Running TV Audio Through Stereo, Can't Mute Sound Via Cable Remote
August 31, 2016 12:26 PM Subscribe
I have a 10-year old Samsung HDTV (LNT4661F). I run audio out via RCA cables into my 30 year old stereo amp, keeping the TV's volume at zero. Problem is when I hit "mute" on my cable (Verizon Fios) remote control, it doesn't mute (oddly, when I hit the virtual "mute" button on the virtual remote in my FIOS iphone app, the sound DOES mute!) there a way to make the cable remote (one of these mute the volume?
" Problem is when I hit "mute" on my cable (Verizon Fios) remote control"
When the remote control is set to "tv" or "cable box"?
posted by I-baLL at 12:35 PM on August 31, 2016
When the remote control is set to "tv" or "cable box"?
posted by I-baLL at 12:35 PM on August 31, 2016
Sometimes it doesn't matter if the remote is set to "tv" or "cable box", because some fancier remotes offer a "punch through" capability where some features, such as volume control, will "punch through" the current setting, say "cable box", and instead operate those functions from another setting, say "tv", invisibly.
When the TV's volume is turned up and the TV's own remote is used to mute it, does it have a distinctive "mute" text or symbol that appears on screen? Does the FIOS box have its own distinctive text or symbol when it's muted via the virtual remote app? And, finally, which of those appears on the screen when you attempt to mute with the cable remote? If it's the TV one, then your remote is punching the TV audio controls through to the cable box mode. You'll have to dig into the documentation for the remote or consult Verizon's help system to change that part of the remote programming.
A similar question, when you operate the volume buttons on the remote in "cable box" mode, does it change the TV's volume? If so, it's doing punch through so ditto the above. However, that might be an advantage, because if your TV has a headphone output, you might use a headphone-to-RCA cable to hook it up to your stereo and then you get the bonus problem solved, too. Send my extra points to a worthy charity. ;)
posted by MoTLD at 1:13 PM on August 31, 2016
When the TV's volume is turned up and the TV's own remote is used to mute it, does it have a distinctive "mute" text or symbol that appears on screen? Does the FIOS box have its own distinctive text or symbol when it's muted via the virtual remote app? And, finally, which of those appears on the screen when you attempt to mute with the cable remote? If it's the TV one, then your remote is punching the TV audio controls through to the cable box mode. You'll have to dig into the documentation for the remote or consult Verizon's help system to change that part of the remote programming.
A similar question, when you operate the volume buttons on the remote in "cable box" mode, does it change the TV's volume? If so, it's doing punch through so ditto the above. However, that might be an advantage, because if your TV has a headphone output, you might use a headphone-to-RCA cable to hook it up to your stereo and then you get the bonus problem solved, too. Send my extra points to a worthy charity. ;)
posted by MoTLD at 1:13 PM on August 31, 2016
I'm guessing your receiver/amp has no remote at all? Where are you feeding the rca audio from? The fios box or the tv?
If it's from the tv, how do you feed the tv? I'm guessing hdmi because you have to turn down the tv? If you're doing that -- hdmi to tv, rca from tv to receiver -- you might try feeding the receiver directly from the fios box and looking in its menu tree for a way to set audio only through rca?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2016
If it's from the tv, how do you feed the tv? I'm guessing hdmi because you have to turn down the tv? If you're doing that -- hdmi to tv, rca from tv to receiver -- you might try feeding the receiver directly from the fios box and looking in its menu tree for a way to set audio only through rca?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2016
Response by poster: I-baLL: The FIOS remote control has no such selection.
MoTLD: Checking
ROU:
No remote for the ancient receiver, correct. And TV is fed entirely via HDMI, yes.
RCA audio is fed from TV rather than from FIOS, because I also want sound from BluRay player and ROKU to go through receiver. Which nixes (I believe) your suggestion.
posted by Quisp Lover at 1:56 PM on August 31, 2016
MoTLD: Checking
ROU:
No remote for the ancient receiver, correct. And TV is fed entirely via HDMI, yes.
RCA audio is fed from TV rather than from FIOS, because I also want sound from BluRay player and ROKU to go through receiver. Which nixes (I believe) your suggestion.
posted by Quisp Lover at 1:56 PM on August 31, 2016
Check and see if your TV has an item in its Sound menu with options like "TV Speaker" vs. "External Speakers." You shouldn't have to have the TV volume set to zero in this scenario; you should be able to tell the TV only to send sound out to the receiver. See if the problem persists when you've chosen "External Speakers."
posted by praemunire at 3:32 PM on August 31, 2016
posted by praemunire at 3:32 PM on August 31, 2016
(Alternatively, check to see if your receiver is covered by the Harmony family of remotes. I know it's old, but you might be surprised.)
posted by praemunire at 3:33 PM on August 31, 2016
posted by praemunire at 3:33 PM on August 31, 2016
Response by poster: Both the Verizon remote and the Samsung TV remote are ineffective in muting, and both call up the same icon on screen.
The Verizon app, which CAN mute, calls up a different icon.
None of the three can change the volume coming through my speakers.
I've been through all the TV and Fios menus, and see nothing about external speakers.
posted by Quisp Lover at 5:34 PM on August 31, 2016
The Verizon app, which CAN mute, calls up a different icon.
None of the three can change the volume coming through my speakers.
I've been through all the TV and Fios menus, and see nothing about external speakers.
posted by Quisp Lover at 5:34 PM on August 31, 2016
Is "Internal Mute" in the Sound menu on or off? (That's this model's equivalent of TV Speakers v. External.) I would try switching it on/off and seeing if that makes a difference.
posted by praemunire at 6:43 PM on August 31, 2016
posted by praemunire at 6:43 PM on August 31, 2016
(this should be on the TV, not FiOS)
posted by praemunire at 6:43 PM on August 31, 2016
posted by praemunire at 6:43 PM on August 31, 2016
Finally, I think this is your model remote? It suggests using the "Key Fix Feature" if the remote is otherwise correctly programmed but there are problems with volume or muting. Worth giving a try.
posted by praemunire at 6:55 PM on August 31, 2016
posted by praemunire at 6:55 PM on August 31, 2016
Response by poster: =======
Is "Internal Mute" in the Sound menu on or off? (That's this model's equivalent of TV Speakers v. External.) I would try switching it on/off and seeing if that makes a difference.
=======
No diff at all. I tried several times, hoping this was the answer!
And key fix feature was a GREAT find, but, alas, didn't work! Thanks, though!
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:36 PM on August 31, 2016
Is "Internal Mute" in the Sound menu on or off? (That's this model's equivalent of TV Speakers v. External.) I would try switching it on/off and seeing if that makes a difference.
=======
No diff at all. I tried several times, hoping this was the answer!
And key fix feature was a GREAT find, but, alas, didn't work! Thanks, though!
posted by Quisp Lover at 9:36 PM on August 31, 2016
This is interesting. Since the Verizon app works, concentrate on the Cable Box that obviously can mute the audio on the HDMI output. On the Cable Box do you have an option for audio out? If you do, I would suggest running an optical cable to the TV or even RCA Cables but RCA would only get you stereo sound.
posted by Ferrari328 at 4:57 AM on September 1, 2016
posted by Ferrari328 at 4:57 AM on September 1, 2016
"I-baLL: The FIOS remote control has no such selection."
Sorry, I couldn't remember the name of the button. It's the button labelled STB. There should be another button labelled TV. When you push MUTE, which button lights up?
posted by I-baLL at 8:22 AM on September 1, 2016
Sorry, I couldn't remember the name of the button. It's the button labelled STB. There should be another button labelled TV. When you push MUTE, which button lights up?
posted by I-baLL at 8:22 AM on September 1, 2016
Response by poster: I-baLL, no, that's how other cable operators do it with their remotes. Fios has no such distinction.
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:33 PM on September 1, 2016
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:33 PM on September 1, 2016
Response by poster: Ferrari328, again, I want sound through my stereo not just from FIOS but also from blu-ray and Roku, so I really need the audio out to be from TV rather than from cable box.
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:34 PM on September 1, 2016
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:34 PM on September 1, 2016
"I-baLL, no, that's how other cable operators do it with their remotes. Fios has no such distinction."
Uh, yes it does. I've had it on my remote when I had FIOS. The question is whether you have the remote with 4 white buttons on top, the rightmost one being STB:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GOjwAe5SqZo/UVxAgX0Z_AI/AAAAAAAAqTY/UaKjQmnFzaw/s1600/1.bmp
Or two white buttons on top, the right most one labelled STB:
http://www.telquipstore.com/images/products/detail/FiOSremote.JPG
And so which button lights up when you push MUTE on the remote control?
posted by I-baLL at 1:02 PM on September 1, 2016
Uh, yes it does. I've had it on my remote when I had FIOS. The question is whether you have the remote with 4 white buttons on top, the rightmost one being STB:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GOjwAe5SqZo/UVxAgX0Z_AI/AAAAAAAAqTY/UaKjQmnFzaw/s1600/1.bmp
Or two white buttons on top, the right most one labelled STB:
http://www.telquipstore.com/images/products/detail/FiOSremote.JPG
And so which button lights up when you push MUTE on the remote control?
posted by I-baLL at 1:02 PM on September 1, 2016
Response by poster: It's the second type. The STB button doesn't change the mode of the remote, it merely toggles on/off the cable box's power.
Hitting "mute" illuminates the only light on the whole remote - the red LED right between the top two buttons.
posted by Quisp Lover at 1:45 PM on September 1, 2016
Hitting "mute" illuminates the only light on the whole remote - the red LED right between the top two buttons.
posted by Quisp Lover at 1:45 PM on September 1, 2016
"Ferrari328, again, I want sound through my stereo not just from FIOS but also from blu-ray and Roku, so I really need the audio out to be from TV rather than from cable box."
That would still happen if you run the RCA audio from the cable box to the TV.
posted by Ferrari328 at 2:33 PM on September 1, 2016
That would still happen if you run the RCA audio from the cable box to the TV.
posted by Ferrari328 at 2:33 PM on September 1, 2016
Response by poster: Hmm, ok.
I only need stereo sound. So....run audio from cable box to TV via optical or RCA (instead of just sharing the HDMI currently connecting)? And just continue running TV audio to stereo via RCA?
Not sure what that'll achieve, but I'm intrigued. Do I have it right?
thanks!
posted by Quisp Lover at 3:37 PM on September 1, 2016
I only need stereo sound. So....run audio from cable box to TV via optical or RCA (instead of just sharing the HDMI currently connecting)? And just continue running TV audio to stereo via RCA?
Not sure what that'll achieve, but I'm intrigued. Do I have it right?
thanks!
posted by Quisp Lover at 3:37 PM on September 1, 2016
Best answer: So, to me it looks like the remote is trying to mute the tv's sound while the app is muting the cable box itself. Do you see the mute icon appear on the screen when trying to mute it with the remote? If you don't then it might not be using the right IR code for your tv. If the icon does appear, you may need to set up your remote to control the audio straight from the set top box. The instructions are here:
https://www.verizon.com/cs/groups/public/documents/onecmsresource/p265usermanualmarch_e48a.pdf
It's the 2 sections labelled "Control TV Volume Through STB" and "Key Fix". Hope it works!
posted by I-baLL at 4:49 PM on September 1, 2016
https://www.verizon.com/cs/groups/public/documents/onecmsresource/p265usermanualmarch_e48a.pdf
It's the 2 sections labelled "Control TV Volume Through STB" and "Key Fix". Hope it works!
posted by I-baLL at 4:49 PM on September 1, 2016
Response by poster: Tried key fix last night, but no joy.
I tried the "control tv volume through STB", nothing. So I reset the remote to defaults, then tried again. It works!
I still don't have volume control (it behaves like when the iPhone app tries to control volume; I see a slider on screen, but audible volume remains the same), but that's fine, I'm very happy to have mute!
Thanks, I-baLL!!
posted by Quisp Lover at 5:30 PM on September 1, 2016
I tried the "control tv volume through STB", nothing. So I reset the remote to defaults, then tried again. It works!
I still don't have volume control (it behaves like when the iPhone app tries to control volume; I see a slider on screen, but audible volume remains the same), but that's fine, I'm very happy to have mute!
Thanks, I-baLL!!
posted by Quisp Lover at 5:30 PM on September 1, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:28 PM on August 31, 2016