I used to feel the same way.

Then, I gave away my Apple TV and bought a Chromecast. Searching for content.. jumping between content sources.. it's all easier on the phone.

Did you try Apple's Remote app with Apple TV? Is it still worse than Chromecast?

I did--I wasn't a fan.

What I like about Chromecast is that their integration is simply a small button added to other apps that I'm already familiar with.

For example, I use Netflix as normal but basically choose where the output should go. It's actually quite similar to Apple's AirPlay integration although the Chromecast has never had an issue (AirPlay always seemed to have latency issues).

Not if the phone is out of battery.

Not if you want to pick what to watch with someone else.

> Not if the phone is out of battery.

Bad argument. Any remote control can run out of battery.

Well, for starters this is decidedly and completely untrue.

But moreover, when your phone dies and you're using it as a remote at home, you likely have the charger right there are home too. When the AAAs in your dedicated remote die (though PERHAPS more infrequently) you need to go running around to see where you shoved that container of AAAs, find that they're all actually the dead ones, and then go to the store.

Perhaps? Why are we beating around the bush, does your remote battery die enough that you even have a concept of how long the battery lasts (I don't. Is it 6 months, a year, 2? No idea, too infrequent to expend brain-space on)?

Battery is only the second worst part about using a phone as a remote, the worst being that a phone is anti-social while watching television (on a television) is social.

My phone is the one device I know will always have battery, because it is important enough for me that I always charge it. It's also the one device I know I will always have near me.

You won't have it near you if you are currently charging it.

What kind of geek doesn't have a USB charging port or two built in to (or close enough to) their couch? Couch charging has been the default for my wife for ages...

With certain apps they actually added a pretty nice function for this. Youtube is one in particular that can queue up videos on a Chromecast from multiple devices.

So grab your tablet. Or a laptop and cast the entire tab so people can see it on the TV.

Sounds like a lot of work. Why go digging in your closet when Netflix is a click away.

For flipping channels, but not for searching for content (Netflix). It's maddening to search with a conventional remote.

The phone is a poor remote like democracy is a bad system of gov't.

If your remote has a keyboard on it then more power to you, but none of mine do, and the phone is 1000x easier.

There's no need to downvote someone just because you disagree with them.

For my money, the best remote I ever used was the original TiVo. There's something a lot more haptic about a physical remote with real buttons. And I have yet to see a Chromecast remote app that's very good. Where's the dedicated "skip back 9 seconds" button? Or "turn close captioning on"? These are things I do all the time while watching shows.

BOTH of those are available on the Chromecast Netflix, Youtube, and Plex apps.

My TV remote has a keyboard - it's absolutely garbage.

Compared to what? The big thing I like about phones as remotes is that its the same device. I don't need a tv remote / dvd etc

Phones are so much better than e.g. the Roku remote with on-screen keyboard and d-pad.