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Who else is tired of waiting for a much better Apple TV? A remote that can be found...

I've never used the remote that came with my Apple TV 4K - I just programmed it into my Logitech Harmony Hub and used that instead. When my kids want to play games I simply pair an Xbox controller. I had no idea the Apple remote was so bad.

With a new Apple TV, I'd like to see full 4:4:4 subsampling.
 
getrealbro said:
Oh I get it. So everyone that uses our Apple TV needs to have always with them, their very own $800 iPhone, so they won’t need to use the poorly designed remote that came with their $200 Apple TV. FWIW. that’s what I meant as seeming “a bit backwards”.

GetRealBro
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He isn’t saying you have to always have it with you but it’s a great option to have.
No complaints with the remote at all though.
 
I enjoy my Apple TV HD, but I also have apps locking up on me. I’d say it happens at least once a week. We don’t use it for anything other than streaming Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Usually it’s Disney+ and Amazon that get locked up, which I have to force close in order to get it all working again. I want to upgrade to the 4K but have been waiting for Apple to release a new unit before I make the purchase.

I’ve lost the remote so many times (kids) that we stopped using it and bought a universal that makes an audible noise if you can’t find it. That is one thing I wish Apple would implement with their remote. I agree with others that the remote could use a lot of work in other areas, but for me I’d settle on them just adding the ability to activate an audible ping.
 
I can confirm that using my PlayStation 4 for an Apple TV (using the Apple TV app) is far better and far more stable than using the latest tvOS on an Apple TV. Who'dve thunk it?
 
I use my iPhone remote app. The only noticeable problem so far, iPhone goes to sleep the remote app takes a few seconds to reconnect. Much better than the Apple TV remote. Can always find my iPhone.
 
I got an Apple TV 4K around Christmas and I've found I've really enjoyed using the remote. It's easy and intuitive to use, the voice recognition is superb. I don't understand why people don't like the remote, perhaps it's just me but it's a good design and allows the iPhone to easily and intuitively be used to control it.

I've also used LG's remote with WebOS and it's great too.

But if you gave me my ultimate TV, it would essentially be tvOS with the Apple TV remote with an LG OLED panel.
 
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TVreporter said:
What is their issue? Scroll to a show, hit play, put it down.

You can adjust the sensitivity of it as well if it’s scrolling too quickly.

Buy a Fintie case if they find the remote slippery to hold.
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Scrolling in general is an big issue for them. They are older folks, a bit shakey, and really cannot control it well. Id be surprised that the Apple TV remote passes for any kind of accessibility testing.

They can easily use their Comcast remote for example, however the Apple TV remote has turned them off from using the Apple TV altogether. I have also tried a 3rd party universal remote which also had its share of issues, and did not map well to the Apple TV.
 
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It’s really just the remote that is terrible. Form WAYYY over function there. I’m constantly picking it up the wrong way and pressing the wrong buttons because of its symmetry. It’s easy to lose and not ergonomic because of its flatness and smallness. The touch pad is finicky so I’m never confident that I’m going to be able to select what I want when I want.
Apple needs to realize that when you reinvent things just to reinvent them, they’re usually worse.

As far as the Apple TV, these probably won’t happen, but I wish they’d put the audio-out port back in so that I could play audio to my connected speakers without turning on my tv, and I wish it had an hdmi input so that you could connect another media player to it and be able to control the player through an ATV app. I despise seeing compression so for special movies I still like playing them through my Blu-ray player, and it’s simpler if everything is routed through the ATV—no other remotes or interfaces to use and no switching audio inputs, etc.
 
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pooryou said:
I love the Apple TV remote. The idea of scrubbing through to a specific point in a video with any other remote is a nightmare.
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Scrubbing through things quickly is probably the one scenario where a touch pad is better than arrow buttons, but for me a forward/backward button that can toggle through 2/3/4/8x speed is not at all a bad experience. And it’s not something I need to do as often as short 15 second forward/backward skips, which is a terrible experience using the touch pad. For me, on average depending on the app, pressing on the edge of the touch pad to skip works less than half the time, no exaggeration. Plus trying to select items in the UI I’m always under or overshooting them. (Not to mention, if there’s any lag, just forget it.)

I guess not everyone feels these are issues for them for whatever reason, but this is my experience and opinion. I suppose this goes back to the time old debate between touch input and physical buttons. This is one case that I strongly prefer buttons.

I think the ultimate functionality would be a remote with arrow buttons and a horizontal touch bar just above it just for scrubbing through time and alphabet letters. But that would probably add too much bulk for Apple. I don’t know why Apple feels like a tv remote needs to fit into a jeans secret pocket.

Edit- or maybe go back to the iPod-style touch ring, which is both buttons and a touch scrollwheel. I think I would prefer that.
 
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subjonas said:
I’m constantly picking it up the wrong way and pressing the wrong buttons because of its symmetry.
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This one baffles me, I mean my Siri remote I put it down either on the side arm of the sofa or on the little coffee table next to my sofa and the next time I want to pick it up it’s still positioned the same way as when I put it down.
Just how are other people’s Siri remotes turning around on their own to cause this confusion 🤷🏻‍♂🤣
 
-Gonzo- said:
This one baffles me, I mean my Siri remote I put it down either on the side arm of the sofa or on the little coffee table next to my sofa and the next time I want to pick it up it’s still positioned the same way as when I put it down.
Just how are other people’s Siri remotes turning around on their own to cause this confusion 🤷🏻‍♂🤣
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I’m a bit baffled that you can always put the remote down in the exact same spot and orientation.😳 I’m all over my living room, so my remote ends up wherever (especially because half the time I use HomePod siri). Also, if you live with other people it’s pretty much impossible to have everyone follow remote control placement rules.🤷‍♂️
 
nickdalzell1 said:
Of all the issues I've experienced with the Apple TV, the remote was not one of them. I don't really understand all the hate it gets.
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It's not hate, but a real observation about the performance of the remote with everyday ordinary people.

What makes present day remote controls great? Probably years of experience from tv manufacturers and cable/set top box companies.

Getting the Apple TV into the hands of more people should be the objective for a service.

Otherwise, I really enjoy my Apple TV and have owned all generations of it since the very beginning.
 
subjonas said:
I’m a bit baffled that you can always put the remote down in the exact same spot and orientation.😳 I’m all over my living room, so my remote ends up wherever (especially because half the time I use HomePod siri). Also, if you live with other people it’s pretty much impossible to have everyone follow remote control placement rules.🤷‍♂️
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Heh. Granted I do live alone, but I put things like keys, small torches, Apple TV remotes back where I can find them. Like @-Gonzo- I put the remote on the sofa arm and leave it there if that is where I'm sitting at the time. It's just how I am.
 
Apple has provided those who don't like the remote an option though. Not like Apple to provide such things, but you can pair or match any remote you prefer to an Apple TV, and many modern universal remotes have codes for the ATV (the ATV hardware has an IR sensor) so everyone should have their needs met.

I got a remote included with my Vizio TV. Same with my Samsung TVs. Does anyone really care that much over an included remote that's easily replaceable if it doesn't serve one's needs or am I missing something here? No one forces you to use the remote that comes with an Apple TV. Don't like it? Find one you do and pair it up!

Seems to be a very simple thing, really. I tended to use whatever app I used on my Galaxy S5 to control my entire entertainment center including the Apple TV for a while. I've also paired up Spectrum remotes, Time warner remotes, and some Wally World ones. All work fine.
 
nickdalzell1 said:
Apple has provided those who don't like the remote an option though. Not like Apple to provide such things, but you can pair or match any remote you prefer to an Apple TV, and many modern universal remotes have codes for the ATV (the ATV hardware has an IR sensor) so everyone should have their needs met.

I got a remote included with my Vizio TV. Same with my Samsung TVs. Does anyone really care that much over an included remote that's easily replaceable if it doesn't serve one's needs or am I missing something here? No one forces you to use the remote that comes with an Apple TV. Don't like it? Find one you do and pair it up!

Seems to be a very simple thing, really. I tended to use whatever app I used on my Galaxy S5 to control my entire entertainment center including the Apple TV for a while. I've also paired up Spectrum remotes, Time warner remotes, and some Wally World ones. All work fine.
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Not sure if all the buttons can be duplicated, definitely not the Siri button. I actually do usually use my tv remote, but not always because it doesn’t have equivalent buttons for Siri or ‘home’, which are useful.

Others have mentioned other workarounds like rubber bands, stickers, and cases. All of these solve some of the shortcomings of the ATV remote, but I have yet to find any workarounds that solves all of the problems for me without introducing new problems.

But even if there was a perfect solution, I’d still be confused by and disappointed in Apple for making such a problematic remote that needs to be solved by the customer. I expect much better from them.
 
That's one thing I don't bother with--the Siri button. Siri is pretty broken on the Apple TV (she always starts shows I'm in the middle of at season 1 episode 1). Besides, my 6S is right next to me and listens to 'Hey Siri' and can talk to an Apple TV if I needed her to.

Siri, or S-Voice on my S5, were just easy ways of either avoiding fingerprint smudges or convenient hands-free ways to respond to texts or call people. The way I organize the apps on my devices means nothing isn't at least a tap or swipe away. The last time I used S-voice was to quickly disable Bluetooth after setting up and testing an audio system I installed in someone's golf car, because my phone remained paired to it when they were trying to use theirs. It was faster than unlocking, swiping down, tapping bluetooth quick-tile, hoping it turns off.

I guess I could be angry and rant on a Samsung forum about how my 50" Samsung UHD TV was advertised as a Bixby-voice compatible TV but the remote it shipped with didn't support Bixby at all, but what would that serve? Does Bixby really make that TV? Does Siri really do anything useful on an Apple TV?
 
subjonas said:
Not sure if all the buttons can be duplicated, definitely not the Siri button. I actually do usually use my tv remote, but not always because it doesn’t have equivalent buttons for Siri or ‘home’, which are useful.
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Yeah the Home button cannot be copied/replicated which makes Control Centre unusable.
 
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pooryou said:
I love the Apple TV remote. The idea of scrubbing through to a specific point in a video with any other remote is a nightmare.
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Not to mention bluetooth connectivity. I feel like a caveman whenever I have to physically point a remote at an actual device. 😆
 
I have an Apple TV 4K hooked up to my LG OLED, audio via a Yamaha AV amp. Only for media. No games. And I can't recommend it.

Firstly, the remote is as bad as the majority of people here say. You can't pick it up without it pausing or skipping or some other unwanted input happening - unless you're really careful. It's only redeeming feature is the swipe to shuttle feature.

Second, it's expensive. It was poor value when it was new, and it's no longer new.

Third, I have never been able to achieve consistent lip sync with my setup. I tried 2 TV's and 2 amps and it's never been right.

So I took a punt and spent 35 quid on a FireTV stick. Sure the interface is not as slick, and it won't auto-pair to your AirPods if you need that, but as a media playback device, its great. 4K Dolby Vision with Dolby Digital Plus. And proper buttons on an ergonomic remote. For 35 quid.

Get 4 Fire Sticks, and pocket the difference. :)
 
I love the remote myself. For those who don't, the older one (which I did hate, given the battery is not replaceable without destroying it) is available at Best Buy for $15. I had one of the older Apple TVs that came with that mess. It worked great for a week or two then the Apple TV kept telling me the remote battery was low, and I tried to replace it (it's a coin cell, not rechargeable) and I ruined the remote in the attempt. I don't know what I did wrong but it was super thin and easy to break.

I truly don't miss the older Apple TV Gen 2 and 3 remote one bit.

The one thing the Apple TV does well is not buffer. I can stream all day no issue. I can't say that about a Fire TV Stick (which doesn't even support Apple TV app). The Fire TV Stick froze or wouldn't turn on with the TV, or claimed my TV's USB port couldn't power it properly (even though it worked fine before) and Amazon's UI is total garbage with ads here and ads there. Not only that, have you tried using Prime Video? There's unskippable ads for every show promoting their Original content. The library of Prime 'free to watch' shows changes so often you can't finish a show before it's no longer available on Prime, and many shows I can buy or watch perfectly fine on Apple TV are 'not available in your country' (I'm in the U.S.) That means I can't watch Andromeda, Sea Quest DSV, or Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea on a Fire TV Stick.

When a Fire TV works it's ok. The quality tends to go back and forth between garbage potato to HD over and over again, and the unit tends to disconnect randomly from wifi for no reason, and shows rebuffer every so often. Same thing with an Android TV Box. The only other streaming platform that works well is my PlayStation 4.
 
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