Sky stream remote - no source button

[Padam_Padam]

I personally don't like direct app buttons on my remotes - it makes them look a bit garish & tacky IMHO. My TV and Firestick have them but I don't think I've ever used them.  

[lettice]

Not really a fan of direct app buttons either.

Some TV remotes tend to have one app button on there you do not use regularly and in my view they just clutter the remote.

As for stream, it's a one button press and a simple voice command to launch any of the apps.

As for source change, if your TV has Alexa or Google built in, it can be setup with some to control the switching of  hdmi ports or attached devices.

Still, a once pick up of any of the different source devices remotes will change the source anyway and you will need the remote when using and changing to that device source.

[DavyBee]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. I've checked the settings on both sky and the tv and both are enabled. My tv remote works intermittently (it only seems to stop working when I'm not home so it's the mrs who has the most frustrating time with it. I think she may divorce me if it carries on much longer. 😂

[DavyBee]

I'm not sure I understand your comment. I'm not trying to switch apps, I'm trying to switch sources. I.e firestck and dvd player (yes, we still use one)

On the old sky remote it was top right of the remote and has been replaced with 4 coloured dots (which I have no clue on its function). So basically, sky have replaced a button I used with one I don't.

[DavyBee]

This function isn't working, hence my o.p. When I try to go to my firestick, the source doesn't switch from sky.

[Fothergill1]

@DavyBee  Unfortunately, if you have things set up as per post 2 of this thread and it is still not working then there must be a fault with your TV or it is not compatible with HDMI CEC.  Your best option will therefore be to source a replacement TV remote from the manufacturer or sites like Amazon or eBay.  Alternatively follow the advice given in Post 3.

[TimmyBGood]

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@DavyBee wrote:

On the old sky remote it was top right of the remote and has been replaced with 4 coloured dots (which I have no clue on its function).

'Red Button' access, plus (presumably) the option of other multi choice functions in the future.

So basically, sky have replaced a button I used with one I don't.

As noted above, this was probably to reduce support calls relating to source selection not working with various television models.  It also means an identical remote can be shipped with both Glass televisions and Stream pucks.

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[Pablo-Godf]

As a user within the UK all I am going to say is that either your product design or the product development team, or both, need some serious improvements. 

Just because a source button wasn't applicable in every TV model doesn't mean you have to remove it entirely. It's the third most important button on a TV remote so maybe think that next time. 

The applications don't show any source control options by default which is quite problematic don't you think? Maybe add one app at least that reads the inputs and allows selection between them.  As a TV service I would expect you have the knowledge to do as much. 

Lastly, if visually you wanted less buttons I can see the two dotted buttons and a plus on top of that which are quite useless anyway, so replace their functionality with something useful instead because when I am forced on a minimal design to have two remotes on my desk instead of one, I call that a minimalistic failure. 

I am hoping to see some kind of shortcut in the next software update that helps me change my sources between Xbox, Nintendo, TV, and PC. Till then it's a big enough reason to stop using Sky services as it lacks the most important functionality. 

Feel free to share my comment with the product teams  and even better, contact me to design these features for you if your teams lack the experience for it. 

Cheers

[MarkGoldsmith]

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@Pablo-Godf wrote:

As a user within the UK all I am going to say is that either your product design or the product development team, or both, need some serious improvements. 

Just because a source button wasn't applicable in every TV model doesn't mean you have to remove it entirely. It's the third most important button on a TV remote so maybe think that next time. 

The applications don't show any source control options by default which is quite problematic don't you think? Maybe add one app at least that reads the inputs and allows selection between them.  As a TV service I would expect you have the knowledge to do as much. 

Lastly, if visually you wanted less buttons I can see the two dotted buttons and a plus on top of that which are quite useless anyway, so replace their functionality with something useful instead because when I am forced on a minimal design to have two remotes on my desk instead of one, I call that a minimalistic failure. 

I am hoping to see some kind of shortcut in the next software update that helps me change my sources between Xbox, Nintendo, TV, and PC. Till then it's a big enough reason to stop using Sky services as it lacks the most important functionality. 

Feel free to share my comment with the product teams  and even better, contact me to design these features for you if your teams lack the experience for it. 

Cheers

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The Sky streaming remote isn't designed to be a general TV remote like the + and Q remotes are.

Its designed and based generally on the typical remotes you see other streaming devices (Roku and Fire Stick) have, and designed for a streaming product (likely the reasons it's called the Sky streaming remote).

[Fothergill1]

@Pablo-Godf Welcome to the forum.  Unfortunately you are not talking to Sky on this forum as we are just customers like yourself.   If you read through some of the thread it explains how your devices should automativcally select the correct input/source.  My TV certainly does and I have never needed a source button.

I suspect Sky will have no intention of changing the design of their remote but if you want to direct your concerns directly to Sky you could use the complaint form at the following link:

https://www.sky.com/help/forms/complaints 

[Pablo-Godf]

Thank you for your answers guys.

I have a brand new TV and it really works with everything else apart from  the Sky remote ( as expected since there's no manual source control )

Having to switch constantly to different remotes and softwares to make a simple navigation is a big frustration for me and I assume many others with many connected devices as I have.

Since that fais, and as you seem to have more experience with Sky than me to know that they ain't planning to change anything, then I guess it's my goodbye to their services and there's really many to choose from.

Feel free to pass my comment to the right section if it has any value to them or leave it here for future customers to know what to expect.

Cheers 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Pablo-Godf wrote:

Just because a source button wasn't applicable in every TV model doesn't mean you have to remove it entirely. It's the third most important button on a TV remote so maybe think that next time. 

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I'd observe that the Stream handset isn't a 'TV remote' : it's the remote supplied with and used for a Stream puck.

[mmm57]

I agree the source button  isn very useful as many devices require their input to the TV to be selected manually.

As usual most "superusers" tend to miss the point!

[Fothergill1]

@mmm57 I have an Apple TV and Firerstick attached to my TV and have never needed to use a source button as the correct HDMI is selected automatically when I select a specific devise. When using the ATV or FS a press on my Sky remote home button takes me back to Sky Stream. Like the stream remote neither of the ATV or FS remotes have a source button.

I appreciate this will not be the case with all setups and an source button might be useful for some but unfortunately I can't see Sky updating the remote to include one.  Besides the Stream remote I also use a Sky Q remote which although it has the source button it has no effect on the Stream platform.

[mmm57]

We would just like one less remote cluttering up the coffee table.

No I don't expect Sky to redesign the remote, even though Comcast managed it on theirs.

Do "superusers" give irrelevant answers to get more points, the site is cluttered with them?