Swiss Fiber TV Service 'Salt' Launches Alternative Apple TV 4K Remote Control for Frustrated Customers

[ActionableMango]

Is there a remote like the Salt that has the right buttons for an AppleTV? Something relatively simple, like the Roku. My dad gets frustrated with the current remote and the ones pictured above would be worse. Any help would be appreciated

Not that I'm aware of. I think that is why this Salt is so appealing to so many.

 

[SwissTester]

Grüezi from Switzerland.
Installation took me 30 secs. It works fine with my Sony TV and Sonos-Bar. Even the typing in the movie-app search was faster than with the original remote. 20 franks... 20 bucks... good deal. Now even my mother-in-law will be able to use our tv ;-)

 

[Scottb8888]

Keep us posted when we can buy one!!

 

[adrianlondon]

Grüezi from Switzerland.

Grüezi back! Is the remote somehow paired to your Apple TV (i.e. did Salt need your details to configure it) or is it just a generic IR remote? I'm currently with UPC but like to know what the competition is up to!

 

[fhall1]

You can just press down on the right side to skip forward 15-30 seconds per click. Same with the left.

And you can also tap the cardinal directions on it as well to serve as a d-pad. Not press, just tap.

I'll give it a try and see....I don't trust the NFL's programmers to actually follow Apple interface guidelines.

 

[SwissTester]

Grüezi back! Is the remote somehow paired to your Apple TV (i.e. did Salt need your details to configure it) or is it just a generic IR remote? I'm currently with UPC but like to know what the competition is up to!

seems like IR... no pairing needed. the salt remote also does not appear in the appleTV settings showing connected devices. still all functions work at least in the movies app, e.g. fast back/forward, play, stop, jump 15 back/forward. i am not using the salt TV app on my apple TV, but all functions also work on the standard apps like movies.

 

[SwissTester]

found the manufacturer site http://www.twelectronics.co.uk/atv
but it's only sold in the salt stores

 

[decafjava]

I just got mine but it's still in the box. I'll report back on my findings, as an aside I did try the updated Salt TV app (was updating my ATV) with the standard remote and it works better now. Still happy to have this.

 

[ignatius345]

Based on the interest mentioned in above comments, I guess I should just buy a ton of their remotes and re-sell them to people living outside of Switzerland for a 30% markup

$26? Sure, I'm in.

Just read some dumbass article that recommended that since you can't buy this outside Switzerland, you should get a Logitech Harmony remote for one hundred dollars. Pass.

 

[PickUrPoison]

$26? Sure, I'm in.

Just read some dumbass article that recommended that since you can't buy this outside Switzerland, you should get a Logitech Harmony remote for one hundred dollars. Pass.

Hard pass, if that’s the one I saw earlier with row after row after row of approximately 10,000 tiny, identically looking buttons.

My dad would throw that into the fireplace after about 10 seconds. Completely, 100% unusable (for him, anyway).

 

[Juicy Box]

If this had a Home button, it would be worth it me.

If it had Siri and a Home Button, I would pay up to $100 for it.

My dad would throw that into the fireplace after about 10 seconds.

Even if it was a gift?

 

[PickUrPoison]

Even if it was a gift?

No if it were a gift, it would likely just land in the back of a drawer.

Anything with a touch screen is out. He has essential tremor and his hand and fingers are nowhere near steady enough to be able to use a touch screen. He gets very frustrated not being able to things he used to do easily. Remotes with 20, 30, 40 or more little buttons are confusing, he can’t see them real well.

He was at my cousin’s house last summer and liked the Roku remote. Maybe the best thing to do is replace the AppleTV with a Roku.

 

[ignatius345]

No if it were a gift, it would likely just land in the back of a drawer.

Anything with a touch screen is out. He has essential tremor and his hand and fingers are nowhere near steady enough to be able to use a touch screen. He gets very frustrated not being able to things he used to do easily. Remotes with 20, 30, 40 or more little buttons are confusing, he can’t see them real well.

He was at my cousin’s house last summer and liked the Roku remote. Maybe the best thing to do is replace the AppleTV with a Roku.

Again, the Apple TV remote sucks BUT has he tried the voice part? It works half decently and is definitely easier than typing. Also, if you haven’t already, check out the accessibility options in the Apple TV settings.

 

[decafjava]

Meh mine won’t pair for some reason.

 

[SuperKerl]

Meh mine won’t pair for some reason.

Do you have the original protection film still around your ATV? That could nearly be the only reason why it's not working. There is no pairing needed because of the IR Signals.

Ich bin aus Deutschland und hätte gerne auch so eine Fernbedienung, würdet ihr (decafjava oder SwissTester) mir eventuell eine besorgen und zusenden? Ich habe leider keine Möglichkeit gefunden mit euch eine private Konversation zu starten.

 

[decafjava]

Do you have the original protection film still around your ATV? That could nearly be the only reason why it's not working. There is no pairing needed because of the IR Signals.

Ich bin aus Deutschland und hätte gerne auch so eine Fernbedienung, würdet ihr (decafjava oder SwissTester) mir eventuell eine besorgen und zusenden? Ich habe leider keine Möglichkeit gefunden mit euch eine private Konversation zu starten.

First thing I remove always, too many colleagues and friends have fallen into that trap.

As for the second paragraph, je suis canadien qui habites à Genève. I don't speak German, can understand a little however...

 

[SuperKerl]

First thing I remove always, too many colleagues and friends have fallen into that trap.

As for the second paragraph, je suis canadien qui habites à Genève. I don't speak German, can understand a little however...

One more thing, have you removed the little plastic in the battery compartment? Sorry for asking that

What I wanted to ask, could you perhaps buy one for me and send it to Germany?

 

[arnoz]

So I tried two Salt stores in Bern this weekend, out of stock. Should be back mid-next week...

 

[scotty83]

Any friendly Swiss folks willing to purchase a few, I'd be happy to pay a bit of a premium and shipping costs. Shoot me a DM if you're feeling in the Christmas spirit

 

[ActionableMango]

If this had a Home button, it would be worth it me.

Is there a remote like the Salt that has the right buttons for an AppleTV? Something relatively simple, like the Roku. My dad gets frustrated with the current remote and the ones pictured above would be worse. Any help would be appreciated

I kept looking and found a similar universal remote available in the US. It is designed for IR-capable streaming boxes, including AppleTV. It has a home button.

Streamer Remote

Control your Streaming box, TV and Audio. The only real replacement remote for your Streaming Device with the extra of functionality you always missed with your original remote.

www.oneforall.us

This one actually suits me quite well. I need just a few more buttons than the Apple and Salt remotes provide, for power and input switching.

But just a few... I didn't want to go all the way with those 10,000-button universal remotes. This is the "Goldilocks" remote for me--just right.

 

[PickUrPoison]

I kept looking and found a similar universal remote available in the US. It is designed for IR-capable streaming boxes, including AppleTV. It has a home button.

Streamer Remote

Control your Streaming box, TV and Audio. The only real replacement remote for your Streaming Device with the extra of functionality you always missed with your original remote.

www.oneforall.us

This one actually suits me quite well. I need just a few more buttons than the Apple and Salt remotes provide, for power and input switching, but didn't want to go all the way with those 10,000-button universal remotes. This is the "Goldilocks" remote for me--just right.

Wow great find, that actually looks perfect. Thanks for posting that, $24.99 is a great price too. 🙏

 

[ActionableMango]

Wow great find, that actually looks perfect. Thanks for posting that, $24.99 is a great price too. 🙏

If you don't mind buying an "open box" return, there are gobs of them on Ebay for $10 shipped.

 

[BillyBurke]

Something about the SALT remote disclaimer about latest version of Salt software suggest to me that remote might be fine tuned for SALT TV and not totally appropriate for Apple TV. Anybody in Europe using one for the Apple TV environment, not specifically SALT TV ?
[automerge]1577304855[/automerge]
That does look like a decent "Goldilocks" remote, but reading comments about it on the Best Buy site bring up one difficulty for me. I envision controlling my main TV, a 10 year old Samsung Plasma with a GREAT picture still and my AppleTV 4K. It seems the remote will not go into the setting menu of the TV so I cannot switch inputs back and forth to access the AppleTV. I still need the TV remote to do that. (I can switch inputs via "carousel selecting" with my Comcast remote and wait a few seconds for the on screen display of the selected input to fade away, but this is not the "high tech" solution I desire.

And, I have belatedly noticed that Siri commands will do almost anything you can vocalize. Sooooo, I guess I will wait for a new and improved Apple remote.

 

[ActionableMango]

Something about the SALT remote disclaimer about latest version of Salt software suggest to me that remote might be fine tuned for SALT TV and not totally appropriate for Apple TV. Anybody in Europe using one for the Apple TV environment, not specifically SALT TV ?
[automerge]1577304855[/automerge]
That does look like a decent "Goldilocks" remote, but reading comments about it on the Best Buy site bring up one difficulty for me. I envision controlling my main TV, a 10 year old Samsung Plasma with a GREAT picture still and my AppleTV 4K. It seems the remote will not go into the setting menu of the TV so I cannot switch inputs back and forth to access the AppleTV. I still need the TV remote to do that. (I can switch inputs via "carousel selecting" with my Comcast remote and wait a few seconds for the on screen display of the selected input to fade away, but this is not the "high tech" solution I desire.

And, I have belatedly noticed that Siri commands will do almost anything you can vocalize. Sooooo, I guess I will wait for a new and improved Apple remote.

Yes, I wish Apple TV Remote had just a few more programmable buttons so I wouldn't need a second remote. Here is one possible solution I've looked at:

Sideclick Universal Remote Attachment for Apple TV HD and 4K (1st Gen)

Control your Apple TV HD or 4K (1st Gen) and multiple other devices such as your TV, Blu-ray, sound bar, DVD player, amp, and more with this all-in-one Sideclick Universal Remote Control Attachment. This kit includes a black Sideclick slim universal remote and 2 black adapter clips; one to fit...

www.sideclickremotes.com

In my case though I ordered one of those OneForAll Streamer remotes and it should arrive today.

 

[Techie_MD]

Hey everyone, I'd like to get a Salt remote for my Apple TV. Is anyone from Switzerland (or nearby) interested in shipping one to me in the states? I'd me happy to discuss payment terms. If so, please message me. Thanks!