Roku TV, Firestick and eArc

[Squishman]

Anyone who has a Roku TV knows that when you power it up, you need to select your input with the TV remote, since it does not default to any input, not even your last used input. I have a Firestick plugged into an AVR port. You can power up the system with the FS remote, then you need the TV remote to select the AVR. So, in this scenario, am I wrong to think Arc/eArc is a moot situation? I have HDMI control off. If I was using eArc, I'd still need the TV remote to select the input.

 

[lovinthehd]

Never used a Roku but you had it plugged into the tv or the avr?

If you have the Firestick plugged into the avr then you wouldn't need ARC/eARC for audio. I have hdmi control off on my avr but did setup my Firestick remotes to turn on the tv/avr/firestick but it just turns the avr on and the avr defaults to the last used input (which makes sense, in the setup of the Firestick it just asked about the basic avr/tv used, not specific inputs like my Harmony remotes would). My tvs I only use one input and it always defaults to the last used in any case. My Harmony in the living room can manage all the gear, including the Firestick's bluetooth, but in my bedroom I use an older Harmony and still sometimes use the Firestick remote to just turn everything on (especially if I last used it to watch the Firestick, if I change it up with the bluray player sometimes it causes conflict between using the Firestick and Harmony remotes). Fun stuff

 

[Squishman]

Never used a Roku but you had it plugged into the tv or the avr?

If you have the Firestick plugged into the avr then you wouldn't need ARC/eARC for audio.

Correct. Yes, the FS is plugged into the AVR. I actually have the same set-ups in both systems. Different amps though.
Thanks for confirming that ARC/eARC is not needed with this set-up. I knew that, but the confirmation is nice (that I am not missing anything)!
I do have an air antenna outside for local news and Vikings games (in season of course) in the living room system. For that, I have a 15' optical cable and use "TV" function on the amp. FS input is Stream Box on the RZ50.

 

[Squishman]

In the living room, the FS remote powers up the AVR and TV. In the bedroom, where I have a 6 y.o. Yamaha AVR, it does not turn on the TV. I have a Denon AVR arriving Tuesday for the bedroom system. I am hoping that the FS remote will power up the TV and AVR when the Denon is hooked up.

 

[Teetertotter?]

In the living room, the FS remote powers up the AVR and TV. In the bedroom, where I have a 6 y.o. Yamaha AVR, it does not turn on the TV. I have a Denon AVR arriving Tuesday for the bedroom system. I am hoping that the FS remote will power up the TV and AVR when the Denon is hooked up.

Make sure in the TV Settings, you have selected "CEC" There might be a "CEC" setting in the AVR and an y cable box. With CEC setting, it turns on/off your devices at the same time.

Example,: The remote that came with the DTV satellite box, will turn on/off the box, TV, and AVR. The satellite remote changes the TV channels and volume of the AVR out to 5 speakers.

 

[Squishman]

Make sure in the TV Settings, you have selected "CEC" There might be a "CEC" setting in the AVR and an y cable box. With CEC setting, it turns on/off your devices at the same time.

Example,: The remote that came with the DTV satellite box, will turn on/off the box, TV, and AVR. The satellite remote changes the TV channels and volume of the AVR out to 5 speakers.

It could be that the avr is too old, but not sure. Not going to check today, but I'll look into that tomorrow on the TV and avr when I hook up the new avr.
I do not have a dtv satellite box. It is a Firestick.

 

[Hobbit]

Anyone who has a Roku TV knows that when you power it up, you need to select your input with the TV remote, since it does not default to any input, not even your last used input. I have a Firestick plugged into an AVR port. You can power up the system with the FS remote, then you need the TV remote to select the AVR. So, in this scenario, am I wrong to think Arc/eArc is a moot situation? I have HDMI control off. If I was using eArc, I'd still need the TV remote to select the input.

Yes, the Roku TV I have in my workout room does the same as standalone Rokus. It opens to the home screen when you turn it on.

As @Teetertotter? said, if you want the device (I have an xfinity hooked up to it) to turn the Roku TV on and go to the device you need to setup the CEC. On the Roku TV go:
Settings-> System -> CEC
Search for your device (refresh if you don't see it), select it and then choose:
One Touch Play

Now, when you turn on the device with it's remote it automatically turns on the Roku TV and goes to that device. I'm not sure how this is going to work with an AVR between the TV and device. It may just find the AVR and not the Roku.

BTW, this has nothing to do with eARC and works with any and all of the HDMI ports. To use eARC you would plug the FS into the TV and use the eARC HDMI to send audio to a Soundbar or AVR. I think it was mostly designed to simplifying and getting the most out of a soundbar. There's a nice block diagram here:

What is eARC and how is it different from ARC? | Sony AP (sony-asia.com)

Most of here use our TVs as a monitor connected to the AVR and connect all our devices to the AVR. The AVR switches which input video goes to the TV. The AVR decodes the sound and sends it to the speaker. No need for eARC. I use the same remote as @lovinthehd to control everything.

 

[Squishman]

Thx Hobbit. I imagine that is it. I thought cec was exclusively for arc/earc.

 

[GuyInLA]

Just a quick point. I have two roku TVs and they are both configured for a startup input source. I do have cable boxes connected to the devices. When I turn on these televisions, it goes straight to cable input, not the menus. Sorry if I am missing the larger point tho.

 

[Squishman]

Just a quick point. I have two roku TVs and they are both configured for a startup input source. I do have cable boxes connected to the devices. When I turn on these televisions, it goes straight to cable input, not the menus. Sorry if I am missing the larger point tho.

That is pretty cool. Where is that setting? I do not recall seeing that setting.

 

[GuyInLA]

I’m not home to look but google shows the following and that seems pretty familiar…


How to set the default input on Roku TV

1. From the Roku home screen, go into the Settings menu.
2. Now enter the "System" menu.
3. Choose Power, and then Power On.
4. Choose the input you want to be the default when the TV turns on.

 

[Squishman]

I’m not home to look but google shows the following and that seems pretty familiar…


How to set the default input on Roku TV

1. From the Roku home screen, go into the Settings menu.
2. Now enter the "System" menu.
3. Choose Power, and then Power On.
4. Choose the input you want to be the default when the TV turns on.

Wow, nice! Thx!