Microsoft has quietly released a minor Xbox April 2022 update for Xbox Series consoles that enhances CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) capabilities. It’s a bit of technical jargon, but in this instance, all that means is that you’ll now be able to switch your TV’s video/audio inputs by pressing a button on your Xbox controller instead of your TV’s remote control.
What does the Xbox April 2022 update change Xbox Series consoles?
Officially announced via tweet by Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb, this feature allows your Xbox controller to send commands to compatible devices. CEC isn’t new to Xbox consoles as a whole, but now you have the ability to change your TV’s input, in parity with the same feature on PS5 consoles.
Starting today, when you press Xbox button on your controller once you will be able to switch input back to your Xbox. If you are on a different TV input waiting for a download or update, you can press the Xbox button once to switch back to the Xbox input https://t.co/hbEs9ns27c pic.twitter.com/aOkIyVERJs
— Larry Hryb, Gamer Emeritus 📱⌨️🖱️🎮 (@majornelson) April 6, 2022
To access the HDMI-CEC options on your Xbox Series console, all you need to do is to press the Xbox button or head to settings manually and, under General settings for Sleep mode & Startup, you’ll find the TV & A/V power options.
As you might suspect, you’ll need to make sure that your TV or AVR supports CEC in the first place. Many manufacturers will have CEC disabled by default or will have CEC be called something else but can usually be identified with other words like “linking” or “syncing” or some means to control devices via HDMI. You may also need to make sure that your HDMI cables are for High Speed or Premium, and that there is no intermediary device between the Xbox Series console and the TV for CEC to function properly.
Currently, the Xbox Series consoles has multiple CEC functions: the ability to have your TV turn on or shut off when you turn on or off your Xbox Series console, the option to have your Xbox Series console turn off when your TV or AVR turns off, and the ability to control the volume for your TV, AVR, or soundbar through the console.
In a future Xbox update, you may have the option to use your TV remote to navigate the Xbox dashboard, a feature that’s being tested via the Xbox Insider program.
In other news, the next Ghost Recon game codenamed “OVER” could see a release within the year according to rumors, and Sega’s Two Point Campus has been delayed by three months to ensure quality.
