Support for IR codes for a PHEANOO D6 soundbar on the Contour 2 and XR11 controller

Thanks for the reply.

I'll give the 991 code search a try, but from what I recall that will try to pair TVs instead of Audio Devices (i.e. soundbars).  The only issue with this, if in case I do find the pairing code for the soundbar, now I won't be able to turn off the TV, since none of the codes I tried from the 992 code search turned off my TV.

Could you send the above info to your techs, they should know more about this, and since I gathered up the hex codes for the remote control, I am hoping it will be easier for them to convert, in the hopes they add them to the next Contour update and send it out to all the boxes so they now have the ability to support this new brand/model.

Unless there is another method on how to send this info to your techs...

UPDATE:

Searching through the 991 code search didn't find it either.

Hi Bruce, thanks for your reply...

I'm sure there must be some kind of process to add a new brand to the list of supported devices when it comes to IRs.

I'm hoping that with the provided info (see my first post) would be enough for a COX tech to look into it, since I think I've supplied the HEX codes for them.  -- That's if they are in charge of updating the Contour through the cable system like they do when they add a new supported APP and etc.

Right now the XR11 doesn't do anything with the soundbar (i.e. VOLUME, MUTE, POWER).

The TV and soundbar communicate with an optical cable. 

My other issue is that my HDTV doesn't support HDMI-ARC (only HDMI-CEC), but even trying it with a HDMI connection, it would not transfer the sound to the soundbar, even though the TV did connect with it, because AnyNET+ was able to display the model number of the soundbar each time it tried to send the volume to it via HDMI.

I'm also trying to see if the soundbar brand can also provide an update to it's firmware to see if they can also fix that (optical signal transfer) to the TV.

the provided info (see my first post) would be enough

Great input.  Not that I matter...but your meticulous detail impressed me.  However, Cox doesn't own Contour.  Cox only licenses Xfinity X1 from Comcast and re-brands it as Contour.  If any tech were to program, it'd be a Comcast tech.

AnyNET displaying info of the soundbar (SB) is good because your TV and SB are communicating.  Just need to figure the lack of audio.  Did you test AnyNET to power on/off the SB?  Of course, this would be an HDMI connection.  Gone are the good ol' days with equipment housing Switched Outlets.

ARC and eARC are fine but the SB only outputs 2-channel stereo (2.1) so it wouldn't matter if the TV decodes and processes the audio signal for the SB.  We just need to steer the signal to the correct port of the TV (HDMI, optical, component, composite, etc).

I'd first ensure the audio signal stays PCM (raw) the whole way.  Starting at Contour...
Contour Button > Settings (gear icon) > Device Settings > Audio > HDMI Audio Output > Stereo (PCM)

If your TV can keep it PCM to the port as well, great!

You should review all the audio settings in the TV because I've seen settings to specially enable the port for external speakers.

I read the User Manual and it only cautions to ensure the TV and SB are equally set.  Meaning, ensure your TV OUTPUT is set the same as the SB INPUT, for example, OPTICAL (TV out) to OPTICAL (SB in).  "Optical" and "Digital" mean the same thing.  On the SB remote...
• Green Indicator = AUX mode
• Yellow Indicator = Optical mode
• Blue Indicator = BT mode

With the TV on and tuned, does the optical cable emit red light at its connector?  (Sorry...but you did remove its plastic cap, right?)  If so, the TV is outputting an audio signal.  If not, you may need to review your TV settings.  Any suspicion of a broken or faulty optical cable?  These things can get easily crunched.

I suspect "BT mode" is Bluetooth so if your TV supports Bluetooth, this would be another option.

Bruce, once again, thank you for your reply.. plus going the extra mile by offering possible solutions to the issue...

Yes, I've checked to make sure that the cable box, TV, are all set to PCM -- I also tested Dolby--just in case that would do the trick.  I'm the kind of guy that I will flip the whole house or neighborhood upside down, just to see if that isn't the issue also. lol

I do have it working with optical cable and yes, I do get sound coming from the TV that way.  I just can't control the volume on the soundbar using my TV and cable box remote control.

When I have the HDMI cable connected between the TV and soundbar and in HDMI mode (soundbar), it will even display that my HDTV will send the volume to the soundbar, because it even displays the soundbar's model number in the process on the TV screen.

And the soundbar indicates (by the LED lights it has) that the volume is being changed as you increase or decrease the Volume, Treble, and Bass.

And both controllers (TV original remote and the Cable Box remote control) are able to control the volume of the soundbar.

But there is no sound. Simply no sound coming when I have the soundbar in HDMI mode.

I will only get sound from the TV when I have it in Optical mode, but even if I have the HDMI cable connected to the TV at the same time with the optical cable, it will not indicate anything on the TV nor on the Soundbar.

I think the way they designed the soundbar, is that you can only have one input running at the time. -- I even tested it using the analog connection, still the same, you can only have one connection running, there is no help (tag-team) between them -- I'm afraid.

If you study the remote control diagram for the soundbar (I posted above) there is an individual button to turn on either the HDMI or the Optical option.

So it seems that even though you have both cables connected to the TV, it is either one or the other, not both.

And when I have it in Optical mode, it will provide sound, but the original TV remote nor the cable box remote will do nothing for the soundbar. And there is no indication on the TV screen when I make any adjustments to the audio in optical mode, unlike with the HDMI connection--when a lot of cool notifications display (as mentioned before).

For reference my HDTV Brand/Model is:

• Samsung
• LN46C650L1FXZA

And no, this HDTV does not support Bluetooth -- I'm afraid.

So the only thing I've done so far is keep the original soundbar remote with me nearby whenever I need to adjust the volume or power it on/off.  And use the XR11 to change channels and everything else for that matter.

I do have a learning remote control (to operate all my other video gadgets), and I've taught it to control also the soundbar, but the issue is that it doesn't support RF signals from the XR11 -- so I am still forced to have two controllers near me at all times when I simply need to adjust the volume and etc.

When before (without this soundbar) I only used the XR-11 for both channel surfing and volume settings -- while I kept my universal remote in a nearby cabinet whenever I need to do more (alongside my game controllers and etc.)

But if I am watching something on TV (sports or a film), and I need to quickly mute the sound or lower or increase it, I gotta grab the 2nd remote -- when I usually have the XR11 in my hand.  So now I gotta reprogram myself to not be only a single-shooter, but a dual-gunner -- a pistol (remote) on each hand.

I'll see if I can also contact the makers of the XR11 or the Contour Box -- see if that leads to something... thanks for that info...

Once again Bruce, you've been great! 

Have you disconnected the optical and analog cables to test HDMI?

Yes, still nothing.

I'd turn off AnyNET to test HDMI.  Sometimes CEC creates more problems than it's worth.

Done that, no dice.

However, as a complete stab in the dark with AnyNET, is your SB listed in the AnyNET Device List?  If so, any audio options?

Yes, and it identifies the SB as a "Receiver". -- but no options under AnyNET as far as a device with additional options -- like my BluRay or Game Console and etc. -- which both display additional options under AnyNET.

Ensure the version of your HDMI cable matches at least the HDMI version of the TV. 

Yes, I did try that, assuming an older HDMI cable may do the trick -- which I have on an old HDMI VHS-DVD combo player that I have.  But still no dice.

FYI: the SB did come with it's own HDMI cable, so I tested that one also...

Plus I also tested an old model optical cable, plus a brand new one when getting this soundbar.

Disable Anynet?

I tried that also, still no cigar.

-----

Yes, I've tried almost everything, except crack open the SB and hot-wire it myself. lol 

Of course, my other alternatives are to either upgrade to a newer TV that supports HDMI-ARC or replace the SB with a compatible / supported brand. -- But there is the issue with the latter, I prefer the SB to have a wired subwoofer -- in the past, I've gone through issues with wireless subwoofer setups.  And it's difficult to find a new model SB (by a popular brand) with wired subwoofer option -- they are rare.

I'll later see if I can contact the devs of the contour box.  I'm pretty sure if I give the above codes to someone that knows what to do with them, this issue should be solved and they start providing support for this SB on the Contour box -- or I keep firing away with my double-shooters.

You could upgrade the TV to HDMI-ARC but TV codes and XR11 still won't control the volume.

Cox doesn't program Contour.  Cox only licenses Contour from Xfinity.

I don't know of any possible solution(s).

My bad.  I guess you can adjust volume to a soundbar via HDMI-ARC.  I thought ARC just stripped off the audio data and sent to another component.

According to a user review on Amazon...

By m.pi on July 9, 2021 "I was hoping to get me Cable Box remote to program for the sound-bar, but could not find a code. Ended up using the ARC HDMI port on my TV to connect to the sound-bar and set my TV to control receiver volume, now I am back to using just 1 remote."

Also, according to an article on Reliance Digital...

"Using HDMI-ARC, you can also control the volume of HDMI-ARC connected devices using your TV remote. You not only cut down on the number of wires but also on remotes which de-clutters a lot of things."

www.reliancedigital.in/.../

My bad.  I guess you can adjust volume to a soundbar via HDMI-ARC.  I thought ARC just stripped off the audio data and sent to another component.

Yes, that is what I'm counting on.  Let the HDTV (that supports HDMI-ARC) just use the SB as an extension of itself.  So when I use the XR-11 to adjust the volume or press the mute feature, the TV will know to relay that info to the SB.  And when I power off the TV, it should also turn off the SB.

The only downside of using HDMI-ARC is that most new TVs only offer that to a single HDMI jack.  Unlike CEC, its available to all the HDMI jacks -- as long as the device knows that lingo. ;-)  -- So it would only be used for the SB and nothing else -- from what it seems.

A TV only needs 1 HDMI-ARC port.

If all your AV components...cable-box, Blu-ray player, game console, streamer, media server, VCR...are connected to the TV, the TV controls all AV signals.  If the TV controls all AV signals, the TV only needs 1 port to send audio to 1 higher-end audio component, such as an AVR or SB.  Most AV setups only have 1 higher-end audio component.  I don't know why a TV would need another ARC.

HDMI-CEC is another animal.  If a CEC component detects an input...such as inserting a disc into a DVD player...CEC would automatically power the TV.  If you change HDMI Input on the TV, the TV would power the selected component.  It's just HDMI ports communicating with each other.

CEC is okay and it's supposed to be a standardized protocol, but sometimes all this cross-talking between different brands creates more problems than it's worth.  Most cable-boxes...if any...don't support it.

There is a newer, better version of HDMI-ARC:  HDMI-eARC.  Instead of the TV processing the audio signal, eARC keeps the signal raw to allow the higher-end audio component to decode the audio, such as TrueHD, Atmos, DTS-HD, etc.