CEC/ Control with HDMI-Useful?

[jhansman]

Just got a new AV receiver with this feature http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#CEC, and I'm now shopping TVs and BR players. Do any of you use the functionality this feature? Each manufacturer has their pet name for it, but don't seem to add it to all their components, and none can seem to say whether their product will use it effectively with another maker's. I'm just trying to decide if I should include it in my criteria for buying. TIA.

 

[Aikouka]

I have HDMI CEC and Control enabled, but I never really use CEC at all. CEC will allow me to do things like use my TV's remote to adjust the volume on my receiver, but I'd rather just use my receiver's remote and ignore the TV's remote. 😛

HDMI Control is nice though. I turn my TV on and my AVR automatically turns on. If I turn my TV off, my AVR automatically turns off. There are settings that I can change to adjust how this works. An example is how my AVR will not turn off if I'm on a source that does not have video (e.g. Internet radio).

 

[jhansman]

The one aspect of it that seems useful to me is the receiver's ability to pass through while in standby. As I understand it, this allows you to use your TV's speakers for audio if you prefer (which I often do) instead of external speakers. Right now I have an old Sony WEGA flatscreen tube TV that has good sound. When it eventually gets replaced, I'd like to be able to retain that function in the new TV. If the HDMI connection provides this option (through the Audio Return Channel-ARC), that would be cool. I have some massive Polk tower speakers in my living room that just are not suitable for TV viewing, but are fine for DVD playback.

The power control feature seems convenient as well. My AVR is a Pioneer, who does not make a TV, so finding a compatible display that supports all these features may be a bit tricky. And, speaking of remotes, I just got a Logitech Harmony 300 for the bedroom that works great; there is nothing among the four devices it's programmed for it I can't easily control. When I finally make the jump to 21st century technology in the living room, I'm hoping the Harmony will do what the dedicated remotes for the components can.

 

[Modelworks]

CEC is something they added to the spec because they could and it wouldn't really cost anything to add. It never really took off though and remains a poorly implemented feature for most equipment if it is supported at all.

 

[KentState]

All of my new equipment (receiver, tv, blu-ray) have it, but I don't bother. I much prefer to use my Harmony remote which can directly control the devices.

 

[jhansman]

CEC is something they added to the spec because they could and it wouldn't really cost anything to add. It never really took off though and remains a poorly implemented feature for most equipment if it is supported at all.

This is what I sort of suspected when I first read about it. It sounds like a bell-and-whistles thing that manuf. would trumpet if it helped boost sales. As it is, Pioneer's description of it, while detailed, is buried in the user manual for their AVRs. My guess is that unless you buy components from the same maker, the only way you'd know if one company's AVR would be CEC compatible with another's BR player or TV is to get them home and hooked up. Sigh...

 

[KentState]

This is what I sort of suspected when I first read about it. It sounds like a bell-and-whistles thing that manuf. would trumpet if it helped boost sales. As it is, Pioneer's description of it, while detailed, is buried in the user manual for their AVRs. My guess is that unless you buy components from the same maker, the only way you'd know if one company's AVR would be CEC compatible with another's BR player or TV is to get them home and hooked up. Sigh...

They should be universally compatible and since the commands are rather basic, I don't see how things wouldn't work unless a manufacturer did not implement them correctly.