Soundbars?

[Boomyal]

I was finally convinced to dump the old 43" rear projection Toshiba TV. It just would not die and it had no value. I gave it away on Craigslist. I replaced it with a 55" LG Smart TV and and a modest LG soundbar. After much effort I was able to get the volume and mute functions to pair with the Dish TV remote. However it is a PITA to operate. Once you adjust the Volume or use Mute, a big box appears on the screen to remind you to press the SAT button to return the remote to its Dish Receiver functions. Additionally, when you adjust the volume or mute it, there is no indication, on the TV screen, of either of those functions. Also this particular 'modest' soundbar does not have any forward facing screen or display to indicate those functions..

Does anyone suppose that there are other soundbar choices whose functions are more seamless/integrated with my Satellite TV Remote? This bar was only $80.00 but with much better/fuller sound than the TV provides. I do not need, nor do I want, full theater type sound but I would be willing to step up in price to get a Bar that did away with all the drawbacks that I mentioned.

 

[bruceb58]

My soundbar responds when my DirecTV remote switch is in the DTV position. Does yours not work the same way? I also turn off the sound to the TV speakers themselves in the settings.

I also use the optical out from my TV to the soundbar so maybe that is what's going on.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Nothing to offer. Just want to subscribe as I was looking to get a soundbar and sub-woofer only........

 

[wrvond]

I don't have satellite or cable, but I do have a couple different inputs to the television. My sound bar (LG brand) has a wireless subwoofer and digital display on the front. It is optically connected to the television and comes on and goes off with the television. I have the internal speakers turned off and have to control the sound with the LG remote. The television is a Visio.

 

[Tim Frank]

^^^^^

Have a Samsung....features as above....except wired sub-woofer. Was plug and play, and connected to the optical outlet. It goes on and off with TV and has digital read-out on the front. At ~ $150- , it was a bargain IMO.

 

[MTboatguy]

I have a Vizio TV and Vizio sound bar and have a universal remote made by Vizio so they are work together, I never could get my Dish remote to work with my sound bar. I have to go get a new sound bar, because it is starting to do weird things, like when you try to turn the volume up, the power will go off, my bar is hook up optically and the sub is wired.

 

[bruceb58]

Up at my Tahoe house where I am right now. My DirecTV remote operates my Vizio TV and soundbar. It has to be simple since I rent this house out as a vacation rental.

 

[Boomyal]

Up at my Tahoe house where I am right now. My DirecTV remote operates my Vizio TV and soundbar. It has to be simple since I rent this house out as a vacation rental.

Today I went and spoke to the seller of the soundbar. I bought an LG TV from Costco and the LG soundbar from Video Only. Video Only told me that when I select 'LG Sync (optical)' the soundbar should respond to the satellite provider remote for both volume and mute without having to hit Auxilliary.. It doesn't.

 

[Tim Frank]

And your satellite remote has been programmed for the LG TV?

 

[Darrenmb]

I dont have a soundbar, but am running an amp for my sound as well as an hdmi switch, plus its all in a closet out of sight! It was a.remote nightmare until someone told.me aboit the harmony one! Its fantastic, you program it with pc, and then its one button operation. I hit watch tv, it turns on amp, turns on cable box and turns on tv, mutes tv, sets tv inout to hdmi 1 and amp input to cable box. Then if i hit watch a dvd, it switches dvd on, cable box off, ans switches input of amp to dvd. I love it!!!!! Will never go back to old fashioned way!!

 

[Boomyal]

And your satellite remote has been programmed for the LG TV?

Yes. The satellite remote operates all functions of the LG TV.

 

[Boomyal]

I dont have a soundbar, but am running an amp for my sound as well as an hdmi switch, plus its all in a closet out of sight! It was a.remote nightmare until someone told.me aboit the harmony one! Its fantastic, you program it with pc, and then its one button operation. I hit watch tv, it turns on amp, turns on cable box and turns on tv, mutes tv, sets tv inout to hdmi 1 and amp input to cable box. Then if i hit watch a dvd, it switches dvd on, cable box off, ans switches input of amp to dvd. I love it!!!!! Will never go back to old fashioned way!!

Sounds like the kind of thing that would give me apoplexy. This current remote control volume issue has already nearly done so!

 

[Boomyal]

The satellite remote control of the LG Smart TV volume and mute (via the LG soundbar) has been solved. Shortly after making this post I upgraded to Dish's latest DVR system. I told the installer about my troubles and he said "no problem". After he had everything up and running, it took him about 30 seconds to program the new remote to operate the Soundbar volume and mute. It is now a seamless operation. I no longer have to hit AUX to operate those functions, then hit the SAT button when finished. The only deficiency is that there is no on screen indicator of either of those functions. I can live with that!

 

[WIMUSKY]

I just hooked up a Vizio sound bar to my Vizio tv. The remote for the tv controlled the bar automatically, I think it was preset for Vizio. Boy did the volume change. I used to set the tv to around 20, now I'm down to 4 or 5......

 

[bruceb58]

I just hooked up a Vizio sound bar to my Vizio tv. The remote for the tv controlled the bar automatically, I think it was preset for Vizio. Boy did the volume change. I used to set the tv to around 20, now I'm down to 4 or 5......

My 60" Vizio that I have at my place in Tahoe has lousy built in speakers. The Vizio soundbar is great. I turn off the TV's speakers.

 

[WIMUSKY]

My 60" Vizio that I have at my place in Tahoe has lousy built in speakers. The Vizio soundbar is great. I turn off the TV's speakers.

My speakers are lousy too. Liking the bar so far with the little satellite speakers 5.1...

 

[MTboatguy]

I have not heard a flat screen TV yet, that has good speakers, it is almost like they are an after thought, and I suppose they are as the companies these days figure that owners are going to be using external systems with their TV's.