The remote that almost controlled the soundbar
I published a long article in The New Leaf Journal about my efforts to (A) configure a new universal remote with my internet-deprived "smart" TV and (B) try to make said remote also control my soundbar. This followed two posts I wrote about the process here on Bearblog.
As I explained in The New Leaf Journal piece, I was able to get the new remote working with my TV (albeit not with one of the six TCL codes in my code book), but I could not quite get it working with my Majority Bowfell soundbar (which is not in the codebook at all). The best I could do for the soundbar was to find a code that allowed me to change its mode (the usefulness of this is limited by the fact I am only using optical audio). The volume buttons do not work. I had an epiphany that the buttons might be mismapped, and sure enough, I found that 1 did decrease the volume and 6 probably increased it. Unfortunately, those buttons stop working after a few clicks.
I tested again after the article and discovered that the 1 and 6 buttons work the first few times I use them after turning the soundbar on. However, they stop working soon thereafter. Strange issue. It looks like I will be managing two remotes.