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Cannot use LG Remote - AN-MR400


rohitsoni77

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Hi,

 

EDIT: I did some additional research and it seems that MR400Q is distributed with LG Google TV models - not the classic Smart TV ones. If you have a Google TV model then it probably won't work the way I've described. I don't know anything about LG Google TV models so I don't even know if LG implemented the universal remote function in it or not.

 

I have MR400 model, but I think that besides full keyboard on the back of MR400Q model both models work in the same way.

 

The LG Magic remotes work by connecting to TV using Bluetooth. All commands except power button (which is sent using IR diode in the remote) are sent over Bluetooth. Flirc can only receive IR signals.

 

Fortunately LG has added an ability to their TVs that allows to control other devices using Magic remotes (and only Magic, standard remotes don't have this ability). The way LG implemented this function is really smart. The remote itself doesn't know anything about other devices. It is all implemented in the TV's firmware. When you are in the universal remote mode and press some button the command is still sent using Bluetooth to the TV. The TV knows that it is in universal remote mode and knows what device is selected and what IR code should be sent. It sends this info back into the Magic remote using Bluetooth and the remote blasts the IR signal using its own IR diode.

 

You need to set it up using TV input source menu. I have all the menus in my language so I don't know how exactly those menus are called in English so you need to try and guess what I mean if it's not exact name of the menu or function.

 

1. Go into Input source selection menu.

2. Press yellow button: "Universal remote setup".

3. Press "Start" on the screen and you should be presented with device type selection (there may be other screens between, just skip them).

(below points are based on my research - I've spent hours finding a device which would allow me to use as much buttons as the remote allows - this is based on the MR400 model which doesn't have many buttons to begin with - you can use this config if you don't have home cinema or soundbar or some other device from LG besides TV)

4. Select Home Cinema.

5. Select Input on which you have your computer with Flirc connected (like HDMI1 etc).

6. Select LG.

7. Select Remote model 1.

8. Finish the setup.

 

If you have some other LG hardware (like soundbar or some other speaker system or home cinema) then you probably need to select other device type or manufacturer. I didn't have much success with other device types than Home cinema so my best bet is to still use Home cinema and just select different manufacturer or remote model. I actually have LG Soundbar but fortunately the keys I have on the Magic remote didn't interfere with Soundbar much.

 

The Magic remote will automatically switch modes depending on which input is your TV. When it's on inputs other than the one you have your computer on it will act like a normal TV remote. But when you switch to the input you configured the universal remote on then it will start sending IR signals for some keys (depending on device selected during setup). In addition to physical buttons on the remote you also have an on screen remote where you can press additional buttons not available on the remote itself. Because the way this whole function works (I've described it in the beginning of this post) by pressing the button on on screen remote the remote still sends proper IR signal.

 

Now there are some restrictions with this mode:

- For universal remote mode to be active the TV must be turned on and correct input must be selected.

- Physical power button on the remote always sends the power on/off command to the TV itself - if you want to send a power on/off command to the Flirc then you need to use on screen remote when in universal remote mode. The TV also gives you the ability to send Power On command when you switch to the input you have your remote configured on and there is no signal. The dialog will pop up with Power On button on it. When you press it, the remote will send proper IR power on signal.

- Some keys are always mapped to the TV itself and you can't use them with other devices. On my MR400 those are buttons are: Smart, 3D, [1][2][3]/Q.MENU (this button activates on screen remote), Mute and Volume buttons. Those are always invoking actions directly on the TV. Of course MR400Q has more buttons so I can't tell you how it will behave.

- The scroll doesn't work in universal remote mode - at least I couldn't find a device which maps it somehow.

- The gesture control does nothing for the universal remote. When you activate gesture control the cursor on the TV appears and you are back in TV remote mode - it goes back to universal remote mode when the cursor disappears.

 

I don't know how will the keyboard part of the remote behave but I suspect that it won't work in universal remote mode or it will invoke functions directly in the TV.

 

If you have some additional questions then don't hesitate to ask. I'll try to answer then the best I can.

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If LG Google TV doesn't support universal remote mode with MR400Q then I don't think you can do anything for this remote to work with Flirc. Also I think that LG is using some proprietary Bluetooth profile/protocol for its Magic remotes so there is probably no chance to use the remote with Bluetooth dongles unless someone write a driver for it (I couldn't find any).

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  • 1 year later...

yawor you say the lg magic remote uses IR for turning on the TV, and bluetooth for other functions, do know if the an-mr600 uses bluetooth version 3.0 or 4.0? 4.0 is better as it has less radiation and it is in idle state often. 

My LG TV the LF652V specs say the TV has BT v4.0 built in (which is also weird as it has lgsbw41 built in just like the older models LB650V with v3.0) but an-mr600 also works with older version 3.0 cause amazon recommends LG Wi-Fi Dongle for TVs without builtin bluetooth and this dongle is only v3.0. Thanks

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I guess you are right. Philips and Sony remotes use BLE as far as i know, so I thought LG might too. LG doesnt even have bluetooth setting in the menu to turn it off.

You think it is always on amd "searching" for remote? 

If the magic remote is not BT LE it is always  on and consuming batteries and that sucks

Edited by satanas1
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It's really hard to tell. I think that there's some power management built in so the remote suspends if not used. Also the remote uses 2-way communication (AFAIK LE stuff is mainly for one way communication), because the universal remote functionality is a feature of the TV with MR remote only acting as IR blaster. So every time you use universal remote option and press key on the remote, the key is first transmitted to TV over bluetooth, then TV sends back information about IR code to be sent and MR remote blasts the IR signal.

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