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Prevent Apple TV remote from working with Apple TV 4

I have a new Apple TV 4 plugged in to my main TV. I also have a Mac Mini (media server) which uses an Apple Remote to control it.


Whenever i use the Apple Remote the Apple TV (4th gen) will also be controlled by the remote. This causes problems because during navigating my media center on OSX (XBMC) the Apple TV is also silently navigating it's menus.


Is there a way to turn off Apple Remotes (with IR) on the new Apple TV?

Apple TV (4th generation)

Posted on Nov 2, 2015 1:36 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Nov 2, 2015 6:08 AM

There doesn't appear to currently be a way to configure the Apple TV4 to ignore input from any other Apple Remote. Oh boy I've tried.


Only remedy is to stick something over the IR port on the Apple TV4 seeing as though the Siri Remote is Bluetooth anyway.


I really do hope apple fix this up soon though.

25 replies

Nov 4, 2015 2:47 AM in response to slaterjohn

I figured it out!!


  1. Pair your Apple Remote to the Apple TV (Menu+Right for 6 seconds) make sure there are no other devices in range.
  2. Go to the device you want to actually use the Apple Remote on and pair it using (Menu+Select for 6 second) this will pair and increment the ID of the remote.


The Apple TV will be expecting ID 1 but the Remotes new ID will be 2 which the device you just paired with will be expecting. The Apple TV will now ignore the input from the Apple remote. 😉


Enjoy.

Nov 6, 2015 2:45 PM in response to ghhmg

the first step pairs the remote with the apple tv with the original ID of the remote. The second step pairs the remote with the device you actually want to use the remote with, you do this a little differently so that the ID is changed from what the Apple TV is expecting. Now when you use the remote it will not work with the apple TV because it thinks the remote is different to the one you paired it with.


MENU+Right Direction = Pair Remote, do this with the Apple TV. Do this first.

MENU+Select (Middle Button) = Pair and Change ID, do this with the device you want to use the remote with. Do this last.


Hope that explains it.

Nov 6, 2015 6:12 PM in response to iEatHands

Okay so i just tried this method and after doing it my harmony One remote does NOT control the apple tv 4 anymore, it just does that quick triple flash. so this method not only stops the aluminium apple tv remote from working with the new apple tv 4 (which is what we want ) but it also stops the Harmony One Universal remote from working with the Apple TV 4 as well. (which is what we DONT want ) i want to use my harmony one universal remote with the new apple tv 4.


also, i want to note that i wasn't able to do the first step ,

"

Pair your Apple Remote to the Apple TV (Menu+Right for 6 seconds) make sure there are no other devices in range."


when i held the MENU and RIGHT buttons together nothing showed on the TV to confirm the apple tv 4 and the aluminum remote got linked?



This is a summary of my problem, i got my new apple tv 4 2 days ago, excellent device but i want to keep my Apple TV 3 Connected to my home theatre system along with my new Apple TV 4, my problem is that i want to make it so that the original ALUMINIUM apple tv remote will be the ONLY remote that will control the old Apple TV 3, i noticed that the new SIRI remote that comes with the apple tv 4 only controls the apple tv 4 which is fantastic because its bluetooh and it doesnt interact with the old apple tv 3, however im using a harmony one universal remote which i want to use with my new apple tv 4, i dont plan on using the SIRI Remote.

again, i do NOT want to use the harmony one with the Apple TV 3, i want the original aluminum apple tv 3 remote control to be the ONLY remote in the home that can control the Apple TV 3,

is that possible to do?

Nov 13, 2015 6:11 AM in response to slaterjohn

I had the same problem and I couldn't unpair the Aluminium Apple Remote from the AppleTV 4 initially with the way Apple describes it in their support pages.

Here's the method I used to unpair from the AppleTV 4 but leave the pairing intact on the Apple Mini (I use it for PLEX mainly);


1. Shut down the Mac Mini (I even pulled the power cord but this is probably not necessary)

2. Turn on the AppleTV 4

3. In the main menu point the Aluminium Apple Remote at the ATV4 and press and hold MENU and SELECT (round silver button within the navigation dial) for about 6 seconds, when the remote becomes unpaired the ATV4 white light will be flashing.

4. Try using the Aluminium Apple Remote and it shouldn't work anymore with the ATV4.

5. Slumber the ATV4.

5. Boot up the Mac Mini and try using it with the Aluminium Apple Remote, it should still function without bringing the ATV4 out of slumber, otherwise pair it again with the Mac Mini (but if you need to do this shut down the ATV4 completely first by pulling it's power cord).


Good luck!


Danny

Nov 13, 2015 6:38 AM in response to DABNL

if i follow these steps will my Harmony one Remote still work with the APPLE TV 4 after doing this? because i want to use my harmony one remote with the apple tv 4, i dont use the SIRI Remote.


you didnt mention if i need to first PAIR the aluminium apple remote with the APPLE TV 3 first before doing these steps.

Prevent Apple TV remote from working with Apple TV 4

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