When an Amazon Signage Stick cannot turn the TV on or off, HDMI-CEC is usually switched off on the TV, or a switch, splitter or receiver sits between the stick and the TV. Turn on the TV's HDMI control setting, plug the stick straight into the TV, then restart the stick. Your signage software must also support Amazon's power controls, or no command is sent at all.
HDMI-CEC is the part of HDMI that lets one device control another over the cable. The stick uses it to put the TV in standby at closing time, wake it in the morning, and read whether the TV is on.
What the setting is called on your TV
Every TV maker gives HDMI-CEC its own name. Look in the TV's settings under General, External devices or HDMI.
| TV brand | Setting name |
|---|---|
| Samsung | Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) |
| Sony | BRAVIA Sync or BRAVIA Link |
| LG | SimpLink (HDMI-CEC) |
| Panasonic | VIERA Link, HDAVI Control or EZ-Sync |
| Sharp | Aquos Link |
| Hisense, Vizio, TCL and others | CEC, HDMI Control or Device Control |
Some TVs turn CEC on only for one HDMI port, or only when a second option such as "auto power on" is also on. Commercial displays often ship with CEC off, and some control power through RS-232 or a network protocol instead.
Why CEC stops working
- CEC is off on the TV. The most common cause. A factory reset of the TV, or a firmware update, can switch it off again.
- Something sits between the stick and the TV. HDMI switches, splitters, extenders and AV receivers often block CEC commands. Amazon lists this as a main cause.
- Your CMS does not send the command. The stick turns the TV on and off only when the signage app asks it to, through Amazon's Remote Management API. A CMS without it has no screen on/off control.
- Old stick software. Amazon asks you to keep the stick on its latest update. Updates install between 2 am and 5 am local time, so leave the stick powered overnight.
- Another device fights for the TV. A games console, soundbar or cable box on the same TV can wake it or change its input with its own CEC commands.
- The TV does not support CEC, or supports it badly. Amazon notes that compatibility varies by TV maker and model.
How to fix it
- Turn on HDMI-CEC in the TV's settings, using the name from the table.
- Plug the stick straight into an HDMI port on the TV. Remove any switch, splitter, extender or receiver to test.
- Try another HDMI port. On some TVs only one port carries CEC. The TV's manual names it.
- Unplug other HDMI devices, or turn CEC off on them, to find a device that wakes the TV.
- Restart the stick: unplug its power for one minute, or reboot it from your CMS. Some players check the TV's CEC support only at start-up.
- Send a screen-off command from your CMS and watch the TV. If it does not respond, try a different HDMI cable.
What CEC cannot do on the stick
- Volume and mute. Amazon states that the stick does not support volume or mute control over HDMI-CEC.
- Hard power-off. CEC puts the TV in standby. The TV still draws a little power.
- A TV with CEC removed. If the TV has no CEC, no signage software can switch it through the stick. Use the TV's own on/off timer instead, or a display with RS-232 control.
Where Brix fits
Brix uses Amazon's Remote Management API on the Signage Stick, so it can switch the TV over HDMI-CEC:
- Screen on and Screen off buttons in the screen's panel. When the TV does not accept CEC, the buttons are greyed out and a tooltip says why, so you know the fix is at the TV.
- Screen hours. A new screen starts on Standard hours, 6:00 am to 11:00 pm, and the stick turns the TV off outside them. Set Always on for a screen that must run all day. See screen settings and display power.
- TV state on the screen row. When the TV reports it is off or on another input, the row turns amber and reads TV off or TV on another input, while the player keeps playing.
- Keep the TV on this input. On a TV that reports input control, this setting switches the TV back when someone moves it to a games console or cable box.
If the TV has no CEC, Brix cannot switch its power. Outside screen hours the picture goes blank, and the TV stays on. For a site that must switch dozens of displays with no CEC, commercial displays with their own scheduler are a better fit than a stick.
Related: TV keeps turning off, No Signal or wrong input.
FAQ
Why does the TV turn back on by itself?
Another CEC device on the same TV sends a wake command, or the TV has "auto power on" linked to HDMI activity. Turn CEC off on the other devices one at a time to find it.
Does this also apply to a Fire TV Stick or an Android box?
Yes. Any player on HDMI uses the same TV setting. The software side differs: only players and apps that send CEC commands can switch the TV.
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