Using ARCH wrong? And thanks for the Add. (1 Viewer)

[WPC]

Thank you for letting me join tonight. Hopefully I will find this a valuable site. My issue is..
I've had my system set up for a couple months now... Pioneer Elite VSX-90 with my Sony Bravia XBR-65X900F. I have the TV connected to the receiver via the Arch connections because I like the control of the stereo with the TV and it could be used with the setting changes. I also have the Opti cable connected from TV to Receiver. What my issue is.. when on Netflix and I fast forward, when I push play again, I have no sound whatsoever. Even if I go back to regular TV stations I have no sound. I have to shut the TV down, which shuts down the stereo then turn them back on before I get the sound back. Anyone else have this issue and how can I rectify it. It's a real PITA. Beside that all is great. I use Axiom M60's a my fronts Paradigm Titan's for my rear and a new Klipsch 12" sub. I can spend more time learning the whole thing at some point but this sounds like it should be an easy fix. Thanks

 

[David Willow]

Do you mean ARC (audio return channel)? And if so, what is the purpose of the optical cable?

Have you considered a universal remote to control all of your devices. You can program the better ones (like Harmony - even cheaper ones) to control your setup based on actives. For example, you could setup a "watch movie' activity that turns on your AVR, TV, and sets all the inputs with the push of one button.

 

[David Willow]

BTW - I've been rocking the M60's for more than 10 years now. Awesome speakers.

 

[Philip Verdieck]

Is everything working normally aside from fast forwarding with Netflix?

I have some frustration getting my e-ARC to work properly between my TCL 65R615 and my Yamaha TSR-7850. It took some time to configure both the settings on the TV and the receiver. Then it started working automatically for me when it was properly configured.

I would definitely disconnect the optical between TV and receiver. The HDMI ARC cable will do everything you need for that. I have my optical going to a soundbar for when I don't want the receiver providing my sound.

 

[WPC]

Is everything working normally aside from fast forwarding with Netflix?

Yes. No issues whatsoever. If I watch an entire Netflix movie or stop it and go back to the menu.. not a problem. It is ONLY when I fast forward through the Netflix show and go back to play. I unplugged the ARC and tried to get sound only with the optical but nothing. I unplugged the optical and just left the ARC plugged in.. still no sound. As mentioned, even when going back to regular TV there is still no sound until I shut everything down and restart. I've looked through the manual as well and nothing.

By the way David.. Yes I too love the Axioms. I also have the same Samsung UBD-K8500 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player as you but have not tested it out yet.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

ARC (audio return channel) and CEC (consumer electronics control) can be a pain in the butt to get working sometimes. David's suggestion of getting a universal remote control is probably your best option. Even a Harmony remote can be quite inexpensive. I own a Harmony 650, which you can get at Amazon for $35. The device replaces the OEM remotes for 8 devices in my setup. All those OEM remotes are packed away with the batteries removed. It's pretty easy to setup via a personal computer.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I would also consider moving away from the Netflix app that is built-in to your TV and instead go with a Roku Premiere. This would eliminate the need to use ARC (which has always been a headache for me). It will work well with the Harmony 650 remote (as does the Samsung UHD Blu-ray player, eliminating the need to use that tiny remote), which Scott also recommended, and even comes with an HDMI cable.

Harmony 650: $34.99
Roku Premiere: $39.99

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I own one of the new Roku Premiere 4K streaming boxes recommended by Todd -- it's installed in our master bedroom attached to a 4K Samsung display. It has been a solid device so far (had it a couple of months). For the price, with an included certified premium HDMI cable, it's quite a deal. Todd's suggestion of using a dedicated streaming device instead of your display's built in apps is a good one. The apps are updated much more frequently and for a much longer period of time than those built into displays and disc players, and there are a lot more apps available for dedicated streaming devices such as Roku and Apple TV.

 

[JohnRice]

It is a shame that it's so easy to get sucked into the "Smart" TV, thing, only to find out that their smart capabilities suck. Sad but true. Stand alone streaming devices are infinitely better. Also, the royal pains that are ARC and CEC. I second (third, fourth) the suggestions to simply stay away from them.

 

[JQuintana]

I have zero issues with my 4K Roku "smart tv". Going with a smart TV was the best TV purchase I've made in many many years.
It is hooked up to a newer 7.1 channcel Sony receiver via ARC and I use Harmony smart remote to control it all. Flawless.

Sorry you've had so many issues.

 

[Todd Erwin]

The one thing I do not like about the Harmony 650 is its battery life. I find that I am replacing the batteries every 3-4 weeks, and most rechargeable AA batteries are too weak to use.

 

[Wayne_j]

I change the batteries on my Harmony 650 maybe once every 3-4 months.

 

[JQuintana]

That's not too bad, especially if it gets regular use. Batteries are what, a few pennies a piece nowdays?

I used the AA battery Harmony's for years and that was about par for replacement time.

I've since switched the their higher end one that has a recharging stand. It goes about 2 weeks between charges.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have zero issues with my 4K Roku "smart tv". Going with a smart TV was the best TV purchase I've made in many many years.
It is hooked up to a newer 7.1 channcel Sony receiver via ARC and I use Harmony smart remote to control it all. Flawless.

Sorry you've had so many issues.

I would assume that a Roku TV would run the same OS platform as their streaming boxes (I don't know for a fact, as I don't own one). In that case, you should be in better shape with regard to the selection of apps available and those apps being kept up to date. That's not always the case -- my Vizio and Samsung displays have limited app availability (neither has the NHL app or TCM -- both of which I use a lot). Same with my Sony UHD disc player.

I was able to successfully setup our master bedroom system with CEC, so I can control the display, Roku Premiere, Comcast Xfinity box and Sony BD player with the Samsung remote. The Comcast remote can control the display and cable box, so my wife uses that remote. We do not have any type of sound system in that room, though. We just use the display's speakers.

I did originally try to get ARC working in my main HT setup just for the built-in apps with the Vizio 4K display, but I could not get it to work reliably. I ended up just running an optical cable from the display to the Denon AVR instead of wasting anymore time. However, I have not used those Vizio apps in a long time (I have both a Roku Ultra and Apple TV 4K in that setup), so I probably should just remove the optical cable.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I change the batteries on my Harmony 650 maybe once every 3-4 months.

The batteries in mine last at least that long. Battery life has never been a problem for me with that remote.

 

[JQuintana]

I would assume that a Roku TV would run the same OS platform as their streaming boxes (I don't know for a fact, as I don't own one). In that case, you should be in better shape with regard to the selection of apps available and those apps being kept up to date. That's not always the case -- my Vizio and Samsung displays have limited app availability (neither has the NHL app or TCM -- both of which I use a lot). Same with my Sony UHD disc player.

I was able to successfully setup our master bedroom system with CEC, so I can control the display, Roku Premiere, Comcast Xfinity box and Sony BD player with the Samsung remote. The Comcast remote can control the display and cable box, so my wife uses that remote. We do not have any type of sound system in that room, though. We just use the display's speakers.

I did originally try to get ARC working in my main HT setup just for the built-in apps with the Vizio 4K display, but I could not get it to work reliably. I ended up just running an optical cable from the display to the Denon AVR instead of wasting anymore time. However, I have not used those Vizio apps in a long time (I have both a Roku Ultra and Apple TV 4K in that setup), so I probably should just remove the optical cable.

I specifically bought the ROKU Tv because of it's wide adoption rate and highly thought of format and ease of use. I did not want to buy a TV like Vizio or Samsung that opted to make their own platform for the fears pointed out here. I wanted to stick with something known for its quality and penetration in the marketplace.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I specifically bought the ROKU Tv because of it's wide adoption rate and highly thought of format and ease of use. I did not want to buy a TV like Vizio or Samsung that opted to make their own platform for the fears pointed out here. I wanted to stick with something known for its quality and penetration in the marketplace.

That's a wise choice. However, adding a streaming box instead is not much of an expense anymore for those people who may prefer a Vizio, Samsung or LG display. Apple's hardware is still pricey (which is why I only have one), but the Roku devices are quite affordable (I have one on each of our five displays). I even take one of the 1080p Roku models with us when we travel to our South Carolina condo instead of using the apps built into the Samsung smart TV we have there. The 1080p model is only $30, while the new Premiere 4K HDR10 model is $40 and includes a proper HDMI cable for 4K HDR use.

 

[JQuintana]

Yes I totally agree that the plug in sticks are super affordable. I just like having less cables and power plugs to deal with. I have it all built in, nice and neat.

 

[JohnRice]

The one thing I do not like about the Harmony 650 is its battery life. I find that I am replacing the batteries every 3-4 weeks, and most rechargeable AA batteries are too weak to use.

Eneloops should do the trick. They're expensive, but can pay for themselves quickly. You also want to make sure you get a charger with independent channels, rather than one that charges batteries as a group.