Will we ever get AV volume control? (EETV Pro)

[naylor2006]

I posted about this a while ago but didn’t actually ask the existential question.

Aside from ARC and e-ARC when using the EETV Box Pro in Surround mode like this:

EETV Box Pro -> AV -> TV

…..will we ever get the possibility where the EE Remote will control the AV volume?

Is this a hard no due to CEC limitations?

I am mostly wondering if there would be a software update to the box over time that would enable it, it’s a fairly common feature these days on a whole host of devices which is a slightly strange omission here. It’s not the worst that I have to use my Apple TV remote to do it but it really would be nice to just use the one.

[naylor2006]

I didnt post the hardware at the time but it goes:

EETV Pro Box - Denon AVR-X1700H-LG C3

The latter two items definitely support CEC, it does with my other stuff perfectly, this is a limitation of the TV Box Pro which I hope one day will be there.

[Midnight_Voice]

@naylor2006 

Given that the TV is an LG C3, why don’t you plug the Pro box into the TV, and feed the Denon by eARC from that?

As the Pro box remote can control the TV, this will give you direct control over the volume from the Pro remote, as well as from the TV remote. And as this setup uses eARC, and the LG C series at last supports DTS from the C3 onwards, you should have no audio compromise here.

Though maybe I don’t understand your current setup? With the Pro box having fixed audio level out when it’s set to surround, and the audio never reaching the TV, the only volume control you have at present is via the Denon, or anything that can control the Denon. i.e., it’s not a CEC issue, as nothing in the chain is sending CEC to the Denon, or can send CEC to it, for volume control purposes.

If the Pro box would pair with the Denon, rather than with the TV, you might get the volume control that way, but then it wouldn’t be controlling the TV, if that matters; but I doubt the Denon is in the Pro remote’s repertoire anyway.

Another pathway might be via the LG C3 remote, if that has the Denon in its repertoire, as LG Magic remotes are pretty smart; have you explored that option?

But, as if to demonstrate my lack of understanding here, I don’t see where the Apple TV remote comes into this; is an Apple TV box another source you have, probably plugged into the Denon, and on which the Denon is in the Apple TV remote’s repertoire?

[naylor2006]

Actually I wont drag up the old topic on the hole but I dont use ARC or eARC, my preference is always to go to the AV with the attached device then the AV has one uplink to the TV, there are many reasons for going this way....yes of course I hear you saying but this is causing my issue, I agree, there is a work around but as an audio enthusiast I wont ever use ARC. I understand I sound like a pretentious snob.....but after 20 years working with AV ARC isnt for me over the straight path I already described. 

I have an Apple TV plugged into the AV into different input and the EETV is into another one, the Apple TV remote controls the volume on the AV automatically which is does when you first set it up. So im saying that when im using the EETV I am then using the Apple TV remote to control volume given the EE TV box switches it off. It saves me also having the AV remote out also, if the Apple TV remote does volume for me then the only remotes I ever need are the ATV and EE TV.

I havent actually tried the Magic Remote which might be an avenue but only if that controls the EE TV box otherwise its a 3rd remote out. Maybe its not CEC related and the EETV remote doesnt support the Denon, but actually the EE TV remote doesnt support any AV because when in surround sound mode it disables volume asking you to rely on a different remote.

So thanks to you pushing me on my thoughts....actually I think I should be asking if the EE TV remote will ever pair with AV's etc.....probably not.

I think ultimately I should get one of those All in One Remotes, do we know of any that support the EE TV Box Pro? You can program the remote to separately control the AV then which would solve my gripe.

PS: I really like the EETV Box Pro generally.

[rbz5416]

I'm sure someone posted a long CEC based reply earlier but that seemed to disappear shortly after it was posted. But my understanding of the Pro Box remote is that it doesn't use CEC for volume control at all.

Instead he remote is dual function, bluetooth for the Pro Box & IR for the TV. When first paired, the TV is interrogated over HDMI. It then identifies itself & an appropriate IR command set is allocated. From that point the TV volume is controlled by IR signals from the remote. But I believe the IR database is confined solely to TVs, which is why all similar previous posts have failed to find a solution.

I guess there's no technical reason why other devices could be added, but with the current trend towards soundbars controlled by ARC, I can't see the required effort being deemed a priority.

I get round this with a Logitech Harmony linked to Alexa, but of course they're long discontinued. Although Logitech continue to operate the online database & software, I doubt any new devices will be added. The Pro Box for example doesn't exist, but it works from a Humax IR set.

You said in another thread that you're a member of AVF, so that's probably the best place to look. I think there's still a sub-forum for remotes.

Edit: https://www.avforums.com/forums/home-cinema-control-remote-controls.137/

[rbz5416]

^Edit.

[naylor2006]

Yeah I saw another post about how the remote works like that and because my LG can control my AV volume if the EE TV Remote was paired to the TV (which it can do) then the volume control would work fine. the EE TV Remote would send the signal to the TV to turn the volume down and the TV would in turn talk to the AV, perfect. Problem is to utilise surround you need to turn surround mode on which disables the volume control....now if it didnt do that and still tried to control my TV then this would work.....in theory.

Its a shame it doesnt consider AV's....after all there is a Surround Mode there.

Based on your informative reply I think actually I need to look more into the remote side of things, its mostly so when other people use the TV they dont have to think about it, it seems to wind certain people up so much if they have to consider using two remotes, it irks me a bit too.

Thank you.

[Midnight_Voice]

@naylor2006 

eARC is a new and very different beast from ARC, and in the long slow climb back from throwing the audio baby out with the video bathwater in DRM, I think we are finally there; so whatever limitations you perceived with ARC - and there are many, and not just audio bandwidth - are now largely gone.

But yes, it’s a bear if you can’t connect things up as you wish, and I agree you really ought to be able to use your AV amp as the sink for every source you own, and not be penalised by the limitations of your remotes.

An All-In-One remote is an inexpensive solution here, though I’m impressed with what my LG GX Magic Remote can achieve on its own. Strangely though, it has a blind spot as far as the GX soundbar is concerned, if I want to do more than just change the volume 😢

[naylor2006]

I’ve ordered an All in One, one of the models where you can lock the volume buttons to the AV regardless of what source you are using.

Not 100% sure it’ll work with YouView, it says it will but the YouView remote is Bluetooth and I thought all these remotes work in with IR.

Ill give it a shot later when it arrives.

[rbz5416]

The Pro Box remote is bluetooth but as I said regarding my Harmony, the Box also has an IR receiver, that responds to the same Humax PVR codes as previous gen boxes.