# Tivo Remote Control & Vizio M50-D1



## mjgraves (Oct 11, 2003)

This week we installed a new Vizio M50-D1 UHDTV. It replaced an aged Sharp Aquos, connected to our Roamio Pro.

The M Series doesn't have a tuner. Further, the full-function remote control is actually an Android tablet. There's a small, limited-function remote control that provides control of volume, mute, input, etc. It seems to be an RF remote, like the Tivo remote.

When I setup the Vizio TV at first I went through the process of programming the Tivo remote normally. There are only three codes offered for Vizio. One appeared to work for power, volume & mute...so I thought all was well.

Later that day the tivo remote not longer had control of power, volume & mute. I tried to set the codes again, and this time _none _of them worked. I tried repeatedly. Nothing worked.

The next day I tried again. This time one of the codes worked for power and volume...but not mute. This is where we stand.

Does anyone have any tips for getting power. volume *and* mute control of a Vizo M50-D1?

If we can get the basic working via the Tivo remote, we'll never need to use the Android tablet, which is way too complicated for for mere mortals/spouses.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

I have the M70d3. Some suggestions. Go into the settings menu and disable CEC. Put fresh batteries in the tivo remote. Find out where the I/r sensor is on the TV and point to it.

A simpler way...Load your apps on the included tablet or your smartphone. I'm thinking Netflix, HBO, your favorite network etc. Start to watch a show on the mobile device then hit the icon to cast to your TV.

The TV communicates via Bluetooth


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## mjgraves (Oct 11, 2003)

Lew,

Thanks for the tips. Our Tivo remote is not I/R. It's RF. 

Our other Tivo remotes, which came with the Mini's are I/R. We have one Slide remote, which we're have never actually used.

We have no interest in the apps on the TV, which renders the Android remote a kind of pointless complexity. My wife would hate it. The Tivo remote consolidates everything that we want/need in one place. We're so close. Only missing mute.

We did use the Android remote to watch one episode of Breaking Bad in 4K....just for kicks. Had to upgrade our Netflix account to do it. It was neat, but not something that we'd do routinely. Not a lot of value to 4K on a 50" display in our installation. If it were 70" maybe it would be more compelling.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

I'm pretty sure your TV is Bluetooth or IR. The tivo remote in RF mode might not work reliably with your TV.


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## HerronScott (Jan 1, 2002)

lew said:


> I'm pretty sure your TV is Bluetooth or IR. The tivo remote in RF mode might not work reliably with your TV.


Our TiVo Slide Pro Remote in RF mode for the Roamio Pro works fine with our TV and receiver which are IR of course. Why wouldn't you think it would work reliably with the TV?

Scott


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## Don Callas (Dec 26, 2016)

Mjgraves-when you set up your tivo remote to control your vizio, did you happen to Set up an AVhome theatre system after?
I did with my new 60" vizio,and seemingly replaced control of the vizio with control of my amps volume up/down, and mute.
You might Try turning your amp back on to see if this may be the case for you as well.
Right now I'm trying to learn how to switch between controlling the amp, and controlling the vizio with the tivo remote


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## cybergrimes (Jun 15, 2015)

I have a P50 and use TiVo remote to do everything- power, input, volume and mute. IIRC it programmed entirely using the first Vizio code on the programming menu. Like Scott said the remote sends IR commands to the TV regardless of it being RF to the TiVo itself. The TiVo RF remote does both.

Edit: to further confirm the included physical remote is IR too, I had used the learning function on my sound base so that it responds to this remotes IR commands


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

mjgraves said:


> Our Tivo remote is not I/R. It's RF.


All Tivo remotes control TV and Audio devices via IR. RF is only for Tivo.

Sometimes settings changes won't take unless you do a full reset of the remote first.


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## cybergrimes (Jun 15, 2015)

Just confirmed IR sensor is in lower corner with the activity light. You can test this by cupping your hand around it and pushing a command on the included physical remote.


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## mjgraves (Oct 11, 2003)

FWIW, I've confirmed that the basic Vizio remote is actually IR. However, the Android remote uses WiFi, not BT. When BT is disabled it still works fine. When Wifi is disabled it doesn't work at all.

I believe that our Tivo remote is RF only, and leverages CEC to control the TV. There is no IR emitter on the peanut remote. Further, the Tivo reacts to button presses even when the remote is in another room.

I have no audio gear beyond the built-in facilities in the Vizio TV. So I did not attempt to setup an AV receiver, as was asked.

It may be that something needs to be reset for the new remote control code to take effect. It does seem odd that power and volume works, but mute does not.


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

There is IR on your peanut remote and every Tivo remote ever made. This is just a fact. If you must prove it to yourself, look at end through a digital camera while you press one of the IR only buttons (TV Pwr, Vol+/-, Mute, Input). Obviously the Tivo is RF and responds to RF from the remote. Tivo doesn't pass CEC commands.

Just try the reset.
https://support.tivo.com/articles/I...-Perform-a-Global-Reset-for-my-Remote-Control


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## mjgraves (Oct 11, 2003)

mdavej said:


> All Tivo remotes control TV and Audio devices via IR. RF is only for Tivo.
> 
> Sometimes settings changes won't take unless you do a full reset of the remote first.


This is curious. We have several different Tivo remotes. Some of them have a rather obvious physical IR section near the front. The one with the Roamio doesn't, which suggested that it lacked the IR emitter. However, I checked it using an IR sensitive surveillance camera in night mode. Sure enough, there are IR flashes when the volume or mute are pressed.

Onward to a reset of the remote.


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## meadota (Mar 11, 2013)

A lot less technical approach...

I bought a Vizio several years ago when TiVo didn't list ANY codes for the remote setup. I finally decided to try the simple (but tedious) procedure of starting with 0000 and going through every number to 9999. To my shock and amazement 0000 worked! I got volume, mute, and channel changes.

It's certainly worth a try if you've tried everything else.


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## meadota (Mar 11, 2013)

A less technical approach...

I bought a Vizio several years ago when TiVo didn't list ANY codes for the remote setup. I finally decided to try the simple (but tedious) procedure of starting with 0000 and going through every number to 9999. To my shock and amazement 0000 worked! I got volume, mute, and channel changes.

It's certainly worth a try if you've tried everything else.


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## PCurry57 (Feb 27, 2012)

cybergrimes said:


> Just confirmed IR sensor is in lower corner with the activity light. You can test this by cupping your hand around it and pushing a command on the included physical remote.


Actually without the need for eye strain there is an easier way. Use any digital camera, smart phone/tablet camera and point the remote at the camera. You'll see the IR flash when pressing any button that generate an IR signal.

Sent from my SM-T817P using Tapatalk


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## cybergrimes (Jun 15, 2015)

PCurry57 said:


> Actually without the need for eye strain there is an easier way. Use any digital camera, smart phone/tablet camera and point the remote at the camera. You'll see the IR flash when pressing any button that generate an IR signal.
> 
> Sent from my SM-T817P using Tapatalk


I didn't strain my eyes by cupping a petruding sensor and pushing a remote button ;p


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## mdavej (Aug 13, 2015)

Sensors don't emit any light at all, so the camera trick won't work on them. But a flashlight can often find them. And sometimes, there is a visible light LED in the same circuit that lights when a signal is received.

Some phone cameras don't show IR, like iPhones for example.

In any case, since you did have mute and vol working at some point, the reset will at least give you a fresh start. In my experience, all Vizio models from the past several years share the same codes, so any Vizio code should do the trick. The brute force code search recommended earlier would be my last resort.


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## mjgraves (Oct 11, 2003)

Eureka! It appears that a reset & repairing of the remote did the trick.


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