We all know HDMI is great, and it can pass a lot of information quickly. Did you know it can control the SoundSend as well? With CEC set up on your TV and connecting the SoundSend to an ARC/eARC HDMI port, you do not have to use the APP to control your volume or put the SoundSend to sleep. With a proper setup, you can have the ease of using your TV remote to do both things!
Setting up CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) on a TV can be a little confusing since many manufactures will give it some "grand" name that makes it difficult to find in the menu. Some TV manufacturers will also require CEC to be enabled for ARC/eARC because of limited available settings within the TV to send audio to the SoundSend. Another aspect that can be problematic when setting up CEC, is the order of operations when connecting HDMI cables to the TV. Most don't realize that just plugging in a device may not be the optimal way for the TV and device to communicate/recognize each other (This is called HDMI Handshake). If done incorrectly, they might just give each other a "high-five" and not truly get introduced to each other properly, which can cause limited controller functionality, limit your surround experience, or even worse, NO SOUND.
The best practice is to have BOTH enabled if you are using the SoundSend HDMI connection AND connecting your SoundSend using the SPECIFIC STEPS listed below.
Where are your CEC settings for your specific TV?
Here is a list of the names you would be looking for to enable CEC from various manufacturers:
AOC | E-Link |
EMERSON | Fun-Link |
FUNAI | Fun-Link |
HITACHI | HDMI-CEC |
INSIGNIA | INlink |
ITT |
T-Link |
LG | SimpLink |
MAGNAVOX | Fun-Link |
MITSUBISHI | NetCommand for HDMI |
MITSUBISHI | Realink for HDMI |
ONKYO | RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) |
PANASONIC | VIERA Link |
PANASONIC | HDAVI Control |
PANASONIC | EZ-Sync |
PHILIPS | Fun-Link |
PHILLIPS | EasyLink |
PIONEER | Kuro Link |
ROKU | 1-Touch Play |
RUNCO INTERNATIONAL | RuncoLink |
SAMSUNG | Anynet+ |
SHARP | Aquos Link |
SONY | BRAVIA Link |
SONY | BRAVIA Sync |
SONY | Control for HDMI |
SYLVANIA | Fun-Link |
THOMSON | T-Link |
TOSHIBA | CE-Link |
TOSHIBA | Regza Link |
VIZIO | CEC |
What steps do you need to take to make sure your TV and SoundSend have a proper Handshake?
The proper steps include making sure your TV realizes your intent to use ARC/eARC. The best way to make sure it knows is to get your settings set first, then plug everything in a specific order, from HDMI connections to power connections. CEC on various devices can be finicky since many TVs will have limited functionality to their settings. Some, typically the higher-end TVs will have a lot of control and will not face as many problems. Please follow the steps below to make sure everything is properly set up.
- Change your Settings. Make sure you have CEC enabled and your TV audio output is set to HDMI ARC/eARC. If your TV supports eARC, make sure to enable that as well.
- Connect your Devices (ALL Power Off). You can connect your HDMI cables to any device while it is powered off, usually TV first, device second is preferred. If your device is in sleep mode, you should unplug it to make sure there is no miscommunication between your TV and the device.
- Turn on your TV. Doing this will make sure your TV is fresh and ready for a new session. With all devices off and your settings set, it will know what to look for when it gets a connection signal from the device.
- Turn on your Device. In the case of the SoundSend just plug it in, and you should be ready to listen to your 7.1, 5.1, 5.2.1, or whatever your setup is in all its glory!
Troubleshooting
If for some reason, steps 1-4 did not work for you, or if your TV was recently updated with new software/firmware and you are experiencing no sound all of a sudden, please follow the steps below until you get results, if you don't please contact support.
STEP 1 - UPDATE THE SOUNDSEND FIRMWARE
STEP 2 (move on to STEP 3 for an alternative solution)
- Check all connections to ensure they are connected properly.
- Unplug & power down all devices including removing all HDMI connections from the TV.
- Plug only the powered-down SoundSend into the TV and turn the TV on.
- Wait until your TV is up and running. Check your settings to make sure CEC and ARC in enabled.
- Plug your SoundSend in to see if the TV and SoundSend had a good handshake.
STEP 3 (move on to STEP 4 for additional help)
- Reset your TV to the factory settings.
- Factory reset the SoundSend.
- Reset all speakers by holding the button on the back until you hear a "chime" or beep.
- Repeat STEP 1, Numbers 2-5.
STEP 3 - Contact Us!