Okay...so optical is outputting audio but you just can't adjust it via XR11. Nuts! With the TV configured for external speakers, I wanted to test if the codes (XR11) could still instruct the amount of volume from the TV. I guess not. In optical mode, the TV is only sending un-amped, audio data. Meaning, it's just data bypassing the TV amplifier. Is there an optical connector on your Contour Box?
Moreover, an optical cable/connector/port only supports audio data. Meaning, via optical, there is no 2-way communications between the TV and SB; therefore, the SB can't send its make & model numbers. I guess you could think of optical as only passive, 1-way data. HDMI, on the other hand, is 2-way...negotiation...syn/ack. We just need to figure its lack of audio.
Have you disconnected the optical and analog cables to test HDMI?
I'd turn off AnyNET to test HDMI. Sometimes CEC creates more problems than it's worth.
However, as a complete stab in the dark with AnyNET, is your SB listed in the AnyNET Device List? If so, any audio options?
Ensure the version of your HDMI cable matches at least the HDMI version of the TV. Since the SB is newer, I'll assume it has a later version of HDMI.
I read the manual for your TV and this doesn't look too promising.
Page 11: "When an audio amplifier is connected to the AUDIO OUT jacks: Decrease the volume of the TV and adjust the volume level with the amplifier's volume control." (Meaning, powered speakers, such as your SB, are technically an amp. The SB is an amplifier but with built-in speakers.)
Page 20: "When Speaker Select is set to External Speaker, the volume and MUTE buttons will not operate and the sound settings will be limited." (Meaning, although the XR11 or TV remote is sending volume control, the TV is ignoring the IR commands.)
Page 42 (Troubleshooting for Anynet+): "If your receiver supports audio only, it may not appear in the device list."
Workarounds? I don't know. With HDMI and optical, the TV is pretty much "hands off" with audio. An audio connector on Contour would help.
Disable Anynet?
An A/V receiver would work but if your SB only outputs 2-channel stereo, what's the sense? However, the sub would engage.
Since Contour doesn't recognize Pheanoo, you're limited to optical and the Pheanoo remote.
A learning remote would work but as you wrote, no RF.
A Universal Remote Control app on a mobile device could work. You'd just need to find a device with both IR and RF blasters. Then again, could this app control Contour? Also, from my experience, apps performing even the simplest tasks are annoyingly slow. First you'd need to wake the device, launch the app, navigate the app, re-establish the connection and have the app convert your commands into signals...and I'm sure the RF signals would travel on the already-congested 2.4 GHz frequency. If you have an Android device with built-in blasters, it'd be faster. Non-blaster devices would be slower.
There isn't much audio troubleshooting in the manual but I'm sure you've already scoured it.
You'd just need to find a device with both IR and RF blasters.
Good news, I was able to find a learning universal remote control that will work with the Contour 2 and my soundbar, as well as all my other video/audio devices that use a remote control. The new URC can be programmed to control up to 15 devices.
Up to this point I thought that the XR11's RF was the only way to control the Contour 2 box, but I was mistaken. The Contour 2 box will also except IR for all it's functions (except the Voice control -- of course).
So now I can just use this new URC, and just keep the XR11 nearby whenever I need to do a voice command -- which is very rare for me, since I tend to watch almost everything with the DVR feature -- hardly anything playing live, unless it's sports and I am around to watch it.
But aside from the voice control, I can do just about anything I want with the URC to control all the features on the Contour box and etc.
I know the new URC is not sending any RF signals, because if the remote is not pointing to the direction of the cable box, it won't work, unlike the XR11 remote that I can face it away from the box and it will still operate it.
The URC is:
Brand: Sofabaton
Model: U1
I hope this helps someone out there that is in the same predicament as I was for a while ...
And I am still hoping that someday Cox or Xfinity provide support for the Pheanoo soundbars.
P.S. the new URC already supports the Pheanoo D5 soundbar from it's list of device codes -- which mostly all it's IR codes are the same for the D6 model -- which I have. I guess someone already done the chore of adding it to their database. I hope others follow up on that, I'm sure the D5 codes may be available (somewhere?).
Great! Your solution is cheaper than a new TV.
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.
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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."
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.
