ATV 4 and long movie list

[mario-64]

Hi all,

I just got an ATV 4 today. Coming from a gen 3 model it seemed nice at first. However, I may have just found a show-stopper issue. I have a huge movie and TV home sharing library. With the previous remote I could hold the down button and it would quickly scroll downward. I can't seem to find a way to do this with the new remote. Is it possible?

Thanks

 

[benjitek]

Did you try using Siri to find something in your library?

 

[2010mini]

Hi all,

I just got an ATV 4 today. Coming from a gen 3 model it seemed nice at first. However, I may have just found a show-stopper issue. I have a huge movie and TV home sharing library. With the previous remote I could hold the down button and it would quickly scroll downward. I can't seem to find a way to do this with the new remote. Is it possible?

Thanks

Did you try using Siri to find something in your library?

Siri is device and web only. It will not search files located on a separate device.... even on the same network.

OP, are those iTunes movies or ones you rip/tagged yourself? If the latter just use Plex or infuse instead. Those are much better for self sourced content.

 

[priitv8]

I see 2 alternatives here:
- use the iTunes Remote app on iPhone/iPad and you become an alphabet "scrollbar" at the right edge of screen
- use the old remote

Of course, using playlists and genres you can shorten your lists to be scrolled.

 

[mario-64]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I will be returning the ATV4. Having to use the old remote negates any benefit of the new model imo

 

[2010mini]

Thanks everyone. Looks like I will be returning the ATV4. Having to use the old remote negates any benefit of the new model imo

I would advise you to keep it. More and more apps and updates coming out for it will make this a must have device. With all the live and on demand streaming services now available. This version will replace cable boxes soon

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I use a universal (learning) remote for a "one remote to rule them all" experience. Yes, that means I lose Siri and using it as a game controller but the universal has real buttons for a variety of common tasks and they are organized in such a way that they can be used at night on touch alone. The new Siri remote is kept nearby should I want to use any of those functions but I rarely do.

I'm also going from "3" to "4" and the key difference is that the scrolling through the list of self-owned content is not as smooth. If one has a list of- say- 300 movies and holds down the scroll button trying to run to something far down the list, about every 15-20 movies or so will result in a near (scroll) stop... as if TV4 needs to "catch up" and/or verify that it's user wants to continue scrolling beyond the current group of 15-20. With the "3," hold down the "scroll down" button and it would simply rapidly scroll through the list until a bit after you let go of the "scroll down" button.

I'm guessing that since scrolling is now hooked to swiping, the programming has some kind of "braking" in it to prevent a fast swipe up or down from quickly scrolling to the top or bottom of such a list. And this "braking" carries over to the traditional approach of holding down a "scroll down" or "scroll up" button to scroll through a list.

I have not found any good way around this issue within the native "4" app itself. As others have suggested, perhaps a third party app like Plex or similar may be the way to go with our own content? I know when the "4" first came out, all such bugginess and issues were spun as "just one software upgrade away" and now here we are- a very long time and several software upgrades beyond- still waiting for stuff like this and even smooth fast forward and rewind to work well. I consider such functions fundamental for any video playback device. Hopefully, Apple will "fix" all such fundamental functions soon.

 

[John_Hagan]

An earlier response mentioned using Infuse. This is an outstanding app and is easy to use. It's available in the app store for both ATV and iOS. I would definitely hold onto the ATV4. It works very well.