First let me say that Channels DVR worked very well for me. Unfortunately the ongoing need for multiple remotes to view both recorded Uverse cable programming plus Channels DVR recordings was not considered Wife Friendly in my house. I really wanted to transition to the Apple TV remote for everything but seems this concept is still simply a dream at least until one of the streaming cable providers manages to get all the major broadcasters added to their list for my local area. Then I should be able to transition to the Apple TV remote although I’ll still be stuck with the ugly cable bill. The streaming services still only have three out of four of the major local broadcasters, so still a no-go for now. If Channels could find a way to merge the Channels DVR recordings with the Uverse (or another streaming service) recorded shows so the Apple TV remote could control everything then I’d definitely continue subscribing. Still is nice having Channels (without DVR) as a backup for the OTA channels. Very simple to use and has always worked well. Thanks
We dropped everything except internet. Use Channels, plus YTTV. Will be sub $100 a month as soon as I call and lower our internet speed. All on the Apple TV.
I just dropped Comcast TV service and use DTVN and Channels for OTA. My wife doesn’t really like multiple apps but I like saving money more.
Same here. Not as fluid as one remote/device to watch tv, but my wife is learning.
Did you try a home run device connected to an HD Antenae? Works quite flawlessly and if you put it in the attic you can, in my area, get over the air for about 100 miles. That gets all your local listings into your Apple TV.
Our experience has been the Apple TV with Channels in much more friendly than traditional cable and other boxes. Netflix, Youtube, Cable TV (Channels), PBS App Movies, etc. all in one place. For people not using something like channels, you have to switch sources or use your cable provider box (if it supports apps). Our only complaint is a newer Samsung TV doesn’t always turn itself off and on at the direction of the Apple TV as an old Sony TV did. If it wasn’t for that, we would just use the Apple TV remote. In our case, it is cheaper to have a basic cable TV service with internet than internet alone (~$60/month).
At one time we had the need for some IR control that the Apple TV couldn’t provide, so I bought Sideclick remotes as needed. They can be programmed to provide a few buttons and may help with some of the situations described here.
When we got completely off any cable or DirecTV service and went 100% OTA and streaming I reprogrammed the buttons to talk to a Pi3 box that can do some simple lights/scene stuff.
I have Samsung in the bedroom that turns on with the ATV about 90% of the time. That sucks after I get all comfy and then have to get up to power it on.
how do you like Sideclick. I’ve been considering it to program dvr controls such as com skip, fast forward and fast rewind. The Apple TV remote is a bit inconsistent and seems very technique sensitive in getting the fast forward and com skip to work via the touch pad. Does sidekick have those capabilities?
It worked well enough that the wife used it and liked it - that was my main concern. If your device supports IR then you can program the buttons on the Sideclick to handle it.
I also like the heft that adding the Sideclick gives to the Apple TV remote - I don’t worry about losing it or dropping it as much as I did with just the bare remote.
thanks for the reply. Sound like the way to go but I’m wondering what device you are referring to that needs IR capability. I would be using APPLETV 4k to stream from my dvr to the tv. the DVR is in another room running through my computer and hard wired to the network.
Oh I misunderstood your use case. I used the Apple TV remote for the Channels DVR, the Sideclick was used for a DirecTV box originally which used infrared (IR).
I don’t think you could use the Sideclick for the Channels DVR since it is accessed via the Apple TV which is a Bluetooth remote, not IR.
You can use any IR remote with the Apple TV, and “learn” it in the Remote area of the tvOS Settings app for rw/ff/skip buttons. See Expanded Media Keys for IR Remotes