Hands-On With the Button Remote, a Siri Remote Alternative for Apple TV

[topdrawer]

the worst part for the siri remote for me is the touch pad. rewinding or forwarding always fails for me

 

[err404]

I love that there so many remote options with the Apple TV. For our setup we can grab the TV remote witch passes through CEC, or use the Apple app, or use my watch, or use the Siri remote, or use our Harmony remote, use the Harmony app, or use an older MacBook remote, or older Apple TV remote, or use Alexa (via Harmon hub). If that isn’t enough train it learn literally any remote.
Quick tip for the Siri remote, click on the left or right edge of the trackpad for 10 sec skip.

 

[topdrawer]

Quick tip for the Siri remote, click on the left or right edge of the trackpad for 10 sec skip.

i do that. it reads "skip 10 secs" on screen, i click, it works i click again and i'm in amazon's x-ray or some other bs.

 

[atonaldenim]

For me, the benefits of the Siri Remote are:

• Siri voice search is so much faster than "typing" with arrow keys
• Can swipe to jump a long ways forward or back

But the things that drive me nuts are:

• Super difficult to hit the 10 seconds skip back/forward touchpad edge clicks
• Accidental touchpad inputs
• Ergonomically weird

I'd love a button remote like this which would solve all my "cons" - but doesn't have all my "pros" of the Siri Remote. I bought my Dad a One-For-All Streamer remote which looks like a pretty good option that can also control a TV and a soundbar.

With this remote I'm tempted to try to velcro the Siri Remote on the back, so I could flip it over to access the Siri button or the touchpad when I needed. The biggest concern would be accidental inputs on the Siri remote from fingers curled under the Function remote, but it looks like there might be enough button-free area left under the Function remote (~40%) that it could work? As long as your fingers didn't drift onto the touchpad, seems possible...

Philips made the Universal Companion Remote around this same concept, sized for Roku & Amazon Fire Stick remotes. I haven't tried one myself, no idea how it actually works in practice...

There's also the SofaBaton F2 which slides over the (RF) Fire TV remote to add (IR) universal TV buttons. I wish somebody would make an Apple TV add-on like this for the Siri Remote, to break out all the touchpad gestures / multi-button clicks into more convenient single buttons, and improve ergonomics, while keeping the Siri Remote's touchpad, Siri Button, and Bluetooth capabilities available too.

 

[coolfactor]

I discovered by chance that the Sony remote for our TV works directly with Apple TV, no programming required. That surprised me.

 

[Digital Dude]

Just downloaded the free 'Apple TV Remote' App from the App Store. It allows me to use my iPhone in a reasonably intuitive way. Don't have to worry about the slippery as a wet Grunion Apple remote. Siri works with it as well.

One thing Apple sucks at; they make the least ergonomic devices on the planet. Have you ever wondered why iPhones are so smooth and slippery? Sure, every other phone is pretty much the same way, so it's 'a monkey see monkey do mentality.' Far be that Apple would design a texturized surface for handheld devices. I guess that wouldn't look sexy enough.

Alternately, here is my redneck solution to Apple's KY-jelly design. I applied some grip-tac material that I typically use on my cameras. I didn't exercise much care with neatness, but it's quite grippy and serves the purpose.

H]

 

[levander]

Even though this thing is overpriced, I would probably buy it if not for the kooky Function logo on the bottom. Reminds me of a clothing manufacturer trying to be cool and writing their name all over their clothing you’re supposed to buy. There was a clothing company named Code Bleu like that when I was a kid. And I remember walking around with Code Bleu written in giant letters on my back for a couple of months before I figured out how stupid it was to be doing that.

I consider this remote overpriced because there are plenty of remotes that only cost $10 bucks that you can buy. It’s possible this company has economies of scale problems and has to charge that much. It’s probably more likely they realize they have no competition in this niche and they see how much Apple users spend on all their other hardware...

 

[Gsmaniac]

The fact this has a dedicated mute button is an instant win for me. Wish the Apple remote had this feature.

 

[garylapointe]

While the subject might be correct, "Hands-On With the Button Remote, a non-Siri Remote Alternative for Apple TV" might make it more clear that the remote does NOT have Siri. It's not really a "Siri" Remote alternative, as it does not have Siri.

If you want to be fussy, then "Hands-On With the Button Remote, a non-Siri Siri Remote Alternative for Apple TV"

 

[err404]

i do that. it reads "skip 10 secs" on screen, i click, it works i click again and i'm in amazon's x-ray or some other bs.

That’s weird I find it super consistent and reliable. I click with center of my thumb on the edge of the of the trackpad, so my thumb is half on half off the pad.

 

[4nNtt]

This looks great, but no Siri is a dealbreaker for me. I’m sure this will still be popular. I suppose you can’t do Siri over IR since the mic is in the remote itself. Hopefully an Apple TV with built-in mics comes out at some point with easy voice navigation. The small size of the Apple remote would be fine if it wasn’t attracted to the couch cracks. It slides too easily. The buttons should also be asymmetric. It is too hard to tell if you have it right side up in the dark. The white circle was an improvement, but there should be more done.

 

[garylapointe]

Someone needs a remote that the Apple remote slides inside and when you put it's "Siri" button, it physically pushes the actual Siri button for you. No Siri is a deal-breaker for me!

 

[Enalu]

Watch out for this company , I ordered a remote over a month ago , not arrived. I emailed support to receive answers like Ok sorry we just got a shipment, employee made a mistake, tracking no is bad then gave me the same tracking No. Author of this article might look into this issue - Might good idea for another story

 

[Devin Breeding]

The free Apple Remote app is a serious replacement contender too, for those that haven't downloaded the app. I honestly use it more than the Siri Remote. It has cons too like not being able to change the volume, but being able to copy/paste long passwords in or using the app with multiple AppleTVs are big pros IMO. Otherwise, it can do the same thing the physical remote can.

I didn’t realize there was an official downloadable app. I just added the remote to the control center on my iphone and it works fine. I agree the passwords and having a keyboard option is huge.

My siri remote sits up on the shelf mostly. Still has factory charge.

 

[Juicy Box]

One thing I forgot to mention earlier to anyone that is thinking about getting the Salt remote....

Some apps are not compatible with IR remotes like the Salt remote. Something to keep in mind, and maybe test at home before considering buying this remote.

Any typing at all, I'm reaching for the Remote app on my iPhone. A notification to use it appears automatically for me on the phone's lock screen as soon as a text entry field comes up.

I use Siri for 99% of my typing, but I do occasionally use the Remote app for typing.

But typing would be the only thing I like about it over the Siri Remote, as most of the problems with the Siri Remote are the same or worse on the Remote App.

 

[Devin Breeding]

Deal breaker for those who have the box hidden in a cabinet or separate room.

A lot of modern TVs can control HDMI devices through their own IR. My TV remote works fine to control it and my Apple TV is in a separate room. Don’t see the utility in a 3rd party remote.

Personally I use the remote built into IOS though.

 

[SkippyThorson]

Apple's default Siri Remote for the Apple TV has never been particularly popular with users due to its small size and fiddly controls, which has prompted third-party companies to make alternative options.

I’ve always said this, and I’ll always say it. It’s a good thing Apple makes touch screens and does them so well. Most of their physical input devices (mice and remotes) are absolutely horrendous.

 

[LeadingHeat]

While $30 isn't much, the Apple TV's Remote Learning Feature has been around since the first gen ATV, and can learn the button presses of any IR remote, such as TV remotes, receiver remotes, DVD player remotes, it even works with an iRobot Roomba remote.

It can learn all the buttons in just a few seconds, and best of all, it is free.

You can use your TV's remote and just have one remote for both TV and ATV.

This is how we use ours! It worked without me setting it up. Probably with the ARC settings (where it turns your TV off when you turn off the Apple TV). Either way it’s super convenient!

 

[duffman9000]

I’ve always said this, and I’ll always say it. It’s a good thing Apple makes touch screens and does them so well. Most of their physical input devices (mice and remotes) are absolutely horrendous.

Whoever designed their recent mice needs to get flogged. It's designed to destroy your hand/wrist.

I have this remote. It needs soft nubs over the buttons. But at least it doesn't have a trackpad. Also, it needs to be chargeable.

 

[kesennnnn]

Looks horrible, but at least I don’t have to look for it several times a day lol

 

[4jasontv]

That it costs nearly as much (or more) than Apple TV itself? Also, some might not like number of buttons, design, or size?

As someone who doesn’t like excessive buttons this remote is cluttered.

 

[4jasontv]

It's worse. The hockey puck mouse at least had a cable so you could tell which end was up without having to examine it.

Are you talking about the Apple TV remote? It’s not symmetrical. You can tell it’s orientation immediately when you touch it.

 

[reggoboy]

For me, the benefits of the Siri Remote are:

• Siri voice search is so much faster than "typing" with arrow keys
• Can swipe to jump a long ways forward or back

But the things that drive me nuts are:

• Super difficult to hit the 10 seconds skip back/forward touchpad edge clicks
• Accidental touchpad inputs
• Ergonomically weird

I'd love a button remote like this which would solve all my "cons" - but doesn't have all my "pros" of the Siri Remote.

Thanks for saying what needed to be said! Almost all the other posts don’t matter.

Not supporting Siri is fatal.

The accidental touch inputs are nearly fatal. Happens all the time. You want to turn up the volume. As you reach for the remote, some finger glances the trackpad and now you’re in a completely different app and missed everything! They need to lock the trackpad until you press some button.

Picking up the remote and not knowing which way is up is nearly fatal. Exasperating.

The one thing I hear no one mentioning is one of the biggest features we miss, a mute button.

 

[timborama]

No Siri button... bonus. I actually glued mine, i keep pressing it accidentally. I switched to Roku just because the Apple remote was so bad.

 

[2010mini]

No Siri is a deal breaker for me.