Wiim Amp Ultra - HDMI ARC volume display question
- Thread starter Barnaby
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Yes it will.
Yes, it will. I never experienced the volume display to be slow in any way. At least it's quite instant with my Samsung TV and the WiiM Ultra.
Unfortunately, the (13 years old) TV in my other setup with the WiiM Amp Ultra doesn't implement CEC correctly, so volume control through the TV remote doesn't work.
Unfortunately, the (13 years old) TV in my other setup with the WiiM Amp Ultra doesn't implement CEC correctly, so volume control through the TV remote doesn't work.
I experience no volume control slowness. Our Philips tv is only a couple of years old though.
My television is an LG OLED65B8PLA from some years ago.
Using the LG remote control, as well as the remote of the Fire TV Stick 4K connected to the television, volume adjustment is painfully slow.
Moreover, when holding down the volume button (either up or down), the corresponding commands are buffered and then released slowly but inexorably, with no way to stop the buffer from being emptied.
A web search produced the following result: the CEC protocol uses a single-wire serial bus with very low bandwidth, and therefore the type of behavior I have observed is quite common.
That's all.
Using the LG remote control, as well as the remote of the Fire TV Stick 4K connected to the television, volume adjustment is painfully slow.
Moreover, when holding down the volume button (either up or down), the corresponding commands are buffered and then released slowly but inexorably, with no way to stop the buffer from being emptied.
A web search produced the following result: the CEC protocol uses a single-wire serial bus with very low bandwidth, and therefore the type of behavior I have observed is quite common.
That's all.
So, you're not refering to the display of the volume change being slow on the touchscreen display, but the volume change itself being slow.
Yes, I've heard of this. But I cannot confirm it using the WiiM Ultra with a Samsung QE55Q60BAUXXN.
Yes, I've heard of this. But I cannot confirm it using the WiiM Ultra with a Samsung QE55Q60BAUXXN.
PaintItBlack
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It works without problem in my LG G5, volume goes up and down just OK. The issue with my TV is that it switches to the WAU even if the WAU is in stand-by (not getting sound then) so I'm forced to either keep the WAU switched off or change the TV settings (from internal speaker to HDMI ARC) whenever I want to use the WAU as sound output. I think the WAU should completely turn off HDMI ARC and USB audio out in stand-by mode.
I still assume that the vast majority of owners will use their WiiM Amp Ultra (or any other HDMI equipped device for that matter) just like they would use a soundbar. It switches on with the TV automatically and switches off after the TV is switched off. In this use case the WiiM implementation has been as good as it gets with HDMI ARC/CEC.
I acknowledge (and fully accept, even if I don't understand it) that some prefer to use the TV's built-in speakers occasionally and want easy control over this behaviour. I also acknowledge that in theory HDMI CEC should provide all the necessary settings to enable this desired behaviour.
The plain fact that WiiM took so long to drive deeper into this aspect (and that there is a new beta firmware for the WiiM Ultra) proves that it's much harder to do in reality. I sincerely hope that these efforts will culminate into a solution that suites both camps. Until then I'm happy that WiiM put some emphasis on not breaking it for the majority of users.
@Barnaby (Tom or John?
): What does this all mean for you?The exact thing you have asked for is possible. The TV remote will control the volume setting of the WiiM Amp Ultra just fine. Precondition: Your TV's HDMI CEC implementation must not be fully broken. Some old (>= 10 years) and cheap TVs fall into this category.
Some (but few) TVs won't play nicely with each and every amplifier offering an HDMI ARC input. This isn't a WiiM issue, each brand is affected in one combination or the other. The HDMI ARC/CEC standard is specified rather poorly. If you want to be on the safe side,.post the exact model number of your TV and ask for first hand experience from the community. We are talking about exceptions here, but that doesn't help those who are affected.
To make matters worse, there are quite a number of different settings regarding HDMI ARC and CEC and audio output in general, which might or might not be present with specific TVs. The default values might be different, even the jargon for CEC terminology is different across manufacturers. Just because HDMI ARC doesn't work straight away doesn't mean it cannot be made to work.
If all this sounds way to negative, don't get bothered to much. In most cases it just works instantly or with very few tweaks to the TV settings.
Last edited:
hgo58
Major Contributor
Please try the current HDMI Beta Testing firmware. I would expect it to solve your HDMI problem.
hgo58
Major Contributor
We are some that only use the WiiM for TV sound in some cases, like movies.I still assume that the vast majority of owners will use their WiiM Amp Ultra (or any other HDMI equipped device for that matter) just like they would use a soundbar. It switches on with the TV automatically and switches off after the TV is switched off. In this use case the WiiM implementation has been as good as it gets with HDMI ARC/CEC.
I acknowledge (and fully accept, even if I don't understand it) that some prefer to use the TV's built-in speakers occasionally and want easy control over this behaviour. I also acknowledge that in theory HDMI CEC should provide all the necessary settings to enable this desires behaviour.
The plain fact that WiiM took so long to drive deeper into this aspect (and that there is a new beta firmware for the WiiM Ultra) proves that it's much harder to do in reality. I sincerely hope that these efforts will culminate into a solution that suites both camps. Until then I'm happy that WiiM put some emphasis on not breaking it for the majority of users.
@Barnaby (Tom or John?
The exact thing you have asked for is possible. The TV remote will control the volume setting of the WiiM Amp Ultra just fine. Precondition: Your TV's HDMI CEC implementation must not be fully broken. Some old (>= 10 years) and cheap TVs fall into this category.
Some (but few) TVs won't play nicely with each and every amplifier offering an HDMI ARC input. This isn't a WiiM issue, each brand is affected in one combination or the other. The HDMI ARC/CEC standard is specified rather poorly. If.you want to be on the safe side,.post the exact model number of your TV and ask for first hand experience from the community. We are talking about exceptions here, but that doesn't help those who are affected.
To make matters worse, there are quite a number of different settings regarding HDMI ARC and CEC and audio output in general, which might or might not be present with specific TVs. The default values might be different, even the naming conventions are not the same across manufacturers. Just because HDMI ARC doesn't work straight away doesn't mean it cannot be made to work.
If all this sounds way to negative, don't get bothered to much. In most cases it just works instantly or with very few tweaks to the TV settings.
The latest Ultra Beta Testing firmware is solving the issue with HDMI CEC handling for me and I think it will solve the general issues, both for those that uses the WiiM as a soundbar and those that want more control.
0 issues here. I'm using the WiiM Ultra with a Bravia 8. Volume changes on the tv will be directly reflected on the WiiM's display. Not sure if this is the case with all TV's, but mine shows the volume in values from 0 to 100 so it perfectly matches those values shown by the WiiM.
PaintItBlack
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Like @hgo58 I ony use the stereo for movies and some series, but I'm OK if I have to switch off the WAU. As you said, if the protocol is not well defined is very difficult to cover all the possibilities. Even though, I still think that the stand-by mode should be more a deep sleep mode switching off the USB out as it also keeps always powered my external DAC. Again. the solution is as easy as completely switch off the WAU so I don't complain. My TV is the LG G5 of 2025 (OLED55G56LS).I still assume that the vast majority of owners will use their WiiM Amp Ultra (or any other HDMI equipped device for that matter) just like they would use a soundbar. It switches on with the TV automatically and switches off after the TV is switched off. In this use case the WiiM implementation has been as good as it gets with HDMI ARC/CEC.
I acknowledge (and fully accept, even if I don't understand it) that some prefer to use the TV's built-in speakers occasionally and want easy control over this behaviour. I also acknowledge that in theory HDMI CEC should provide all the necessary settings to enable this desires behaviour.
The plain fact that WiiM took so long to drive deeper into this aspect (and that there is a new beta firmware for the WiiM Ultra) proves that it's much harder to do in reality. I sincerely hope that these efforts will culminate into a solution that suites both camps. Until then I'm happy that WiiM put some emphasis on not breaking it for the majority of users.
@Barnaby (Tom or John?
The exact thing you have asked for is possible. The TV remote will control the volume setting of the WiiM Amp Ultra just fine. Precondition: Your TV's HDMI CEC implementation must not be fully broken. Some old (>= 10 years) and cheap TVs fall into this category.
Some (but few) TVs won't play nicely with each and every amplifier offering an HDMI ARC input. This isn't a WiiM issue, each brand is affected in one combination or the other. The HDMI ARC/CEC standard is specified rather poorly. If.you want to be on the safe side,.post the exact model number of your TV and ask for first hand experience from the community. We are talking about exceptions here, but that doesn't help those who are affected.
To make matters worse, there are quite a number of different settings regarding HDMI ARC and CEC and audio output in general, which might or might not be present with specific TVs. The default values might be different, even the naming conventions are not the same across manufacturers. Just because HDMI ARC doesn't work straight away doesn't mean it cannot be made to work.
If all this sounds way to negative, don't get bothered to much. In most cases it just works instantly or with very few tweaks to the TV settings.
PaintItBlack
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I will try that firmware. Thanks for the tip.
hgo58
Major Contributor
It will most probably solve your HDMI issue.
Check both HDMI options on the input settings.
I should give it a try, too. Mainly to make sure the beta works just as well for my use case.
hgo58
Major Contributor
I should give it a try, too. Mainly to make sure the beta works just as well for my use case.
Please refer to the thread 'Beta Testing: HDMI ARC Enhancements' https://forum.wiimhome.com/threads/beta-testing-hdmi-arc-enhancements.8898/
WAU does not have beta firmware. Only Ultra.
PaintItBlack
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Thanks again, we will have to wait a bit longer.
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