your TV.
There are several ways in which you can control these devices with your TV remote, but I have found that the easiest way is to purchase a universal remote control from Amazon.
It’s a cheap piece of equipment that will turn all your electronics into one. You can also get a Kindle Fire or iPad mini for only $30 more.
Using the Remote Control to Change Sound Bar Settings :
If your soundbar has a built-in menu, you can usually access it by pressing and holding the “SELECT” button on your remote. If not, you may need to reference your instruction manual for directions.
Once you’ve accessed the sound bar’s menu, look for settings with names like “Subwoofer” and “Volume,” and use your remote’s arrow buttons to adjust levels.
The “INPUT” button can be used to toggle between devices connected to your soundbar (e.g., TV, computer), while the “SOUND” or “VOLUME” buttons can be used to change the volume.
Changing Sound Bar Inputs With The Remote Control :
Most soundbars have one main input for receiving audio from your TV. Sometimes, however, you may use your TV’s optical input to connect to your soundbar, which is useful if you also plan on using it as an additional speaker for gaming or watching movies.
If so, you’ll need to switch the main input of the soundbar using your remote.
To do that, press the “SOURCE” or “INPUT” button on your remote control to cycle through the available sound bar inputs. The TV’s HDMI input should also be listed if you’re using it with a cable box or streaming device.
Your TV may have a soundbar built in to it, but sometimes the TV’s remote just doesn’t have enough buttons for all of your audio needs. You can use your TV’s remote control to control your soundbar, but you need to setup the remote first. There are two ways to do this: using an HDMI CEC cable or using an IR repeater kit.
Using an HDMI CEC Cable
If you have a newer TV that has an HDMI port, you can plug an HDMI CEC cable into the port and connect the soundbar’s HDMI cable to the other end of the cable. Make sure your soundbar is turned off when you plug in this cable.
Once it’s plugged in, you should see a “Link” notification in a corner of your TV screen. This means the TV recognized the HDMI CEC cable. Now you can go on to step two.
Using an IR Repeater Kit
If your TV doesn’t have an HDMI port, the next step is to purchase an IR repeater kit. These kits repeat the signals from your remote so you don’t need to point it directly at your soundbar. Follow these steps:
Turn off your TV and any equipment that has built-in sound (such as your soundbar).
Connect the IR transmitter to an open HDMI port on your TV. This will send IR signals to your soundbar.
Connect the IR receiver to an open HDMI port on the back of the soundbar. Turn it on.
Point your remote directly at the soundbar, then press and hold one of its buttons for two seconds. Release, then press again for two seconds. This tells the remote that this is a new device you’re controlling and it needs to be set up for this device. You’ll need to do this for each button on the remote that you want to use.
Conclusion:
No one likes controlling a TV remote to watch their favorite show. But almost everyone owns a soundbar these days and the remote control capability is usually built in. If you want to be able to use your soundbar with your TV remote.
It will require some extra steps and setting up, but this guide will help you learn how. It also covers other options for using a standard television’s remote without upsetting the harmony of your living room.
It is all about understanding how to control a soundbar with a TV remote. You can do it in many different ways. which just we discussed earlier in this article.
FAQ:
Q: Can I control my sound bar with TV remote?
A: Use your TV remote control and go to ‘Settings,’ scroll to ‘TV speaker’ and turn it off. Alternatively, you can find the HDMI or optical settings and select that option to prompt your TV to reroute its audio to the soundbar. You can now adjust your sound settings and control soundbar volume with your TV remote control.
Q: Can any soundbars be controlled with TV remote?
A: Turn on both devices once you have connected your Soundbar to the TV via an HDMI or optical connection. This can be done with their respective remotes or by pressing the buttons on each device. An HDMI ARC connection allows you to control your Soundbar using your TV remote.
Q: How can I control surround sound volume with TV remote?
A: Find the Optical or HDMI ARC Connection on both the Soundbar and TV. … Connect an Optical or HDMI Cable to Each Device. … Turn the TV and Soundbar On. … Test and Troubleshoot Any Connection Issues. … Adjust and Optimize Your Sound. … Controlling a Soundbar With a TV Remote – Instructions by TV Brand. … Conclusion. …
Q: How to control a TV without the remote?
A: – Power button – Volume Control button – Channel Control button – Switch Input buttons