I seriously dislike the Siri remote.

[chiwaw]

Yeah count me in the "I hate the Siri remote" group. I played with it for a couple hours when I first used my ATV4, to give myself an general feel about it. The Siri microphone can be kind of nice, but hardly a must have feature for me.

My fix: It's been in the drawer ever since. I only control my ATV4 using either my Harmony or my Nimbus. Which also gives me the grid alphabet input layout (a lesser evil than the horizontal one IMHO). So the Siri remote problem was easy to avoid for me, but I understand why people without MFi or universal remotes, disliking but forced to use it, may be having a negative experience with the ATV4 as a whole.

 

[normanfox]

Yeah count me in the "I hate the Siri remote" group. I played with it for a couple hours when I first used my ATV4, to give myself an general feel about it. The Siri microphone can be kind of nice, but hardly a must have feature for me.

My fix: It's been in the drawer ever since. I only control my ATV4 using either my Harmony or my Nimbus. Which also gives me the grid alphabet input layout (a lesser evil than the horizontal one IMHO). So the Siri remote problem was easy to avoid for me, but I understand why people without MFi or universal remotes, disliking but forced to use it, may be having a negative experience with the ATV4 as a whole.

I felt the opposite. I have been using universal URC-880 remote($400) for years and always toss factory remote in the box. I was planning to do the same to Siri remote. I use this universal remote to control everything, including Fan, light, Receiver, etc.

First few hours with Siri remote, I did not like it. I am not big fan of touch control. after a week, I changed my mind. I love it. now my universal remote is rarely used (only for light, fan, TV sleep).

Here are key features that my universal can't do:
1) voice search and command ("turn on subtitle", "best tv show by AMC")
2) app switcher using Home button
3) Bluetooth with no lag(no need RF for device in closet)
4) browsing with touch is smooth
5) HDMI CEC works great (on, off, volume)

 

[npmacuser5]

What does Siri have to do with the remote? All you're doing with the remote is pushing a button to activate it.



Holding down the TV button and selecting sleep is so many steps? Really? You hold it down for one or two seconds and select sleep. What's not simple about that? I like that the Apple TV remote isn't like every other remote covered buttons for every little thing.

Apple promotes Siri as the future, then why did they not have this genius do simple commands like, Siri "Sleep Apple TV" or Siri "dictate" speak instead of using the keyboard. Apple is missing truly innovative solutions.

 

[Michael M. Hughes]

I wish the thing had some kind of lighting behind the buttons, although I know that would cut into battery life, because I regularly press the wrong buttons because I'm watching TV in the dark—like just about everyone else on the planet. I also regularly find myself holding it upside-down. It's a good start, but it could use some more attention in the usability department.

 

[recoil80]

I wish the thing had some kind of lighting behind the buttons, although I know that would cut into battery life, because I regularly press the wrong buttons because I'm watching TV in the dark—like just about everyone else on the planet. I also regularly find myself holding it upside-down. It's a good start, but it could use some more attention in the usability department.

It happens to me all the time. I hold it upside down and press the wrong button.
I don't need the remote to be backlit since I don't take a look at it, I'd rather have something I can recognize by touching it.

 

[RB1959]

I like the ATV4 but dislike the remote. Its too small, too fragile, uncomfortable to hold, too fiddly, and I also keep holding it upside down. Scrolling with the touchpad is not easy and Siri is far too limited. I also have to put the lights on full in the evening to see what I'm doing with it. Shame.

 

[Justim]

Returned the Apple TV today. There are too many missing pieces for me and nothing worked the way it should have.

 

[APlotdevice]

The one function almost all remote controls have for any device is an on/off button. The fact that the Siri remote doesn't have one is a head-scratcher. And no, having to hold down the TV button for a few seconds, THEN clicking a Sleep button just to turn off the TV does not count. Apple is all about simplicity. Why does it take so many steps to power off a device that other remotes can do in one?

To my knowledge none of the streaming boxes on the market right now have a power button, on the remote or otherwise. The assumption seems to be that auto-sleep is good enough for most people (especially since these devices don't use much power).

 

[chiwaw]

To my knowledge none of the streaming boxes on the market right now have a power button, on the remote or otherwise. The assumption seems to be that auto-sleep is good enough for most people (especially since these devices don't use much power).

I never had a power button on any on my previous Roku either. I'm not sure why people want these. They usually go to sleep (or some kind of power saving mode) if they lose HDMI communication. Plus these devices leverage their down time to automatically upgrade themselves so we don't have to when we are trying to actually watch something.

 

[pjarvi]

I just told Siri: "Got to sleep", she replied: "Hold down Home button. Good Night!". Good enough for me.

 

[MH01]

I like my ATV a lot, the remote though is a bad design. Everytime I pick up the unit I'm not sure which end is which, especially when it's dark. The Old design was so much better.

 

[lsutigerfan1976]

Besides not knowing which end is up. The only other gripe I have is the top part you use to navigate up, down, side to side gets dirty easily. Seems like it's the type of surface or texture of it. That is my ocd gripe.

 

[TurboPGT!]

The remote is fantastic for what it's meant for.

Expecting it to be good for games is idiotic.

 

[normanfox]

Besides not knowing which end is up. The only other gripe I have is the top part you use to navigate up, down, side to side gets dirty easily. Seems like it's the type of surface or texture of it. That is my ocd gripe.

I am planning to put it in a case which will protect it and help with orientation.

 

[leesweet]

Another issue is it needs a 'home' function for the scene slider. If you swipe while in a video you have to manually put it back to 'now' to continue playing (unless I'm missing some trivial way to cancel the scrubbing preview?).