My phone is on iOS 17.1.1 and my AppleTV 4K third Gen and Second gen both on different TVs (both updated to17.1), my phone remote app will not control the volume, it adjusts the volume as if it’s doing it for the phone only. The actual AppleTV remote works for volume up and down just fine. I typically use my phone so I don’t have to track down the AppleTV remote that always hides due to its small size. Anyone have a workaround or any ideas? I’ve reset everything several times, verified software is updated. This seems to happen off/on periodically for no apparent reason. e(ARC) is enabled in settings on the TV and the Apple TV. I’ve tried different cables, different settings nothing seems to work. It almost seems like it’s a setting or issue on the phone.
if you’re using IR to control the volume, then the phone remote won’t work
If you’re using HDMI-CEC to control the volume, then the phone will work.
CEC is consumer electronics control. it allows you to send commands over the HDMI cable. When enabled, it will also let your TV remote send basic navigation commands to the aTV.
ARC is audio return channel, Has nothing to do with CEC, but they’re often available together. Manufacturers call it different things (simplink and anynet are 2 examples) you’ll have to google your TV’s model and CEC to figure out what they call it. a lot of times it’s disabled by default.
Check the remotes section of the aTV’s menu, at the bottom in the volume control section, you’ll want it to say “by HDMI”
you can try unplugging and replugging both ends of the HDMI cable, which will cause your devices to handshake again, maybe something got corrupted and it forget you can do CEC. If you’re using a lower quality HDMI cable, I’d think about replacing it. Doesn’t have to be super expensive. Look for HDMI 2.1, monoprice makes good quality cables, you can order through them, or from amazon, should be under $20
There are several cases for the Siri Remote, the one I have is big enough for an airtag behind the remote. Makes it big enough to not slip between the cushions as easliy, and if it’s really lost, I can make it ping, or use precision finding to figure out where I carried it off to.
CEC being on isn’t the issue, it’s on. Everything is set right on the tv and I’ve tried multiple hdmi cables and two different Apple TVs and on two different TVs. The only way it works so far is when I connect the AppleTV to my Devon stereo and then run an hdmi to the tv from the stereo. But I only have the stereo in one room and I need the AppleTV in the other room to work properly as well without buying another receiver. The tv that’s the main issues has never been connected to the receiver. If I connect either AppleTV to the other tv directly I also have the same issue. Both work fine with the actually AppleTV remote and I don’t believe either are using IR (not 100% on that but one of them it’s in the basement so I highly doubt it would work on IR anyway)
In the vast majority of cases most TVs don’t allow the functionality of controlling the volume over HDMI CEC, as you’ve already noticed it generally only works with an audio receiver in the chain.
It does work sometimes though. The appleTV supports this functionality.