Why can’t my Apple TV remote turn my soundbar on and off?

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Why can’t my Apple TV remote turn my soundbar on and off?

So, I recently got an Apple TV. The way I have everything setup is with my Apple TV plugged into the hdmi arc on my tv, and then a soundbar connected to my tv via an optical cable. I know I can program my Apple TV remote to my soundbar, and I have done this. But it only lets me program the volume up, down, and mute buttons. Why can’t I program it to power on and off with the power button on the Apple TV remote? It seems like this would be a pretty simple thing for Apple to implement, and yet they haven’t. I would have everything hooked up with arc, but I don’t have enough arc inputs on my tv to do this. Is there a reason why Apple hasn’t offered this option? Or is it just an oversight?

Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)

Posted on Jan 30, 2024 12:26 PM

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Urquhart1244

Level 10

146,644 points

Jan 30, 2024 3:02 PM in response to Quinnocon

I would have everything hooked up with arc, but I don’t have enough arc inputs on my tv to do this.

You only need one (e)ARC connection: for the connection between the TV and the audio system.

Why can’t my Apple TV remote turn my soundbar on and off?

Some soundbars can go to sleep mode after a period of inactivity.

Some soundbars can go to sleep mode from a signal to do so through HDMI-CEC. That doesn’t work over optical.

No audio system is currently supported to go to sleep mode from the Siri Remote, soundbar or otherwise, other than through CEC. Possibly there are technical reasons to not support that without adding more buttons to the remote.

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Why can’t my Apple TV remote turn my soundbar on and off?

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