Samsung TV Driver 
$39 USD
One-time purchase · per projectTurn on a Samsung and land on the right HDMI input, full screen, with no Smart Hub. Over IP, RS-232 or IR.
The Smart Hub problem
Watch the Apple TV. Get the Apple TV, full screen.
On current Samsungs, the input command Control4 sends on every Watch opens Smart Hub and shrinks the HDMI picture into a small box. The usual workaround is a ghost TV driver and custom programming. This driver never sends that command. Over IP it switches inputs with Samsung IP Control, a discrete switch that leaves Smart Hub closed. Over RS-232 or IR it sends power on only, and the AVR or matrix does the switching.
Smart Hub fix
The input command is the problem. So the driver never sends it.
Control4 sends the TV Power On, then Set Input, and Samsung answers the input command by opening Smart Hub. With Source Behavior on Power On only, the default, that command never goes out. Paired over IP, every Watch also puts the TV on the HDMI input Control4 routed, including when the TV was left in Smart Hub, Live TV or an app.
IP power
Power On checks the TV first, so it never turns it off by mistake.
Most Samsungs drop off the network 20 to 25 seconds after they turn off. The driver asks the TV its state and does only what is needed: standby gets the Power key over a fresh connection, and deep sleep gets Wake-on-LAN, with Power On sent as soon as the TV answers. A second Power On or Off within 8 seconds is ignored, so a double tap or duplicate programming can't toggle the TV back.
In the field
The details that keep Samsungs behaving.
The Frame
Room Off shows art. At night it turns fully off.
The driver detects a Frame and shows its extra settings. Room Off goes to Art Mode. Set Art Mode Off Time, for example 22:00, and art turns fully off at night. Or press Room Off a second time while it shows art to turn it off, even though the room is already off.
App tiles
Tiles that open the TV's own apps.
Bind Control4 Universal mini apps to the Samsung App Switcher. The driver knows 39 Samsung apps and checks the app name with the TV before every launch, so a tile never opens the wrong one.
Address changes
Finds the TV after DHCP moves it.
If the TV stops answering, the driver searches the subnet for its MAC address, updates IP Address and finishes the Power On.
Auto control
IP first, with wired backup.
Bind any mix. While the IP connection opens, keys go out over RS-232 or IR right away.
Leaving an app
Back to the right HDMI input.
Going from a TV app to an HDMI source, Control4 sends the TV no input command. The driver reads the room's video path and switches the TV itself.
Tech specs
- TVs
- Samsung smart TVs, including The Frame
- Control4 OS
X4 (OS 4.x)- IP
- Tizen TVs, 2018 and newer; input switching needs IP Remote on
- RS-232
- Ex-Link 3.5 mm jack, 9600 8N1
- IR
- Any Samsung TV
- Control Method
- Auto (IP, then RS-232, then IR), or one method only
- Input switching
- Samsung IP Control over IP; power on only over RS-232 or IR
- Power
- State-aware Power On and Off, Wake-on-LAN from deep sleep
- The Frame
- Art Mode on Room Off, nightly off time, second-press full off
- App tiles
- Samsung App Switcher with 15 MiniApp inputs
- Discovery
- SDDP for 2,529 Samsung models
- Pairing
- Two Allow prompts on the TV, once
- Programming
- SEND_KEY and LAUNCH_APP commands
- License
- One per Control4 project
- Updates
- Free for life
- Free demo
- 30 days for dealers
- Current version
- 1.0.0
Free 30-day demo
Install any driver on a real job for 30 days before you pay for it.
Licensed per project
You buy one license per Control4 project. If you replace the controller, the license moves with the project.
Updates for life
You pay once per project and get every new version free.
Support from a dealer
A working Control4 programmer writes and supports these drivers. Open a ticket and we fix it.
Questions
Why does Smart Hub open when Control4 changes inputs?
Current Samsungs open Smart Hub when they get the input or source command, and the HDMI picture shrinks into a small box. This driver never sends that command on Watch.
How does the TV get to the right input?
Over IP, the driver switches it with Samsung IP Control, a discrete input switch that leaves Smart Hub closed. Over RS-232 or IR only, it sends power on, and the TV stays on the HDMI input the AVR or matrix is plugged into.
Do I still need a ghost TV driver?
No. Bind this driver like any TV driver. The fix is built in.
Which control method should I use?
Leave Control Method on Auto. It uses IP when it knows the TV's address, with RS-232 and then IR as fallback for whatever you bind.
What do I change on the TV?
Turn Autorun Smart Hub and Anynet+ off. For IP, turn on Power On with Mobile and IP Remote under Expert Settings, and set Access Notification to First Time Only so the Allow prompts appear when you pair.
How does pairing work?
With the TV on, run Pair with TV (IP) and allow both prompts on the TV: one for remote and power, one for IP Control input switching. The driver never prompts on its own after that.
Does it need SmartThings or a Samsung account?
No. Power and inputs use the TV's local network control and Wake-on-LAN. No cloud account.
Will it wake a TV that dropped off the network?
Yes, when MAC Address is filled in and Power On with Mobile is on. Wi-Fi TVs fill in their MAC automatically. For wired TVs, type it in.
Can programming open an app on the TV?
Yes. LAUNCH_APP opens a TV app by name over IP, and SEND_KEY sends any Samsung remote key.
What about older Samsungs?
IP needs a Tizen TV from 2018 or newer. Older models that only offer port 8001 work over RS-232 or IR.
Can I try it before I buy?
Yes. Every driver has a free 30-day dealer demo license with every feature turned on. Buy a license before it ends and the demo converts in place, with no reinstall.
Samsung TV Driver
No more Smart Hub pop-ups.
