Ignite and HDMI-CEC with Samsung Anynet+ On/Off

[gg32]

I have a fairly simple setup, with a Samsung TV and Ignite box (recently installed) I was just curious about CEC - have the Anynet+ ON on the Samsung and HDMI-CEC option turned on in the Ignite settings

So when I turn OFF the TV using the Ignite Remote or the TV remote the TV goes off and the Ignite box goes to "Standby"? (light is off) as expected.

However if I use the TV remote to turn on the TV it does not turn on the Ignite box

Just wondering if this is expected behaviour i.e. CEC only turns it OFF. but  Not ON?

Reason I'm interested is that Alexa can turn on the TV via Samsung SmartThings and thought with CEC enabled it would turn on the Ignite box as well but no such luck? So I still have to reach of the Ignite remote.

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[-G-]

I just tested this with my Samsung 4K TV and it works as expected.  Using only the Samsung TV remote, when I turn the TV on, the Ignite set-top box turns on as well.  When I turn the TV off, the Ignite set-top box goes into standby and its status LED turns off.  I can do this repeatedly.

I changed the default settings of my TV so that it stays on the last input rather than displaying the Home screen when the TV turns on.  Do you have your TV configured to do the same?  If your Samsung TV selects the Home screen by default, that could explain why your Ignite set-top box does not power up.

[gg32]

Mine is configured to be on the last input not the home screen.

When I press Power on the Samsung remote the TV come on but the box does not have to then press the Select button on the Samsung remote to "wake" the Ignite box.

I guess something else is goofy - perhaps I will try reconfiguring everything from scratch

Thanks you at least I know its suppose to work

[gg32]

Well after much testing on two different relatively new Samsung TVs -  HDMI-CEC only lets you turn off the Ignite box when you turn off your TV with your Samsung remote (power button)  - it does NOT turn it on with the Power Button you have to use the Select button after the TV is on and be within IR range.

I spoke at length with support and verified that Turning the Ignite box ON with any (third party) remote via HDMI-CEC is an "unsupported feature"  (not Samsung specific)

[57]

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@gg32 wrote:  I spoke at length with support and verified that Turning the Ignite box ON with any (third party) remote via HDMI-CEC is an "unsupported feature"  (not Samsung specific)

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That makes no sense.  Although you mentioned in your initial post that you have HDMI-CEC enabled on both the TV and the Rogers Box, please check again?  Rogers - Settings - Device Settings - Power Preferences - HDMI Device Control - On.  If that still doesn't work, perhaps try the following.

- Try a different HDMI input on the TV - sometimes there are differences between them in terms of capability.

- Try a different HDMI cable.

- Unplug/replug the HDMI cable a few times at both ends to ensure you have a good electrical connection on all the many small HDMI connections.

[gg32]

HDMI-CEC is enabled on both the Ignite box and the TV, tried on two different TV's allows it (Ignite)  to be turned off but not on, verified with second-level support - not a supported feature 

[gg32]

As well did all your suggestions, different HDMI inputs, replaced all the cables, powered off and on, left it off overnight and tried setup from scratch did not work, like I said turns if OFF not ON.

[57]

Thanks for the feedback.  It's interesting that @-G- 's TV functions "properly" (post 2 and post below)

[-G-]

@gg32 Did you speak with Rogers support or Samsung support?

If that was Rogers support then they either do not really understand the problem or they simply have no clue what they are talking about.

I have 10+ year old Sony TVs and a new Samsung TV.  Using only the TV remote, I can turn the TV on and the Ignite STB will turn on.  Turn the TV off and the STB goes into standby.  That is IF the input of the TV is set to the Ignite STB.

Things get more complicated if I was last using (say) my Apple TV box and was on a different input.  Turning the set on with my TV remote will not turn the Ignite STB on.  Turning the set on with my Ignite remote will turn on the Ignite STB and turn my TV on but Rogers/Comcast's HDMI CEC implementation will not change the input on the TV like other devices will.

There are also some TVs whose HDMI device control implementation is either pre-standard or broken, and those have no ability to control an Ignite STB, nor can the Ignite STB control those TVs.

With a new Samsung TV, you should be able to get all this working.  I can even give my Ignite STB the "Sleep" voice command and that will turn off both the TV and the set-top box.  Perhaps your TV needs a firmware update.

If you call Samsung's tech support, they should be able to confirm whether your TV has any known interoperability issues with either a Rogers Ignite or Comcast Xfinity (Xi6 or XiOne) set-top box.

[gg32]

Very strange (yes was Rogers second level support) It's a new-ish Samsung 2 year old OLED, firmware is up to date. 

CEC is enabled on Ignite and TV, and hitting the power button on the Samsung Remote will turn TV off and put the Ignite box to standby. If I turn HDMI-CEC off on the Ignite box, that will not work Ignite box will remain on till the power timeout. So it's partially working just not turning on the Ignite box when turning on TV. I have also tested this on anther Samsung same result.

[57]

You mention that you have to reach for the IgniteTV remote. Is the Samsung Remote or Alexa capable of commanding the IgniteTV box in a satisfactory manner to do what you need to do to watch TV / recordings/ On Demand / IgniteTV apps / Voice Commands,  etc?  Any command (button press on the IgniteTV remote) usually wakes the IgniteTV box - does a similar command from the TV remote or Alexa wake the box?

Also, if you use the IgniteTV remote does it turn your TV on/off properly along with the IgniteTV box?

[gg32]

The Ignite Remote works fine.

I have a routine in Alexa to turn on the TV, which it does, but since HDMI-CEC is not turning on the STB its kinda useless as I then have to use a remote to wake the STB, its a simple thing I thought would work but does not because HDMI-CEC will not turn on the STB.  This is why I spoke with Rogers support to get a definitive answer and pushed them to verify with second-level support and they told me HDMI-CEC enabled would only turn the STB off, not ON aas turning it on was an "unsupported feature" - even the wording in the UI just says OFF not ON

[gg32]

Another test I tried was to just use the TV's power on button, thus taking the remotes out of the picture completely. The same result, TV came on STB did not.

[57]

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@gg32 wrote:

The Ignite Remote works fine.

I have a routine in Alexa to turn on the TV, 

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You didn't answer my questions about whether Alexa or the Samsung remote can "operate" the IgniteTV box satisfactorily (once it's on).  If all that Alexa or the Samsung remote did is turn the box off (or on), and then you have to use the IgniteTV remote anyway for the IgniteTV functionality, I don't see any significant advantage to that.  Might as well just use the IgniteTV remote to begin with when you're ready to watch IgniteTV.

[gg32]

Ok let me review

- I'm new to Ignite

- I saw that it had an option to use HDMI-CEC

- I expected that to be able to Turn ON and OFF the STB when I turn ON or OFF my TV with the TV remote

- I have found through significant testing and online research and Rogers second level support that HDMI-CEC feature to turn ON the STB via the TV remote is not unsupported 

- Th UI element for enabling CEC on the Ignite box makes no mention of turning STB ON (just OFF/Standby)

- other than the above my Samsung TV remote does offer control of the STB (no voice though as expected), change channels, view guide etc..

- Alexa is a voice assistant which can turn on my TV ( except the STB box won't turn ON) 

Its a simple convenience (using Alexa) that I was looking for based on what I know HDMI-CEC is capable (ON/OFF)  of.

Yup I can just use the Ignite remote

My curiosity is still engaged as folks says it does work the way I expect it to yet still does not work for me.

Would be interested to know if when you turn on your Samsung TV via the TV power button (not remotes) and you have HDMI-CEC enabled does the STB turn on? If it does then thats great for you and I still have a mystery to solve. 😃 

[Pauly]

Your alexa (its actually called an Echo) will turn on your samsung tv, okay we acknowledge that,

Your alexa will not turn on or control your ignite set top box, so when you turn on your TV, you MUST use the ignite remote to turn on the set top box,  what you are trying to accomplish is a "nice to have" feature, it is not part of the built in functionaliy for ignite TV, so no one will fix it, you can hope that somewhere down the line the add ignite support to amazon alexa, but they may not, you just have to accept that, if your any good at robotics and electronics, you could make it yourself, by programming some kind of device that pushes buttons on the ignite remote or passes the frequency of the ignite remote into your  tv that alexa can remotely control by talking to it. if you can do this ,then good for you, if not, oh well, it likely wont happen

[gg32]

Yes the physical device is an Echo, Alexa is the voice assistant. So if Alexa can turn on the TV, I was hoping the STB would also turn ON given thats what HDMI-CEC is for. Alexa can turn off the TV and with HDMI-CEC enabled in the STB it does in fact turn OFF(Standby)  the STB. By the way this is not an Alexa thing try any other Smart app that can turn on the TV you get the same result TV comes on STB does not. Try just turning on a Samsung TV via its power button does that turn on the STB?? (doesn't for me) 

Yes its a nice to have feature and apparently it work for others in this thread just not for me.

[Pauly]

you have too much confidence in HDMI-CEC, to be quite honest, it never works like it was intended to, some devices like set top boxes have either not supported HDMI-CEC or partially supported it, this has been well documented and discussed throughout the years. be thankful it works partially as back in the day it never worked on rogers. lets just say , ignite was never designed to be operated by an external voice assistant, but if it does that would be a good suggestion to make it compatible with amazon echo / alexa, or even better to make it work with google assistant / hey google

[gg32]

Rogers just needs to support the Power On command as they support the Power OFF in CEC, and btw the same hardware in the US advertises the functionality. It's not that HDMI-CEC is flakey in this case its that they have not implemented the command  "ON" as far as my research shows.

Also it is  not a matter of Ignite supporting assistants as all the tech I've tried , Alexa, Siri, Samsung Smartthings, TV Apps all of them can turn the TV ON .

Though again folks here seem to believe it works so in my books still a mystery. ?????

Oh and as for something beyond a "nice to have" use case I know my grandmother would love to be able to just say "Alexa TV ON" and have her TV turn on, to where she left it as she finds the remote difficult to understand and the little power button difficult to press.

Anyway I'm giving up on  this here, thanks for everyone's input

P.S> If anyone actually tries the TV power on button test I've mention above would be interested in the result.

[57]

@gg32 : This discussion got me curious.  I never use HDMI-CEC on my devices because, as @Pauly mentioned, it can sometimes "fight with" a remote control and may turn things off or on when I don't want them to be.  I always use my Rogers remote(s) to control any devices that can be programmed into them, like TVs and AVRs.

I have a 2008 40" Sony LCD that is 16 years old, but has HDMI-CEC functionality connected only to the IgniteTV box.  I turned HDMI-CEC on on the IgniteTV box and also turned it on on the TV.  When I turned it on on the TV, it listed a few other options like which device I would like to control, whether to turn them off, etc. and it even showed my IgniteTV box as a "Rogers Tuner".  (Remember this is a 16 year old TV.)

I then "turned off" the IgniteTV box by saying "sleep now" into the Rogers IgniteTV remote control voice command (that turns the IgniteTV box light off right away, unlike the power button which leaves the light on (for me - I have left it this way after some people tried changing it and it caused problems with the light functionality)).  My TV also turned off with the box.

I then turned the TV on via the power button on the TV.  The IgniteTV box turned on after a few seconds.  HDMI-CEC works to turn the IgniteTV box on since it did not turn on with HDMI-CEC turned off (tested)

After setting the box to sleep again, I then turned on the TV using the TV's remote.  The IgniteTV box turned on after a few seconds.

So, everything works as it should, even on my 16 year old Sony TV.  Perhaps there is an HDMI-CEC sub-setting that you have missed that allows for the TV to turn on the IgniteTV box?  Does your TV list the Rogers IgniteTV box as a device controlled by the TV using HDMI-CEC, like mine does?

I have been on this forum for more than 10 years and over on Digital Home for more than 20 years.  I also spent about a dozen years optimizing home theatres for clients in the GTA.  I do not recall HDMI-CEC not working properly if there are only two devices (like a TV and box) involved.  However, I did create an FAQ regarding HDMI issues - link below:

See point number 4.  https://www.digitalhome.ca/threads/faq-hdmi-comments-issues.71112/

[-G-]

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@gg32 wrote:

If anyone actually tries the TV power on button test I've mention above would be interested in the result.

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I can confirm that it works fine for me too just using the power button on the TV, with all of my TVs.  Press the power button, the TV turns on, and the set-top box comes out of standby.  Press the power button again, the TV turns off, and the set-top box goes into standby.

In my house, I have an XiOne and Xi6-T set-top boxes.

It also works fine with all of the HDMI cables that I have on hand, including the one that shipped with the set-top box.

Not sure whether this makes any difference but I have "Settings / Device Settings / Power Preferences / Power Saver" is set to "Off" on all of my STBs.