Salt Remote: Apple TV Remote Alternative

Channels Apple TV
#1

I've been looking into an Apple TV remote from an ISP in Switzerland called Salt. They worked with Apple to redesign a more intuitive remote for customers that use their Live TV app. Originally I only wanted the remote for personal reasons (older family members hate the touch remote) but given the demand I've seen on ebay I plan to have 20-30 shipped over.

If I am able to offer these at $75 each, would anyone be interested? (I know its expensive, but it is a great deal compared to what they are selling for on ebay)

Link: Salt Remote
Link: The Verge Article

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  • Yes...Take my money!
  • No, I won't pay over $50
  • I'm perfectly happy with the touch remote

0 voters

#2

My alternative is SofaBaton U1 for $49.99 at amazon.com. You should look into this. All my devices work with it. Vizio sound-bar and TV, Fire TV stick and Cube, Roku, Tivo Apple TV. Up to 15 devices can be programmed and controlled. Great remote for Channels DVR. Hope you haven’t purchased them yet. http://sofabaton.com. You can even channel up/down with this remote and enter channel numbers with Channels DVR.

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#3

Still too many buttons for people like my grandparents. If there are number buttons that don't work that will confuse them, the Salt remote is very simple without the need to learn how to use the touchpad.

1 Like
#4

Just pointing out a couple of things - The Salt remote does not have a Home button, and does not have a microphone/Siri built in.

#5

Correct, but the long pressing the menu button can work as a home button.

#6

I have one of the Salt remotes and I love it. Certain members of the household had a lot of trouble with the ATV remote and this is so much easier for them.

I wish Channels could support the page up/down buttons to page through the guide. It's tedious to scroll through the entire guide if you have a lot of channels, even if you use the fast scrolling on the original remote (or press and hold the up/down arrows on this remote). @tmm1 @maddox is there any way to support these buttons?

1 Like
#7

We don't know HOW those buttons are working as they're outside of the IR codes the Apple TV expects.

The only way we'd be able to know, is if we had one to play with.

#8

Does the Salt remote work over bluetooth? Or you have to point it at the ATV?

#9

It's IR. No pairing required. I feel like I've had the page up/down buttons working in some apps but I'm not sure. I'll need to investigate later.

If need be I'd be willing to pitch in a few quid towards a remote for @tmm1 and @maddox :slight_smile:

#10

Just checked, the page up/down buttons are just duplicates of the skip forward/back buttons. Confirmed by using them while playing a recording in Channels. I believe it's the same set of commands Apple offers when you want to programme your own universal remote to work with ATV. How easy would it be to make them work to page through the guide?

#11

Makes sense. We can investigate.

1 Like
#13

Conversion rate is practically 1.02 swiss to 1.00 us. Thats over 300 percent markup. Salt selling it at 20.00. No thanks. I’ll stick with my SofaBaton.

#14

Agree. I paid about CHF 60 to have someone ship me one to the UK and I thought that was a bit too much for what it is, aside from no longer getting grief from the other half about the original ATV remote. :slight_smile: Oh, and the power button literally 'just works'...instant on/off. I've never seen that with any other ATV remote.

#15

I would be in for maybe $40, or 3 for $100. I am still shocked how Apple is still so wed to their crappy d-pad remote. Even my die hard Apple wife now uses a Shield because she hates the Apple remote. Both my Apple TV 4K units sit virtually unused lately.

#16

Yep, which is a good deal in comparison...

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#17

Or just get a Harmony remote to control your Apple TV AND all of your other devices for $60.

#18

I got this remote. It doesn't work well at all. Plus it requires another plug for power. You can't customize keys. Roku Ultra 4K's will not work with it either. I got the SofaBaton U1. Works great and can create macros with any all keys.

#19

The Harmony remotes are definitely overkill unless you have lots of devices. For most modern setups, there are a lot of extra useless buttons (like the number buttons). I much prefer the simplicity of something like the Salt remote.

#20

I never thought we'd get to the point where people don't want numbers on their remote.

#21

If they don't do anything then whats the point, they just get in the way. I would love to have number entry if Apple would allow it or the Channels dev could somehow implement their own way of using numbers with harmony remotes.