Today, HDMI is regularly used to efficiently connect each element in a home theater system. Blu-ray players, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players and A/V media players, A/V receivers and soundbars, 4K-UHD TVs, OLED televisions, QLED TVs, and even projectors and 4K Ultra HD projectors all benefit from the advantages of HDMI. With an HDMI cable, it is possible to stream HD and Ultra HD 4K video as well multi-channel sound in a completely digital format and in optimal quality.
HDMI CEC: control your home theater system
We often forget that the HDMI standard also integrates a control and communication protocol that allows different devices to “communicate” with one another. Named CEC (Consumer Electronic Control), it allows you to “wake up” the entire home theater system simply by activating one device using your remote control. HDMI CEC technology can also convey orders sent from a remote control between different devices that are connected to one another via HDMI cables. Therefore, you can control the key functions of a Blu-ray player, soundbar and TV with one remote control. For it to be operational, you simply have to activate the HDMI CEC function in the settings menu of each of these devices.
In practice, simply pressing your UHD 4K Blu-ray player’s “play” button plays the movie, controls the startup of your TV which switches to the correct input by adjusting the image so that it is in the right format. The TV can sometimes turn on your A/V receiver, which automatically switches to the correct source.
HDMI CEC: different trade names
HDMI CEC control technology is now integrated in the majority of devices from leading brands. It can be found in Blu-ray players and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players, Blu-ray recorders, A/V media players, A/V receivers, compact home theater systems, soundbars, 4K Ultra HD, OLED and QLED TVs.
Note that this technology has a different name depending on the manufacturer:
- Viera Link (HDAVI Control) at Panasonic
- Bravia Sync at Sony
- AnyNet+ at Samsung
- Simplink at LG
- EasyLink at Philips
- T-Link at TCL
Generally, HDMI CEC compatibility between devices from the same brand is ensured. With equipment from different brands, simultaneous activation and deactivation of connected devices is usually covered, along with volume control. More advanced functions aren’t always viable.
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