Xbox is always evolving and this new set of features available for Insider members seems to be increasing the ease of access on consoles. Xbox Insider members a part of the Alpha Skip Ahead and Alpha rings will be receiving a range of new HDMI-CEC features today, which will most likely roll out to everyone else in the coming weeks.
Amongst the new features is a range of ways to use your TV remote to control your Xbox. It's a feature that some setups have been able to do so far, but it sounds as though it's rolling out to everyone with further enhancements. The Xbox Insider program lead, Brad Rossetti, has shared what's included on Twitter.
It also seems the accessibility of swapping between your TV input and console is being much easier, with only a single press of the Xbox button on the controller. It looks to be a huge quality of life improvement.
Xbox also pushed out an Insider update for the controllers, improving their latency and Bluetooth capabilities. They may not seem like huge updates on the surface, but they all add up to make Xbox a seamless entertainment system in the long run.
Excited by these new HDMI-CEC updates? Let us know in the comments below.
[source twitter.com, via twitter.com]
Comments 16
Can't wait to try it out, seems like a great add-on, especially for my one x , cause since we got the series, that one is now the go to media player in the living room, so not having to use the controller is gonna be sweet.
Have to wait a bit, though , as I am in the beta-ring
LOL, I've never even seen a TV that has CEC. Gen 1 HDMI 4eva!
(Ok, technically I game on a modern monitor, but naturally, no CEC)
@NEStalgia Pretty sure most TV's made in the last 6 or 7 years will have CEC, it's an early HDMI invention. Around before the Xbox One launched for sure.
Different companies will call it different things though. Samsung call it Anynet+, LG call it Simplink etc.
My Samsung TV from 2013 has it.
I'm confused... my TV already does this (Samsung Q90R)
Press the Xbox button and the tv turns on (as does the soundbar) turns to the right channel and is ready to game in about 3 seconds.
And I can control the xbox interface with my TV remote control.
Guessing this is getting more widespread adoption.
@Xeno_Aura I got my TV around when PS3 launched, lol! And my HDMI switches don't really pass it through anyway.
I don't game on it, but the monitors certainly don't use it.
@themightyant This is my understanding of it. The Twitter post isn't particularly clear in that regard, but I imagine we'll learn more about it soon!
@NEStalgia Yeah, I think it mostly came out in 2009, so it missed the 360 and PS3. I don't think CEC would serve much purpose on a monitor, I think they usually only have 2 inputs or so?
I’ve been able to do this with my lg tv remote for months….
@Xeno_Aura my tv only has 2 HDMI inputs. Plus a bunch of analog, lol. It was truly when hdmi was brand new, just before the hd broadcast transition. We thought HDMI was HDMI and was good forever as is back then! It's 1.1 I think?
Why does this not just work simultaneously? Like on the One? I mean without having to toggle input.
This feature is a real QOL improvemwnt for you folks who haven't experienced it....unfortunately, the update killed more features than it added. Prior to the update, the remote for the Samsung KS8000 would access the mini-dash by holding the "back" button. Now, no dice. The set is aging (2016) but not especially old. Hoping it gets re-added before the build is final.
All these features always end up feeling like more hassle than they're worth to me. This works, that doesn't, this button worked, but then it didn't, and now it does, and it works sort of on my 2 year old TV that's just not current enough for the latest features. Huh? It's a TV. A monitor. A video out. Turn it on. Turn your player on. Done. All this "automation" seems to require more effort than the mechanical 3-way RF Switch I had my NES, SNES, and Genesis on in the mid-90s!
I just wish they would try to fix the delay in audio you get with soundbars that are connected via eARC.
Lol wtf I can already do all of these things on my XboxSX, my PS5 and my PS3
@SplooshDmg If you use the LG Magic Remote, it sends IR signals directly to the Xbox. If you block the IR receiver of the Xbox and then try to use your magic remote, it will not work. I currently have the Xbox in a cabinet where the IR signals are blocked, and then I cannot control the Xbox with the Magic Remote, so I welcome this change.
That sounds like a real improvement for some people. I bought an Xbox remote control and that's much better to use than a controller when you're doing something other than gaming.
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