Build a voice recognition into the remote so that we don't have to yell out in the middle of the night for Siri to search a program. I like touch screen remote like Logitech.
Another RUMOR! Why a touchpad?!?! I have 3 AppleTV 3's and I don't know where a single Apple remote for any of them are at. I know I lost one years ago at my old place. The other 2?!?! I use Harmony 900 remotes to control them and it works great. Because it's a RF to IR remote, I don't need line of site and control in the other room if I want.
I also use a Harmony Hub and remote. I used to use my phone, but the Harmony me control the reciever, TV and AppleTV all at the same time. I can still use my phone as a remote.
I don't use the remote either. Instead, I've commandeered the television remote's unused playback buttons for my ATVs. I think the ATV remotes joined witness protection, haven't seen them in years.
All remotes are terrible at keyboard functions. I have to wonder how PrimeSense will figure into this though.
Honestly, that might be the better way to go for the majority of people. Would be nice if Apple's solution could get rid of the half-dozen remotes required for component TV operation.
How do you get your iPad/iPhone remote app to work if the AppleTV is connected to the ethernet rather than wifi?
I have several Macs on ethernet and a few on WiFi, all private IPs are on the same LAN regardless of WiFi or Ethernet so comms between them occur regardless of connection type. I haven't tried it but Remote should still work regardless that the Apple TV isn't using WiFi since the Remote App will be looking for its IP via the router. The Remote App isn't working directly to the Apple TV as such. This question reminds me of my wife's belief initially, that two iPhones would work better for a call if you were close to one another.
I don't use the remote either. Instead, I've commandeered the television remote's unused playback buttons for my ATVs. I think the ATV remotes joined witness protection, haven't seen them in years.
Hint ... down the back of the sofa
I wish they could make a beeping sound like the iPhone with a 'Find my Apple TV Remote' option best to 'Find my iPhone.'
If it's got Bluetooth, I'm in. I'm not sure why people don't like the Apple remote, or why Apple have abandoned it for so long; I teach and I use my remote all the time at work for Powerpoint presentations and the lack of IR on the current Macbook Pro is one of the reasons I'm still on my 2010 spec model. I've tried using the remote app on my iPod Touch but it's more clumsy than the remote so an Apple remote control that actually works with Apple computers sounds great to me.
I also use a Harmony Hub and remote. I used to use my phone, but the Harmony me control the reciever, TV and AppleTV all at the same time. I can still use my phone as a remote.
A generally hate using the app. It's such a hassle. Just using a normal remote is much faster. About the only time I'll whip out the app is if I have to enter a login name and password. Then it's easier with the app then the in screen keyboard
I have a Harmony too, that I use to wrangle my various components (TV, TiVo, ATV, Blue-Ray, speaker bar). Mostly I am in TiVo mode so use the TiVo remote (which is the best remote made in my opinion) and resort to the Harmony only to orchestrate shifting to other input devices to my TV. When using ATV I am finding the Remote app on my ?Watch more convenient than anything else. It's right there on my wrist, no turning over cushions and other sofa detritus looking for loose remotes.
I hope Apple will add HDMI CEC function. It works great with other devices like Amazon's fire tv.
+1 for CEC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gordy
I don't use the remote either. Instead, I've commandeered the television remote's unused playback buttons for my ATVs. I think the ATV remotes joined witness protection, haven't seen them in years.
I mapped some of my Time Warner Cable remote buttons to ATV. This is a very handy and simple to set up feature of ATV.
Sometimes I use Remote if typing in search terms, sometimes ATV remote, sometimes TWC remote. Whatever is closest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon
All remotes are terrible at keyboard functions. I have to wonder how PrimeSense will figure into this though.
Honestly, that might be the better way to go for the majority of people. Would be nice if Apple's solution could get rid of the half-dozen remotes required for component TV operation.
CEC may be the answer here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by digitalclips
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoundaboutNow
iPhone/iPad and ATV just need to be on the same network. My ATV is connected to an Ethernet port on my WiFi router.
It is amazing that people who are regulars on this forum and have been for years have no understanding of how a LAN works isn't it?
Seemed pretty obvious to me. I would hazard a guess that the understanding is there, but just didn't think it through. (Was that a slapping the forehead with a big "duh, of course" I heard?).
I have a Harmony too, that I use to wrangle my various components (TV, TiVo, ATV, Blue-Ray, speaker bar). Mostly I am in TiVo mode so use the TiVo remote (which is the best remote made in my opinion) and resort to the Harmony only to orchestrate shifting to other input devices to my TV. When using ATV I am finding the Remote app on my ?Watch more convenient than anything else. It's right there on my wrist, no turning over cushions and other sofa detritus looking for loose remotes.
the problem with Harmony remote controls is that it's not user friendly. You need to train everyone in your household to use it. Guests in your house hate Harmony. Beside, $200 price tag? Not really a good investment.
I don't like remotes with 100 buttons on them. ATV remote is okay until it comes to search. I wish it had voice recognition for the search while it doesn't have to be so damn thin.
I mapped some of my Time Warner Cable remote buttons to ATV. This is a very handy and simple to set up feature of ATV.
I did the exact same thing on my DirecTV remote. And here's one MAJOR complaint I have about ?TV -- Apple didn't provide for a direct numeric keypad input, searching for anything is pain because you are restricted to the alphanumeric grid and directional access keys. I find using the Remote app on the iPhone or iPad tedious, since you have to launch the app, and then it ONLY controls the ?TV. What usually happens is I just forget about searching for whatever I was interested in, and accept whatever programming is available by scrolling through the schedule.
The problem with any remote is that the various systems are not integrated. Id like to use the ?TV as the controller, through which my DirecTV and blu-ray are passed through, so that they just appear as channels on the ?TV, and accessing them is no more difficult than changing channels.
But this will likely never happen, as they all have competing interests. Apple wants you to pay for and watch all of your entertainment through iTunes, and approved apps which earn them income. DirectTV likewise doesn't want you buying your PPV through iTunes, and nobody wants you watching a movie on DVD.
Just have to point out that this is at least the 3rd year in a row of rumors of a "New Remote" coming with AppleTV.
iOS devices still remain the best option.
1) Everyone has their own
2) You don't lose it in the sofa like dedicated remotes.
3) It can be a trackpad, a keyboard, a scrolling list app....all at once.
The only thing missing from the iOS device experience is:
a) Control of the TV itself
b) Tactile feedback
Hopefully those holes can be filled with future iOS hardware.
I have still yet to see any sensible argument that creates a fictional TV remote that is better than the iPhone already in your pocket. And doesn't cost more than the AppleTV itself.
The future AppleTV is not going to need a physical remote for clicking around like a baboon.
It is going to take advantage of the power of the iOS device, so that you can do your Searching/Browsing/Media selection directly on the iPhone or iPad. This makes so much more sense than sticking your arm out as you click through menus one line at a time.
I'm going to search for: "The Walking Dead" on my iPad, and get a list of results including Netflix, Hulu, AMC, and iTunes, and I can choose accordingly...all from my iPad. Once content is chosen, it plays on the TV.
Steve "finally cracked it" with TV when he realized navigating a big screen 10 feet away from you with a dinky remote was the whole problem that needed replacing.
I'm going to search for: "The Walking Dead" on my iPad, and get a list of results including Netflix, Hulu, AMC, and iTunes, and I can choose accordingly...all from my iPad. Once content is chosen, it plays on the TV.
As long as all those platforms agree to get along and allow Apple to index their schedules this way. What's in it for Netflix if Apple shows you that the same show they have available is also on Hulu, or HBO, or iTunes? Netflix suddenly loses the ability to market to their customers by forcing them into their interface and browsing their selection. It's a nice dream, but it's going to be a huge problem for Apple to resolve to everyone's satisfaction.
I mapped some of my Time Warner Cable remote buttons to ATV. This is a very handy and simple to set up feature of ATV.
I did the exact same thing on my DirecTV remote. And here's one MAJOR complaint I have about ?TV -- Apple didn't provide for a direct numeric keypad input, searching for anything is pain because you are restricted to the alphanumeric grid and directional access keys. I find using the Remote app on the iPhone or iPad tedious, since you have to launch the app, and then it ONLY controls the ?TV. What usually happens is I just forget about searching for whatever I was interested in, and accept whatever programming is available by scrolling through the schedule.
The problem with any remote is that the various systems are not integrated. Id like to use the ?TV as the controller, through which my DirecTV and blu-ray are passed through, so that they just appear as channels on the ?TV, and accessing them is no more difficult than changing channels.
But this will likely never happen, as they all have competing interests. Apple wants you to pay for and watch all of your entertainment through iTunes, and approved apps which earn them income. DirectTV likewise doesn't want you buying your PPV through iTunes, and nobody wants you watching a movie on DVD.
I agree with pretty much everything you say here.
One idea I had was if the Remote app could be located in Control Center for ease of access. (Maybe someday we can have at least a few choices of what to put in Control Center).
First world problems I realize, but the experience of TV viewing is far from seamless. This is why people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars for control systems from AMX, Crestron, etc. that include the ability to create a usable UI to navigate through all of the hardware and content sources.
I think the only way to integrate all the other stuff in our homes is some sort of hardware that would be able to map/control external sources to "channels" as you suggest. This is similar to what they have to do in hotels, integrating local media, in-room sources, OTA/Cable/Sat, using products from companies like Enseo.
But, as you say, there are competing interests amongst the major players...
It looks like the answer is swirling around out there now, what with HomeKit and all. If Apple did come up with one solution to rule them all (that could also control non-MFi stuff), that could sure give AMX, Crestron, Logitech, etc. a run for their money in the consumer/residential arena.
technically, the click wheel on later iPods like the Classic were touch sensors: they didn't have a moving wheel.
Yeah I never understood why they didn't put an iPod-like click wheel on the Apple TV remote. It would work great for scrolling lists and people were used to this interface.
A vertical touch pad would be more efficient. The iPod circle was tiring to scroll and you don't get momentum. It's also one direction, a surface is two directions. I figured they'd do something like the following. The thumb scanner wouldn't look like that, it would just just be a sensor area. That would be to authenticate things without typing a password and to verify age:
The main body of the controller would be a touch surface, possibly covered in glass. This would make it easier to input text too. There was a video game a while ago that used a single thumbstick to enter text and it did it like this in a spiral:
[VIDEO]
Text can be entered using a vertical swipe and horizontal swipes can switch categories like numbers, letters, punctuation. You'd just swipe vertically down a list in a similar way that you swipe down the letter column on contacts on an iPhone. With Force Touch, they can distinguish between hovering and pressing but they can also just do swipe to highlight and release to enter. Autocomplete would popup suggestions and the touch area can be used to jump up to the autocomplete part. They can also let you scrub over a virtual keyboard with the surface.
That controller would need to be any bigger than the current one though. If it was a full gaming controller, like this then it would be bigger:
but I don't think a normal touch remote would have to be bigger unless the touch surface impacted the battery more.
There are a few ways they can do text input with a touch remote vs buttons. They can go the easy route of allowing you to just pan over the grid of letters but the following layout at the bottom would be more efficient:
With the letters arranged in a circle like that, to hit any single letter, you just swipe in the direction of the letter in a single movement and it would zoom the area to make the selection more precise. The character set could be switched out for numbers/caps/punctuation with another gesture. This could be a gap with an icon at the top or bottom and swiping that way switches the set continually until you get the right one. The letters can be vertical too.
They could go very minimal and not have a grid at all and swiping vertically up/down would just quickly switch out the letter you were on in the search box. Swipe left to delete the character. The best method depends on how fast it is in practise. The circle layout would probably be the fastest as it doesn't require hunting for a letter, it's a direct selection.
If it was layered, it can have groups of characters in a circle and you'd select for example a-g or 1-9 with the first swipe and then the character with the next but without releasing the swipe until you reach the right character. So in the following, you'd swipe towards 1-9 first, that grid would disappear and then up to 5 and let go:
That looks complicated because everything's showing at once but you'd only be looking at a small group of selections. This also means you don't need a separate grid for caps because you just swipe further in the direction of a lower-case letter to get the capital version, swipe back and it will jump back.
Touch should make navigating the UI way more fluid because every list of icons can have momentum scrolling and it's not a press or press-hold for every movement. It shouldn't be much different from having the iPhone as the remote:
Comments
Another RUMOR! Why a touchpad?!?! I have 3 AppleTV 3's and I don't know where a single Apple remote for any of them are at. I know I lost one years ago at my old place. The other 2?!?! I use Harmony 900 remotes to control them and it works great. Because it's a RF to IR remote, I don't need line of site and control in the other room if I want.
I also use a Harmony Hub and remote. I used to use my phone, but the Harmony me control the reciever, TV and AppleTV all at the same time. I can still use my phone as a remote.
Honestly, that might be the better way to go for the majority of people. Would be nice if Apple's solution could get rid of the half-dozen remotes required for component TV operation.
I have several Macs on ethernet and a few on WiFi, all private IPs are on the same LAN regardless of WiFi or Ethernet so comms between them occur regardless of connection type. I haven't tried it but Remote should still work regardless that the Apple TV isn't using WiFi since the Remote App will be looking for its IP via the router. The Remote App isn't working directly to the Apple TV as such. This question reminds me of my wife's belief initially, that two iPhones would work better for a call if you were close to one another.
Here is a page of info for anyone new to the idea: https://www.apple.com/apps/remote/
Hint ... down the back of the sofa
I wish they could make a beeping sound like the iPhone with a 'Find my Apple TV Remote' option best to 'Find my iPhone.'
It is amazing that people who are regulars on this forum and have been for years have no understanding of how a LAN works isn't it?
If it's got Bluetooth, I'm in. I'm not sure why people don't like the Apple remote, or why Apple have abandoned it for so long; I teach and I use my remote all the time at work for Powerpoint presentations and the lack of IR on the current Macbook Pro is one of the reasons I'm still on my 2010 spec model. I've tried using the remote app on my iPod Touch but it's more clumsy than the remote so an Apple remote control that actually works with Apple computers sounds great to me.
A generally hate using the app. It's such a hassle. Just using a normal remote is much faster. About the only time I'll whip out the app is if I have to enter a login name and password. Then it's easier with the app then the in screen keyboard
Oh such memories. I loved my Apple /// and VisiCalc ///.
I hope Apple will add HDMI CEC function. It works great with other devices like Amazon's fire tv.
+1 for CEC.
I don't use the remote either. Instead, I've commandeered the television remote's unused playback buttons for my ATVs. I think the ATV remotes joined witness protection, haven't seen them in years.
I mapped some of my Time Warner Cable remote buttons to ATV. This is a very handy and simple to set up feature of ATV.
Sometimes I use Remote if typing in search terms, sometimes ATV remote, sometimes TWC remote. Whatever is closest.
All remotes are terrible at keyboard functions. I have to wonder how PrimeSense will figure into this though.
Honestly, that might be the better way to go for the majority of people. Would be nice if Apple's solution could get rid of the half-dozen remotes required for component TV operation.
CEC may be the answer here.
iPhone/iPad and ATV just need to be on the same network. My ATV is connected to an Ethernet port on my WiFi router.
It is amazing that people who are regulars on this forum and have been for years have no understanding of how a LAN works isn't it?
Seemed pretty obvious to me. I would hazard a guess that the understanding is there, but just didn't think it through. (Was that a slapping the forehead with a big "duh, of course" I heard?).
I have a Harmony too, that I use to wrangle my various components (TV, TiVo, ATV, Blue-Ray, speaker bar). Mostly I am in TiVo mode so use the TiVo remote (which is the best remote made in my opinion) and resort to the Harmony only to orchestrate shifting to other input devices to my TV. When using ATV I am finding the Remote app on my ?Watch more convenient than anything else. It's right there on my wrist, no turning over cushions and other sofa detritus looking for loose remotes.
the problem with Harmony remote controls is that it's not user friendly. You need to train everyone in your household to use it. Guests in your house hate Harmony. Beside, $200 price tag? Not really a good investment.
I don't like remotes with 100 buttons on them. ATV remote is okay until it comes to search. I wish it had voice recognition for the search while it doesn't have to be so damn thin.
I mapped some of my Time Warner Cable remote buttons to ATV. This is a very handy and simple to set up feature of ATV.
I did the exact same thing on my DirecTV remote. And here's one MAJOR complaint I have about ?TV -- Apple didn't provide for a direct numeric keypad input, searching for anything is pain because you are restricted to the alphanumeric grid and directional access keys. I find using the Remote app on the iPhone or iPad tedious, since you have to launch the app, and then it ONLY controls the ?TV. What usually happens is I just forget about searching for whatever I was interested in, and accept whatever programming is available by scrolling through the schedule.
The problem with any remote is that the various systems are not integrated. Id like to use the ?TV as the controller, through which my DirecTV and blu-ray are passed through, so that they just appear as channels on the ?TV, and accessing them is no more difficult than changing channels.
But this will likely never happen, as they all have competing interests. Apple wants you to pay for and watch all of your entertainment through iTunes, and approved apps which earn them income. DirectTV likewise doesn't want you buying your PPV through iTunes, and nobody wants you watching a movie on DVD.
Just have to point out that this is at least the 3rd year in a row of rumors of a "New Remote" coming with AppleTV.
iOS devices still remain the best option.
1) Everyone has their own
2) You don't lose it in the sofa like dedicated remotes.
3) It can be a trackpad, a keyboard, a scrolling list app....all at once.
The only thing missing from the iOS device experience is:
a) Control of the TV itself
b) Tactile feedback
Hopefully those holes can be filled with future iOS hardware.
I have still yet to see any sensible argument that creates a fictional TV remote that is better than the iPhone already in your pocket. And doesn't cost more than the AppleTV itself.
The future AppleTV is not going to need a physical remote for clicking around like a baboon.
It is going to take advantage of the power of the iOS device, so that you can do your Searching/Browsing/Media selection directly on the iPhone or iPad. This makes so much more sense than sticking your arm out as you click through menus one line at a time.
I'm going to search for: "The Walking Dead" on my iPad, and get a list of results including Netflix, Hulu, AMC, and iTunes, and I can choose accordingly...all from my iPad. Once content is chosen, it plays on the TV.
Steve "finally cracked it" with TV when he realized navigating a big screen 10 feet away from you with a dinky remote was the whole problem that needed replacing.
I'm going to search for: "The Walking Dead" on my iPad, and get a list of results including Netflix, Hulu, AMC, and iTunes, and I can choose accordingly...all from my iPad. Once content is chosen, it plays on the TV.
As long as all those platforms agree to get along and allow Apple to index their schedules this way. What's in it for Netflix if Apple shows you that the same show they have available is also on Hulu, or HBO, or iTunes? Netflix suddenly loses the ability to market to their customers by forcing them into their interface and browsing their selection. It's a nice dream, but it's going to be a huge problem for Apple to resolve to everyone's satisfaction.
I mapped some of my Time Warner Cable remote buttons to ATV. This is a very handy and simple to set up feature of ATV.
I did the exact same thing on my DirecTV remote. And here's one MAJOR complaint I have about ?TV -- Apple didn't provide for a direct numeric keypad input, searching for anything is pain because you are restricted to the alphanumeric grid and directional access keys. I find using the Remote app on the iPhone or iPad tedious, since you have to launch the app, and then it ONLY controls the ?TV. What usually happens is I just forget about searching for whatever I was interested in, and accept whatever programming is available by scrolling through the schedule.
The problem with any remote is that the various systems are not integrated. Id like to use the ?TV as the controller, through which my DirecTV and blu-ray are passed through, so that they just appear as channels on the ?TV, and accessing them is no more difficult than changing channels.
But this will likely never happen, as they all have competing interests. Apple wants you to pay for and watch all of your entertainment through iTunes, and approved apps which earn them income. DirectTV likewise doesn't want you buying your PPV through iTunes, and nobody wants you watching a movie on DVD.
I agree with pretty much everything you say here.
First world problems I realize, but the experience of TV viewing is far from seamless. This is why people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars for control systems from AMX, Crestron, etc. that include the ability to create a usable UI to navigate through all of the hardware and content sources.
I think the only way to integrate all the other stuff in our homes is some sort of hardware that would be able to map/control external sources to "channels" as you suggest. This is similar to what they have to do in hotels, integrating local media, in-room sources, OTA/Cable/Sat, using products from companies like Enseo.
But, as you say, there are competing interests amongst the major players...
It looks like the answer is swirling around out there now, what with HomeKit and all. If Apple did come up with one solution to rule them all (that could also control non-MFi stuff), that could sure give AMX, Crestron, Logitech, etc. a run for their money in the consumer/residential arena.
A vertical touch pad would be more efficient. The iPod circle was tiring to scroll and you don't get momentum. It's also one direction, a surface is two directions. I figured they'd do something like the following. The thumb scanner wouldn't look like that, it would just just be a sensor area. That would be to authenticate things without typing a password and to verify age:
The main body of the controller would be a touch surface, possibly covered in glass. This would make it easier to input text too. There was a video game a while ago that used a single thumbstick to enter text and it did it like this in a spiral:
[VIDEO]
Text can be entered using a vertical swipe and horizontal swipes can switch categories like numbers, letters, punctuation. You'd just swipe vertically down a list in a similar way that you swipe down the letter column on contacts on an iPhone. With Force Touch, they can distinguish between hovering and pressing but they can also just do swipe to highlight and release to enter. Autocomplete would popup suggestions and the touch area can be used to jump up to the autocomplete part. They can also let you scrub over a virtual keyboard with the surface.
That controller would need to be any bigger than the current one though. If it was a full gaming controller, like this then it would be bigger:
but I don't think a normal touch remote would have to be bigger unless the touch surface impacted the battery more.
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/58873/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
With the letters arranged in a circle like that, to hit any single letter, you just swipe in the direction of the letter in a single movement and it would zoom the area to make the selection more precise. The character set could be switched out for numbers/caps/punctuation with another gesture. This could be a gap with an icon at the top or bottom and swiping that way switches the set continually until you get the right one. The letters can be vertical too.
They could go very minimal and not have a grid at all and swiping vertically up/down would just quickly switch out the letter you were on in the search box. Swipe left to delete the character. The best method depends on how fast it is in practise. The circle layout would probably be the fastest as it doesn't require hunting for a letter, it's a direct selection.
If it was layered, it can have groups of characters in a circle and you'd select for example a-g or 1-9 with the first swipe and then the character with the next but without releasing the swipe until you reach the right character. So in the following, you'd swipe towards 1-9 first, that grid would disappear and then up to 5 and let go:
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/58875/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
That looks complicated because everything's showing at once but you'd only be looking at a small group of selections. This also means you don't need a separate grid for caps because you just swipe further in the direction of a lower-case letter to get the capital version, swipe back and it will jump back.
Touch should make navigating the UI way more fluid because every list of icons can have momentum scrolling and it's not a press or press-hold for every movement. It shouldn't be much different from having the iPhone as the remote:
[VIDEO]