LG SIMPLINK uses HDMI-CEC to coordinate compatible equipment, including linked power. The settings path changes across webOS generations. Record the devices and intended power behaviour before enabling or disabling it, and verify the external device’s own supported control settings.
Define the desired power behaviour
List the TV and each connected HDMI device, including any soundbar or receiver between the TV and player. Decide which should turn on or off together. A household may value a single power action; another task may require independent device control. Establish the intended result before changing a shared setup.
Use the manuals for the actual models and compatible ports. A media picture appearing over HDMI does not itself establish that the devices support the required CEC command. Likewise, linked power working does not certify an audio codec or the player’s content access.
Locate the version-specific setting
LG’s checked guide gives these routes after All Settings. Treat the year ranges as guide categories; use the exact model’s menu when ranges overlap.
| Generation | Route or controls |
|---|---|
| 2026 / webOS 26 onward | System > Devices > HDMI Settings > SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC) |
| 2021 / webOS 6.0 and later before the newer layout | General > Devices > HDMI Settings > SIMPLINK |
| 2019 / webOS 4.5 era | Connection > HDMI Device Settings; SIMPLINK and Auto Power Sync |
| 2018 / webOS 4.0 and earlier | General; SIMPLINK and Auto Power Sync |
Compare one linked action
Record the current settings and each device’s operating state. On webOS 6.0 and later, LG describes linked power through SIMPLINK, with no separate Auto Power Sync switch.
Schedule the comparison after any recording or download the owner wants to keep. Change one supported control and repeat the same power action. Observe the TV, intermediate audio equipment and player separately.
| Observation | Useful conclusion |
|---|---|
| The player visibly follows the TV power action | Linked control is relevant to this power relationship. |
| The TV goes off but the player remains in its observed state | The screen state alone does not prove the app task continues. |
| A receiver changes state while the player does not | Investigate that intermediate device’s intended role. |
| No repeatable difference after the chosen setting change | Keep the observation and consult the exact device manuals. |
Retain the command-level result
Write what actually happened: “TV off also put the external player into its observed standby state” is more precise than “HDMI failed”. If only one device responds, check the appropriate manual and its HDMI control setting before altering other equipment.
The outcome should be a chosen power relationship with a known recovery route. This setting does not promise that a player keeps recording or streaming in standby. Confirm any such requirement with that device and app’s documentation rather than inferring it from the screen turning off.