Value: $35
Amazon’s Fire TV system will get an improve with the Alexa Voice Remote Pro, however is it value the associated fee to change? For now, sensible remotes are nonetheless fairly primary devices—however Amazon has thrown in some helpful options that might justify upgrading.
At $35, the Alexa Voice Distant Professional is affordable sufficient to seize any day, but it surely’s additionally costlier than opponents. Price apart, it is perhaps value changing your outdated Alexa remote—even should you aren’t a champion binge-watcher—only for the brand new auto backlight, a Bluetooth button to connect with your favourite headphones, and two customizable buttons to finish frequent duties faster.
New additions apart, the Alexa Voice Distant Professional isn’t good. There’s no approach to bypass the Alexa Voice button for a hands-free expertise, it doesn’t look like a universal remote for non-Hearth TVs, and Amazon uncared for vital additions, similar to an built-in rechargeable battery.
Here is What We Like
- The auto-backlight operate is a recreation changer
- Programmable buttons are handy
- The Bluetooth headphones button makes it easy to look at quietly
- Snug and durable construct
- Distant finder works effectively
And What We Do not
- Could not use it as an all-in-one distant
- No approach to bypass the Alexa Voice button and go for voice activation
- This improve ought to grow to be the usual
- Makes use of exterior batteries as a substitute of an built-in rechargeable one
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Look and Really feel: Compact and Streamlined
- Included within the field: Alexa Voice Distant Professional, 2 AAA batteries, Fast Begin Information
- Dimensions: 1.5 x 5.8 x 0.7in (38 x 148 x 18mm)
- Weight: 1.9oz (54g) with out batteries; 2.2oz (64g) with batteries
- Compatibility: Most Hearth TV streaming media gamers, Amazon Hearth TV sensible TVs, and sensible TVs with Hearth TV built-in.
Out of the field, I found the Alexa Voice Distant Professional, two AAA batteries, and a useful Fast Begin Information that particulars the controls, the best way to set it up, and the best way to use its options, such because the distant finder and Bluetooth connectivity.
The distant seems just like previous iterations, however its new additions—notably the Bluetooth headphone button within the top-right nook of the distant—are effectively built-in. Within the top-center spot is the blue Alexa Voice button, and above that’s an indicator gentle and microphone. In the meantime, the programmable buttons (“1” and “2”) are positioned within the third row from the underside, above the app shortcut buttons.
The Alexa Voice Distant Professional feels extra strong than different Alexa remotes, which I appreciated. For context, the 3rd Gen Alexa Voice Remote weighs 0.4 ounces much less.
The most recent Alexa distant continues to be compact and straightforward to lose, however Amazon has considerably remedied this frequent frustration with the distant’s built-in distant finder (which I’ll detail later).
Setting Up: Easy or a Ache?
Organising your Alexa Voice Distant Professional needs to be straightforward. Sadly, you might need some points should you’re hooking it up with a wise TV by way of a Hearth Stick system. The directions within the Fast Begin Information supplied me with the fundamentals, however after I couldn’t get my TV to learn the distant, I needed to head to the boards.
Since I didn’t have a smart TV with Fire TV built-in, I needed to set up the Fire TV Stick 4K, which comes with the 2nd Gen Alexa Voice Distant.
As a result of my Roku TV’s three HDMI ports had been occupied, I needed to unplug my Xbox One—a reminder that I ought to seize an HDMI switch so as to add extra ports to my TV. It took a few tries to get the Hearth TV Stick 4K to register.
I needed to unplug it and energy cycle my TV to get my Roku to listing the second HDMI port as “Hearth TV.” Then, my Hearth TV app struggled to acknowledge the Alexa Voice Distant included within the Hearth TV Stick bundle. I eliminated the batteries not less than 4 occasions, restarted my TV twice, and at last gave up after losing 20 minutes making an attempt.
My Roku lastly obtained with this system the following morning, and the primary Alexa Voice Distant labored. Then I arrange the Alexa Voice Distant Professional as a further distant within the Hearth TV app’s Settings.
Including the Alexa Voice Distant Professional was the simplest, most painless a part of the method, so if you have already got Hearth TV in your tv, you shouldn’t wrestle as a lot as I did. Once more, I’m unsure if the blame was on my Roku TV, however I’ve a suspicion that it was the wrongdoer. Moreover, should you use a soundbar, Amazon has completed a wonderful job of constructing that a part of your setup as painless as doable.
What the Professional Has That Previous Remotes Don’t
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, IR
Shopping for the newest Alexa distant is sensible if your home is stuffed with Amazon units; it makes every thing extra handy. For instance, you possibly can use Alexa Voice Remote to extend the reach of Amazon Echo devices.
I don’t have a Fire TV, however with the Fire TV Stick 4K Amazon despatched with the distant, I obtained a lot of the identical expertise. Even when the corporate made its Amazon Voice Remote Pro with Fire TVs in mind, you possibly can improve your distant to your Hearth TV Stick with out a fear about efficiency; however ensure it’s on the appropriate listing. As an illustration, the first Gen Amazon Hearth TV isn’t a compatible device. It’s additionally vital to notice the corporate will increase compatibility within the coming months.
The Programmable Buttons
- Programmable Buttons: 2 programmable buttons labeled “1” and “2.”
Having two customizable buttons could make your streaming expertise simpler—so I recognize the thought Amazon put into this function. I watched approach too many Discovery+ reveals over the vacation season, so I programmed button “1” to launch Discovery+. This made it simpler to proceed my marathon of Meals Community’s “Christmas Cookie Challenge“—don’t choose me.
As an alternative of pushing the Alexa Voice button and asking Alexa to launch Discovery+ each time, a single push of a button was all I wanted to get to the app.
I additionally ceaselessly get pleasure from Amazon Music, so I set button “2” to “Go to Amazon Music.”
The method was straightforward. I held down one of many two buttons for 3 seconds. Then, I adopted the immediate and chosen an motion from my listing of earlier Alexa instructions. From there, I selected one from the listing or went to the pre-programmed ideas. When you’ve got a selected order you haven’t requested Alexa but, hit the again arrow in your distant, inform Alexa to do the motion desired, then repeat. You’ll see the brand new command on the prime of your listing.
The Bluetooth Headphones Button
When you dwell with different folks, an built-in Bluetooth button is a terrific choice to have. Every time I needed to play a recreation on my Nintendo Switch or watch a present with out disturbing anybody, I obtained related with ease. To take action, you faucet the Bluetooth button and scroll to “Add Machine.” I paired my Beats Studio Buds, and in a matter of seconds, I used to be getting the TV audio by means of my earbuds.
Some might desire a wired headphone jack to be included on the Alexa Voice Distant Professional as effectively, however as somebody who has extra Bluetooth units than wired, it didn’t trouble me. Nonetheless, extra choices are at all times probably the most handy, so this is perhaps a dealbreaker for you.
Backlight Me, Child
It’s a ridiculously easy improve, however the Alexa Voice Distant Professional’s automated backlight is a welcome improve and doubtless my favourite of the three. In common lighting, the Alexa Voice Distant Professional retains the sunshine off to preserve battery. However in dim lighting, the distant lights up once you choose it up, so there’s no have to activate a light-weight or attain to your telephone’s flashlight to press the precise button.
The Distant Finder Characteristic
For what it’s, the Alexa Voice Distant Professional’s Distant Finder function does its job. When you’ve misplaced your distant, you possibly can say, “Alexa, discover my distant,” to any Amazon system with Alexa. You too can use the Alexa app (accessible on iPhone and Android) or Hearth TV app (accessible on iPhone and Android) or faucet the distant finder button within the Hearth TV app.
I “hid” my distant a number of occasions to check out this function. Positive sufficient, after I requested Alexa to search out my controller, I heard a shrill ringing sound coming from the place I positioned the distant. In case your Hearth TV system is on, you could have lots of battery energy left, and also you’re inside 30 toes (~9m) of your TV, the distant finder will sound. If any of these items aren’t in alignment, the Distant Finder received’t work.
Clearly, the restricted capabilities of this function might make it troublesome to truly discover your distant once you’ve misplaced it, so I’d nonetheless preserve tabs on the accent when you possibly can.
Efficiency: The Alexa Voice Distant Professional Devliers
- Energy Necessities: 2 AAA batteries (included)
- Guarantee: 90-Day Restricted Guarantee and repair
So far as the Alexa Voice Distant Professional’s total efficiency, I’d give it a strong 8 out of 10—and it’d’ve been greater if not for a couple of issues that might use enchancment.
First off, the Alexa Voice Distant Professional doesn’t have the choice to make use of solely your voice to wake Alexa—a function that was most likely not noted on account of how straightforward it’s to activate Alexa should you unintentionally say the title or, satirically, have a finest pal named Alexa as I do. Nonetheless, bypassing the button and utilizing voice activation would’ve been good, particularly because the newest Roku Voice Remote Pro features a voice-wake function and prices much less cash.
Second, most of us are getting bored with altering the batteries in these sensible remotes each two days. That estimate could also be an exaggeration—but it surely appears these sensible units zap up energy in a matter of some days, every week tops. Once more, Roku’s Distant Professional is rechargeable, so I’m disenchanted Amazon didn’t latch onto this as effectively.
Lastly, the Alexa Voice Professional Distant wasn’t an all-in-one, universal remote. It didn’t work from my TV’s homepage and solely responded as soon as I had Hearth TV open.
After I summoned it from our on-line world, the built-in Alexa Assistant labored effectively. I began by changing Alexa’s voice to a British man rather than the usual girl’s voice, and from there was capable of command it to launch my favourite TV apps, seek for film titles, and stream music by means of Amazon Music. You too can ask Alexa to let you know the climate forecast, reply a random query, or flip your Alexa-connected units (i.e., smart lights, for instance) on or off. The efficiency was strong—barely a blip in most of my streaming adventures over a span of two weeks.
The problems I had whereas streaming had been small—seemingly attributable to my Roku or the Hearth TV app moderately than the distant itself. One instance of this was some hideous oversaturation when taking part in sure reveals.
Fortunately, switching my “Dynamic Vary Settings” below the Hearth TV app’s “Show and Sounds” settings to “Adaptive” as a substitute of “All the time On” eradicated the lobster-person look in Bravo’s newest “Below Deck” season.
Ought to You Purchase the Alexa Voice Distant Professional?
The Alexa Voice Remote Pro may not be an improve you want, but it surely’s an improve that might carry extra ease of use to your streaming expertise. I wouldn’t name it the best smart home device on the market, however having it available for a few weeks made me a believer, regardless of its shortcomings.
Those that have Roku TVs might wish to spring for the Roku Voice Remote Pro, which is cheaper and has related options. However should you’re offered on Amazon’s sensible units, the Alexa Voice Distant Professional is the most effective controller for Amazon’s Hearth TVs.
You should purchase the Alexa Voice Distant Professional for $35 right now.
Right here’s What We Like
- The auto-backlight operate is a recreation changer
- Programmable buttons are handy
- The Bluetooth headphones button makes it easy to look at quietly
- Snug and durable construct
- Distant finder works effectively
And What We Do not
- Could not use it as an all-in-one distant
- No approach to bypass the Alexa Voice button and go for voice activation
- This improve ought to grow to be the usual
- Makes use of exterior batteries as a substitute of an built-in rechargeable one
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