quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
My 3 year old Samsung TV remote doesn't have numbers, it has a separate button you push (123), which brings up a numeric ribbon on the screen you enter numbers by scrolling and hitting enter...

I would absolutely HATE that. When I want to watch channel 7, I press one button on my remote... the one marked "7." No stinking way do I want to add complexity and have to light up a ribbon, then scroll across it, then press enter. Why a half-dozen button presses, when one does the job? I'm an engineer and I love neat technology, but dang! That's just goofy!

Man... I hope my existing TVs never die.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
I run them mainly with my iPad via an app.

[This is not a dig at you, Joel.]

Good grief, we keep adding complexity to simple tasks!

In this instance, here's what I see:
Instead of picking up a remote and pressing the appropriate button, I have to locate my tablet, wake it up (hopefully it's charged), enter the passcode, launch the app, and THEN press the appropriate buttons.

[Al Bundy] Great Caesar's ghost!! [/Al Bundy]

That was my first thought as well. What, exactly, is gained by adding another layer of technology?

I can see there are at least two folks who have never tried to type in movie names into Netflix/Amazon search boxes using scroll arrows and enter buttons on remotes. Who knew?

Being serious for a second, though, the iPad app is butt-simple. It makes it trivial to change the content source the Roku is connected to, and lets you search for movies or actors without hunting and pecking one freakin' letter at a time, scrolling with the remote's arrow key step by step on a tiny keyboard and pressing 'enter' one character at a time.

It is not enough, by itself, to warrant buying an iPad. But it was very nice when I discovered having one meant I was freed from that tiny Roku remote.

Because it's a Roku TV. It's built for streaming, where numbers aren't necessary because you don't pick channels, you pick programs.

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Originally posted by charlie12:
Never seen one with no numbers

Neither have I.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
Being serious for a second, though, the iPad app is butt-simple. It makes it trivial to change the content source the Roku is connected to, and lets you search for movies or actors without hunting and pecking one freakin' letter at a time, scrolling with the remote's arrow key step by step on a tiny keyboard and pressing 'enter' one character at a time.

Okay, Joel, thank you for that explanation. That does make it a bit more reasonable -- searching with a "real" keyboard is certainly far easier than the scroll-and-pick method. (That drive me crazy, too -- like when trying to enter a complex password. Good grief!)

Now if I still had an iPad....

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
I run them mainly with my iPad via an app.

[This is not a dig at you, Joel.]

Good grief, we keep adding complexity to simple tasks!

In this instance, here's what I see:
Instead of picking up a remote and pressing the appropriate button, I have to locate my tablet, wake it up (hopefully it's charged), enter the passcode, launch the app, and THEN press the appropriate buttons.

[Al Bundy] Great Caesar's ghost!! [/Al Bundy]

What you think is complexity I think is simplicity. I love having the ability to control all my devices from my phone. I always know where it is and never have to change batteries.

If you don’t have a smart phone, or don’t use it to it’s full potential, usually have it close, charged and on, then you aren’t in the majority. There’s nothing wrong with that of course but you have to accept that for better or worse you are now in the minority of their target customer. Things are made for the majority of users. Simplified remotes and apps are another way to keep costs low.

If you don’t like smart phones and apps there are still universal remotes you can buy. Manufacturers just stopped including them since there is no reason to make everyone pay for something that only a few want. Use the money you saved on the TV to put towards whatever remote you want for it.

I can't remember the last time I actually changed a channel by entering it's number. I use the menu because there is no way I can remember the numbers for all the channels.

Heck most of the time we're watching stuff off the DVR (except for hockey and baseball). I'd take a remote with no numbers on it if it had a nice scroll wheel and centrally located Play/Stop/FF/Skip buttons.

if you stream you don't need numbers.

If you're using cable/satellite you have a box that came with a remote.

I think that's why they are ditching complex remotes.

I use an Apple TV to stream. It comes with their Siri remote and I've never had a need for numbers.

If they ever stop making universal remotes, I'm in deep trouble. Or my TV watching days are numbered.

The TCL TV that we picked up recently at Costco came with a Roku remote. No channel numbers.

Doesn't really matter, we run everything through a TiVo that integrates OTA antenna input and cable input, and the TiVo remote is pretty conventional with channel numbers, et.

The Logitech Harmony aftermarket remotes are good, and do a good job of controlling multiple devices.

Here is a photo of a remote similar to the one that came with our TV:

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
My 3 year old Samsung TV remote doesn't have numbers, it has a separate button you push (123), which brings up a numeric ribbon on the screen you enter numbers by scrolling and hitting enter...

Same remote on my Samsung.
We cut cable last year & only do streaming services now, so numbers aren't too relevant for us.

Main downside is that the remote is pretty small & gets misplaced occasionally (6 & 3 yr old users).

quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
mayby it one of the talk to things I seen advertises.
You are in deep trouble with all the talking birds in your house.

This is really funny. SC might be able to make money from Youtube videos of the birds channel surfing while he is not at home.