What Is HDMI-CEC? How to Enable HDMI-CEC on Your Devices?

What Is HDMI-CEC?

What is HDMI-CEC? HDMI is an audio/video interface used to transfer data from a source device to a display. HDMI-CEC is an optional feature on many HDMI-compatible devices that allows you to control multiple HDMI devices from a single remote control, such as a TV remote. The CEC in HDMI-CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control.

HDMI-CEC can greatly simplify your home theater system. HDMI-CEC provides most of the core features you’ll find on any remote. Power, playback, audio, and menu selection information can all be transmitted via HDMI CEC. No more switching between remotes. No more switching between devices on the universal remote.

How Does HDMI-CEC Work?

HDMI-CEC uses any of your device’s remotes to control your entire system. For example, if you are using a TV remote to control a DVD player, the remote communicates with the TV to send the CEC signal to the DVD player via the HDMI cable.

No matter which remote you use, there is a corresponding device to effectively control the other devices it is connected to. They can even control the device during sleep and when the HDMI circuit is disabled or when the device is completely powered down. This is because, although CEC is integrated into the HDMI cable, it is a separate electrical signal from other HDMI controls.

Advantages and Disadvantages of HDMI-CEC

Advantages of HDMI-CEC

• Use the TV remote to control certain functions of devices connected to the TV via HDMI, reducing the need for a universal remote.
• The same HDMI cable that connects the audio and video components can be used as a conduit to control these devices.

Disadvantages of HDMI-CEC

• Not all HDMI-equipped devices must include CEC functionality.
• On devices that include HDMI-CEC, feature access is not always consistent when using mixed-brand components.
• Not as comprehensive as using the remote or universal remote that came with the device.
• In some cases, HDMI-CEC must be activated for HDMI-ARC to also work.
• Sometimes HDMI-CEC will activate or deactivate the device when you don’t want it.

Generic name for HDMI-CEC

Another problem that makes HDMI-CEC tricky is that most hardware manufacturers use their names. You won’t see an option called HDMI-CEC on every TV, so more searching is required.

Here is a list of the names many TV manufacturers use for HDMI-CEC:

• Anthem: CEC Control
• Denon: CEC or HDMI Control
• Funai, Emerson, Magnavox, Sylvania, and some Philips: Fun-Link
• Hitachi: HDMI-CEC
• Insignia: InLink
• LG: SimpLink
• Mitsubishi: NetCommand
• Onkyo: RIHD
• Panasonic: Viera Link, HDAVI Control, EZ-Sync
• Philips: EasyLink
• Pioneer: Kuro Link
• Samsung: Anynet, Anynet+
• Sharp: Aquos Link
• Sony: Bravia Sync, Bravia Link
• Toshiba: Regza Link, CE-Link
• Vizio: CEC

How to Enable HDMI-CEC on Your Devices?

The following are steps for enabling HDMI-CEC on different devices.

LG – With LG TV’s, click the home button and go to Settings. Select Sound and then Sound Settings. From here turn ARC Mode to the ON position and turn the TV Speaker to OFF.

Vizio – From the menu, select System. Then select CEC. Where it says CEC Function select Enable, and where it says System Audio Control selects On. From here, select the Device Discovery option and wait for your TV to discover the other devices you’ve connected.

Sony – From the Home menu, go to Settings, then System Settings. From here, select Set Up, then AV Set Up. Make sure the Speakers setting is set to Audio Out. Click back to go to the Set Up menu again then click BRAVIA Sync. From here, select BRAVIA Sync Device List.

TCL w/Roku – From the Home menu, select Settings, then System. Select Control Other Devices (CEC) and enable both HDMI ARC and System Audio Control.

Samsung – From the Menu select System and then turn Anynet+ to the ON position.

Final Words

Here is all the information about HDMI-CEC. I hope that this post can be helpful to you.