No Siri and no rage-inducing touch surface? I'll take four!
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ditto...
AppleTV Touch Remote: W.R.E.
[automerge]1577757069[/automerge]
ditto...
AppleTV Touch Remote: W.R.E.
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Hands-On With Salt's Apple TV Remote Replacement
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This IR remote is made by http://www.twelectronics.co.uk/ . I like that design, but i will miss bluetooth.
I personally love the Apple TV 4/4K remote. Using other remotes is almost painful now (for me). Sure, it's not perfect (easy to click/move things you didn't mean to and orientation issues), but once I mastered it I find it's very economical from a navigation standpoint (except I do agree a page up/page down feature would have been nice).
My biggest complaint about it is that it's too slippery and always gets itself lost. I have one permanently stuck in a region of my couch that's literally impossible to get to without breaking it apart (stuck in a recess near the bottom).
My biggest complaint about it is that it's too slippery and always gets itself lost. I have one permanently stuck in a region of my couch that's literally impossible to get to without breaking it apart (stuck in a recess near the bottom).
I made no comment on the remote itself, did I? It’s simply a fact that MR forum members are in no way an accurate indication of how the larger population thinks about anything Apple, since it’s not a representative sample.
With all the trolls and the many out and proud members of the Apple-hate club here on the MR forums, the only thing you can be sure of is that any negativity will be amplified by an echo chamber of users trying to build cred based on the amount of vitriol they can spew at Apple and Tim Cook. Such is the nature of online forums and the trolls who feed off them.
MR forum members are in no way any indication of how the larger population thinks about anything; it’s not a representative sample in the least.
There are plenty of users who like or are indifferent to the aluminum and Siri remote, but whether that’s 5% or 95% is impossible to know, based on anything here in the forums 🤷♂️ You think your subjective opinion is objective, but it’s not.
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I must be in the minority since my only major beef with the Apple remote is that you can only pair one at a time. Didn’t realize until after I bought a second one, so my spousemgets to use the nice on and I use phone app or old non Siri Apple TV remote.
no touch on the salt version seems problematic given a lot of apps work better/expect the touch gestures - even some video viewing apps I use.
no touch on the salt version seems problematic given a lot of apps work better/expect the touch gestures - even some video viewing apps I use.
I just love how a US based website can get such a remote sooner than an actual Salt subscriber. I have been avoiding using Salt's TV service due to the remote. Each time I try it it just makes me so angry: the Apple remote always does something that I don't want, and never does anything what I want. I just turn it off after 5 minutes before trying it again 3 months later.
I was so excited when I saw this on MacRumors, I have been looking for one since day one, but all Salt shops are constantly sold out. Frankly, I don't even think it really exists, just a hoax by Macrumors and Salt.
I was so excited when I saw this on MacRumors, I have been looking for one since day one, but all Salt shops are constantly sold out. Frankly, I don't even think it really exists, just a hoax by Macrumors and Salt.
I like the Apple TV remote for browsing, navigating the UI, etc...
But for watching TV it’s not as good as a purpose-built remote. I really disliked it for DirectTvNow because that interface is really made for a traditional remote, it was also bad, but slightly better for PlayStation Vue, I think because that interface was a little less designed for a traditional remote.
I’m on YoutubeTV now and it’s actually not bad now.
Still wish it had a couple more buttons (last channel, guide) which are helpful when browsing live TV.
But for watching TV it’s not as good as a purpose-built remote. I really disliked it for DirectTvNow because that interface is really made for a traditional remote, it was also bad, but slightly better for PlayStation Vue, I think because that interface was a little less designed for a traditional remote.
I’m on YoutubeTV now and it’s actually not bad now.
Still wish it had a couple more buttons (last channel, guide) which are helpful when browsing live TV.
The Apple TV remotes have always been trash from the first generation ATV where you could add a second hard drive (which I did). And ever since that first model, I've put my apple remotes in a drawer and they've never seen the light of day until they got sold on eBay in lieu of an upgrade. Jony Ive's departure will be an amazing step for Apple. Hopefully no more crap that looks really cool but doesn't serve the user. I wonder if his toilets at home look like spaceships but don't flush everything and are extremely uncomfortable to guests?
I've been somewhat happily using Harmony remotes for well over a decade. The only thing I'm not getting is the mic, but I'm not a user of that anyways. The harmony can be a bit of a pain but they integrate well with Alexa/Smartthings so I can use voice commands to start my activities... and I've used a hack that's allowed me to run three rooms with three harmonys.
And tbh, I've nearly phased out my ATV in favor of the Nvidia Shield TV. It decodes every audio stream there ever was, and in my Atmos theater, it's a must have. Apple refuses to decode TrueHD and DTS-HD MA Atmos streams because they're from the devil. My shield TV has been the best purchase I've made in the last five years, probably a tie for my FireTV Recast and OTA HD antennas. Telling DirecTV to suck it was a high point in my life. Not buying incremental/minor Apple TV hardware upgrades has been up there too. The Shield TV has the horsepower to run some fairly impressive games and it crushes h.265.
I've been somewhat happily using Harmony remotes for well over a decade. The only thing I'm not getting is the mic, but I'm not a user of that anyways. The harmony can be a bit of a pain but they integrate well with Alexa/Smartthings so I can use voice commands to start my activities... and I've used a hack that's allowed me to run three rooms with three harmonys.
And tbh, I've nearly phased out my ATV in favor of the Nvidia Shield TV. It decodes every audio stream there ever was, and in my Atmos theater, it's a must have. Apple refuses to decode TrueHD and DTS-HD MA Atmos streams because they're from the devil. My shield TV has been the best purchase I've made in the last five years, probably a tie for my FireTV Recast and OTA HD antennas. Telling DirecTV to suck it was a high point in my life. Not buying incremental/minor Apple TV hardware upgrades has been up there too. The Shield TV has the horsepower to run some fairly impressive games and it crushes h.265.
Am I really the only one who likes the Apple TV remote? Like I have it setup on my harmony elite too, but once you learn the gestures and stuff, the Apple TV remote seems great to me.
the remote I hate is the Nvidia shield (the new one is slightly less ****** than the old one at least).
Either way, I wonder how many of the people hating on the Apple remote are the people who refuse to even look at manuals because “they are smart enough to figure it out”. I can’t think of a single critical function that’s missing and for text entry I just use an iDevice (though even without one it’s still easier than most remotes, though I do wish Apple would kill the horizontal keyboard cause that’s just dumb)
the remote I hate is the Nvidia shield (the new one is slightly less ****** than the old one at least).
Either way, I wonder how many of the people hating on the Apple remote are the people who refuse to even look at manuals because “they are smart enough to figure it out”. I can’t think of a single critical function that’s missing and for text entry I just use an iDevice (though even without one it’s still easier than most remotes, though I do wish Apple would kill the horizontal keyboard cause that’s just dumb)
The remotes that came with the previous Gens was not easy to use due to its size and limited buttons. Is the Salt remote better? I would have to use it first to provide an accurate assessment. To type an email and password is tedious with a remote and using a bluetooth connected keyboard make life easier.
Having owned the iterations since the Apple TV 3, the ONLY way I will buy the next one, is if the remote gets upgraded to something functional. Who in R&D didn’t consider couches a place it could get lost? And half the time the touchpad just goes unresponsive (happened with both my 4 & 4K Apple TV).
I don’t care if it magically turns my 4K projector into a 16K glasses free 3D beast and somehow mails me $500 a month- they’re not getting my business for the same style of remote.
And using the phone is the dumbest cop-out ever.
I don’t care if it magically turns my 4K projector into a 16K glasses free 3D beast and somehow mails me $500 a month- they’re not getting my business for the same style of remote.
And using the phone is the dumbest cop-out ever.
I like using my phone for passwords cause then you can use your keychain and faceid... you think I remember the passwords to all my streaming services (hint: no)
How is swiping on the native remote so hard? If you're using it to type ... well that's your mistake. Voice commands are very good, and the remote utility on iPhone is by far the way to go if you have to type anything like login credentials, WiFi password, etc.
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Do you deliberately swipe to type vs. using the iPhone remote feature?
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Which is easily the best way to navigate ATV.
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Do you deliberately swipe to type vs. using the iPhone remote feature?
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Which is easily the best way to navigate ATV.
What exactly are the “usability” issues everyone is having? I have zero issues with it at all and been using it for over a year (and I even think I’ve only ever charged it roughly twice). The swiping is great and functionality consistently works quite well.
The 4K is my first Apple TV and the entire experience has been nothing but pleasant. I just don’t understand all of the hatred I’m seeing. I had no idea people were so upset about it.
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That’s a good point. This forum is overwhelmingly negative toward Apple products, for some bizarre reason. It’s one of the reasons I barely even read the forums/comments anymore. The only reason I’m in this one is because after reading the article, all I could think was, “but... why??”A couple dozen or even a couple hundred complainers isn’t really that much hate. It’s completely normal and to be expected here on MR forums
It completely slipped my mind that everyone hates everything
I didn‘t either till we had 2 of them break at my elderly Mom’s house. She was almost violently opposed to replacing them. I thought she was just being cheap and I offered to pay for them. She just got more frustrated with me.
I ended up buying her these as replacements:
GE Universal Remote Control, Samsung TV Remote Control Replacement, Universal TV Remote Samsung Remote Control for Smart TV, Roku Replacement Remote, Vizio, LG, Sony, Apple TV, 4-Device, Silver, 33709
Consolidate control with a GE-branded Designer Series 4-Device Universal Remote. No more worries about keeping track of multiple controllers. This remote is designed to control up to four devices, including your TV, Blu-ray/DVD player, streaming media player, cable, satellite, soundbar and more. ...
www.amazon.com
Even though it doesn’t emulate all the features of the Siri remote, my Mom loves it and her Apple TV’s now.
And thinking back, when she first started using it, there was a lot of hand holding and re-explaining stuff to her. I thought it was because she’s from a generation just before computers became so commonplace. But I’ve now realized no, it’s just a complex design.
It came time to buy Dad a box for his TV this Christmas (Mom and Dad are separated, live apart) and I got him a Roku. I didn’t feel like going through the trouble of teaching him the Apple TV. I haven’t been over there but he’s said he‘s using it and he likes it.
Does anyone remember when iMacs were so cool because even their grandma was able to get themselves on the Internet? Well my experience this Christmas was that now that’s Roku.
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I don't know about others, but I like the ATV 4's remote.
The battery lasts well over a month, the touch interface is quick for me to scroll the content, so much so that I've kept it on fast sensitivity, and it works great! I've paired my TV remote too, for times when hands dirty and don't want to spoil the ATV's remote but those times, I hate the slow speed of manual button scroll so much.
In fact I never use Siri, so that's a waste of a button and I hate the accidental presses to it.
The battery lasts well over a month, the touch interface is quick for me to scroll the content, so much so that I've kept it on fast sensitivity, and it works great! I've paired my TV remote too, for times when hands dirty and don't want to spoil the ATV's remote but those times, I hate the slow speed of manual button scroll so much.
In fact I never use Siri, so that's a waste of a button and I hate the accidental presses to it.
I didn‘t either till we had 2 of them break at my elderly Mom’s house. She was almost violently opposed to replacing them. I thought she was just being cheap and I offered to pay for them. She just got more frustrated with me.
I ended up buying her these as replacements:
GE Universal Remote Control, Samsung TV Remote Control Replacement, Universal TV Remote Samsung Remote Control for Smart TV, Roku Replacement Remote, Vizio, LG, Sony, Apple TV, 4-Device, Silver, 33709
Consolidate control with a GE-branded Designer Series 4-Device Universal Remote. No more worries about keeping track of multiple controllers. This remote is designed to control up to four devices, including your TV, Blu-ray/DVD player, streaming media player, cable, satellite, soundbar and more. ...www.amazon.com
Even though it doesn’t emulate all the features of the Siri remote, my Mom loves it and her Apple TV’s now.
And thinking back, when she first started using it, there was a lot of hand holding and re-explaining stuff to her. I thought it was because she’s from a generation just before computers became so commonplace. But I’ve now realized no, it’s just a complex design.
It came time to buy Dad a box for his TV this Christmas (Mom and Dad are separated, live apart) and I got him a Roku. I didn’t feel like going through the trouble of teaching him the Apple TV. I haven’t been over there but he’s said he‘s using it and he likes it.
Does anyone remember when iMacs were so cool because even their grandma was able to get themselves on the Internet? Well my experience this Christmas was that now that’s Roku.
How is your elderly mother breaking them? If she was dropping them on hard floors or pressing the button like you’re buzzing in, maybe, but if you are using them to watch TV they should be fine.
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I’m confused. What use case would require you to use two remotes at the same time for the same TV? Are you doing a TwitchWatchesTV at home?
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Given the post you responded to, you just started reading this thread and have yet to reach the posts in which various people (including myself) list their issues. Just keep reading - you may or may not agree with them, but people have enunciated specific things they dislike about the Siri Remote.
I can’t stand the Siri remote. It’s uncomfortable to use and nearly impossible for most of our guests to figure out. The horrible touch/swipe remote is the only reason we prefer Fire TV. I wish Apple would make a bluetooth version of a remote exactly like the Salt one.
Say you will about the MR forum, the fact that a telecom servicing a country of 8.5 million goes to the trouble and expense of commissioning an alternative remote, explicitly due to usability complaints from its customer base, speaks rather loudly.
Unless Swiss residents are represented disproportionately in the MR forum, or astroturfing the comment sections in the various stories, asking how they, too, can obtain the remote outside of the country, confidence in the sample of sentiments expressed here, and elsewhere, can be considered high.