One out of four of my Siri remotes I have had experienced this. I repaired it and each time, it failed more quickly. I gave up and went back to the old remote.
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New Apple TV 4K Owners Report Siri Remote Connection Issues
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I'm beginning to miss the old CATV days. Anyone else old enough to remember these wired, fool-proof, channel selectors?
I bought a Siri Remote (Lightning) for my 2017. No such problems. It's only my 2022 that has the problems. (I don't have a 2021 so I can't comment on the 2021.)
I just got the new Apple TV 4K and I’m glad I’ve been holding off on updating the software. Everything works perfectly as it is. Seems like a lot of new Apple software introduces bugs these days. I will keep holding off until all the bugs are ironed out.
I thought my AppleTV remote was losing its charged so I had Apple replace their remote. Just a day or so after using the new remote it happened again. I used the reset/pair on the remote to connect again and noticed my remote was fully charged..?? So its definitely a Bluetooth issue. Hopefully 16.3 fixes this and fixes automations in the Home App with the HomePod mini used as the HUB.
I had the exact problem with the volume. Re-paired the remote, problem fixed. Had to do it twice, but it seems stable now.
Typically, when you update the ATV 4K models, a second update comes later for the remote. The remote update is usually just a few minutes later, but occasionally it takes longer. It is not uncommon for the remote to stop working for a few minutes after the ATV 4K update but before the remote update finishes. However, it sounds like this issue is not necessarily related to this issue. (Note, I haven't experienced this issue except as described above when the remote had not yet updated.)
MacRumors should have addressed the second issue with the 2022 remote, but they obviously don't even read their own forums, just Reddit... The second issue is definitely hardware related. Several users of the 2022 remote, including myself, have been reporting that some of the buttons on the remote are sticking and have become difficult to press. My remote was okay for a few weeks, but now two of the buttons are really difficult to press. Apple probably used crappy parts with these remotes, and they are likely wearing out way too early. No excuse for this...
MacRumors should have addressed the second issue with the 2022 remote, but they obviously don't even read their own forums, just Reddit... The second issue is definitely hardware related. Several users of the 2022 remote, including myself, have been reporting that some of the buttons on the remote are sticking and have become difficult to press. My remote was okay for a few weeks, but now two of the buttons are really difficult to press. Apple probably used crappy parts with these remotes, and they are likely wearing out way too early. No excuse for this...
It’s absolutely not a software issue, it’s 100% hardware and has been happening to me since DAY 1 with the latest TV and USB-C remote.
An increasing number of third-generation Apple TV 4K owners are reporting connection issues with the Siri Remote that are only temporarily resolved by either restarting the remote or power cycling the set-top box.
Several MacRumors forum and Reddit threads have been created to bring attention to the issue, which seems to relate to the Siri Remote's inconsistent Bluetooth connection with the latest Apple TV 4K, even at close proximity.
Users report the Siri Remote losing connection with the Apple TV 4K intermittently, which can only be remedied by either re-pairing or restarting the remote, or unplugging the set-top box and then plugging it in again to re-establish the connection.
Notably, the problem doesn't occur when the same users try controlling their Apple TV 4K with the Remote app on their iPhone or with their TV remote via HDMI-CEC, suggesting the fault is indeed a Bluetooth issue between the remote and Apple TV 4K.
Whether the issue is down to a software bug or is hardware-related remains unknown, although there is some indication that the problem only began for some users after updating to tvOS 16.2, which could be the reason it has only now become a more widespread issue.
Some users have gone through several Apple TV 4K replacement units from Apple to try to solve the connection problems, with mixed results. Apple is clearly aware of the issue but has yet to respond publicly.
The third-generation Apple TV 4K was released in October 2022, featuring an A15 Bionic processor, 64GB or 128GB of storage, and HDR10+ support. It comes with a USB-C Siri Remote.
Article Link: New Apple TV 4K Owners Report Siri Remote Connection Issues
I had the 'won't control volume at all' once. But worse, I've also had it spam volume up until I reset it.
I had this issue on a Day 1 TV, every time I get the "Remote Disconnected" error, I have to put the remote within a foot of the TV to get it to do anything, or use my phone's remote app. I chalked it up to a faulty unit and bought a new one. Then that one started doing it too. So, have the same issue on both. It's incredibly frustrating. Requires a reboot to get the remote to connect properly again, until it stops again. I hope they fix this.
What does Apple support (chat or phone) have us do? I have two of the ethernet models - both are on wifi, and only one remote disconnects more frequently than the other.
I had mine swapped after many reboots and repairing. However for now went back to the 2021 model. Took too much time and unhelpful Apple support and store Genius to keep doing trial and error.
I’ve had the same issue with our PS5 controller too. I’m sure it’s a Bluetooth problem. We had to move the Apple TV out from behind the TV and have the sit in a very specific spot to keep the controller connected while playing a game.
I’d love for Apple to do something about this. Not sure what could be done if it’s a hardware problem.
I have the A10 and A12 models. For me it’s almost exclusively the A10 model (original trackpad Siri Remote)that gets a janky and unresponsive. Just gets progressively laggy and laggier over the course of 2-15 minutes. I’d already figured out the remote app isn’t affected, so I’ve been using that as a workaround. Still so annoying
It's A10X but anyway, I don't have such problems with my A10X model. I do have problems with the A15 model though.
Given that it's the 3rd iteration of the 4K model, I didn't think they could screw it up this bad, but somehow they did. I'm just hoping they can fix it in software. So, right now, my 1st gen 4K + new remote works better than my 3rd gen 4K.
Honestly OS16 is just a disaster. I haven’t seen an update break so many basic things since Microsoft released Windows Vista…. 🙄🙄