Here's a heads-up about a stealth change Apple made to Apple TV and its remote...
For some reason my Apple TV HD (not 4k) used to have a "default audio output" setting in the settings. After the last tvOS update the setting disappeared. It was still there on my Apple TV 4K but not on the HD. Ok, but there was still a way to get to this setting by holding down the Pause/Play button for 3 seconds. Tried it, but nothing. I used this control to get my TV to direct its output to my HomePod.
I tried all the stupid/goofy stuff like restarting Apple TV. Nada ... nothing ... up crapper creek without a paddle. Or so I thought.
After some DuckDuckGo-ing I found out that Apple introduced a whole new way to get at this feature. Now you have to hold down the TV button on the Apple TV Remote for a few seconds and it will popup a little control panel where you can select the HomePod from the AirPlay setting list. Yep, got my sound back, but for a little while I thought I was semi-screwed.
I say "semi" because this Apple TV is actually connected to my ancient analog hi-fi system and 4 big speakers through a neat little optical audio to analog DAC that I found on Amazon (FiiO). It works and sounds amazing, better than HomePod, but I cannot control the volume from a remote. However, if I just want to watch TV via Spectrum app it's easier to use the HomePod as a sound bar. Anyway, yellow card issued to Apple for not making this stealth change more obvious, but all is well.
It’s remarkable that AI forgot the mute button. Much like Apple itself.
I don’t understand why some people want a mute button so badly. Mute was useful in the days of linear tv when you couldn’t pause something but with everything being on demand now why would you mute something and not just pause it?
I hate the Apple remote. And my 5 year old son has no luck with it since it requires more fine tune finger control. Also after a drop the touch area is shattered in top left. Had to tape it over with electrical tape so my son doesn’t slice his finger open. After that I purchased a silicone case. A remote shouldn’t have to have a case or be fragile like this.
I would be happy if Apple replace the remote with a more functional standard button controller. I liked the old remote better and was planning to pair the old remote with my AppleTV 4K.
It’s remarkable that AI forgot the mute button. Much like Apple itself.
I don’t understand why some people want a mute button so badly. Mute was useful in the days of linear tv when you couldn’t pause something but with everything being on demand now why would you mute something and not just pause it?
That’s a good point.
Additionally, the sophistication of these devices means that a long hold on the volume down button can mute it. I know the iPad works this way.
It’s remarkable that AI forgot the mute button. Much like Apple itself.
I don’t understand why some people want a mute button so badly. Mute was useful in the days of linear tv when you couldn’t pause something but with everything being on demand now why would you mute something and not just pause it?
It sounds like you are unfamiliar with what mute does. It silences the audio. If I want to pause the show, I am well aware there is a button for that. Perhaps you have never used an online service (like YouTubeTV) that forces you to watch commercials when the difference in these two features is readily apparent.
I don’t understand why some people want a mute button so badly. Mute was useful in the days of linear tv when you couldn’t pause something but with everything being on demand now why would you mute something and not just pause it?
That’s a good point.
Additionally, the sophistication of these devices means that a long hold on the volume down button can mute it. I know the iPad works this way.
I mean no offense but you folks really underestimate the amount of non-pausable, linear, live broadcasting that still goes on. So you've never streamed programming with commercials that you can't fast-forward through? Or are the commercials that interesting? Good thing presidential elections are only every four years, as I nearly wore out my remote's mute button silencing all those annoying political ads.
When that new remote becomes available to buy, I'm getting it ASAP.
I don’t understand why some people want a mute button so badly. Mute was useful in the days of linear tv when you couldn’t pause something but with everything being on demand now why would you mute something and not just pause it?
That’s a good point.
Additionally, the sophistication of these devices means that a long hold on the volume down button can mute it. I know the iPad works this way.
I mean no offense but you folks really underestimate the amount of non-pausable, linear, live broadcasting that still goes on. So you've never streamed programming with commercials that you can't fast-forward through? Or are the commercials that interesting? Good thing presidential elections are only every four years, as I nearly wore out my remote's mute button silencing all those annoying political ads.
When that new remote becomes available to buy, I'm getting it ASAP.
Good point about muting commercials. I quit watching commercial TV and free YouTube during the last few weeks of the election cycle just to avoid the insanity, or at least that phase of the insanity. Definitely got my money's worth out of my paid subscriptions. What the heck, I may never go back. Even before that, I found that most of the YouTube commercials were skippable after a few seconds. But I agree that there are times when a mute button would have been a welcome addition, especially over the past 4 years.
A "replace live video with kitten and puppy video" button would be an amazing addition to the Apple TV Remote too. Would pay big bucks for that.
I’d love if Apple made this remote but put the trackpad in the huge space at the bottom. Why not have all the options in one. Plus the ability to use it as a controller like the current one.
As annoying as the too-slim, symmetrical remote can be, I love that touch surface. Swipe-scrubbing so waaaay better for navigating both content streams, and lists, due to it having momentum. So it's just a matter of using a case on the current one for me...
It’s remarkable that AI forgot the mute button. Much like Apple itself.
It wasn't forgotten. When you have the ability to pause video content it just doesn't seem necessary. In years of daily use it isn't a common use case here. If you can't get behind that for some reason (someone cited they watch a lot of ad-sponsored content), just hold the volume down, it uses acceleration to move it quickly all the way down when you hold it. versus tap tap tap for small adjustments.
Nice. This remote doesn't lack any of the functionality that the OE Apple remote has, including Siri, plus it has backlighting, and dispenses with the lame mini track pad that's as much of a hindrance as it is help. Surprising that it took this long for a 3rd party to produce an equivalent, but UEI is up to the task. Will see if the JP1 folks can eek some extra functionality of out it.
No way, man. The trackpad is what makes it so much better than the console-style remotes, where you have to click-click-click your way around. Swipe-scrubbing is way faster. Adjust the sensitivity if you need to.
I had an expensive Harmony One third party remote years ago, it's long gone now for this reason.
There is definitely a market for this. Some people, like my mom for instance, just can’t get the hang of using the touch surface in the Siri remote. She can operate the touch screens on her iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch like a pro but for some reason she has such a hard time with the Siri remote.
The touch scrolling is tuned differently on the Apple TV, it stops quite abruptly and there's more latency between gesture and movement vs a touchscreen.
If you say so. I've never even considered latency on the ATV before, never noticed it.
I don’t understand why some people want a mute button so badly. Mute was useful in the days of linear tv when you couldn’t pause something but with everything being on demand now why would you mute something and not just pause it?
That’s a good point.
Additionally, the sophistication of these devices means that a long hold on the volume down button can mute it. I know the iPad works this way.
I mean no offense but you folks really underestimate the amount of non-pausable, linear, live broadcasting that still goes on. So you've never streamed programming with commercials that you can't fast-forward through? Or are the commercials that interesting? Good thing presidential elections are only every four years, as I nearly wore out my remote's mute button silencing all those annoying political ads.
When that new remote becomes available to buy, I'm getting it ASAP.
I avoid forced-ad television like the plague. What's the point of getting an on-demand streamer and then being held captive by ads? Yuck, no thanks. I pay for my time and don't look back.
Comments
But not by much.
For some reason my Apple TV HD (not 4k) used to have a "default audio output" setting in the settings. After the last tvOS update the setting disappeared. It was still there on my Apple TV 4K but not on the HD. Ok, but there was still a way to get to this setting by holding down the Pause/Play button for 3 seconds. Tried it, but nothing. I used this control to get my TV to direct its output to my HomePod.
I tried all the stupid/goofy stuff like restarting Apple TV. Nada ... nothing ... up crapper creek without a paddle. Or so I thought.
After some DuckDuckGo-ing I found out that Apple introduced a whole new way to get at this feature. Now you have to hold down the TV button on the Apple TV Remote for a few seconds and it will popup a little control panel where you can select the HomePod from the AirPlay setting list. Yep, got my sound back, but for a little while I thought I was semi-screwed.
I say "semi" because this Apple TV is actually connected to my ancient analog hi-fi system and 4 big speakers through a neat little optical audio to analog DAC that I found on Amazon (FiiO). It works and sounds amazing, better than HomePod, but I cannot control the volume from a remote. However, if I just want to watch TV via Spectrum app it's easier to use the HomePod as a sound bar. Anyway, yellow card issued to Apple for not making this stealth change more obvious, but all is well.
Additionally, the sophistication of these devices means that a long hold on the volume down button can mute it. I know the iPad works this way.
I mean no offense but you folks really underestimate the amount of non-pausable, linear, live broadcasting that still goes on. So you've never streamed programming with commercials that you can't fast-forward through? Or are the commercials that interesting? Good thing presidential elections are only every four years, as I nearly wore out my remote's mute button silencing all those annoying political ads.
When that new remote becomes available to buy, I'm getting it ASAP.
A "replace live video with kitten and puppy video" button would be an amazing addition to the Apple TV Remote too. Would pay big bucks for that.
a citpeks said: No way, man. The trackpad is what makes it so much better than the console-style remotes, where you have to click-click-click your way around. Swipe-scrubbing is way faster. Adjust the sensitivity if you need to.
I had an expensive Harmony One third party remote years ago, it's long gone now for this reason.