Ignite TV set-top boxes now support HDMI-CEC

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Looks like a new feature recently got added to the Ignite TV set-top boxes: HDMI Device Control (HDMI-CEC)

It always kinda bugged me that the Power button on the Rogers Ignite (XR15) Remote (All Power on the older XR11 model) issued a "power on/off" code to the TV and sent a "power on" to the Ignite set-top box.  As a result, when you turn the TV off, the Ignite STB would remain on and would continue streaming until it powers itself off after being inactive for a set amount of time.   Not anymore.

With the recent addition of HDMI Device Control, if you have a compatible HDMI-connected TV that has HDMI-CEC enabled:

- Pressing the Power button on the Rogers remote will power on (or off) the TV and now, as a result, will also power on (or off) the Ignite set-top box as well.  The same is also true if you turn your TV on or off using your TV remote.

- Issuing the "Sleep" voice command will put the set-top box into standby mode and will now also turn the TV off as well.

If you want to revert back to the old behaviour, you can turn HDMI-CEC off in "Settings / Device Settings / Power Preferences / HDMI Device Control (HDMI-CEC): {On, Off}"

***Edited Labels***

[ReneHache]

Finally, hope my box get that update. that was one of the thing that bug me the most about the box, I had to put the box to sleep manually before turn off the tv with the tv remote. It was one of the issue I wanted to post for a little while, I guest I won't need to post about this one now. 🙂

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@ReneHache  I have Xi6-T set-top boxes and I don't believe that I am getting updates any earlier or any faster than anybody else.  Hopefully you will see this soon too.

[57]

Although HDMI-CEC can be very helpful in some situations, it can also cause issues depending on how the particular remote control is programmed or the signals that remote sends. Also the equipment involved and the settings in that equipment need to be appropriate for the application.  Everything needs to work in concert.  See the following post where this is discussed. I don't wish to sidetrack this thread, I just wish to mention that HDMI-CEC may be helpful, but is not a panacea.  

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Ignite-TV/Problems-with-Ignite-Remote/m-p/456589#M5829

[-G-]

@57  Thanks.  I agree, totally.  HDMI Device Control is now On by default which is why I pointed out the Off switch, since it could cause problems/surprises for some.  I also didn't notice this change at first because I had HDMI Device Control disabled on some of my TVs.

[ghytytty]

I'm still with Rogers using the digital adapter and SDTV channels.  With your Ignite TV and HDMI CEC are you able to use your original TV remote to now change the channel of the Ignite TV box?  For me i'm always fumbling around between my Smart TV remote and the worthless Rogers digital adapter remote.  I prefer to only use the Smart TV remote as it is quite feature rich beyond the Rogers simplistic remote.

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@ghytytty wrote:

With your Ignite TV and HDMI CEC are you able to use your original TV remote to now change the channel of the Ignite TV box?

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HDMI Device Control (HDMI-CEC) is enabled and disabled on the Ignite set-top boxes in Power Preferences.  As far as I know, its use is mostly limited to putting the STB into standby mode when the TV is turned off, and to wake the STB when the the TV gets turned on.

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/x1-power-preferences

[ColdGranite]

I notice that XFINITY appears to have an app that can control its TV boxes:

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/setting-up-the-cable-tv-app

Wouldn't that apply for Rogers boxes and remotes???

Any hint whether Rogers might introduce such an app?

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@ColdGranite wrote:

I notice that XFINITY appears to have an app that can control its TV boxes:

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/setting-up-the-cable-tv-app

Wouldn't that apply for Rogers boxes and remotes???

Any hint whether Rogers might introduce such an app?

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We're taking this thread totally off-topic but there are a lot of things that can be done with Comcast X1 that Rogers has either disabled or that are we waiting on Rogers to roll out their own app.

For example, you can enable IP Control on the Comcast X1 TV boxes but, as far as I know, this cannot be enabled on the Ignite STBs.

[Lurker_Returns]

"For me i'm always fumbling around between my Smart TV remote and the worthless Rogers digital adapter remote."

The Ignite remote is much more robust than the DTV adapter remote (by design...the Ignite Box has a lot more features)...don't know about using the TV remote to control the box..I assume it's possible but you'd lose Ignite functionality that's almost impossible to replicate on a TV remote...

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@ghytytty If your TV remote can control Xfinity set-top boxes, then you should also be able to use it to control the Ignite TV set-top boxes.

[Hwaiting]

Other than Power, Input, and Volume control, can the Ignite remote work as a universal remote of sorts and access the TV menu options? Sometimes I like playing around with the picture settings on my TV but have to reach for my TV's remote.  I was hoping to be able to ditch one or the other. My Sony remote can control the Ignite Box but only via the IR and the beam seems quite narrow (I had read about that being the case with the big button remote also).
I also saw that people were programming their Ignite remotes to control other devices like their AV receivers...now I'm assuming that's only via an HDMI connection from the TV box to the AVR? My old legacy remote was able to control my separate Yamaha receiver via the "Audio" button function at the top. I'm assuming the Ignite remote can't do that right? If it can, then how do you distinguish what buttons are for the TV and which are for the audio devices without there being an "Audio" and "TV" button to toggle with?

Thanks.

[57]

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@Hwaiting wrote:

1. Other than Power, Input, and Volume control, can the Ignite remote work as a universal remote of sorts and access the TV menu options? 
2. I also saw that people were programming their Ignite remotes to control other devices like their AV receivers...now I'm assuming that's only via an HDMI connection from the TV box to the AVR?

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1. No, there are no such buttons on the Ignite Remote, so it's not possible.

2. If the Remote is programmed for an AVR it will turn it on/off and control the volume up/down/mute.  It is via IR and not via HDMI-CEC.

However, some Yamaha receivers have separate IR codes for on and off and therefore the Ignite remote will only turn the unit off or on, not both if that's the case.  It's usually easy to tell by looking at the Yamaha remote.