CEC can wreak havoc on a control system. You may tell equipment to power on or off or switch to certain inputs, and then have the equipment do something else. I see no problem using an audio balun when necessary.

So what did you end up using ?

I would be interested in knowing what else is being recommended for applications like this.

Channel Master DVR+ is available up here, I have one in my system.
Business in Mississauga sells a lot of them (and ships to just about anywhere)
TDL Canada I am pretty sure has them too.

To add to what I said, I was onsite today doing a few last tasks on a job, which included adding a BDP to a system and updating a remote. I had forgotten to turn CEC off on the TV. The damned thing kept turning on after I issued the off macro that powered EVERYTHING off. Still, the TV kept turning on, until I turned CEC off. It was a Samsung 75" 4K TV.

Ernie,

This was one of those jobs where the equipment changed before we even decided what the equipment was. It started as:

Customer: "Hey, can you install a music system?"

Me: Enter Casatunes.

Customer: "Oh, and can you wall mount a TV in the living room?"

Me: "Sure I can. What are you planning to watch on the TV?"

Customer: "Oh, just cable."

Here I made a major mistake ASSuming he meant a cable box, where he really meant just basic cable.

Me: "Do you want the sound to come out of the living room speakers?"

Customer: "No we're not really big TV people. Just the TV speakers are fine."

Me: "OK, no problem."

After a discussion on how everything would work, I did the prewire with a pull out rack in a closest on the main floor, ceiling speakers, HDMI from the rack to two locations, because he was undecided where it would go, and a bunch of runs of coax and Cat5e/6 to various locations.

He then tells me he wants to add his Apple TV, which was never mentioned before, becasue it falls under basic cable I guess? I don't know.

So I told him that he would need an HDMI switch for the Cable Box and the Apple TV to be connected. He still made no mention of the fact that he has no Cable Box. Since he would be investing in a switch anyway, I suggested we put a Marantz Slim Line receiver in to do the switching and then he could have the audio come out of the speakers. He liked the idea.

Moving on I asked him what kind of cable box and who his provider is? Thats when I found out he had basic cable and planned to put in an OTA HD antenna in the summer. Perfect because I always pre-wire for cable, satellite, AND OTA.

I fully admit I dropped the ball qualifying this guy but I saved my butt by prewiring with my usual compliment of way to much coax and cat5e/6.

The most expensive thing in a pre-wire is ME. I always run more cable than is initially needed for the current plan, and I explain this to the customer so they know they are prepared for future changes. Wire is so cheap, why not use the whole box?

Craig

I should clarify that when I say I couldn't find the Channel Master, I didn't really look that hard. I saw it on Amazon.ca and there were links to other kinds of tuners as well so i looked around. We wound up going for:

[Link: amazon.ca]

I've never used one before but it meets his criteria of a tuner and the ability to plug in a USB and view movies. It has many, many satisfied users. I read the negative reviews first. Only one said it didn't work. A few complained about the remote (Seeds have been planted. I have explained that he will have four remotes but he says that's ok. This guy will have a Pro24r once his wife sees four remotes on the coffee table. I'm bringing one with me.). One complained that it didn't come with storage for the recordings but this is stated clearly in the manual and the features.

Based on the numbers of happy users I felt OK suggesting it to him. I explained that I have not used it and connot personally vouch for it's awesomeness and he decided to give it a try. It's much less expensive than a digital audio balun, cables, and my time to make the balun and power supply fit behind a TV mounted .5" off the wall. Plus if he ever decides to hook it up to a hard drive he can record shows. Something the TV can't do.

So, no ARC, no digital audio balun...

...and now I'm certain that he deffinitely doesn't have a cable box. Haha. I guess we all make mistakes.

Craig

Oh, and Sirroundsound.

Can you PM me the name of the store? As a recent cord cutter, I'm interested in the Channel Master for my self.

Thanks,

Craig

Check out this other post.

[Link: remotecentral.com]

The OTA receiver you used is really inexpensive compared to the CM DVR+.

From the reviews it sounds like it works though.

The place mentioned in the other thread is where I purchased mine (actually I'm on a second, first was lost to a basement flood)

Thank you.

And thank you

So I got everything up and running. The customer is very pleased. But...

I tried ARC. I feel very dirty for doing so. It's taken a lot of courage for me to admit this publicly.

I played with it through out the day as I was working on other things. Trying various combinations of input changes and power commands to see if anything wierd happened and it seems to be fine. With the Marantz receiver you can turn off everything to do with power and input control. Same with the Panasonic TV. After my testing I told the customer about ARC and it's faults and that this a test period. I also told him about the digital audio balun (and it's cost ) should the experiment go sideways. Everything is in place for an alternative audio connection if needed. I am going back several times to do more work as his reno progresses so a truck roll won't be required to make the correction if needed.

Perhaps we've entered te period where manufactures have realized this feature doesn't work unless the user is given the ability to adapt it to a specific scenario? It sounds crazy to me but so far so good.

I will advise if it blows up in my face and can release your barrage of I-told-you-so's then.

Craig

To date I have used ARC in one case BUT it involved all Samsung products.

Being the same brand gave me some hope that it would work and it did and has continued to work.

Now I've jinxed it for sure.

To me the problems with ARC are like the early problems with USB if you recall those. Using USB used to be a very iffy proposition but now USB works very well with all brands of equipment.

USB only works on the 3rd attempt, after you tried to insert, flipped it, didn't work, flipped again, and inserted it like your originally tried. Happens EVERY time.

There is a new USB connector coming out which is supposed to eliminate this problem by allowing it to be inserted in either position.

We shall see.

You are SO right about USB. Every time.