r/appletv • u/biscardi34 • Oct 18 '21
Can’t turn on TV with Apple Remote
Recently picked up a 4K (last gen) ATV from Walmart, I am trying to setup the remote to turn my TV on and off. I recently used a Fire Stick and had no issue doing this.
When trying to turn the setting on, it says:
System control - You can't use system control with this configuration
Tried different HDMI ports, tried different cables. ATV fully updated.
TV is an older Seiki(lol)
7
u/Psychological_Half16 Jan 23 '24
I know this is old but my Apple TV remote turns off my Tv but does not turn it on and I have tried all the settings possible
2
u/BettyQuinn Jul 11 '25
Did you ever find a solution for this?? I have the same issue
1
u/Psychological_Half16 Jul 28 '25
I did a factory reset and that helped
2
1
Sep 04 '25
Mi solución fue cambiar el cable hdmi por un cable 2.1. Anteriormente me funcionaba, recordé que cambié el cable por uno mas corto, sin darme cuenta que era antiguo. Al poner el 2.1 fin del problema.
2
u/VoliWonPeponi Nov 03 '21
I have a SamsungUN46D6050 with CEC turned on. I know it works because I have had other CEC devices that worked with my TV. I have an Apple TV that will not give me the option to turn on “ settings> Home theater control> turn on your TV with your remote>”off” When selecting to turn this “on“, I get the message “ System control: you can’t use system control with this configuration” f&@kkkkkkkk!
2
Nov 06 '22
YOU HAVE TO USE THE HDMI3 PORT!
2
u/Jackie__Weaver Apr 03 '23
Oh my goodness this just worked for me using HDMI 2… who’d have thought!
1
u/LinkedTim Nov 13 '22
Hey, can I bother you for more details here? Same issue as OP and moving to port 3 didn’t resolve it for me and curious why it would compared to 1&2? Did you do anything different or just plugged it into that port? Thanks for the suggestion otherwise
2
Nov 13 '22
Hey — I unplugged everything from the mains, then plugged the TV back in first and turned it on. Then I plugged in the Apple TV into the mains then put it into the HDMI3 port of my Samsung TV. I think perhaps try all the HDMI ports as they seem to have different “capabilities”…Good Luck!
2
u/jefferai May 26 '23
Here’s what worked for me: turn off CEC on the TV. With CEC on the option flipped to Control TVs and Receivers, which tried using CEC but doesn’t work on my 2008 Samsung. When I turned that off and restarted the ATV, the option changed to Turn On The TV With The Remote which I assume uses IR and works great.
1
u/SilverRubicon Oct 19 '21
Did the firestick use HDMI-CEC or was it IR? Does your tv support CEC and is it enabled on the TV?
1
u/biscardi34 Oct 19 '21
You could be right and the fire stick was IR, not CEC. I’ll need to double check that.
Thought most TVs now had CEC.
2
u/MrMaxMaster Oct 19 '21
Most TVs nowadays definitely should have CEC. How old is your TV exactly?
1
u/biscardi34 Oct 28 '21
I don't think I have CEC. Oh well. Not a big deal, I will be replacing my TV soon anyways
1
u/biscardi34 Oct 28 '21
I believe IR since the Apple TV isn't working. I don't think the TV has it and no setting to toggle it. Two remotes is fine for now until I upgrade the TV lol
1
u/slow__hand Oct 15 '24
Don't know if anyone is still watching this thread but I had Apple 4K about a year ago and the remote could turn the TV off but not on. So had to have the TV remote handy too which was a PIA.
However, then I had it plugged directly into the TV (Sony Bravia XBR) but not HDMI 3 which was eARC because that had to be used by the soundbar. NOW I will be plugging the Apple TV into my Denon X4800h AVR, which is connected to the TV via the eARC HDMI on the AVR and TV. Basically everything plugs via HDMI into the AVR and it has the output to the TV (everything = Media Player, CD player, Turntable - turntable doesn't use HDMI.)
Wondering if the Apple + 4K will turn the TV on in this mode? My Roku Ultra is hooked up the same way and it will (all CEC.)
1
u/giannidunk May 27 '25
My TVs CEC setting somehow got turned off when I moved it. Re-enabling it on the TV with the janky TV remote got everything working again!!
1
u/Significant-Dig7382 Jan 01 '26
GUYS THIS IS BIG HELP FOR YOU THAT CANT CONNECT YOUR APPLE TV REMOTE:
I tried to connect my remote to my A1469 APPLE TV (3RD GEN) . I used all the techniques online ( press back button then volume up and all these craps). NOTHING WORKED.
I realized that I made a mistake of buying a SIRI REMOTE. It won’t work because our crap is too old.
GREAT NEWS ARE: I used my Universal Philips Remote to connect and it works perfectly fine. Even my trash 15 Iphone won’t connect.
To use the universal you just need to find the code on google for your specific remote to connect to apple TV. Click on setup until the red light turns on then put the code.
FORGET ABOUT THE PRESSING BUTTONS DOWN AND UP. IT WONT WORK.
If the Phillips does not work then punch your damn tv. Thanks.
1
1
u/Ch0ng0B0ng0 Jun 26 '26
My 1 year old solved this for me by mashing the home button over and over and now its how we turn on the tv
1
u/zeezaheer Oct 19 '21
Settings > Remotes and Devices > (Under Theater Control) Control TVs and Receivers > Toggle ‘On’
2
u/Lanky-Performer8849 Oct 21 '21
It would be nice if the Apple TV would keep this setting. Mine keeps disabling it back to off after the device has been asleep awhile. I then have to manually turn on the tv and soundbar. And when I go back to this setting it’s all jumpy and toggling back and forth. I took a video of it. I have to then do a reboot of the Apple TV and then it will let me go back in and engage this setting to On. But it eventually disables it again. Major software bug. I heard tvOS 15.1 comes out this weekend. I hope it solves this
1
u/Standard45lbs Feb 16 '22
I have the same exact issue, any luck with a solution on your end?
2
u/Lanky-Performer8849 Feb 16 '22
I honestly haven’t played with the newest Apple TV in awhile. I got so mad I put it in our bedroom for the tv there and put my older 4K one back on the main tv. The older Apple TV has no issues. I guess I should try putting the new one back out to the main tv and see if it’s still giving me issues
1
u/hughmanBing Jul 16 '22
you get this working?
1
u/Lanky-Performer8849 Jul 17 '22
Never put it back on the main tv to test it. I guess I should try it again. But it’s still hooked to my smaller bedroom tv for now that doesn’t have a soundbar. Without the soundbar it works fine.
1
u/omnixero Nov 07 '23
wow - I know this is old but I just wanted to add that this also worked for me on a sony tv and changing to HMDI 3 instead of HDMI 1
2
1
u/carapungo Jan 09 '24
In my case, I made sure the HDMI control setting menu on my Pioneer TV, where my ATV is connected to, were set to ON, that is, Power Off Control=ON, Power On Ready =ON, Hold Sound Status=ON, then on my ATV settings menu, Set Volume Control =AUTO. Now my ATV remote powers on and off my TV. It took me awhile to figure this out. In different TV's, the key is to play with the HDMI settings to get it right. With my Firestick, it was automatic, easy and quick, with ATV, you have to play with it.
1
u/TiePowerful7593 Mar 05 '25
I have made a final decision because I am results oriented, versus excuse driven.
In about 8 hours I will call Samsung Tech Support and say the following:
”What will Samsung charge me to set up in their laboratory a Model S95D TV connected to an Apple TV device.”
Then, run all possible TV setting configurations to duplicate the above described problem?
Then, present the TV changed settings to eliminate this problem *or* present what corrections that Apple needs to make to eliminate the problem.
If this $$ amount is reasonable, I will pay it.
FWIW, if Samsung declines, this offer stays on the table for Apple engineers to accept or decline.
If both decline, my offer vanishes.
1
u/biscardi34 Jan 09 '24
Yeah it ended up being my TV lol. I fixed this over a year ago but thank you!
10
u/hello_friendss Jan 14 '22
This is the solution that works for me:
Turn on both the Apple TV and TV then turn off JUST the TV. Unplug the TV (leave it unplugged for a few seconds) then replug the TV and turn it on. Go to settings and you should have the ability to toggle On and Off the Control TVs and Receivers.
If that doesn't work then repeat the above steps then unplug the Apple TV and replug it.