Samsung Smart Remote: Hands-on with the best TV clicker yet
TV Accessories
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
HI, I'm David Katzmaier from CNET. HI, I'm David Katzmaier from CNET.
I'm here to tell you a little bit about Samsung's new smart remote for 2014. I'm here to tell you a little bit about Samsung's new smart remote for 2014.
This little guy is actually the best TV remote I've ever seen included with a television. This little guy is actually the best TV remote I've ever seen included with a television.
The really key here is that Samsung has adopted this sort of motion control used by Nintendo and more recently LG with their own TVs. The really key here is that Samsung has adopted this sort of motion control used by Nintendo and more recently LG with their own TVs.
Samsung's motion control adds another little twist though. Samsung's motion control adds another little twist though.
You can actually just rest your thumb on the remote itself to activate the motion control. You can actually just rest your thumb on the remote itself to activate the motion control.
You can see here, that as long as my thumb is on it, the thing actually reads the motion control and is able to select items. You can see here, that as long as my thumb is on it, the thing actually reads the motion control and is able to select items.
I take my thumb off and it doesn't so you can actually drive around with a regular cursor control in this configuration. I take my thumb off and it doesn't so you can actually drive around with a regular cursor control in this configuration.
Motion control really works great for typing in things on an onscreen keyboard, for using Samsung's little remote keyboard here that comes up. Motion control really works great for typing in things on an onscreen keyboard, for using Samsung's little remote keyboard here that comes up.
That actually can control your cable box and things like that. That actually can control your cable box and things like that.
Of course the downside is that you don't get direct access to a lot of those commands. Of course the downside is that you don't get direct access to a lot of those commands.
So if you're the kind of person who types in channel numbers a lot. So if you're the kind of person who types in channel numbers a lot.
You might actually find yourself using the remote that came with your cable box or even a universal remote in preference to this little guy. You might actually find yourself using the remote that came with your cable box or even a universal remote in preference to this little guy.
On the other hand, if you're the kind of guy that does a lot of web browsing, for example. On the other hand, if you're the kind of guy that does a lot of web browsing, for example.
This remote is a god send. This remote is a god send.
It actually allows the cursor to move really quickly around the screen. It actually allows the cursor to move really quickly around the screen.
You can scroll really easily using the touch pad. You can scroll really easily using the touch pad.
So all things considered it's really one of the more advanced remotes out there. So all things considered it's really one of the more advanced remotes out there.
Unlike a standard RI remote of course you don't have to aim this thing at the screen. Unlike a standard RI remote of course you don't have to aim this thing at the screen.
It uses blue tooth, so you can use it from across the room, or even without having to aim at the screen at all. It uses blue tooth, so you can use it from across the room, or even without having to aim at the screen at all.
The TV itself can actually control your cable box via an IR blaster, so again you get full control using this remote. The TV itself can actually control your cable box via an IR blaster, so again you get full control using this remote.
It will also control other devices, such as a Blue Ray player or a home theater system, but it doesn't do it as well as a good universal remote, such as a Harmony. It will also control other devices, such as a Blue Ray player or a home theater system, but it doesn't do it as well as a good universal remote, such as a Harmony.
But again if you're keeping everything within the TV or you're using the TV to provide your control you're also using the TV to browse your cable box. But again if you're keeping everything within the TV or you're using the TV to provide your control you're also using the TV to browse your cable box.
This remote works really well and again one of the nicest, most responsive clickers I've seen. This remote works really well and again one of the nicest, most responsive clickers I've seen.
Also love the ergonomics on this little guy. Also love the ergonomics on this little guy.
It actually has a really nice feel in the hand. It actually has a really nice feel in the hand.
It's got sort of a textured backside here. It's got sort of a textured backside here.
With just a few buttons on here, the mains one includes transport control for play, pause, rewind and fast-forward. With just a few buttons on here, the mains one includes transport control for play, pause, rewind and fast-forward.
There's also the little touchpad, channel up and down, which you can use to browse quickly your on screen program guide on your cable box. There's also the little touchpad, channel up and down, which you can use to browse quickly your on screen program guide on your cable box.
There's also a voice command button on here. There's also a voice command button on here.
So you can use this to enter in voice searches. So you can use this to enter in voice searches.
For example, to control the TV, to turn on different channels, to choose different apps, and even to search for different actors and also programs types. For example, to control the TV, to turn on different channels, to choose different apps, and even to search for different actors and also programs types.
So, really the search works pretty well. So, really the search works pretty well.
It's universal. It's universal.
On the flip side it doesn't hit Netflix or Amazon Instant so Samsung has a little bit more work to do to make the search even as good as something found on a Roku. On the flip side it doesn't hit Netflix or Amazon Instant so Samsung has a little bit more work to do to make the search even as good as something found on a Roku.
Of course, Roku doesn't offer voice search, so again, there's some trade-offs. Of course, Roku doesn't offer voice search, so again, there's some trade-offs.
So despite the fact that this remote is the nicest that I've ever seen included with a TV, overall I'd still probably choose a universal remote to control my own system cuz I have a lot more devices. So despite the fact that this remote is the nicest that I've ever seen included with a TV, overall I'd still probably choose a universal remote to control my own system cuz I have a lot more devices.
But with the simpler systems sometimes it doesn't include a whole bunch of different devices or something where you're gonna use a TV to use most of the smart apps via the TV itself, Samsung Smart Remote is a clear winner. But with the simpler systems sometimes it doesn't include a whole bunch of different devices or something where you're gonna use a TV to use most of the smart apps via the TV itself, Samsung Smart Remote is a clear winner.
That's a quick look at Samsung's new motion activated touch pad smart remote for 2014. That's a quick look at Samsung's new motion activated touch pad smart remote for 2014.
This is included on all Samsung TV's of the H fifty 5400 series and up for 2014. This is included on all Samsung TV's of the H fifty 5400 series and up for 2014.
I'm David Katzmaier for CNET. I'm David Katzmaier for CNET.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
HI, I'm David Katzmaier from CNET. HI, I'm David Katzmaier from CNET.
I'm here to tell you a little bit about Samsung's new smart remote for 2014. I'm here to tell you a little bit about Samsung's new smart remote for 2014.
This little guy is actually the best TV remote I've ever seen included with a television. This little guy is actually the best TV remote I've ever seen included with a television.
The really key here is that Samsung has adopted this sort of motion control used by Nintendo and more recently LG with their own TVs. The really key here is that Samsung has adopted this sort of motion control used by Nintendo and more recently LG with their own TVs.
Samsung's motion control adds another little twist though. Samsung's motion control adds another little twist though.
You can actually just rest your thumb on the remote itself to activate the motion control. You can actually just rest your thumb on the remote itself to activate the motion control.
You can see here, that as long as my thumb is on it, the thing actually reads the motion control and is able to select items. You can see here, that as long as my thumb is on it, the thing actually reads the motion control and is able to select items.
I take my thumb off and it doesn't so you can actually drive around with a regular cursor control in this configuration. I take my thumb off and it doesn't so you can actually drive around with a regular cursor control in this configuration.
Motion control really works great for typing in things on an onscreen keyboard, for using Samsung's little remote keyboard here that comes up. Motion control really works great for typing in things on an onscreen keyboard, for using Samsung's little remote keyboard here that comes up.
That actually can control your cable box and things like that. That actually can control your cable box and things like that.
Of course the downside is that you don't get direct access to a lot of those commands. Of course the downside is that you don't get direct access to a lot of those commands.
So if you're the kind of person who types in channel numbers a lot. So if you're the kind of person who types in channel numbers a lot.
You might actually find yourself using the remote that came with your cable box or even a universal remote in preference to this little guy. You might actually find yourself using the remote that came with your cable box or even a universal remote in preference to this little guy.
On the other hand, if you're the kind of guy that does a lot of web browsing, for example. On the other hand, if you're the kind of guy that does a lot of web browsing, for example.
This remote is a god send. This remote is a god send.
It actually allows the cursor to move really quickly around the screen. It actually allows the cursor to move really quickly around the screen.
You can scroll really easily using the touch pad. You can scroll really easily using the touch pad.
So all things considered it's really one of the more advanced remotes out there. So all things considered it's really one of the more advanced remotes out there.
Unlike a standard RI remote of course you don't have to aim this thing at the screen. Unlike a standard RI remote of course you don't have to aim this thing at the screen.
It uses blue tooth, so you can use it from across the room, or even without having to aim at the screen at all. It uses blue tooth, so you can use it from across the room, or even without having to aim at the screen at all.
The TV itself can actually control your cable box via an IR blaster, so again you get full control using this remote. The TV itself can actually control your cable box via an IR blaster, so again you get full control using this remote.
It will also control other devices, such as a Blue Ray player or a home theater system, but it doesn't do it as well as a good universal remote, such as a Harmony. It will also control other devices, such as a Blue Ray player or a home theater system, but it doesn't do it as well as a good universal remote, such as a Harmony.
But again if you're keeping everything within the TV or you're using the TV to provide your control you're also using the TV to browse your cable box. But again if you're keeping everything within the TV or you're using the TV to provide your control you're also using the TV to browse your cable box.
This remote works really well and again one of the nicest, most responsive clickers I've seen. This remote works really well and again one of the nicest, most responsive clickers I've seen.
Also love the ergonomics on this little guy. Also love the ergonomics on this little guy.
It actually has a really nice feel in the hand. It actually has a really nice feel in the hand.
It's got sort of a textured backside here. It's got sort of a textured backside here.
With just a few buttons on here, the mains one includes transport control for play, pause, rewind and fast-forward. With just a few buttons on here, the mains one includes transport control for play, pause, rewind and fast-forward.
There's also the little touchpad, channel up and down, which you can use to browse quickly your on screen program guide on your cable box. There's also the little touchpad, channel up and down, which you can use to browse quickly your on screen program guide on your cable box.
There's also a voice command button on here. There's also a voice command button on here.
So you can use this to enter in voice searches. So you can use this to enter in voice searches.
For example, to control the TV, to turn on different channels, to choose different apps, and even to search for different actors and also programs types. For example, to control the TV, to turn on different channels, to choose different apps, and even to search for different actors and also programs types.
So, really the search works pretty well. So, really the search works pretty well.
It's universal. It's universal.
On the flip side it doesn't hit Netflix or Amazon Instant so Samsung has a little bit more work to do to make the search even as good as something found on a Roku. On the flip side it doesn't hit Netflix or Amazon Instant so Samsung has a little bit more work to do to make the search even as good as something found on a Roku.
Of course, Roku doesn't offer voice search, so again, there's some trade-offs. Of course, Roku doesn't offer voice search, so again, there's some trade-offs.
So despite the fact that this remote is the nicest that I've ever seen included with a TV, overall I'd still probably choose a universal remote to control my own system cuz I have a lot more devices. So despite the fact that this remote is the nicest that I've ever seen included with a TV, overall I'd still probably choose a universal remote to control my own system cuz I have a lot more devices.
But with the simpler systems sometimes it doesn't include a whole bunch of different devices or something where you're gonna use a TV to use most of the smart apps via the TV itself, Samsung Smart Remote is a clear winner. But with the simpler systems sometimes it doesn't include a whole bunch of different devices or something where you're gonna use a TV to use most of the smart apps via the TV itself, Samsung Smart Remote is a clear winner.
That's a quick look at Samsung's new motion activated touch pad smart remote for 2014. That's a quick look at Samsung's new motion activated touch pad smart remote for 2014.
This is included on all Samsung TV's of the H fifty 5400 series and up for 2014. This is included on all Samsung TV's of the H fifty 5400 series and up for 2014.
I'm David Katzmaier for CNET. I'm David Katzmaier for CNET.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
