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Rexx's avatar
Rexx
New Contributor III
3 years ago

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

I recently purchased a soundbar that it's brand is not listed under the Remote Setup under the Audio Devices function. And even though I did try several times going through the long sequence of the 992 and CH+ process, I never was able to pair it.

Here is the info on the brand and model:

  • BRAND: PHEANOO
  • MODEL: D6

I was wondering if your techs could add the pairing codes to the Contour 2 box via an online update?  If yes, I got the manufacturer's remote control codes.  Including the main 4-digit code: 02FD

As you can see above, the above 4-digit code cannot be added with the XR11 since I believe it's not in the proper format.   So I am hoping your techs know how to convert it to the correct format?

Here are the rest of the codes for each button on the IR remote control (in pictures) from the soundbar:

The ones I only need for the XR11 are:

  • VOLUME (UP AN DOWN)
  • MUTE
  • POWER

Let me know if you have any further questions or suggestions...

16 Replies

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  • JonathanJ's avatar
    JonathanJ
    Former Moderator
    @Rexx


    There isn’t a specific code for Pheanoo, you may have to do a manual search. Not every soundbar is compatible, you mention manually using code 992 you can also try 991 in the instructions www.urcsupport.com/.../.

    Jonathan J
    Cox Moderator


    • Rexx's avatar
      Rexx
      New Contributor III

      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...

      • Rexx's avatar
        Rexx
        New Contributor III

        UPDATE:

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

  • Bruce's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III

    I've been following stereos since the late 70s and never heard of this brand.  I'm sure it's a fine soundbar and when connected to an entire Pheanoo system, it's a great setup.  However, Pheanoo is an unfamiliar brand.

    The problem with unfamiliar brands is interoperability with other brands.   Even if you find codes, it doesn't mean Contour will recognize the codes.  There are lots of unfamiliar brands and you can't expect Cox to program Contour with all of 'em.  For example, ever heard of KEiiD?

    forums.cox.com/.../coutour-remote-control-model-xr11-rf-pairing-code

    Can you connect the soundbar to the TV, configure the settings within your TV for External Speakers and with  the X11 paired to the TV, have the TV (code) control the volume to the soundbar?  As you mentioned, there will be a problem powering on/off the soundbar when you shutdown your system.

    • Rexx's avatar
      Rexx
      New Contributor III

      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.

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III
        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's avatar
    Bruce
    Honored Contributor III

    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.

    www.samsung.com/.../

    • Rexx's avatar
      Rexx
      New Contributor III
      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?).

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III

        Great!  Your solution is cheaper than a new TV.

    • Rexx's avatar
      Rexx
      New Contributor III

      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.

      • Bruce's avatar
        Bruce
        Honored Contributor III

        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).