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Apple TV Remote button functionality Inconsistent with Roku and Xumo remotes

SmittyMon
SmittyMon Posts: 12 Participant
edited December 2025 in Spectrum TV App Feedback - Apple Devices and Apple TV

I'm a new Spectrum customer and am enjoying the great picture quality via the Spectrum App using several different streaming devices, Awesome job developing this App! I have an Apple TV 4K (latest model), Roku 4K Ultra and the Xumo box. The Roku and Xumo remote control keys/buttons operate consistent with each other, however the Apple TV remote button functionality operates in the opposite manner for several situations. For example the remote Up and Down key menu functionality is reversed between Apple TV vs Roku/Xumo. The Roku/Xumo remote's Down direction key pulls up the Channel history at the bottom of the screen whereas the Apple TV Down key pulls up the menu for Recording and Info. The Roku/Xumo remote's Up key brings up the menu for Recording and Info where as the Apple TV Up key pulls up the Channel history menu. So this seems like a simple fix of swapping the Up/Down key functionality for the Apple TV. Another example is the Right key functionality. While watching a live TV (i.e. unrecorded) program on Roku/Xumo, a remote Right direction key press will pull up a the channel Guide but on Apple TV you must press the Left direction key to pull up the channel Guide. Also the Apple TV does not allow pausing and rewinding of Live TV shows with the Cloud DVR like the Xumo/Roku devices do.

Would it be possible to make a few tweaks to the Spectrum App software so the Apple TV remote functionality is consistent with the Roku/Xumo remote functionality?

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • Metalman
    Metalman Posts: 23 Contributor

    Hello,

    I have found that a universal remote works best with the Apple TV. You don’t need a high dollar remote to do the job. Just don’t use the remotes button mapping for the Apple TV. You will want to map the buttons in your Apple TV setting to setup the remote, that way your remote will be setup like a standard DVR box.

  • SmittyMon
    SmittyMon Posts: 12 Participant

    @Metalman I appreciate the tip of remapping keys via a universal remote but this will cause other problems since the same key performs different operations in a particular viewing mode. For example, if I remap the left key to be the right key, that will allow the channel guide to appear with a right key press similar to the Xumo/Roku devices when viewing live TV but the left key also performs rewind functionality for a recorded DVR program as well as navigational direction.

    The inconsistency between Apple TV and Roku/Xumo devices could be easily fixed by just swapping the pop up window functionality for left/right keys as well as the up/down keys for the Apple TV. So if there is a way to remap that functionality manually, that would work.

  • Metalman
    Metalman Posts: 23 Contributor

    @SmittyMon The universal remote has a guide button that you can map to open the guide.

    You can basically setup the remote to work like any cable DVR box or DVD player.

    Fast forward, rewind, forward one channel or back one channel.

    This is a link to the remote I use: Amazon.com:Inteset 4 in 1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote for use withApple TV, Xbox, Roku, Kodi, Nvidia Shield, Most Streamers & OtherA/V Devices : Electronics

    Just don’t use the dedicated button on the universal remote for Apple TV. Just sync to your TV, then set it up in Apple TV under setting Remotes and Devices>Learn Remote.

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