Anybody unhappy with the Apple TV remote?

[Tozovac]

In short, it has its benefits, but Apple should go back to the drawing board on this.

Apple should also question the development process that led to its release.

Not knowing Apple's verification & validation processes, could it possibly have been the case that the vast majority of beta testers (be they in-house or external) provided high levels of satisfaction and success with operating the remote, and did not encounter the significant levels of frustration and dissatisfaction expressed by many in this thread?

Sure, one could learn to ride a unicycle or pilot a helicopter successfully after a not-short period of acclimation and adjustment. But the ATV4 remote definitely deviates from the "it just works" approach Apple used to subscribe to across the board, vs this "gotta keep practicing and being diligent to not hold & touch the d*** remote a certain way, and google how to fast forward and mute and etc. etc. etc."

Could this remote possibly have passed their v&v process and been declared consumer-ready? Or just pushed out the door?

 

[priitv8]

Could this remote possibly have passed their v&v process and been declared consumer-ready? Or just pushed out the door?

If you long for the traditional N/S/E/W/OK for navigation, classic right-handed volume rocker and a mute button, why don't you just use the TV remote?
I find myself using TV remote the most, iPhone a close runner up.
Only function that does not with TV remote is Siri, which I can't use anyway.
iPhone is a full-featured replacement for Siri remote plus keyboard text input.
If you add the aTV Remote app, then it even surpasses Siri remote in functionality - lyrics on phone screen, direct selection between audio and subtitle tracks, without dropping down the HUD on big screen.
Extremely convenient, IMHO.

 

[Tozovac]

If you long for the traditional N/S/E/W/OK for navigation, classic right-handed volume rocker and a mute button, why don't you just use the TV remote?
I find myself using TV remote the most, iPhone a close runner up.
Only function that does not with TV remote is Siri, which I can't use anyway.
iPhone is a full-featured replacement for Siri remote plus keyboard text input.
If you add the aTV Remote app, then it even surpasses Siri remote in functionality - lyrics on phone screen, direct selection between audio and subtitle tracks, without dropping down the HUD on big screen.
Extremely convenient, IMHO.

Oh I know workarounds exist. My point was more that Apple was the "we are the workaround" company earlier in its life.

A remote that worked superbly that you wanted to use and didn't require iPhone workarounds would be closer to the Apple that drew many of us in to the ecosystem.

A remote that gathers dust due to poor design is very un-Apple like. At $50+ per remote, I'd rather Apple have left chocolate bars or a really cool polished rock in the box if there are clearly better options than the OEM remote...

Am I the only one kinda shocked why a $10 remote from Amazon appears to be a much better solution than the shiny OEM remote? Why is this "OK" now?

Another example of a very different Apple than before 2013.... more about polarizing abstract design outputs than universally-brilliant consumer products.

 

[priitv8]

A remote that gathers dust due to poor design is very un-Apple like. At $50+ per remote, I'd rather Apple have left chocolate bars or a really cool polished rock in the box if there are clearly better options than the OEM remote...

Am I the only one kinda shocked why a $10 remote from Amazon appears to be a much better solution than the shiny OEM remote? Why is this "OK" now?

I could understand your point, if siri remote could be used as a single remote in HT. But it can't. Hence I am unable to build control system of my HT around it.
So I stick to either TV remote, or the iPhone. Both of them I can use to control all AV components.
True, on iPhone it takes several apps. The plain TV remote does it all in one.

PS Although I find siri remote not that terrible to use. I just see it very limited in function in the whole HT environment. I find the trackpad to be best part of it, just insufficient to reach for it.

 

[Michelasso]

To answer the original question I am not unhappy with the ATV remote, but I am not happy either. I don't like the position of the buttons (I'd prefer the play/pause on top) and I'd love an option to disable/change the functionality of the search button, since Siri doesn't work in many countries (like mine). It's quite annoying when I press it by mistake when watching a video (which happens far too often...), since it flips the TV video mode(s) and it takes seconds each time.

The touchpad takes some time to get used to, but after that it does its job. Still for typing it's highly suggested to have an iDevice. And the link between the ATV and iOS for keyboard and passwords works just great.