Using the Magic Remote pointer in LG TV apps (eg. iPlayer, 4OD, ITVPlayer, Demand5 etc)

jrwmaccas

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Has anyone managed to use the pointer on the Magic Remote to navigate the menus of iPlayer etc?
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I have a 2018 43 inch LG ThinQ TV (43UK6470PLCW).

I have just splashed out on the 2018 LG Magic Remote (AN-MR18BA).

The main reason I bought the remote was to use the curser to navigate iPlayer, 4OD, ITVplayer, Demand5, Netflix etc, including using the onscreen keyboards to search for programmes more quickly.

However, with my TV, as soon as you enter the apps the pointer disappears and I have to use the up-down-left-right buttons to navigate menus and on-screen keyboards, the same as with the original basic remote. This basically makes the remote useless unless you are on the homescreen of the TV. The Magic Remote therefore in fact has LESS functionality because there are no pause/rewind buttons.

I have found very little written about this on forums, and it seems to me that being able to use the pointer in the apps would be a pretty basic feature... so the fact that I am not finding anyone else complaining about this suggests to me that it may be my TV or my remote that is faulty.

Has anyone had success using a magic remote in any of the above apps and, if so, do they know of a setting that I need to change to get it to work?

I really don't want to have to send the remote back as, if I can get it to work in apps, it will be a great tool.

Thanks!
Jim
 
Has anyone managed to use the pointer on the Magic Remote to navigate the menus of iPlayer etc?
_______

I have a 2018 43 inch LG ThinQ TV (43UK6470PLCW).

I have just splashed out on the 2018 LG Magic Remote (AN-MR18BA).

The main reason I bought the remote was to use the curser to navigate iPlayer, 4OD, ITVplayer, Demand5, Netflix etc, including using the onscreen keyboards to search for programmes more quickly.

However, with my TV, as soon as you enter the apps the pointer disappears and I have to use the up-down-left-right buttons to navigate menus and on-screen keyboards, the same as with the original basic remote. This basically makes the remote useless unless you are on the homescreen of the TV. The Magic Remote therefore in fact has LESS functionality because there are no pause/rewind buttons.

I have found very little written about this on forums, and it seems to me that being able to use the pointer in the apps would be a pretty basic feature... so the fact that I am not finding anyone else complaining about this suggests to me that it may be my TV or my remote that is faulty.

Has anyone had success using a magic remote in any of the above apps and, if so, do they know of a setting that I need to change to get it to work?

I really don't want to have to send the remote back as, if I can get it to work in apps, it will be a great tool.

Thanks!
Jim
The pointer on the magic remote is only compatible in some apps that support it

Netflix, YouTube, Spotify from memory
Apps like iPlayer, Amazon etc disable it, as the way the app is coded by the provider does not allow for the pointer to be used

Magic remote isn’t just about the pointer. Easier routing of buttons, voice control with google assistant, set top box control, scroll wheel - all features that the basic remote doesn’t have
 
The pointer on the magic remote is only compatible in some apps that support it

Netflix, YouTube, Spotify from memory
Apps like iPlayer, Amazon etc disable it, as the way the app is coded by the provider does not allow for the pointer to be used

Magic remote isn’t just about the pointer. Easier routing of buttons, voice control with google assistant, set top box control, scroll wheel - all features that the basic remote doesn’t have

Thanks Sagaris99. I had looked through the reviews on Amazon before purchasing and people were talking about how it did work with iPlayer, so I was surprised to find it doesn't.

As for the other features, I find the buttons no easier (there are just fewer of them, and finding the volume buttons in the dark is less easy than using the large up/down rocker button on the basic remote), there is no pause/rewind function, I don't have any set top boxes as everything I use is within the TV, and even the scroll wheel only works on the home screen of the TV and not in any of the apps that I use all the time. So essentially all the extra features that the Magic Remote has are redundant to me. I admit I have yet to use the voice control, but I have an Amazon Echo programmed to talk to the TV for that anyway.
 
So, I've just been on the phone to LG (who, incidentally, are extremely responsive and helpful) to see if there's a resolution to this.

They confirm what Sagaris99 says, which is that the remote won't work with the majority of apps. It's up to BBC to code better.

Disappointing.
 
One would think that is a basic function of the OS and works anywhere (and maybe it is), but if they deliberatly disabled it - that is just stupid.

I don't know what LG is planning with webOS in the future, but if they don't change something to be more open and apps rich like Android, webOS is going to loose its advantage at some point. They did talk about opening to devs in the last keynote, but that is just not enough since it is web based...
 
One would think that is a basic function of the OS and works anywhere (and maybe it is), but if they deliberatly disabled it - that is just stupid.

I don't know what LG is planning with webOS in the future, but if they don't change something to be more open and apps rich like Android, webOS is going to loose its advantage at some point. They did talk about opening to devs in the last keynote, but that is just not enough since it is web based...

Totally agree Mad Ant - it should be a basic function.. which is why I was a pretty surprised when it didn’t work and started researching and posting on here.

LG are blaming it on the BBC for the way they’ve coded their app. Whether it’s deliberately been disabled by the BBC in their coding (ie it’s the BBC’s fault), or the BBC simply haven’t specifically coded pointer functionality which by default disables the pointer (ie it’s LG’s fault) I’m not sure. LG say that Netflix and Spotify have managed to enable the pointer and scrollwheel, so the BBC should also be able to.

I’ve contacted the BBC to ask for them to build in compatibility in the next version, but I doubt I’ll get much joy.
 
Just checked on my 3 year old LG tv and I’ve tried all the apps I’ve got that you’ve mentioned bar one or two which I didn’t have installed. 5OD works with the pointer as does YouTube, and Netflix I’m not subscribed to, but I’ve still got the pointer on the Netflix sign up page, so I’m guessing that works too? Only seems to be iplayer that doesn’t work with it?
 
Just checked on my 3 year old LG tv and I’ve tried all the apps I’ve got that you’ve mentioned bar one or two which I didn’t have installed. 5OD works with the pointer as does YouTube, and Netflix I’m not subscribed to, but I’ve still got the pointer on the Netflix sign up page, so I’m guessing that works too? Only seems to be iplayer that doesn’t work with it?

Thanks for doing the research, BM08. Are you saying that the pointer works with the 5OD and YouTube apps but doesn’t work with all the others? Did you try BBC iPlayer? Thanks again!
 

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