Recommended Remote for Channels DVR?

[sethmeisterg]

Hi! I'm a brand new Channels DVR subscriber and noticed that there were some settings in the UI for different color buttons, but I only have the original AppleTV remote. What is the best recommended remote for use with Channels? I'm coming from using a TiVo for 15+ years, so ideally it would be a remote that is RF (or network based so I don't have to have direct line of sight with the AppleTV box). Thanks!

[maddox]

The easiest way to get support for the colored buttons is to use the remote for your TV and have it control your Apple TV via HDMI-CEC. Support varries per TV manufacturer though.

[fashioncents]

The only third-party remote that I know of that has the color buttons and is still supported is the Sofabaton U1. It works with the Apple TV if you connect it via Bluetooth. Any Bluetooth remote control will work if you can map the buttons (F1-F4)

[B0bHalter]

I second the recommendation for Sofabaton. As someone coming from Tivo, I like that Sofabaton has number buttons that can be used with CDVR in addition to the color buttons. BTW, Sofabaton just released U2 which has better IR than U1.

[awesomedvr]

Another concept is to give some time to adapt. The Apple TV Remote gets it done. All of the other Apps and Streaming platforms on the Apple TV work with the Apple TV remote. I used to have TiVo for years as well. Can’t imagine going back to a legacy remote with loads of buttons where you consistently use just a few of them.

[sethmeisterg]

The big request from my wife was a remote with number buttons as she's used to changing channels on TiVo that way. I'm working on her to use the groupings instead since she only watches a small handful of channels though.

[slampman]

You can pick up a harmony hub remote on ebay with the companion hand held remote. It is still supported by Logitech and a number of us use them on this forum. I have the color buttons programmed to do some cool things like do PIP on ATV and then open the guide, go direct to the library etc. The number pad works great as well.

[Fofer]

@sethmeisterg

The big request from my wife was a remote with number buttons as she's used to changing channels on TiVo that way. I'm working on her to use the groupings instead since she only watches a small handful of channels though.

If it's just a small handful of channels, and Channel Collections in the UI aren't good enough, consider remotes that let you do more than that, like shortcuts:

NEW: Improved Apple TV support for HDMI-CEC and Bluetooth remotes

These are such great updates and I am so impressed with the developer team. Thank you! Here is my beloved Harmony 650 remote in one of my rooms, it’s IR based but lasts for many months on two AA batteries, and controls my setup very well. Easy and reliable. Now I‘ve added channel favorites that I can tune to with a button press, and they work with Channels DVR. Considering all of the ingredients involved and cooperating to make this work so elegantly, this brings me great joy. Again, thank yo…

That's on a Logitech Harmony 650. It's not RF, it's only IR, but it lasts 9 months on a pair of AA batteries, and I'm a big fan of it.

Another alternate idea that worked for me, with a Harmony Companion (screenless but RF) remote in another room, was assigning those number keys to our top 10 favorite channels instead. We've found that a lot easier than remembering and typing the originally-assigned numbers, for each and every favorite channel.

[sethmeisterg]

Thanks so much for the great ideas!

[fashioncents]

Thanks for the heads up. Ordered my U2 last night and it arrived already. Can’t wait to try it!