The Smart Remote can, although it doesn't work as well as my favorite Logitech. Since the Smart Remote relies on Bluetooth between itself and the TV, infrared commands for other gear are transmitted from the TV to the rest of your entertainment system through the included IR blaster below.
I didn't like the system quite as much in practice as I did LG's system from , which is being largely carried over this year. That's because LG's remote sends the IR commands itself, without needing an external blaster. On the other hand, Samsung it roundly beats Sony's system. When controlling the cable box, the very slight delay between pressing a button and seeing the results onscreen was almost unnoticeable; the H seemed seemed faster than on the H That said it's still not as responsive as direct control via a universal or included cable box remote, especially when moving around the box's guide or menus.
If you do decide to use the TV to control your cable box, you'll find yourself visiting the onscreen remote a lot. As I mentioned it's better than Samsung's previous version, thanks to the ability to select and press the onscreen "keys" much more quickly than before, but it can't hold a candle to a good universal remote.
Accessing my list of recorded shows on the DVR was especially tedious. I had to press "Keypad" which summons the virtual remote , then use the motion control select the "STB Menu" virtual key the virtual key marked "DVR" didn't work , then use the four-way cursor to click down to "DVR," and then over to "View Recordings.
For some reason the "Return" key also failed with my DVR, and I was annoyed that the Guide button summoned Samsung's own, not the one on my cable box. When I played a Blu-ray, the volume and mute commands were passed through the sound bar I had to disable the TV's speakers, as instructed and the transport functions worked well for the player. It's not perfect however. The sound bar didn't react to a command labeled "sound mode" on the virtual remote, the "pop-up menu" command instead engaged the Top Menu function I know, right?!
All of which goes to show that any control scheme is only as good as the commands included, and if it can't "learn" new or custom commands, more's the pity. Samsung's cannot, so if your device or command isn't available, you're out of luck. For me, despite it being the best remote I've ever seen included with a TV, Samsung's Smart Remote would still be relegated to a drawer somewhere in favor of my Logitech Harmony Smart Control.
If you're like me, remotes on your coffee table are like immortals in " Highlander ": There can be only one. While the Smart Control has its advantages, the Logitech is simply better at controlling multiple devices.
Beyond my home theater system and Blu-ray player I have other devices I need controlled like my Roku and game console , and I demand more customization than Samsung's remote offers. I also need dedicated forward and reverse skip buttons for skipping commercials on my DVR, and I'd become annoyed at the need to frequently access the onscreen remote to control my cable box.
That said, on a simpler system or with a someone who's more inclined to use the Samsung TV for most activities and apps, as opposed to external devices, the Smart Remote could easily render a universal clicker obsolete. I also recommend avoiding use of the little laser dot except when you have a cat to entertain.
It can quickly become annoying without being very helpful. If you do want to point to something on screen, use your body instead. Even better, touch the screen and take physical ownership of it. The laser dot puts a distance between you and the information, whereas your own physical presence breaks down the barrier between messenger and message.
There have been huge advances in remote control technology too. The device I favour, a Logitech Spotlight , is very tactile in the hand, not bulky and wide but more ergonomic in shape and feel. It has a lot of great features - I can use it to highlight an area of the screen or zoom in on something without having to use a shaky little dot.
Click Enter when finished. You can scroll through the different options and category links along the left side. The Search link pulls up an onscreen keyboard so you can enter search terms with a remote as well as a keyboard. Type in your search terms and matching items are displayed on the screen. You can access all Clicker. To watch an episode, select the image to begin playing from the default source, or select one of the other options. You can see in the example below that you can choose to watch the episode from Fox, Hulu, or Amazon Video on Demand.
Choose a series and select Add to Playlist. Underneath the listings for each episode in your playlist you can mark as Watched, or Remove individual episodes. You can also view the playlist or make any changes from the Clicker. You can select individual episodes from your playlists, remove them, or mark them as watched or unwatched.
Boxee offers a Clicker. TV app that features a limited amount of the Clicker. TV content. TV located in the Boxee Apps Library. From the Clicker App interface you can search or browse for available content. Then select play in the pop up window. You can also add it to your Boxee queue, share it, or add a shortcut, just as you can from other Boxee apps. TV is currently still in Beta and has some limitations.
The Boxee app offers a more fully remote friendly environment, but unfortunately lacks a good portion of the Clicker. As with many content sites, availability of certain programming may be limited by your geographic location. Want to add Clicker. TV functionality to Windows Media Center? Browse All iPhone Articles Browse All Mac Articles Do I need one? Browse All Android Articles Browse All Smart Home Articles Customize the Taskbar in Windows Browse All Microsoft Office Articles
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