I Need To...

[gavroche]

I am looking for a remote app that can control the Apple TV 4k... but also pair to a IR device via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (so that you can control those devices from anywhere). And the app would need to be able control various devices through that IR device.
Although i can connect to my Samsung TV via a handful of apps i've tried... they have one big problem: They have to pair over the wi-fi... and if the TV is turned off... you can't pair, and thus you can't turn the TV on. So you are forced to still have a TV remote handy. If you are controlling the Devices via an IR relay, you don't have that problem.
Can anyone recommend an app/IR device combo that works well and can control the Apple TV as we'll as various audio/video devices?
Thanks!

 

[casperes1996]

I recommend not looking for an all-in-one solution, and using the official app for Apple TV remote and finding something else for IR

 

[Mr. Zarniwoop]

Logitech Harmony

 

[gavroche]

Well... my Apple TV 4k arrived today (btw for anyone interested DirectTV now still doing promotion where if you pre-pay for 4 months of service on their basic package, at $35 month, you get a free Apple TV. So $140 to get a $170 Apple TV, with four free months service).
I had no idea how much more advanced and easy the new Apple TV is versus my 3rd Generation, which i never used because it was a pain.

1) App store, so you can download apps you need... obviously the 3rd generation Apple TV didn't have this (so no DirectTVNow app)...
2) The remote automatically knew my TV.. and the new remote has volume buttons (which worked without me doing anything)!
3) The remote can turn off the tv... and as important, turn it back on! somehow it is doing that through the hdmi connection versus IR or wi-fi, so no issue with doing it via wi-fi connection and it not working when powered off.
4) They have made it soooo much easier to set things up. It asked me to put phone near apple tv... and let me set up from the phone. It remembers recently used emails... and when need to input something like password, you can do so from iPhone using keyboard. Much faster.

One issue still here: It is still not doing Home share and allowing me to view movies/music thats in my iMac's iTunes. I have Home sharing turned on on my iMac... but keeps telling me no Homesharing computer found. Anyone know how to remedy this?

 

[archer75]

It's just CEC. Soooo many devices use that now. It doesn't need to "know" your TV. The ATV controls my TV and receiver over CEC out of the box. Which is the point of CEC.
On my other TV it controls the tv only but my receiver doesn't support CEC so the remote just uses IR for that.

 

[gavroche]

It's just CEC. Soooo many devices use that now. It doesn't need to "know" your TV. The ATV controls my TV and receiver over CEC out of the box. Which is the point of CEC.
On my other TV it controls the tv only but my receiver doesn't support CEC so the remote just uses IR for that.

Ah, well its all new to me... I dont update tech too often. Just happy its working (except for home sharing, not clue how to get that going)

Update: So, weird... but i had tried selecting computer... and every time it said no home sharing available... all of the sudden i tried (for around the fortieth time).... and it worked and showed my iTunes content. No idea why it took so long, or if it will be spotty like that often...
but.... one slight (major) issue! instead of selecting my entire library, i chose just movies and tv shows (no home videos)... i have some.. <ahem> NSFW things, which are home videos... but when i'm looking at my library on the Apple TV.. .they don't show up in the main section.. but there was i tab for Recently Added... and some showed up there, even though i didn't select Recently Added as an option to Share on the iMac. Scary, because i dont want the kids accidentally coming across something adult...

 

[casperes1996]

but.... one slight (major) issue! instead of selecting my entire library, i chose just movies and tv shows (no home videos)... i have some.. <ahem> NSFW things, which are home videos... but when i'm looking at my library on the Apple TV.. .they don't show up in the main section.. but there was i tab for Recently Added... and some showed up there, even though i didn't select Recently Added as an option to Share on the iMac. Scary, because i dont want the kids accidentally coming across something adult...

I've never had trouble with Home Sharing - it's always just worked like advertised for me. (i don't have the new ATV, but it's worked on my 3rd gen). However, since you've had these experiences, I recommend removing any content you don't want your kids to see from your iTunes Library, and having the files elsewhere on your computer

 

[archer75]

Home sharing doesn't work for me either. It's not something I need as I use plex. I was just playing around with it but it doesn't work.

 

[Che Castro]

Try rebooting both computer and Apple TV and now try home sharing again