Decent Remote for Android TV?

Channels DVR Server
#1

I have a couple remotes that work really well for Windows Media Center and Windows OS when using it through the TV, but they’re no help for using Channels DVR on Android TV. The remote that came with the Sony Bravia 4K TV doesn’t seem to be much help with the Channels interface on Android TV. It has a record button, but it doesn’t seem to have any effect and I’m not sure if there are any buttons that correspond to functions in the interface other than the navigation arrows, select button, and REW, PLAY, FORWARD, STOP buttons.

Is there a help guide for remotes anywhere? Any recommended remotes for such use?

Thanks!

#2

We have the ability to add more button mappings if there are specific buttons on the remote that you wish were mapped to certain actions. You’re probably luckier than most Android TV users since your remote actually has buttons. The SHIELD, MiBox, FireTV and Nexus Player remotes are very barebones and that’s part of the reason our app only supports a limited number of remote commands at the moment.

#3

Well, the remote we have that came with the TV is this one here:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Remote-Commander-RMT-TX200U-149315911/dp/B01N6IY445

I’ve seen that the FF key skips 30 seconds ahead and the REW key skips backward 7 seconds. I just now discovered that the PREV and NEXT keys skip to the previous and next program segment start and end points, which is a very nice surprise.

I think the least intuitive action is trying to switch from watching something live to recording it. At least once when I pressed the BACK button I got a Watch Now, Record, … menu, but most of the time it just goes back to the guide. The most consistent way to get a record button is to press the down arrow which shows the program info and the Favorites Guide along the top. I definitely discovered that completely by accident.

If I’m watching a live program unrecorded but delayed (from the buffer), what happens to the buffer if I choose to record the program? With the TiVo, the buffer gets incorporated into the show’s recording. In WMC, the buffer does NOT get added to the recorded file, but it can be retrieved (cumbersome) by those who know what they’re doing.

#4

I use this and been very satisfied with it using both Channels and Flex on Fire TV. You can reprogram all the buttons to be anything you want and that was exactly what I wanted. Your mileage may vary

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BQ5RYI4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#5

I use the Harmony remotes as well, and a plus is they work with Alexa/Google Home so I can just say “Alexa turn on the Living Room TV” and it’ll turn everything on.

1 Like
#6

Question…is it possible to support Windows Media Center remote commands via Shield and Harmony Remote? So, say if we press “Record” on a show in the guide, the proper command gets sent via the Harmony bluetooth connection? I currently have my Record button mapped to launch Google Assistant/Voice Commands…which makes me wonder if that’s possible.

#7

Sorry, can’t answer that one, don’t even have the setup to test it.

#8

You can use long press on the Fire remotes. Vues uses the Center and Menu buttons for quick options like guide, dvr, last channel,record