Strange! 3 new soundbars and 3 fails with remotes not working! (1 Viewer)

[Pet Sounds 66]

Dear HTF brethren,

Hopefully you can help me crack this nut as I have used up just about every available brain cell to figure it out!

Backgrounder:

Last week I picked up a Samsung 2.1 soundbar and hooked it up with ARC. I has sound but absolutely no response from the remote. This has HDMI passthrough. I figured it must be a bad remote and Sammy sent me a new one. No luck. I returned the soundbar.

I then picked up a Vizio 3.1 soundbar. Same deal -- remote didn't work and no LCD display! Also HDMI passthrough. I took it back.

Try number three: I picked up a 5.1 Vizio soundbar. No LEDs as promised and no response from remote. No passthrough option.

The TV in question is a Hisense 7246X using HDMI for all media inputs. Internal speakers are off and its set to use ARC audio -- which I obviously have.

I get great 5.1 sound, but can't do any options without the friggin' remote!

BTW - I unplugged the HDMI cable after each fail and did a direct optical connection from my DTV box to the soundbar. I got audio, but zero remote function. Is my TV somehow
frying these soundbars?!

Footnotes: i took a shot in the dark and even unplugged my LED lights! I have also done the necessary soundbar and remote factory resets only to fail. I also hard reset my Hinsense 7246X TV.

Thanks so much for any assistance you can offer.

PS66

 

[JohnRice]

Best guess...

Look for a CEC control option in the TV's setup menu, and turn it off.