Issue:
Samsung HW-Q990 soundbar will not switch inputs using Alexa voice commands.
Root Cause:
Samsung appears to have changed their SmartThings/Alexa integration, now requiring API keys or limiting certain commands (like input switching). As a result, Alexa cannot directly change inputs through the usual smart home routines.
Workaround Overview:
To bypass this limitation, I used an IR hub and programmed it to mimic the original Samsung remote’s input behavior. Hubs like Logitech Harmony, BroadLink, or SwitchBot Hub Mini can do this. I used SwitchBot in my setup.
The challenge with Samsung soundbars:
Samsung doesn’t provide dedicated IR codes for each input (e.g., HDMI1, Optical, Bluetooth). Instead, there’s a single Input button that cycles through the options. This creates a problem: the current input state isn’t reset when the device powers off, so sending a fixed number of “Input” presses becomes unreliable.
Solution: Using the Bluetooth Pairing Button as a Reset Point
I discovered that pressing the Bluetooth pairing button always resets the input state to a known position. With that behavior, I was able to build reliable routines using a fixed sequence of button presses.
Steps (Using SwitchBot Hub Mini):
- Create a new virtual remote in the SwitchBot app:
-
Use a predefined template, not a custom remote (custom buttons don’t integrate with Alexa).
-
Map your Samsung soundbar’s remote buttons to the template. For example:
- Assign the Bluetooth Pairing IR signal to the Power On button.
- Assign the Input Cycle IR signal to the Power Off button.
- Create a Scene for each Input:
Example 1:
Scene for Digital Input
-
Step 1: Press “Power On” twice (this sends the Bluetooth pairing command twice).
- First press wakes the soundbar.
- Second press puts it in Bluetooth Pairing mode (our reset point).
-
Step 2: Press “Power Off” once (sends one Input Cycle press).
- Now it’s on Digital input.
- Example 2:
Scene for HDMI 1
-
Step 1: Power On (Bluetooth Pairing) x2
-
Step 2: Power Off (Input Cycle) x2
- Result: input now at HDMI 1
- Example 3:
Scene for HDMI 2
- Power On x2
- Power Off x3
- Example 4:
Scene for Bluetooth
- Power On x2
- Power Off x4
- Integrate with Alexa:
-
Link the SwitchBot Alexa skill.
-
Create Alexa routines that trigger each scene by name.
-
Now you can say:
- “Alexa, set soundbar to Digital”
- “Alexa, set soundbar to HDMI 1”
- “Alexa, set soundbar to Bluetooth”
- etc.
Optional: Map Additional Remote Functions
You can also use the same technique to map other frequently used functions from the original Samsung remote, such as:
- Sound Mode
- Volume
- Mute
- Woofer Level
Just assign those IR signals to other unused buttons in the SwitchBot template. Then, you can create scenes or routines for voice control of those functions as well — e.g., “Alexa, set sound mode to surround.”
Why This Works Well:
- The Bluetooth Pairing button gives a known starting point, which solves the unreliable cycling issue.
- The scenes are stable and repeatable.
- You can now build complex Alexa routines — for example:
“Alexa, turn on Media Center PC” → powers TV, sets correct soundbar input, and wakes the PC.
Final Thoughts:
This isn’t the cleanest solution, but for a workaround, it’s functional and reliable. You get dependable input switching and can extend it to other soundbar features as well. I hope this helps others facing the same limitation with Samsung soundbars and Alexa