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JohnMaldaner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 19, 2016
109
39
Kentucky
I watch a lot of live sports on YTTV streaming through my AppleTV. Is there anything that Siri can do through AppleTV? Specifically, I would like to use Siri to pause live action instead of using the AppleTV remote. Is this possible?
 
I watch a lot of live sports on YTTV streaming through my AppleTV. Is there anything that Siri can do through AppleTV? Specifically, I would like to use Siri to pause live action instead of using the AppleTV remote. Is this possible?
If you activate the Siri button on the Apple TV remote then sure, otherwise no. The activation button is to reinforce privacy, so Siri is only working when it’s pressed
 
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If you activate the Siri button on the Apple TV remote then sure, otherwise no. The activation button is to reinforce privacy, so Siri is only working when it’s pressed
OK. Now I need to study the remote and find that button!! Honestly, I have never used it. I have the original remote, the little one. But, if I can get this to work I will be overjoyed.

At the risk of boring you, here is why I want to do this. My favorite college team has two great announcers on the radio for every game. But, the YTTV stream is about 32 seconds ahead of the radio stream when I use the iHeart Radio app. So, I need to sync up both streams to get the best experience. I am having a heck of a time being precise with my remote. If I am not careful after I pause the picture, it simply snaps back to live action when I click again. I am searching for a way to actual delay the YTTV stream, not pause and jump to live action. On a different TV where I am using a Roku Stick, I can use the Roku remote easily to do this because the default with that remote is to delay, not pause, when I click it. Whew! More than you probably cared to know. But, thank you for the tip!!
 
Which Apple TV do you have?


The old AppleTV HD was the first model with a Siri Remote. It is black and pretty small, so guessing that might be what you have? I have two Apple TV HD's and rarely use the original Siri remote, I find it very awkward.


The even older, small silver remote doesn't have Siri.
 
Which Apple TV do you have?


The old AppleTV HD was the first model with a Siri Remote. It is black and pretty small, so guessing that might be what you have? I have two Apple TV HD's and rarely use the original Siri remote, I find it very awkward.


The even older, small silver remote doesn't have Siri.

I have the 4K 1st Gen.
 
HomePods can pass commands to the ATV.

Pause TV
Resume TV
Rewind x seconds

Just off the top of my head.

Ok! I have a HomePod, but it is in a different room. So, if I determined I needed to delay the TV stream 4 seconds, I could do that via the HomePod?
 
Ok! I have a HomePod, but it is in a different room. So, if I determined I needed to delay the TV stream 4 seconds, I could do that via the HomePod?

Possibly. I have multiple ATVs and HomePods, so I really can’t say. They usually ‘assume’ the ATV in the same room as the HPod.
 
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For years I have been able to tell Siri on my iPhone to pause on the Apple TV or even turn it off. Works every time, so I often don’t have to use the remote anymore. Got the Apple TV HD.
 
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This works!! I simply press and hold the button and say, “rewind x seconds”. Works perfectly!

THANK YOU!
Wait till you try "what did she say?" If you say that, it will rewind about 10 seconds, turn on captions for that amount of time, and then turn the back off again.

They also recently made it so that tapping on the "skip back" control also turns on captions for as long as you skipped back for -- but I figured I'd mention the voice command since it's very cool.
 
Wait till you try "what did she say?" If you say that, it will rewind about 10 seconds, turn on captions for that amount of time, and then turn the back off again.

They also recently made it so that tapping on the "skip back" control also turns on captions for as long as you skipped back for -- but I figured I'd mention the voice command since it's very cool.
That is very cool! I need to start using these enhancements!
Now, if that would only work with my wife! 🤣
 
on your phone, go to the airplay menu (control center, then airplay icon in the top right now playing widget), at the bottom of the list, select control other devices, and then your aTV. That will give you a big play/pause button your phone's Lock Screen.

This should automatically pop up when you're watching something on the aTV. for me it will for a while, then it won't for even longer, and then just come back, all on it's own.
 
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If you have defined rooms in your house using the Home app, you can control your ATV from anywhere in that house. I have a HomePod in the kitchen and sometimes I will say ‘pause in the lounge’ and Siri is capable enough to pause the ATV playback in that room (and I have three ATVs at home).
 
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on your phone, go to the airplay menu (control center, then airplay icon in the top right now playing widget), at the bottom of the list, select control other devices, and then your aTV. That will give you a big play/pause button your phone's Lock Screen.

This should automatically pop up when you're watching something on the aTV. for me it will for a while, then it won't for even longer, and then just come back, all on it's own.

Wow! Definitely going to play with this! Thanks!
 
A big thanks to everyone who replied. I just knew that there had to be a way. Y'all have given me lots to tinker with and I appreciate it.
 
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Yep, Siri can control playback on Apple TV! Just say, "Hey Siri, pause" and it'll pause the live stream without needing the remote. Make sure Siri is turned on in your Apple TV settings, and it’ll work for pause, play, and even skip forward or back.
 
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