Using LG's Magic Remote with a Denon Receiver

[highfigh]

LG TV - How to Troubleshoot Your LG Magic Remote | LG USA Support

LG TV - How to Troubleshoot Your LG Magic Remote. Learn how to use, update, maintain and troubleshoot your LG devices and appliances.

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So, you would need to press the HOME button in order to select the device you want to control. or is that only during setup for the remote? I also don't like seeing that the device manufacturer has to be contacted in order to find out if their equipment can be controlled by the remote- that's info provided by every remote manufacturer and if you check the manual for just about every AVR, they have a section showing the brands that are controllable by the remote if that's an option. I think LG needs to put this on a page for users to prevent wasting time on hold with other manufacturers, especially if they happen to be trying to set it up after they return from work or during a weekend.

 

[TLS Guy]

You might have better results if you try getting the Denon receiver's remote to control the TV set.

A lot of this problem stems from the fact that the LG uses a wireless remote and the Denon an IR remote. Radio remotes are getting more common, for instance xfinity have gone entirely to radio remotes now. Radio remotes are better, but the two technologies don't coexist that well.

My LG remote does control the volume via the ARC when the Marantz pre/pro is set to TV audio. The biggest problem I had was stopping the LG remote controlling too much. That was a real nuisance. Still I have to have the TV on initially as you get no sound from a CD until the TV is on. The you can switch it off. However I had quite a time when originally turning off the TV turned off the Marantz. Why I have to turn on the TV to play a CD and then I can turn it off I have no idea. Personally I like it one remote per unit. Personally I think remotes are a curse. I far preferred the days before remotes. I don't think they have been a benefit really, rather the reverse. But I suppose with all this complex set up issues it is a necessary evil.

 

[Trebdp83]

Great input from all and I hope Mr. Altman is able to get his system to function properly. It wasn't too long ago that a TV was more of a monitor as cable boxes and disc players were the norm. I loved Denon’s RC-921 and RC-1146. Though, with the 1146, I was shocked Denon had no code for Oppo. Some hate HDMI control and arc and leaving them off in the past was fine. If a TV tuner was used, the audio could be sent out of the optical or even analog output. Now, analog outs are mostly gone. Unless using coaxial/optical out, ARC with HDMI control ON is required for both TV and AVR unless both are eARC capable and even that is no guarantee between manufacturers. Smart TVs have moved beyond monitor status as streaming apps fill them up and this hybrid device makes matters difficult. HDMI-CEC can work well in some cases but mixing old and new devices with different brands can be very frustrating to say the least. There is no requirement for manufacturers to implement HDMI features in any standardized fashion all these years on and it is a discrace. I have been lucky and my Samsung TV remote control has it’s own universal function that works in conjunction with HDMI control. Programming devices into it gives them their own source tile in the Smart hub. So, if streaming from TV apps, AVR switches to TV input. If I want to watch a recorded show, I select my TiVo tile and have the ability to control the TiVo with the TV remote control and the AVR switches to the TiVo input. Having the TV come on for a music disc is an annoyance so I recently put my Oppo back into service and left HDMI-CEC off. If I want to play a CD, I turn on the AVR with its remote control or physical switch and select the Oppo. Because the Oppo sends no commands via HDMI, the TV stays off. HDMI has cleaned up cable bundles in systems but while delivering advanced audio and video codecs, it is also cramming HDCP down every single device’s throat and that is where many problems start.

 

[Rick Altman]

Happy ending -- thanks to those of you who chimed in. While the 12th code did indeed turn the Denon AVR on and off, it was the very first code in the list that changed volume. There was no indication or hint of this; I just tried it and it worked. SMH over the poor implementation, but relieved that the solution was relatively simple once I allowed room for the possibility of trying other codes that showed no promise of working. One of them did...!

 

[Trebdp83]

Joy!

 

[highfigh]

Personally I like it one remote per unit. Personally I think remotes are a curse. I far preferred the days before remotes. I don't think they have been a benefit really, rather the reverse. But I suppose with all this complex set up issues it is a necessary evil.

A good control system works well, but only if the equipment manufacturers have a clue about what people need. They just don't care about ease of operation for a whole system, they only care about controlling THEIR stuff.

As Homer Simpson said, when Marge scolded him- "Just because I hear you doesn't mean I care".

 

[Trebdp83]

I will make sure of these settings with both units. Simplink is definitely on at the TV, but I am not familiar with the CEC that you speak of.

Sorry I failed to respond this post. HDMI Consumer Electronics Control(CEC) is the feature that allows control of connected devices through the HDMI cables. Because there is no real standard, manufacturers can use their own designation and degree of implementation of it. LG calls their implementation of it “Simplink.” Samsung calls it “Anynet+.” Denon still refers to it as HDMI Control Function and you can refer to pages 61 and 78 of the manual for more information.

 

[diskreet]

@Rick Altman I have an LG CX, and a Denon AVR-X3700H. I have the TV connected via HDMI from the TV's eARC output to the Receiver's eARC input. On the TV I have sound out set to HDMI ARC, and in the additional settings menu I have eARC enabled.

Thats all I needed to do to get the volume and mute to pass through, once the Denon is put on the right input.

I don't think your reciever has eARC, so just do the same and keep eARC off. Does that work?

I let the TV control everything else in my home theater via CEC, not any remote codes or any of that nonsense. This way all commands are sent via HDMI, and whether it's my receiver or Blu-Ray player, it seems to work well.

Only hiccup is when switching back/forth between X Box Series X sometimes disables the ARC as the output, but I'll play with the Xbox settings a bit more before saying it's a true issue. Right now I have CEC off for the xbox but I'll try turning it on.
(EDIT for accuracy: I had HDMI-CEC enabled, but none of the sub-features enabled. That might be the issue)

 

[slipperybidness]

Thank you, I have printed out those pages and will prepare to do battle with the Denon remote. My first choice is to get the LG's Magic Remote to work, as it is a superior remote. So I will continue to tilt at that windmill.

This all works properly and as you want it to, on my LG and denon 4400

 

[slipperybidness]

@Rick Altman I have an LG CX, and a Denon AVR-X3700H. I have the TV connected via HDMI from the TV's eARC output to the Receiver's eARC input. On the TV I have sound out set to HDMI ARC, and in the additional settings menu I have eARC enabled.

Thats all I needed to do to get the volume and mute to pass through, once the Denon is put on the right input.

I don't think your reciever has eARC, so just do the same and keep eARC off. Does that work?

I let the TV control everything else in my home theater via CEC, not any remote codes or any of that nonsense. This way all commands are sent via HDMI, and whether it's my receiver or Blu-Ray player, it seems to work well.

Only hiccup is when switching back/forth between X Box Series X sometimes disables the ARC as the output, but I'll play with the Xbox settings a bit more before saying it's a true issue. Right now I have CEC off for the xbox but I'll try turning it on.

I have the EXACT same experience with my LG CX and Denon X4400!

One little hiccup on the Xbox, just like you mentioned! Otherwise, works great, and I love the magic remote!

If you do figure out the proper configs to correct this minor issue, please let me know!

 

[diskreet]

I have the EXACT same experience with my LG CX and Denon X4400!

One little hiccup on the Xbox, just like you mentioned! Otherwise, works great, and I love the magic remote!

If you do figure out the proper configs to correct this minor issue, please let me know!

I haven't played with it too much more yet, but I fully disabled all controls on the XBox. It seems better, but time will tell. I looked closer and I only had the first check box clicked on the xbox menu - I didn'tt actually allow any of the advanced controls. I think that might have been part of the problem.

So I'll keep trying with everything off, then switch to everything on if it gives me problems.

 

[slipperybidness]

I haven't played with it too much more yet, but I fully disabled all controls on the XBox. It seems better, but time will tell. I looked closer and I only had the first check box clicked on the xbox menu - I didn'tt actually allow any of the advanced controls. I think that might have been part of the problem.

So I'll keep trying with everything off, then switch to everything on if it gives me problems.

I have everything connected to my TV, then eARC back to Denon......except my XBOX One is connected to the Denon. I use the magic remote to control and select everything. So, my setup may be just slightly different than yours? Regardless, my one little hiccup is related to XBOX. When it happens, I can hit the proper button on the Denon remote to recover, or I can just power cycle the Denon and the TV, then all is good.

All things considered, I am pleased that it works as well as it does, and I can live with a couple minor quirks!

 

[Justhereforthefood]

I am having a heck of a time with a task that should be really easy: tuning my LG 55" OLED television's "Magic Remote" to control the volume on my Denon AVR-S540BT receiver. I am connected to the receiver via the HDMI ARC and the sound is fine. I can also connect via an optical cable and hear clean sound out to my speaker system. From there I did the following:

• Went to the TV's Device Connect page
• Chose Home Theater as the device I wanted to connect
• Chose Denon as the brand and found a code that turns the receiver on and off
• Saved out of those screens

But when I try the volume or mute keys on the remote, nothing happens. This is frustrating to me, and adding to my confusion, the code-finding process has as its test, Power, Input, and and Up (whatever that is). I don't care about turning the receiver on and off or changing its input; all I want to do is control volume!

This is arguably the most advanced television in the world today -- surely I can accomplish this simple task. Can someone here help me get there?

Hi, the way I solved this problem was to plug an HDMI from the AVR-S540BT to an HDMI input on my LG 65CX. Then you go to set up the universal remote through the Setting/All Settings/Connections/Device Control Settings/Universal Control Settings. Initiate the Home Theater setup and it should recognize the Denon and you follow the instructions on screen. This solves for VOLUME control. Not for POWER Or other controls. It is not perfect or complete but volume is 90% of why most want an integrated remote. You cant completely ditch the Denon remote but you do not have to touch it too much. Good luck.