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Rumor Suggests New Apple TV 4K With A12X Chip is 'Ready to Ship'
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The common tasks for tv watching have dedicated buttons on the ATV remote.
Key fobs are today's key which are only as big as they need to be. The ATV remote is only as big as it needs to be as well.
The buttons on the ATV remote are bigger than most any button on most any remote as it is. The ATV remote is bigger than a key fob too. The ATV remote doesn't need to be bigger. And you can always buy a silicon case if you want it even bigger. It doesn't work the other way around though.
The Menu button is the back button and works perfectly well. If you're confused by the naming scheme still remember that hitting the menu button will take you back to the previous menu (if you think about it.) For example, in Netflix, if you're watching a show and hit the menu button you are taken back to that show's menu. Hit it again you are taken back to the Netflix menu. HIt it again, the side menu options in Netflix comes up. Hit it again you are back into the ATV menu. This is a case of a person creating a problem where there is none.
It doesn't need a mute button for tv watching. Pause works. Holding down the volume - button for a second works. Menu button works too, now that I think about it, although I can't speak for every app. Maybe there is an exception.
IT's your prerogative to not want to do something. But that doesn't make it difficult or tedious or non-intuitive any more than any other remote.
Suggesting a person buy a case or attach a piece of tape is an admission that everyone has their own tastes.
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I just picked up a 65" Samsung smart tv that has Airplay2, Apple TV+, etc. bundled (amongst other thins). Personally, I prefer the UI/overall experience that Apple TV (box) offers much more than what Samsung offers (shocker). So until A) Apple offers their own living room-friendly sized display (not happening) or B) they stop making their own box as more TVs offer Apple TV+ (more likely), I'll be one that has their box connected to my TVs. YMMV.
Don’t know. These things happen. Perhaps Toshiba or Apple will come through with an update that fixes this.
I have the Apple tv HD with the A8 and that is fine for streaming
I think they could further eat into Sonos market share and release two versions of Apple tv. One as just an upgraded set top box (maybe a small echo dot type speaker on board) and another one integrated into a center channel speaker. To this you could wirelessly add four homepods and a new sub. I'd buy into that, ditch Sonos and Alexa once and for all.
Key fobs are small because they are carried in your pocket. And they require far fewer functions than a remote control.
Beyond aesthetics, all remote controls should be (1) easy to execute common tasks, (2) can be used by "feel", and (3) ergonomic.
Once more, let's go through common tasks Siri Remote isn't good at:
- Sleep: hold Home for few seconds to bring Control Center, then use Touch Surface to select Sleep. Why not a dedicated Sleep button? Home button is a joke in itself. Once to go to Up Next and twice to actually go Home? There's an option to make it a bit less confusing, but it's not at all obvious. Heck, iPhone has a Sleep button for a reason.
- Mute/unmute: hold volume down or up for few seconds. Why not a mute button like almost every remote controls out there so that I can access it immediately? Pause doesn't work on many apps (e.g., Netflix's autoplay preview/trailer, games). It's just one frigging button. I guess I should be thankful that I don't have to hold Home for few seconds and select Mute from Control Center. Heck, iPhone has a mute switch for a reason.
- Back: since the Menu button is supposed to be for going to the previous screen, why not just call it Back? You guessed it, iPhone has "<" for Back for a reason.
- Menu: holding down the touch surface for few seconds? or swipe down to get language option? when there's a frigging button called Menu? On iPhone, you don't need to do a gesture to access menu. Gesture is a shortcut.
- And often mentioned "I am holding it wrong" because the darn remote is too symmetric and Touch Surface is all too easy to accidentally trigger. Apple fixed iPhone's antenna design of iPhone 4 for a reason.
- Dedicated 3 new buttons: Sleep, Mute, Back
- Larger, more ergonomic, and asymmetric form factor to better fit adult size hands (as a bonus, larger battery and less easy to misplace). Trying to play games with Siri Remote with two hands feels awkward.
- Redesigned Touch Surface that resists accidental trigger.
But for others that are used to remote controls that can do more, without requiring you to learn and use gestures, and need a remote that can be used more easily by feel, it's just not good.
At the very least, clicking the touchpad shouldn't do anything unless your finger is on the touch surface. I don't know how many times I've rolled onto the Siri remote in bed and it annoyingly pauses the video.
If Apple can make the remotes trackpad like their Magic Trackpad it would be tons better. That hard physical click and sensitivity of the remote is the biggest issue. The Magic Trackpad haptic feedback is much better than a physical button. Would probably have to charge it more often but I would mind every few months. I probably charge the current remotes every 6 months.
another issue with how the remote feels is the way the ui is because each icon can be tilted and moved before going to the next icon. It’s not like a physical button where it jumps to the next quickly with no animation. This makes it feel somewhat laggy and unresponsive in times. But that can be fixed better with software and an updated remote I think
another issue with how the remote feels is the way the ui is because each icon can be tilted and moved before going to the next icon. It’s not like a physical button where it jumps to the next quickly with no animation. This makes it feel somewhat laggy and unresponsive in times. But that can be fixed better with software and an updated remote I think
Very solid. The only issue I've noticed (besides the annoying remote) is occasional mild lags wh scrolling in the UI.
Why bother making a new remote? Most people have their phone in their hands during shows - tweeting during live shows.
Launch an updated app instead.
Just don’t make it glass - I have visions of my kids dropping it on the hardwood floors.
Launch an updated app instead.
Just don’t make it glass - I have visions of my kids dropping it on the hardwood floors.
I love the Apple TV remote, I don't know what most of you hate so much on it.
It's small, easy to use, has the white ring on the Menu that lets you know by touch on a completely dark room which side you are holding. Battery life is great, and it has a lot of sensors so you can play on it as if it were an iPhone.
What's not to like?
I liked even the previous remote that didn't have the white ring on it. You could feel which side you are holding it by feeling the volume button.
It's small, easy to use, has the white ring on the Menu that lets you know by touch on a completely dark room which side you are holding. Battery life is great, and it has a lot of sensors so you can play on it as if it were an iPhone.
What's not to like?
I liked even the previous remote that didn't have the white ring on it. You could feel which side you are holding it by feeling the volume button.
Agreed. I like it as well. I think it is just very subjective (and a hotly debated topic around here). Of course the remote could be improved, but it is the highest quality, nicest looking remote for a streaming box.
Apple TV only support 1920x1080 and 3480x2160 it seems. It doesn't support e.g. 2560x1080 or 3440x1440. The GUI doesn't scale in any way to other than 16:9. Videos are pillarboxed, yes...
This an arbitrary stupid limitation. Even my 2011 Mac Mini support 3440x1440... The Apple TV is a super premium device. For the same price you get like 3 Fire TV sticks.
I would expect a little something for my money... but the Apple TV has been a disappointment from the beginning... lack of Bluetooth support for example. They should have skipped the 1080p version as a whole IMHO. It was only half way good when the 4K version launched.
Also, with a 3,5mm audio output this would have made a decent Airplay target when the TV is off, but Apple also wasted an opportunity there.
What killed it on the gaming side is Apples requirement that all games need to work without a controller.
Last but not least no web browser and the lack of RemoteDesktop apps really crippled the device, which is really a shame...
Live shows they do - half the shows want tweets so they can read them on-Air
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Probably not server side. Everything is already loaded. However, when I scroll sometimes it just slows down for a brief instant. A fresh reboot seems to clear it up so it makes me wonder if it has to do with memory.
However video streams are fine. No stutters at all even with 4K Dolby Vision.
Remote haters - I’d strongly recommend trying a silicon cover, they are super cheap on eBay. The remote is a master class in Apple sleekness, but that isn’t actually very good for grabbing and using easily - a cover transforms it in my personal experience. We use the Apple remote for pretty much everything now, as it triggers the TV and AV amp via HDMI. If ever we need to use one of the traditiona remotes (eg picture settings) all those tiny rectangular buttons feels like something from the last century 😂
Interestingly we can use the Panasonic TV remote to control our Apple TV. I think this is a fairly recent change, I certainly didn't notice it when we first got the device. If find it much better than the Apple remote.
