Remotes

[somebody]

I mean the Netflix, Amazon, Sling and Google buttons.

It really annoys me if I'm watching something and accidentally hit one of those instead of Rewind.

I can get to the channels I use easily enough with Home and a couple of arrows, but if I just want to catch a bit of dialogue I missed and hit one by mistake all of a sudden it's exiting whatever I'm watching and it's firing up Sling (usually that's the one I hit by mistake).

IMO It was a poor design choice to put these buttons on the remote in the first place.    Despite it being thicker I much prefer the old 2XS remote which I still use on one of my TVs..

So far I've found 2 suggestions on other forums around the internet.

1:   Just put tape over them
2:   Take the remote apart and and literally destroy the contacts on the circuit board for those buttons..    

I don't want to do EITHER of those things.    Having the ability to reprogram them would be nice.   I could reprogram them to NULL or to just Rewind or maybe even to Volume and Power for my TV.   Then I wouldn't need two remotes just to watch TV.

I hope Roku got paid well by those 4 companies because it seems to be more of an annoyance than a benefit to customers.


In fact I even discovered some models have a button for Rdio which I never even heard of and is apparently a defunct company so the button is useless now anyway.

[Elijah_Baley]

"somebody" wrote:
...
So far I've found 2 suggestions on other forums around the internet.

1:   Just put tape over them
2:   Take the remote apart and and literally destroy the contacts on the circuit board for those buttons..    

I don't want to do EITHER of those things.    Having the ability to reprogram them would be nice.   I could reprogram them to NULL or to just Rewind or maybe even to Volume and Power for my TV.   Then I wouldn't need two remotes just to watch TV.

...

There is no way in software or settings to disable those buttons but you do not have to disassemble the remote to remove them at least on the two different models that I have. What I have done is use a sharp pointed tool (an pin style pen knife) to pry/pop the buttons out of the sockets. It is not easy to do but it is also not too hard. Once that is done you can leave the hole uncovered of you can use, as I have, an epoxy type filler to fill the holes. Once I did that, and in one case removed the stupid and useless voice search button, the new remote has become my favorite even though I have a old Roku 3 remote that pairs fine with my Ultra.

[coyote2]

I desperately wish the voicesearchbutton could be easily disabled.  I'm constantly hitting it, and simply hitting it again doesn't even undo it.

Of course I'm also not thrilled that for me 3 of my 4 dedicated channel buttons are useless and un-reprogramable, but at least I never his them by mistake.  I'm so tempted to pry the remote open and unplug these 4 buttons.]

The Roku (and my Ultra) are both such great products, but maybe it would do Roku good to have more competition to motivate attention to hardware issues and software limitations.

[reddice]

Maybe you are better off getting a older Roku 3 remote, no voice or stupid shortcut buttons if it will pair with the new Ultra.

[captivater]

It is possible to remove the contacts underneath the buttons. It involves unscrewing screw near battery slot. Then prying open the remote shell top from bottom with a smooth metal pry tool, or hobby screwdriver if you want to chance scraping the shell or damaging the circuit board.

If this doesn't make sense to you, it's advisable to just be more cautious with where you place the remote.

[Emissary35]

The fact that Roku only cares about getting advertising revenue by putting specific app button instead of customizable programmable buttons is nauseating. You get a remote with buttons Roku has decided to set for you and if you don't use those channels they are completely worthless, they should just make them programmable preset buttons that you can use to open any channel like your car radio has to set your favorite stations. But Roku would rather get paid by those channels to add 'their button' on your remote whether you are going to use it or not. My favorite is this stupid discontinued Radio channel button stuck on my remote and the channel no longer exists! Nice job on that one Roku! It's sickening that Roku chooses to do this over doing something more useful for the customer. Not to mention their uselessly annoying ad banner that takes up a huge portion of the right side of the screen instead of using that space to show more channels on your account. It's all about the money and not the customer satisfaction.

[jeffrok]

Sickening? Like you're sickened by it?

Get a different remote.

[Emissary35]

"jeffrok" wrote:
Sickening? Like you're sickened by it?

Get a different remote.

Why should anyone have to purchase a different remote when they already paid 50 to 100 bucks for a Roku that already comes with a remote? Suggesting 'Get a different remote' is absurd, why should anyone have to pay for a separate remote because of their dissatisfaction with the preset content buttons being an annoyance? Just because Roku decided to set up the remote out of the box as a source for advertising revenue I should have to search and pay for one that's more user friendly if I don't like it? Maybe Roku can just put what's more useful for the customer first and foremost over profit.

[mikebdoss]

"Emissary35" wrote:

"jeffrok" wrote:
Sickening? Like you're sickened by it?

Get a different remote.

Why should anyone have to purchase a different remote when they already paid 50 to 100 bucks for a Roku that already comes with a remote? Suggesting 'Get a different remote' is absurd, why should anyone have to pay for a separate remote because of their dissatisfaction with the preset content buttons being an annoyance? Just because Roku decided to set up the remote out of the box as a source for advertising revenue I should have to search and pay for one that's more user friendly if I don't like it? Maybe Roku can just put what's more useful for the customer first and foremost over profit.

I think we're taking issue with language like "sickening" and "nauseating" . We're sorry you don't like that the remote has some buttons you don't use. But your language is kinda strong for talking about a remote control. 

[Emissary35]

"mikebdoss" wrote:

"Emissary35" wrote:

"jeffrok" wrote:
Sickening? Like you're sickened by it?

Get a different remote.

Why should anyone have to purchase a different remote when they already paid 50 to 100 bucks for a Roku that already comes with a remote? Suggesting 'Get a different remote' is absurd, why should anyone have to pay for a separate remote because of their dissatisfaction with the preset content buttons being an annoyance? Just because Roku decided to set up the remote out of the box as a source for advertising revenue I should have to search and pay for one that's more user friendly if I don't like it? Maybe Roku can just put what's more useful for the customer first and foremost over profit.

I think we're taking issue with language like "sickening" and "nauseating" . We're sorry you don't like that the remote has some buttons you don't use. But your language is kinda strong for talking about a remote control. 

Feel free to ignore my language if you don't like it.