Can LG Magic Remote Control Sound Bar?

Last Updated on January 16, 2023 by

Can LG Magic Remote Control Sound Bar?

The LG Magic Remote is a powerful remote that uses Bluetooth or radio frequencies (RF) to connect directly with your LG TV. With the right settings, it can also be used to control a sound bar, allowing you to take advantage of its features and functions.

Since the Magic Remote uses Bluetooth or RF to connect to your TV, you won't need an infrared (IR) wireless connection like other remotes - making it easy to use with Sonos sound bars and other compatible products.

Whether you want to raise the volume, switch audio input sources, or just mute your system altogether, the LG Magic Remote has you covered.

My LG Magic Remote Is Unable To Adjust The Volume

To get your LG Magic Remote to control the volume of your Sonos home theater speakers, you need to configure it so that it recognizes both the LG TV and Sonos. Depending on how your Sonos system is connected - whether it be via optical cable, HDMI-ARC, or adapter - you can adjust settings on your LG TV to make it happen.

In addition, as my LG Magic Remote uses radio frequencies (RF) or Bluetooth instead of infrared (IR), I had to make sure those were enabled on my TV so that the remote could communicate with both devices. After making these adjustments, I am now able to conveniently adjust the volume of my Sonos speakers with ease!

Did you know that The LG Magic Remotes let you control your entertainment with a click, scroll, or the innovative LG Voice Mate™ speech recognition?

https://www.lg.com/us/magic-remote

HDMI-ARC

When using the LG Magic Remote to control your sound bar, you'll need to enable HDMI-ARC.

  • To do this, press Home on the remote, and then select Device Connector.
  • If you don't have Device Connector as an option, select Universal Control Settings and then choose Bluetooth/Soundbar and HDMI-ARC.
  • You'll then need to select either Sonos or Philips as the manufacturer and choose Remote Type 1 before clicking Next and pressing Done.
  • Once HDMI-ARC is enabled with your LG Magic Remote, you can enjoy seamless sound control of your sound bar without any hassle.

It's a great way to get the most out of your sound bar and make sure that you're getting the best audio experience possible.

Optical /Optical Adapter

The LG Magic Remote can be used to control your sound bar with an optical adapter. By connecting the magic remote to your TV through an optical adapter, you can use it to control volume, play/pause, and mute functions for your soundbar.

  • Choose either Component or AV for the preferred Connection Type, and then click Next.
  • Select Optical for Sound Output, then press Next and select Sonos as the manufacturer before pressing Done.
  • Once finished, follow the instructions in our article on setting up a new TV remote with Sonos home theater speakers to program the LG Magic Remote with your Sonos home theater speaker.

How Do You Use A Tv Remote To Control A Soundbar?

Using a TV remote to control a soundbar is an easy and efficient way to streamline your home entertainment system.

  • To do this, start by finding the optical or HDMI ARC connection on both the soundbar and TV. Then connect an optical or HDMI cable to each device.
  • Next, turn on both the TV and the soundbar, then try testing and troubleshooting any issues you may have with TV and soundbar connections.
  • Adjust and optimize your sound afterward for great listening quality.

Different TVs have different methods of connecting and controlling your soundbars, yet they are all very simple in most cases. All you need to do is find the compatible ports on either device, get the appropriate cable, then test it out. That's it! With these steps in mind, using a TV remote to control your soundbar should be much simpler now.

How Do You Use A Tv Remote To Control A Soundbar?

Connect Each Device With An Optical Or HDMI Cable

In order to connect your LG Magic Remote and soundbar, you will need either an HDMI ARC cable or an optical cable. Both of these types of connections should have been provided with your soundbar by its manufacturer. Once you have obtained the right type of cable, simply plug it into your soundbar and TV, pushing in each end until you feel a click.

If you don't already have an HDMI ARC cable on hand (again make sure that is compliant with the 2.0 standard at minimum), then consider purchasing one from AmazonBasics Premium HDMI Cable, which is specifically designed for this purpose.

If you're using an optical cable, take off the plastic caps on both ends for a tighter connection. If yours has been damaged or otherwise rendered unusable, be sure to buy a replacement like the iVANKY Optical Cable Digital Audio Cable for Home Theater (on Amazon).

Turn On The Tv And Soundbar

Turning on both your TV and soundbar is easy! You can use the remotes that come with each device or the buttons located on them to get them up and running. Once you have made the connection from your soundbar to your TV via an HDMI ARC or optical connection, make sure to power up both.

With the LG Magic Remote Control, you can do this all in one go - it'll control both devices with a single press, making life simpler. So now that you have your TV and soundbar connected and ready to use, all you have to do is turn 'em on!

HDMI ARC

An HDMI ARC connection is an essential part of using a soundbar with your TV. Once the connection is established through the cable, you'll be able to listen to your TV's sound coming through the soundbar. If you don't hear anything right away, then you just need to go into your TV settings and disable the TV speaker.

This option should be labeled something like 'TV speaker', 'speaker list', or similar. On this same list, you should find an option for “HDMI Arc” or similar that will tell your TV to route the audio channel through your soundbar and not through its speakers. With HDMI ARC, connecting and controlling your LG Magic Remote with a soundbar becomes super easy.

Optical

When it comes to getting your LG Magic Remote to control your soundbar, the best option is by connecting them with an optical cable. This allows the TV to detect and use the soundbar automatically or you can use the Televisions speaker selection menu and switch it manually.

To make sure that your optical connection is being utilized properly on your soundbar, you should look for the 'Source' or 'Input' buttons using either your soundbar's remote or from the soundbar itself.

When looking at the display later, make sure that the input is selected as ‘OPTICAL’, or an abbreviated version such as ‘OPT'. Once this is done, you'll be able to enjoy full control of your soundbar from your LG Magic Remote!

Make Sound Adjustments And Optimizations

If you're using an LG Magic Remote to control your soundbar, it's important to make adjustments and optimizations to get the best sound quality.

  • Start by turning down the volume of the soundbar, using your soundbar remote.
  • Then experiment with different settings on both devices to find a range that will use your TV remote for the majority of volume control - usually between 50-80% of its maximum output.
  • Once you've found the optimal volumes for each of your devices, you can enjoy a perfectly balanced audio experience from your home theater system.

How To Use A TV Remote To Control A Soundbar?

It's easy to use your TV remote to control a soundbar. Although the steps will vary between TV manufacturers, the general process is quite straightforward.

LG

If you own an LG TV, then you know there are a few different ways to connect your soundbar to it. One of those methods can be done by using the LG Magic Remote that comes with most models. Make sure your soundbar is turned on and select the Device Selection button in order for it to detect your soundbar.

If you prefer something other than Bluetooth, then setting up either a digital optical or HDMI ARC connection under settings follows the same process as above. The output needs to be changed from Wireless to either HDMI or Optical from the drop-down menu in Sound Out.

Samsung

When it comes to connecting your Samsung TV with a soundbar, you have two options. The first is a digital optical connection and the second is an HDMI ARC connection. To set up the connection, use the respective cables and be sure to change the soundbar's source to ‘D.IN’.

If you choose the digital optical connection, then you can take advantage of Auto Power Link which only works with this type of connection. With this feature, simply hold down the left direction on your Samsung TV remote’s direction pad to activate or deactivate it. Additionally, you should also adjust your TV's audio output settings so that the soundbar will be controlled by your TV remote too!

As for the HDMI ARC connection, no extra steps are required as your soundbar’s source will automatically switch to TV ARC when connected. Then you can use Anynet+ on your Samsung TV's remote by pressing down on its right direction pad in order to activate or deactivate it!

Hitachi

Hitachi is well known for providing smart TVs at great prices and with the convenience of having Roku TV built-in. That's why connecting your soundbar to a Hitachi Roku TV is just as easy, regardless of what brand your device is.

To make sure you get the best sound quality from your setup, go to the settings menu on your TV and access the Audio Preferences. Select 'Auto (DTS)' as your 'Audio Mode' as well as Auto-Detect for S/PDIF and ARC settings.

Then, adjust the ‘System Menu’ by changing the heading to ‘CEC’. After this last step, you will be able to control your soundbar via checkboxes in the ARC (HDMI) area of the Settings Menu with no issue.

Sony

When it comes to using a TV remote to control a soundbar, Sony is one of the best. Their TVs can be connected to a soundbar through an HDMI ARC connection, an optical digital audio cable only, or with both an HDMI and optical digital audio cable.

To use your TV remote to control the soundbar, simply switch the audio output setting to ‘Audio System’ for all setups.

Vizio

If you have a VIZIO TV, you can use your remote control to control the soundbar. To do this, make a connection between your TV and the soundbar through an optical or HDMI connection.

On a VIZIO device, the port for this may be labeled ‘S/PDIF’ for an optical connection and ‘HDMI 1’ for an HDMI ARC connection. When connected through ARC, your television may detect the connection automatically after you insert the cables.

TCL

When it comes to using your TV remote to control a sound bar with a TCL TV, you want to use HDMI ARC if available. This will ensure you are able to control the soundbar as well as other connected devices and use the TCL TV remote - saving time and effort.

To ensure optimal connection performance, be sure that you’re using a high-speed HDMI cable that supports ARC and CEC control. Make sure when this is turned on, ‘System audio’ should be unselected/unchecked box by this feature, as enabling both features will cause irregularities in the audio output.

Panasonic

Panasonic TVs have the capability to connect to soundbars for controlling audio via HDMI or digital optical connections. When using an HDMI connection, users will find the HDMI2 (ARC) input located on their Panasonic TV. This makes it easy to switch between television and soundbar speakers with a single app. Type C cables are needed for this configuration.

If you opt to use a digital optical connection, the setup is very simple as well. All you need to do is connect your soundbar and television with a compatible optical cable, turn off the tv speakers in settings, and change the audio source to "Optical".

Hisense

Hisense TVs are the perfect choice when it comes to controlling your soundbar. This will enable HDMI ARC and turn off your TV speaker for optimal audio quality.

You can also get more out of your audio experience by changing the ‘Digital Audio Out’ in Advanced Settings. Select Dolby Digital Plus, and then use an optical cable to get a crystal-clear sound from your Hisense TV and soundbar combination.

Article Written & Fact Checked By

Nathan

My name is Nathan Walters and I used to be a Mystery Shopper in my previous life. I love pizza, my 3 cats and fine wines! I also have a strange yet satisfying addiction to Netflix binges :) I am the Director of Best Reviews. I'm blessed to have a team of professionals in most fields who review and test products. Feel free to send me a message using the contact page!
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