Apple announced at this year’s WWDC  they are working on a new version of the Remote app for iPhone and iPad that will get all the features of the Apple TV Siri Remote, including touch navigation, Siri and game play support. According to CNET, the redesigned app will be released to the public this summer but the beta version is now available for testing and can be accessed by registered developers.

After downloading the Apple TV Remote IPA, you will be able to install the app directly to your iPhone or iPad via iTunes. The app requires an iPhone or iPad running iOS 9.3.2 or later, and the Apple TV running tvOS 9.2.1 or later.

9to5Mac’s Jeff Benjamin has already got his hands on the new app. Taka a look at his video walkthrough:

As noted by 9to5Mac, the new Apple TV Remote will allow you to:

• Navigate Apple TV with touch gestures
• Ask Siri to find something great to watch, listen to, or play
• Dictate text, including usernames and passwords
• Enter text with the keyboard
• Play games using the accelerometer and gyroscope on your iOS device
• Game Mode with simplified game controls, available while holding your iOS device in a landscape orientation
• Controll the movie, TV show, or song that’s currently playing in the Now Playing screen

Learn more about everything Apple announced at WWDC 2016.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple TV Remote app for Apple TV 4 now available for testing appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

On Monday, at the WWDC 2016 opening session, Apple announced that they are working on a new version of the Remote app. The Apple TV Remote App for iPhone and iPad will get a redesigned now playing screen with playback controls and, most importantly, all the features of the Apple TV Siri Remote, including touch navigation, Siri and game play support (the app will use the accelerometer or gyroscope for game play).

During the keynote, Apple didn’t give any details on when the new version of the app will be released. CNET has today learned that the redesigned app will be available this summer:

The all-new Remote app will be available this summer, according to an Apple representative who spoke with CNET and filled us in on some of the details.

Apple’s spokesperson told CNET that the new app will feature a microphone button, just like the one on the Siri remote and will supports most of the Siri remote features.

That means you can speak into your phone to search Apple TV and use other Siri features like “What did he say?”

Like the current Remote app, the new version will have a large swiping area similar to the Siri remote’s touchpad for navigation and selection. It will also have a Now Playing window that shows artwork and playback controls.

And of course, there’s a keyboard for text entry, complete with dictation if you don’t feel like typing on your phone.

According to CNET, the new Apple TV Remote App will control both the new (2015) and the old (2012) Apple TV.

Learn more about everything Apple announced at WWDC 2016.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post CNET: new Apple TV Remote App with Siri Remote capabilities coming “this summer” appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

CiderTV is a great alternative for Apple’s own Remote app as well as for the Siri Remote. It works perfectly with non-jailbroken 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Apple TVs letting you to easily navigate menus with gestures, quickly send text queries with built-in keyboard and control your TV volume from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac.

The best part is that it lets you do all of this from your iPhone’s/iPad’s Lock screen (Notification Center widget), so there is no need to unlock your device every single time you need to use the app.

Just swipe down to open the widgets pane and control Apple TV even if iPhone/iPad is locked.

(Note: to control Apple TV box from widget you need to pair it from the CiderTV app first and then add CiderTV widget to your Notification Center.)

The app also lets you connect to more than one Apple TV and access them all from one screen.

CiderTV is also available for Mac and Apple Watch, so you can control your Apple TV from your computer or even from your wrist.

Some of the basic gestures include:
– TAP to Select (Play/Pause)
– DOUBLE-TAP to go back
– LONG-TAP (press for a second) – go back to Home Screen
– SWIPE LEFT/RIGHT/UP/DOWN – move between menu items
– SWIPE LEFT/RIGHT – rewind or fast-forward. Further swipes will increase rewind/fast-forward speed.

CiderTV is available from the App Store for free.

The app is also available in Google Play Store.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Apple’s Eddy Cue revealed that the company is developing a new, much-improved Remote app for iOS to be released in the first half of 2016.

“We’re working on a new Apple TV remote app that will give you the full functionality of the Siri Remote on your iPhone,” Cue said. “We’re hoping to ship that in the first half of next year.”

Apple yesterday released tvOS 9.1 for Apple TV 4 that includes the much-requested support for the current Remote app on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Also read:

• Apple TV 5: “dramatically” faster, new features, mass production begins in Q1 2016 (rumor)
• Infuse 4 for new Apple TV released
• How to save media files to your Apple TV 4 ‘hard drive’ for offline viewing (video)
• Plex on Apple TV 4 explained (video)

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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Apple today released tvOS 9.1 for Apple TV 4. It ads Siri support for Apple Music as well as the much-requested support for the Remote app for iPhone and iPad. watchOS 2.1, that was also released today, lets you navigate the new Apple TV using the Remote app on your Apple Watch.

Support for Remote app is a nice additions, but Apple TV 4 still lacks support for Bluetooth keyboards. Hopefully it will be included in the next update.

To download the update, go to Settings -> System -> Software updates.

Holiday Gift Guide: Best Accessories for Apple TV 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen.

You may also want to read:

• Apple TV 5: “dramatically” faster, new features, mass production begins in Q1 2016 (rumor)
• Infuse 4 for new Apple TV released
• How to save media files to your Apple TV 4 ‘hard drive’ for offline viewing (video)
• Plex on Apple TV 4 explained (video)

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple releases tvOS 9.1 with support for Remote app and Siri for Apple Music appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Couple of days back, Apple seeded the second beta to their latest Mac operating system, OSX 10.11 El Capitan (read more). And as usual, developers tore it down in an attempt to track down Apple’s upcoming products. One of the results turned out to be a new Bluetooth remote control, most probably designed for the Apple TV 4.

9to5Mac came across a file inside El Capitan named AppleBluetoothRemote.kext, which wasn’t there on previous builds nor on Yosemite. 9to5Mac’s editors scanned the file and extracted some useful details about the remote.

The new remote will pair with devices over bluetooth and control them with infrared bursts, just like the current remotes.

But what is interesting is that the mentioned remote will have a multi-touch trackpad, which supports inertial scrolling like what we’ve seen with the Remote app for Apple TV. Developers also found references to Apple’s latest force-touch technology in the file but aren’t sure if it will make way to the final product.

It could also be made out that the new remote control will support audio interface, which seems to be an input for Siri voice commands rather than for a speaker.

Unfortunately, they haven’t found any direct mentions of Apple TV 4 in the file. However, this remote uses the same technology as the current Apple TV remotes and is packing touch-pad and Siri input which have previously been rumoured about the Apple TV 4 remote. Hence, we believe that the file references the same and that Apple is planning to launch the revamped Apple TV by the time El Capitan becomes available to the public.

Read more on Apple TV 4.
Check out:Apple TV Remote troubleshooting guide

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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It’s been too long since we started whining about the tiny Apple TV remote, on how it gets misplaced easily and how it is too small to be used comfortably. But did you know that you can use any of your existing remotes – like the one for your TV set, the one with your cable set-top box or any other third-party remote, to control your Apple TV?

Yes, basically all your remotes including the Apple Remote use infrared waves to communicate with their target device. And for the same reason, these devices can learn each others’ IR codes to be used among themselves. We are here to show you exactly how to do that, so that you can control all your media devices (including the Apple TV) with a single remote.

If are reading this because your Apple TV Remote isn’t workrng propery, you might want to check out our Apple Remote troubleshooting guide.

A. Which remote should I choose?

Any of your remotes will work with the Apple TV. Also, by doing this, you do not unpair the Apple TV Remote nor do you make the new remote unusable with its own device. So, choosing a remote is purely based on your needs.

If you are just looking for a larger and more handleable remote, you can get a new third party remote. But if you’re like me and are more concerned with the convenience part, chose your HDTV remote. Hence, I can just turn on the TV, choose Apple TV as my source and control the ATV, all via a single remote.

You can also use an old remote which is just lying around, or the remote that comes with the set-top box, DVD player, VCR or even a Wii U gamepad. I believe there are watches available with infrared blasters!

B. Setting up the new remote to use with the Apple TV

Unlike what it sounds like, the remote-learning process is pretty easy and takes only around a minute to do. Once set up, your dream of one-remote entertainment is true forever.

Note: This step requires you to use your original Apple TV remote. So if you are following this guide because you lost your Apple Remote, go through the next step (C) before continuing.

On the Apple TV
Go to Settings > General > Remote > Learn Remote. Select Start.

On the new remote
Standard remotes usually have two sets of navigation buttons. One set which controls the device it is supposed to and the other set, which we mysteriously wondered about before. Now is the time to use them.

Choose a set of buttons on the remote which doesn’t control any other major functions and those which you are less likely to use. If you bought a new third-party remote, you can of course select any set of buttons that makes sense.

Apple TV will guide you through the steps of learning each button. You’ll need to press and hold the navigation and selection buttons (6 in total) as you are directed, but this shouldn’t take long. You can name the configuration for easy identification and also set up additional play back controls if you like.

That is it. Your Apple TV can now be controlled with the new remote!

C. What if I lost my original Apple TV Remote?

Don’t worry, we do have a solution for that, too. Download the iOS Remote app from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.

If you had enabled Home Sharing on your Apple TV before the remote got lost, you can just use the app directly over WiFi to configure your new third party remote.

But with Home Sharing turned off, you will need to connect the Apple TV to the router via an Ethernet cable, to use the app. After the set up is complete, you can switch back to WiFi and start using the new remote.

D. I want to make changes to the new remote’s configuration

Just head over to Settings > General > Remote > ‘new remote’s name’, to make changes to the configuration. Here you can rename, delete and change the initial buttons.

The best part is that you can even add separate buttons for Fast Forward, Rewind, Next Chapter and more. You will also be able to add more third-party remotes for the Apple TV.

E. Troubleshooting the third party remote learning process

“No Signal Received. Check Remote” error message
This might be because you took more than 20 seconds to press and hold the desired button. Try to do the actions quicker next time.

This might also be because the extra buttons on the remote might be locked by the manufacturer. You can consult the user manual of the remote to find out how to unlock and use them.

“Button Already Learnt” error message
Check if you are mistakenly using the same button twice. If not, this means that a remote which is already paired with Apple TV has a similar Infra red code as yours.

You can goto the Settings > General > Remote menu to unlearn other remotes to make your new one work. Else, you can of course use a different button.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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There are around half a dozen reasons why your Apple TV‘s little silver remote is acting weird and not doing what it is supposed to do. You might be thinking of taking it into a nearby Apple Store Genius bar but, fortunately, there are quite a lot of things which you can try yourself to troubleshoot the issues and snap the Apple remote back to life.

Here is a step by step approach for all those who face Apple TV remote not working issues, or if your remote starts controlling your Mac instead… (step D).

Step A. The preliminary steps for Apple TV Remote Not Working Problems

1. Make sure your remote has a clear line of view to till the Apple TV. Take it out of any cabinets, remove any obstructions and make sure the Apple TV’s front, where the sensors are, is facing the remote.

2. If you have more than one Apple TV remote at home, check if you’re using the correct one.

Step B. Check if your remote is working at all

This is a quite interesting part of this guide. The infrared rays emitted by the remote are not visible to human eyes. But your digital camera, even the one on your phone can capture it.

So pick up your iPhone, point the camera to the top edge of your remote and push any button on the remote. If you see a light flashing, it means your remote is working.

Step C. The major troubleshooting

After you cleared stages A & B if the problems persists, we are in for some cool troubleshooting.

Just press on any button on your Apple remote, pointing at the Apple TV. A white light at the face of the Apple TV will respond to your trigger, with a pattern of blinks. Carefully view the pattern to match with the following (don’t worry, it is way more easier than it sounds):

Case 1. Apple TV light flashes 3 times in quick succession : This means your Apple TV is paired with another remote.

Solution: You can easily unpair any other remotes connected with your Apple TV and pair your existing one. This takes only a few clicks and under a minute.

Use any Apple Remote: press and hold the Menu + Left buttons for 6 seconds. An image of a broken link will appear on the TV, signifying that the paired list is cleared.

Now, use your current remote (the one you want to pair with the Apple TV): press and hold Menu + Right buttons for 6 seconds and a chain link icon will appear on the screen prompting that the pairing is complete.

There it is, your unresponsive Apple Remote is now smoothly controlling the Apple TV.

Case 2. The light flashes with every blast of the IR Apple Remote but nothing happens on the television: In this case, the problem is most likely a temporary software glitch on the Apple TV.

Solution: Try restarting the Apple TV by following the below steps.

– hold down the Menu + Down buttons for a few seconds and the Apple TV will restart normally.

– if that doesn’t work, use the good-old technique of pulling the plug. Wait for at least 10 seconds and power up the Apple TV again.

Case 3. The light never flashes at all (or sometimes it does and at others do not): This usually occurs when the Apple TV remote battery has a low charge, which is shown on the television screen as a low battery alert.

Solution: You can turn open the back of the Apple TV Remote and replace the battery by following Apple’s simple guide.

Step D. My Apple TV remote controls my Mac instead of the Apple TV

If such a bizarre thing happens to you, don’t panic – this means your Apple Remote has paired with your Mac.

Solution: All you need to do is turn off infrared reception on your Mac.

– Go to the Apple icon on the top bar

– Select Security and Privacy from the View menu

– Click the lock icon and enter the administrator password when prompted

– Select Advanced and then “Disable remote control infrared receiver”.

Step E. My Apple TV Remote still doesn’t work

We have gone through the most common Apple TV Remote not working problems and included fixes. If you’re still having trouble, you can try updating your Apple TV software, if you haven’t done that already. If that doesn’t help either, you can take the Apple TV and Remote to an Apple Store for assistance.

In the meantime, you’re in luck if you’ve turned on Home Sharing on the Apple TV. If so, you will be able to control your Apple TV with your iPhone of iPad using the iOS Remote app. If you donot have Home Sharing enabled, you will need to connect your Apple TV to the router via ethernet cable to control it with the iOS app.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Best Accessories for Apple TV

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

The post Apple TV Remote not working properly: The Apple Remote troubleshooting guide appeared first on Apple TV Hacks.

Once again an Apple patent is under the microscope, as Apple Insider caught up with an application submitted by the Cupertino engineers. Titled “Browsing Remote content using a native interface”, it re-imagines how the remote app works with Apple TV.

Instead of the mere navigation buttons in the current remote app, the proposed UI would be a dynamic one. It shows a menu of icons corresponding to your Apple TV channels, which you can browse through and select the favorite ones to stream.

Once the content stars playing, Apple TV sends meta info like trivia, cast, credits, etc. to the app, which can be enjoyed by the user. If you find something interesting here, you can even push it for everyone to see, and it will form a sidebar or pop-up on the TV.

The above mentioned features deal with real-time interactions between your Apple TV and the app, and forms the Active mode of the app. However, the new app comes with a Passive mode, which is what is more interesting.

In the passive mode, the user can get out of the ‘now playing’ details and browse the app again. These won’t show up on your Apple TV and hence, won’t disturb others watching with you. You can search for a better movie or add videos to queue, renew subscriptions or just about anything the app allows.

The patent also proposes for interactions via iCloud, so that you can access the TV even when you’re not within the house. Remember how Apple TV was reported to be the center of Apple’s smart home? Now, lets imagine the passive mode, remote access and iCloud, all working together. Imagine you reaching outside your house. Open the remote app, enter passive mode, access the Smart Home hub and open the garage. Meanwhile your wife is watching Netflix over Apple TV, and she doesn’t know a thing.

Though the patent doesn’t mention much about the passive mode, we believe this mode is what forms the core of the application. The active mode is just a modified piece of software and doesn’t require to be protected. Whereas, the passive mode would likely become the backbone of Apple TV multitasking between content delivery and home automation, which Apple certainly doesn’t want its competition to copy.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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So Amazon has finally dropped the curtains on its set-top box, the Fire TV, which comes as a direct competitor to the Apple TV. One of the major features boasted by Amazon is its voice search function. You’ll be surprised to know that you can get the voice search feature on your Apple TV, right now.

This is not a voice search feature which is built right into the hardware remote. Instead, it is a cheeky way to use Apple’s official Remote app for iOS. So if you have an iPhone or iPad or iPod touch, you can voice search for anything you want.

How to?

Step 1 – Get the free Remote app from the App Store.

Step 2 – Switch on your Apple TV and turn on Wi-Fi on your iOS device.

Step 3 – Sign in with your Apple ID and turn on Home Sharing on the Remote app.

Step 4 – The app will automatically detect your Apple TV. Tap on the icon to connect.

Step 5 – Now you can use the Remote app to control your Apple TV.

Step 6 – Go to the Search bar in TV Shows, Movies or iTunes Library section like you normally do and you’ll see that a search bar appears on the app. Instead of typing in the titles, tap on the Mic icon on the virtual keyboard which will bring up a wavering interface of Apple’s built-in dictation function.

Step 7 – Speak out your favorite TV show or movie name, press search and the app will voice search it for you.

Yes, some might consider this as a unconventional or non-systematic method but it does indeed work great for the function. It is also worth noting that the voice search feature on Amazon Fire TV only works within the Amazon Instant Video app and not others like Netflix.

Also read: How to watch Amazon Prime Instant Video on Apple TV

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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