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iPod Apple Remote with iPod

mduser63

mduser63

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 9, 2004
3,042
31
Salt Lake City, UT
OK, so I bought an Apple Remote and Universal Dock to go with my new 5G iPod today. Anybody else seriously disappointed with the Apple Remote? I should have read some reviews before I bought it. It's nearly useless with the iPod. You can't navigate the iPod menus, only skip forward/backward, pause and change the volume. First Apple purchase that I'm completely dissatisfied with. I'm trying to decide whether to take it back and eat the restocking fee (about $5) or put it on eBay.
 
wattage

wattage

macrumors 6502
Oct 14, 2005
320
0
I have read similar responses, I would have purchased the universal dock and remote if CompUSA had any, kinda glad I didn't. Does the dock come with the universal clips?? It looks like you have to purchase them separate.

So totally not worth it huh??? But I do want a dock for my new 60 gigger.
 
bursty

bursty

macrumors 65816
Jan 31, 2004
1,002
5
I wonder if anyone has gotten it to work with a hacked copy of FrontRow...:confused:
 
Koodauw

Koodauw

macrumors 68040
Nov 17, 2003
3,951
190
Madison
bursty said:
I wonder if anyone has gotten it to work with a hacked copy of FrontRow...:confused:
Click to expand...

I doubt it, as that would require Frontrow to work with an usb / firewire IR port, which I would not expect Frontrow to be programed to do.

I am thinking about getting, except I want to see if they release a remote with a new version of iLife. No sense in paying for two remotes.
 
doucy2

doucy2

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2005
1,013
0
wow i didnt know the it didnt come with the differnt size clips
thats a definate deterant
i'm def nit going to buy one now
 
Counterfit

Counterfit

macrumors G3
Aug 20, 2003
8,195
0
sitting on your shoulder
My new 30GB came with an insert for the new dock, as did my cousin's new nano. You'll only need to buy extra inserts (they come in packs of 3 :confused: ) if you have an iPod that didn't come with one (say, a 3rd gen). Currently, I have my new iPod in my 3G dock, because it fits the width, but the hole is deeper than the iPod, so I think I'll get a new dock (no remote though) once I deliver my old iPod to the person who's buying it from me.
 
jaw04005

jaw04005

macrumors 601
Aug 19, 2003
4,513
402
AR
Directly form my iPod Universal Dock box...

The universal dock comes with inserts for iPod mini (4GB/6GB), iPod (20GB)/U2 Special Edition (20GB), iPod (40GB), iPod with color display (20GB/30GB)/U2 Special Edition, and iPod with color display (40GB/60GB).

The iPod nano and fifth generation iPod ship with inserts for the universal dock. This looks more confusing that is. On the box, it has pictures of every type of iPod that it supports and whether it's included or sold separately. The different inserts are also labeled by numbers.

Adapters sold separately: third generation iPod (10GB/15GB/20GB), iPod (30GB/40GB), iPod nano (2GB/4GB), fifth generation iPod (30GB), and fifth generation iPod (60GB).

Edit: I can't believe I typed that out for you guys. :)
 
E

emutree

macrumors member
Sep 4, 2005
85
0
Canada
I too am really disappointed with the remote, and yet know it'll be really useful in the future. I REALLY hope Apple comes out with a firmware update to show the iPod interface on the TV it's outputting too (although I suppose this treads a little too closely on future Mac media center territory) and allows the remote to be used for the menus. Since videos don't even run into one another when one ends I have to get up form the couch, go over to the iPod and scroll down to the next one. Does this not defeat the whole purpose of the remote?
On the other hand, I want to use my 'Pod for future Keynote presentation and it'll be really handy to plug it into the projector via the dock and use the remote to pause it in between transitions to let me talk. Much better than my old setup - timing how long everything I said was and arranging each build accordingly then burning a DVD of the self-playing movie.
 
TheMasin9

TheMasin9

macrumors 6502a
Dec 22, 2004
585
0
Huber Heights, OH
clips

doucy2 said:
wow i didnt know the it didnt come with the differnt size clips
thats a definate deterant
i'm def nit going to buy one now
Click to expand...
universal dock does come with clips for all previous gen ipods (minis 3gs 4gs) but all the new ones (nanos, 5gs) come with thier own clips.
 
mduser63

mduser63

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 9, 2004
3,042
31
Salt Lake City, UT
emutree said:
I too am really disappointed with the remote, and yet know it'll be really useful in the future. I REALLY hope Apple comes out with a firmware update to show the iPod interface on the TV it's outputting too (although I suppose this treads a little too closely on future Mac media center territory) and allows the remote to be used for the menus. Since videos don't even run into one another when one ends I have to get up form the couch, go over to the iPod and scroll down to the next one. Does this not defeat the whole purpose of the remote?
On the other hand, I want to use my 'Pod for future Keynote presentation and it'll be really handy to plug it into the projector via the dock and use the remote to pause it in between transitions to let me talk. Much better than my old setup - timing how long everything I said was and arranging each build accordingly then burning a DVD of the self-playing movie.
Click to expand...

The Keynote Presentation idea is a good one. Of course I've only ever given one PowerPoint presentation in my life, and don't expect to suddenly start doing them much more often, but still it's a neat idea. Even though I wish I hadn't bought it, now that I have bought it and opened it, I suppose I'll keep it hoping that Apple comes out with some new products that make effective use of it. Of course I'm also thinking about designing my own iPod remote that works the way I want it to.

As is typical of Apple, the remote is really nice looking, I just wish that it was actually useful. I used one with an iMac with Front Row in the store yesterday and it worked very well. Why Apple couldn't have made it work with the iPod in the same way it works with Front Row I don't understand. Front Row has a very similar menu system to the iPod.
 
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