“Lightbulb” volume slider not working, but Apple remote volume works normally

[TheNastyness]

Everything has been working great now that the new version of the plug-in has been released, except for my lightbulb volume slider in Home.app. Volume works fine with the Apple remote but not from the “brightness” slider. I can mute the TV from the slider, and when I adjust volume with the slider the TV will display the current volume, almost as if the slider is simply querying the TV and saying “display the current volume”. I’m working on an XBR-65X850D (2016). Physical setup is a soundbar connected via ARC to the appropriate HDMI 4 port, and TV configured to control the soundbar using CEC. I seem to remember reading somewhere that when using various HB tv plugins such as some of the LG ones, that these lightbulb volume sliders in the home app don’t work with sound output over ARC, so I was curious if this is just a limitation?

[TheNastyness]

Figuring you'd probably ask, here is what the log looks like when I try to change volume with the slider:

[10/3/2021, 12:43:16 PM] [BraviaTVOS] Living Room TV Speaker: Volume: 31 (speaker) [10/3/2021, 12:43:16 PM] [BraviaTVOS] Living Room TV Speaker: Mute OFF [10/3/2021, 12:43:17 PM] [BraviaTVOS] Living Room TV Speaker: Volume: 35 (speaker) [10/3/2021, 12:43:17 PM] [BraviaTVOS] Living Room TV Speaker: Mute OFF [10/3/2021, 12:43:17 PM] [BraviaTVOS] Living Room TV Speaker: Volume: 37 (speaker) [10/3/2021, 12:43:20 PM] [BraviaTVOS] [DEBUG] Living Room TV: Polling API... [10/3/2021, 12:43:20 PM] [BraviaTVOS] [DEBUG] Living Room TV: {"id":1,"turnedOff":null,"result":[{"uri":false,"source":"application","title":"Application"}]} [10/3/2021, 12:43:20 PM] [BraviaTVOS] [DEBUG] Living Room TV Speaker: {"result":[[{"target":"speaker","volume":37,"mute":false,"maxVolume":100,"minVolume":0},{"target":"headphone","volume":15,"mute":false,"maxVolume":100,"minVolume":0}]],"id":1,"turnedOff":null} [10/3/2021, 12:43:30 PM] [BraviaTVOS] [DEBUG] Living Room TV: Polling API... [10/3/2021, 12:43:30 PM] [BraviaTVOS] [DEBUG] Living Room TV: {"id":1,"turnedOff":null,"result":[{"uri":false,"source":"application","title":"Application"}]}

[seydx]

I did not understand exactly what the problem is. Can't you change the volume properly? Or is the display wrong?

Log shows nothing out of the ordinary

[TheNastyness]

While using the Home app, I can’t adjust the TV volume using the volume slider (lightbulb).

While using the Apple Remote in control center, volume control works properly.

When I try to increase or decrease through the Home app, the on-screen volume of the TV pops up, almost as if I a command was sent to the TV that instructed the TV to display the current volume. If I took a video and posted it here would that help you?

[seydx]

Ah i understand. Can u post your config pls

[TheNastyness]

{ "name": "BraviaTVOS", "platform": "BraviaOSPlatform", "debug": true, "warn": true, "error": true, "extendedError": true, "tvs": [ { "active": true, "name": "Living Room TV", "ip": "192.168.1.xxx", "port": 80, "appName": "@seydx/bravia", "manufacturer": "Sony", "model": "Bravia", "serialNumber": "00000000", "refreshInputs": false, "wol": false, "oldModel": false, "polling": 10, "sheduledRefresh": 12, "inputs": [ { "name": "Xbox", "identifier": "HDMI 2", "source": "hdmi" } ], "apps": [ { "name": "Netflix", "identifier": "Netflix" }, { "name": "Disney+", "identifier": "Disney+" }, { "name": "HBO Max", "identifier": "HBO Max" }, { "name": "Prime Video", "identifier": "Prime Video" }, { "name": "SlingTV", "identifier": "Sling TV" } ], "displayOrder": [ "apps", "inputs", "channels" ], "speaker": { "active": true, "output": "speaker", "increaseBy": 1, "reduceBy": 1, "accType": "lightbulb" }, "channels": [], "commands": [], "macros": [], "remote": [] } ] }

[seydx]

Can u change speaker output to "headphone" pls and try again

[TheNastyness]

So if I change to the audio setting for "Speakers" to 'TV Speakers', the lightbulb volume slider works fine! But the minute I change it back to "Audio System', the volume slider doesn't work.

Again my setup is a soundbar connected to HDMI 4 which is my ARC port.

[seydx]

I also have a soundbar connected (HDMI 3/ARC) and in config.json at speaker "output": "other" and it works without problems

[TheNastyness]

To clarify, when you asked me to change the output to headphones, I went into the Tv settings menu and made my adjustments there. We’re you actually asking me to edit my config.json? Because I didn’t do that since I thought you were asking me to adjust my TV settings.

Do you want me to change my config.json setting for speaker to "output": "other" and test?

I still don’t understand why the Apple TV Remote app can adjust the volume just fine but the lightbulb volume slider in the Home app does not work? I don’t understand why one would work but not the other?

[TheNastyness]

Okay I went into the plugin and edited the Audio Output settings. I tried both the "headphone" and "other" options and this did not resolve the issue. I tested both the lightbulb slider in the Home app as well as the Apple TV Remote app, and adjusting the volume using the Apple TV Remote app works perfectly for each option "speaker", "headphone", and "other".

Is there anything else I can provide that can help you?

[seydx]

The Apple TV Remote widget does not use the TV API. Instead, it uses the IRCC command to increase (by +1) or decrease (by +1) the volume. The speaker in HomeKit uses the API to increase/decrease the volume to the target value

It seems that your TV can't handle it because it's connected via HDMI/ARC, which is strange because my sound system, which is also connected via HDMI/ARC, works without any problems. I think it must be related to the settings of your TV

[TheNastyness]

I appreciate you looking into it. I will take another look at my TV settings and get back to you this weekend. I think I have all of the appropriate settings turned on but it can't hurt to look again. I have an A8H in another room and everything is working just fine on that model (which also happens to have native HomeKit) and that TV has a Marantz receiver with a 7.2.4 speaker configuration. Controlling the volume with the lightbulb slider on that TV adjusts the volume of my Marantz receiver just fine. I believe both TV's have identical settings so this whole thing is very strange.

[dantchapman]

I have the same issue with my bravia tv (can change volume with apple remote, but not with the "brightness" slider), did you find a fix? If I disconnect the arc speakers, I can control the tv internal speakers.

[RealNd]

I have the same problem

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/106221187/174227307-ac274322-7d28-4bcd-937a-fd7879477e96.MOV

если кому интересно, это происходит из-за подключение к телевизору аудиосистемы по arc (в моем случае ht-st5000)

решил это отключением управления звука в этом плагине и установкой дополнительного плагина Sony-audio-control

все работает.

[TheNastyness]

I never found a solution. I see the comments by the other two users above me with the exact same issue. Every few months when I had some free time, I tried a few things to see if I could get it to work. I can't tell you how many times I deleted and re-added the TV trying to get it to work over the last year! I gave up and ended up just turning off the "speaker" in the config. Volume control still works properly using the Apple TV Remote in Control Center. My best guess at this point is that the root of the issue is the age of my TV, which is an XBR-65X850D (2016 model). I also have a brand new Sony OLED and both volume controls work properly, so my best guess is my older 2016 model just doesn't play nice with the light bulb slider in the Home app. I'm hoping that eventually Apple will update the Home app to include TV controls within the Home app itself, instead of having to navigate to Control Center to use the Apple TV Remote.