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

[4jasontv]

Exactly.... It couldn't possibly be the unintuitive design.

Now that reminds me of the Antennagate issues:

iPhone 4 - Reception Problems - Holding Wrong | The Mary Sue

Yesterday, scores of eager new iPhone 4 owners quickly discovered they had a problem: When they held their phones by the antenna band left-handed, reception would in many cases be nuked, dropping to one bar or zero bars. Apple has officially confirmed that there's a problem, but in their...

www.themarysue.com

You're Holding It Wrong!
View attachment 946350

Right... Apple should make the remote harder to use because some people might lay on it.

While we are at it Coke should redesign their formula to have less carbonation because some people might like to run with their can before they drink it.

How do these people pick up a dinner knife without cutting themselves half the time?

 

[Juicy Box]

Right... Apple should make the remote harder to use because some people might lay on it.

While we are at it Coke should redesign their formula to have less carbonation because some people might like to run with their can before they drink it.

How do these people pick up a dinner knife without cutting themselves half the time?

Not even kind of the same thing.

I am unsure about your complaint. You like the Siri Remote, a lot of people don't. They are looking for a remote solution that fits their need.

If you don't like the Salt remote, don't get it. I'm not.

 

[4jasontv]

Silly post.... Not even kind of the same thing.

Literally the same thing.

If you keep having issues with a product other people don't have an issue with than either it's defective and it's on you to get it replaced or you are using it wrong. I see this attitude where people think that they can be aggressive with their stuff and if it doesn't work than it's a design issue.

 

[4jasontv]

I am unsure about your complaint. You like the Siri Remote, a lot of people don't. They are looking for a remote solution that fits their need.

I am not complaining. I am trying to figure out a way to help people not waste money on something that will ultimately make the experience worse when developers fix their apps and support the Apple remote.

 

[Juicy Box]

I see this attitude where people think that they can be aggressive with their stuff and if it doesn't work than it's a design issue.

Yeah, it is a design issue for how they use it. People want other solutions to fit their need.

I am trying to figure out a way to help people not waste money on something that will ultimately make the experience worse when developers fix their apps and support the Apple remote.

Using an alternative might make the experience worse for you, but for many, they just hate using the Siri Remote.

Another thing I often see on the forum, "my way is best, if you are not doing it my way, you must be doing it the wrong way".

User experience is subjective. People like different things. Not everyone is just like you.

 

[4jasontv]

Yeah, it is a design issue for how they use it. People want other solutions to fit their need.

Using an alternative might make the experience worse for you, but for many, they just hate using the Siri Remote.

Another thing I often see on the forum, "my way is best, if you are not doing it my way, you must be doing it the wrong way".

User experience is subjective. People like different things. Not everyone is just like you.

You make it seem like we are talking about fashion or paint brushes where people have different needs because they have different visions for the end product. It's a stick with buttons that controls a box it is packaged with. It works fine, and if hate it because they refuse to adjust their behaviors.

 

[Juicy Box]

It's a stick with buttons that controls a box it is packaged with. It works fine, and if hate it because they refuse to adjust their behaviors.

See:

"my way is best, if you are not doing it my way, you must be doing it the wrong way".

It works fine, and if hate it because they refuse to adjust their behaviors.

Or, they could just get a solution that better fits their behavior. What is the problem with this?

 

[JedWare]

The lack of buttons IS the selling point. Everyone in our house can't stand the other remotes because they are cluttered and unintuitive messes. The Apple TV is also the only remote that turns everything on and off. It's not an airplane. We don't want a button for every feature.

My remote turns everything on and off, that is a feature of hdmi-cec and not a remote. The button remote just works better when fast forwarding and rewinding. If you tried it you would realize how bad video scrubbing is with the touch remote.

 

[4jasontv]

My remote turns everything on and off, that is a feature of hdmi-cec and not a remote. The button remote just works better when fast forwarding and rewinding. If you tried it you would realize how bad video scrubbing is with the touch remote.

Oh my no. Scrubbing with buttons is so difficult to get to a specific frame.

 

[4jasontv]

See:





Or, they could just get a solution that better fits their behavior. What is the problem with this?

As I mentioned it will make supporting the AppleTV more difficult. Developers are already bad at making TV apps. We don’t need to add to the complexity.

 

[Woocashin]

This one is slightly Better... it has home button.... but still IR... and no Siri....

Simple Remote | Apple TV Alternative Remote Control | CM-7000XRC

Simple Remote | Apple TV Alternative/Replacement Remote Control | CM-7000XRC

www.channelmaster.com

 

[BuffaloTF]

Exactly.... It couldn't possibly be the unintuitive design.

Now that reminds me of the Antennagate issues:

iPhone 4 - Reception Problems - Holding Wrong | The Mary Sue

Yesterday, scores of eager new iPhone 4 owners quickly discovered they had a problem: When they held their phones by the antenna band left-handed, reception would in many cases be nuked, dropping to one bar or zero bars. Apple has officially confirmed that there's a problem, but in their...

www.themarysue.com

You're Holding It Wrong!
View attachment 946350

Except the words "you're holding it wrong" were never spoken by anyone except the media, looking for clicks with a misleading title on an article.

An actual technical explanation of what was happening was given, so one could know why the reception dropped when doing that -- they were acting as a conduit and bridging 2 different antenna together... and then they were given free cases so it wouldn't happen.

 

[Juicy Box]

The physical buttons work well enough. There are directional arrows for navigating, an OK button for selecting items, a menu button for going back to the previous screen (hold it down to go to the Home Screen), volume buttons, and media playback controls.

Another thing worth noting about using IR remotes like the Salt remote is that the app itself has to have the IR inputs programmed, it is not a universal thing. Some apps are not compatible with IR remotes.

This could always change if one would request that feature to the app developer.

If you tried it you would realize how bad video scrubbing is with the touch remote.

In my experience, scrubbing is both good and bad using the Siri Remote. It is much faster than using an IR remote, but I cannot always finely get to the right spot I want to. This might be app specific though.

YouTube for example, seems to be really hard to get a specific frame.

Also, if the place I am trying to scrub to is close to where the play mark is, then it just snaps to the play mark. This is pretty annoying, and seems to be universal to all apps.

 

[JedWare]

In my experience, scrubbing is both good and bad using the Siri Remote. It is much faster than using an IR remote, but I cannot always finely get to the right spot I want to. This might be app specific though.

YouTube for example, seems to be really hard to get a specific frame.

I have YouTube TV and it is probably similar to YouTube in control handling. It was just more frustrating overall with the Apple Remote. I have to find what works best for the apps I use the most.

 

[Juicy Box]

Except the words "you're holding it wrong" were never spoken by anyone except the media, looking for clicks with a misleading title on an article.

Well, they were paraphrasing, as the actual quote was "Just don't hold it that way", and it was in response to someone asking if the technical issues you spoke of were a design flaw.

In my opinion, I think the Antennagate was overblown, but it did show an attitude to people stating issues they have with Apple products, which I think have gotten much worse since the iPhone 4.

I also think that the design issues of the Siri Remote are worse than Antennagate.

 

[Juicy Box]

I have to find what works best for the apps I use the most.

I agree, do what is best for you.

You are the one actually using the remote, app, and device. It make sense for you to do what you like, and let others do what they like.

That is the beauty of choice.

 

[scottjl]

I've got one, it's junk. Doesn't properly control my TV nor my soundbar, both Vizio, who's been around a while. You have to go through some silly process holding down buttons forever while it cycles over and over through hundreds of codes. Still couldn't find the right ones. No way to reset it to factory either, so my unit is now lost somewhere in the list. Do not recommend buying one.

 

[fmalloy]

Waiting for Apple to sue them, buy them out, or find a way to disable their remote...

 

[Juicy Box]

Waiting for Apple to sue them, buy them out, or find a way to disable their remote...

IIRC, this was done with Apple's blessing and assistance.

But even if it was not, under what grounds would the third-party IR remote maker be sued?

 

[Juicy Box]

Waiting for Apple to sue them, buy them out, or find a way to disable their remote...

IIRC, this was done with Apple's blessing and assistance.

I am unsure about the Function remote, but the Salt remote was designed in collaboration with Apple:

According to Salt, the Salt Remote was designed in close collaboration with Apple after the Salt TV customer base complained about the poor usability of the default remote that comes with the Apple TV.

So I don't think Apple has a reason to sue these remote making companies. If anything, it makes owning an Apple TV a more attractive option due to having remote options.

A lot of people end up returning the ATV or replacing it with one of Apple's competitors' devices/Smart TVs due to the them not liking the Siri Remote, so having remote options could mean that Apple is selling more devices.

I would think that would make Apple happy.

 

[Deguello]

You make it seem like we are talking about fashion or paint brushes where people have different needs because they have different visions for the end product. It's a stick with buttons that controls a box it is packaged with. It works fine, and if hate it because they refuse to adjust their behaviors.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence that of all the remotes I have, this Apple one is the one that I end up swiping or clicking the touchpad when I pick it up. Or the only one that gets activated by pillows or blankets. Or the one that randomly clicks if it falls off my lap. Or that gets bounced off armrests and in between cushions when dogs jump up, resulting in buttons being pushed when weight is shifted to try to dig it out. Or that I can’t tell orientation by weight when I do manage to pick it up without incident.

I get that it works flawlessly for you. That’s great. There are a lot of people for whom it doesn’t. I’m one of them.

 

[pcorrado]

I've got one, it's junk. Doesn't properly control my TV nor my soundbar, both Vizio, who's been around a while. You have to go through some silly process holding down buttons forever while it cycles over and over through hundreds of codes. Still couldn't find the right ones. No way to reset it to factory either, so my unit is now lost somewhere in the list. Do not recommend buying one.

this was my experience. With a TCL however.

 

[4jasontv]

Maybe it’s just a coincidence that of all the remotes I have, this Apple one is the one that I end up swiping or clicking the touchpad when I pick it up. Or the only one that gets activated by pillows or blankets. Or the one that randomly clicks if it falls off my lap. Or that gets bounced off armrests and in between cushions when dogs jump up, resulting in buttons being pushed when weight is shifted to try to dig it out. Or that I can’t tell orientation by weight when I do manage to pick it up without incident.

I get that it works flawlessly for you. That’s great. There are a lot of people for whom it doesn’t. I’m one of them.

How foolish I was to think people might be using it wrong. Hmm. I haven’t considered that people might throw it, or drop it, or step on it, or lay on it. I guess I just assumed that people take care of things. That they remember the orientation of things they are currently holding or at the very least put them down someplace where they can find them when needed instead of just letting them go with reckless abandon once it has served it’s purpose. In your case a bulky unresponsive remote might be a better option.

 

[Deguello]

How foolish I was to think people might be using it wrong. Hmm. I haven’t considered that people might throw it, or drop it, or step on it, or lay on it. I guess I just assumed that people take care of things. That they remember the orientation of things they are currently holding or at the very least put them down someplace where they can find them when needed instead of just letting them go with reckless abandon once it has served it’s purpose. In your case a bulky unresponsive remote might be a better option.

Maybe you could consider that people put it on a nightstand in the dark. Or on the armrest of a chair or couch in the dark. Or on a bed in the dark. Or that they don’t sit there holding the remote the whole time they’re watching TV.

That you think putting a remote on the arm of a couch is placing it with reckless abandon might explain your disconnect with the experience of so many others.

 

[4jasontv]

Maybe you could consider that people put it on a nightstand in the dark. Or on the armrest of a chair or couch in the dark. Or on a bed in the dark. Or that they don’t sit there holding the remote the whole time they’re watching TV.

That you think putting a remote on the arm of a couch is placing it with reckless abandon might explain your disconnect with the experience of so many others.

You said you drop it, lose track of it, and that and animals jump on it. It doesn’t matter if some people do that. Those are not normal or reasonable use cases.

Why is it so hard for some people to recognize that the issue is their behavior? My whole point is that people have to spend money on a product that performs worse because they refuse to follow simple instruction and change behaviors that have undesirable outcomes.

Don’t sleep with your remote if it cause issues. Don’t turn the tv off until you placed the remote back and then you don’t have to do it in the dark. Unless of course you have one of those TVs that doesn’t use light to show images.