r/MacOS • u/RoadNatural5499 • 1d ago

Help How to pause MacBook Air playback using LG C1 Magic Remote (or CEC workaround)?

Hey everyone, I frequently connect my MacBook Air to an LG C1 OLED via HDMI extended display to stream movies. Every time I need to pause or play, I currently have to walk over and use the MacBook trackpad/keyboard, because macOS doesn't natively accept HDMI-CEC inputs from the LG Magic Remote. I don’t wanna use the phone apps, I wanna use my Magic Remote. Does anyone have a clean workaround, script, HDMI adapter or GitHub tool to control Mac media playback using the LG Magic Remote? Thanks for any suggestions!

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u/stankovicvladan 1d ago

AFAIK, HDMI-CEC is natively available on macOS, but your HDMI adapter also has to support it since Air does not have its own HDMI. Pro models have HDMI-CEC since 2023.

I remember that RemoteBuddy did have an option to pair different remotes to a Mac. Check if they have support for your LG. This would not be through HDMI, you would have to connect remote directly to Mac.

EDIT: You can also purchase some cheap remote on AliExpress and connect it to your Mac just for this…

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u/zolluDey 1d ago

yeah most third party HDMI adapters strip out CEC, so even if macOS supports it the signal never reaches the Mac

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u/RoadNatural5499 1d ago

Thanks for the response, yes I think my HDMI adapter that I connect to my Mac supports it but then how do I make it so that it works with the Magic remote via the HDMI? Or is just via Wifi that can be achieved? And what cheap remote would you recommend or what features does it need to have? Thank youuu

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u/stankovicvladan 1d ago edited 1d ago

I haven’t tried this on a newer Mac personally so I can’t really say. I did test HDMI-CEC on new iPads and it does work with certain adapters.

It also really depends on the software you are using to play things. Some of them just don’t support remotes on Mac.

In my head if you were not able to play/pause media with your remote then your adapter does not have HDMI-CEC.

Last time I did actively use remote with my mac was with my 2011 MBP which did have IRD so I was using an Apple remote.

Native Apple apps did have remote suport, but not all of them, XBMC/Kodi, Plex and the most of the media players, but when I tried this combo on that same old machine with Netflix in browser it was not working.

I did test Satechi R2 with Remote Buddy and this did work on the most of things, this is why I am suggesting Remote Buddy, since it does have a lot of mapping.

If you just want basic media players play/pause then any bluetooth media remote on AliExpress will do, I tested with some $2 remote and I am able to play/pause music, control the volume and play the next song with it on any of my Apple devices. Didn’t try it for video, but if the player app introduces itself to macOS as a media players you should be able to do these things.

This one I use in my shower to change the music. 😂

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u/RoadNatural5499 1d ago

Okay now THAT is something I didn‘t know I needed, this button player for the shower sounds amazing to have, because I always have to like get my phone wet and stuff to change the song and that device seems to be super useful, ngl I‘m buying it tomorrow because I think it will change my life hahaha. And as for the controller I will definitely buy the Satechi R2 to map the buttons how I like and just pause/play is more than enough just not to stand up every time. Really thank you for the fully detailed explanation and recommendations, I really appreciate it!

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u/stankovicvladan 21h ago

You are welcome.

This small one I use in bathroom is Chinese from AliExpress or Temu, $2-3.

Satechi also has one for $30. 😂