How To Control Your Soundbar With A Roku TV Remote - MakeUseOf

Summary

• Verify TV and soundbar have ARC or CEC for seamless communication via HDMI.
• Make sure to connect soundbar to Roku TV in HDMI-ARC or HDMI-CEC port.
• Enable soundbar control in Roku settings for improved audio experience with Roku remote.

Soundbars are an increasingly popular solution to poor TV sound quality, but they can be inconvenient when they have a specific remote. Luckily, you can eliminate this issue and control your soundbar using your Roku remote with the right setup.

Verify That Your TV and Soundbar Have ARC or CEC

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Audio Return Channel (ARC) and Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) are both lesser-known features of HDMI technology. Together, they allow for two-way communication between a TV and an external device over an HDMI cable.

When you connect your soundbar to your TV using the ARC HDMI port on a Roku TV, it will automatically detect the soundbar. You should immediately be able to use the Roku remote to control the soundbar's volume. Both your TV and soundbar must have an HDMI-ARC or HDMI-CEC connection.

You can verify that your TV has ARC or CEC by reading the labels of the HDMI ports on the back of your TV. There should be at least one port labeled HDMI-ARC or HDMI-CEC. If you don't see one, you can also check your TV's manual for more information.

If your TV doesn't have ARC, you might still be able to control your soundbar with your Roku TV remote if the speaker supports HDMI. Navigate to Settings > System > Control other devices and turn on System Audio Control to test it.

Connect Your Soundbar to Your Roku TV

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Once you've verified that your TV has ARC or CEC, you can connect your soundbar to Roku. The process differs depending on whether you use a smart TV with Roku OS (a.k.a. a Roku TV) or a Roku Streaming Stick/Box.

In all cases, you'll need to connect your soundbar to your TV using a regular HDMI cable. As mentioned before, make sure that you plug your soundbar into the HDMI-ARC or HDMI-CEC port. If you have a Roku Stick or Box, you should also make sure that it is properly connected.

Enable Controlling Your Soundbar in Settings

Next, you'll need to enable controlling your soundbar with your Roku remote through the Roku settings. You can accomplish this on a Roku TV with the following steps:

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Fire up your TV, open the Roku interface, and head to Home > Settings.

1. Scroll down and select Audio.
2. Go to Audio Output.
3. Select Auto or choose ARC/eARC with the name of the soundbar from the list.
4. Check that the Roku TV will control the soundbar by going to Settings > System > CEC.
5. Click on Search for CEC devices.
6. Check that the soundbar is in the list of CEC devices found. Also check that it displays eARC: ARC Active and System audio control: Active.

The process is slightly different if you use a Roku Streaming Stick or Roku Box. In this case, you'll need to enable the feature on your TV's settings menu with the following steps:

1. Open your TV's audio settings. There should be list item that lets you control settings for your TV speakers or the external audio system. Choose the latter if available.
2. The process for ensuring that the HDMI CEC feature is turned on differs considerably between manufacturers, as the feature has different names. For example, Sony TVs may call it "Bravia Sync." Go into the list of connected devices in the settings to check that your soundbar is included.

As all TVs are different, the menu structure and settings may appear different from these instructions. However, the process will be roughly the same. Consult your TV manufacturer's help documentation for more information.

Configure and Control Sound With Your Roku Remote

Once your Roku TV is set up with your soundbar, you can adjust features for a better audio experience. By pressing the star (*) button, and going to Sound Settings, you can turn on Virtual Surround for Dolby Atmos or turn it On For All sound formats.

This will create a surround sound experience without back speakers. Also, for improved speech quality, you can turn on the Dialog enhancer. This will improve the clarity of dialog regardless of what kind of soundbar you use.