Feature request: Implement page up/down buttons

Channels Apple TV Feature Requests
#1

It would be great to have page up/down buttons implemented on universal remotes when browsing through the guide or in lists of recordings. This feature is already available on the Android TV version of the app, and it's the thing I miss most since switching to the Apple TV.

Hopefully this can be implemented, as the page up/down buttons already work when watching a recording (they skip back and forth through the ad break markers), so the Apple TV and Channels are definitely capable of receiving and reacting to these commands.

#2

Any update on the timeline/ability to implement this for Apple TV?

#3

Apple TV does not have page Up/Down buttons. It will only respond to the buttons that it supports via the Siri remote.

#4

Page up/down buttons on 3rd party remotes work with Apple TV and already work with Channels. When a recording is playing, they skip forward and back to each commercial break marker. (This is in addition to dedicated skip forward/back buttons on 3rd party remotes that skip forward/back by 30/10 seconds.)

If Channels already reacts to page up/down buttons while a recording is playing, can't those inputs be directed to also page through the guide?

This is easily the biggest pain point/quality of life issue when using Channels with a large number of channels...scrolling through the guide takes ages. Sure, I could use the Siri remote, but that would be a nonstarter with the rest of the household...it's much hated. :slight_smile:

#5

The only API that tvOS offers to react to these key presses is a media playback API, which doesn't make sense for us to use outside the video player.

#6

Here is my remote with the buttons highlighted and how they currently function in Channels. This is all out-of-the-box functionality...nothing customised by me.

IMG_0032
IMG_00323024×4032 2.97 MB

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#7

Ah, I see, didn't realise that. What a shame that Apple TV recognises those buttons but needlessly restricts how they can be used. I guess we're stuck with endless scrolling.

#8

Those buttons are all considered media keys, and to react to them you have to use the Media Playback framework in tvOS. We do this already inside the video player because it makes sense there. Using that from other parts of the app is not straightforward and can have unintended consequences.

We can take another look at this but its not as easy as it may sound.

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