# Question about the Mini's remote control



## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

What type of remote comes with the Mini? Is it the same IR/RF that comes with the Roamio or it just the standard IR control? 

I looked all over Tivo's site and couldn't find any solid info about the remote, even on their accessory site, they list replacement remotes for all Tivos except the Mini.

Thanks!


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## supasta (May 6, 2006)

Standard IR remote.

https://tivo.com/shop/detail/dvr-remote


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

supasta said:


> Standard IR remote.
> 
> https://tivo.com/shop/detail/dvr-remote


Since the Roamio control does both IR & RF, will the Roamio 's remote work for it (using it in IR mode)?


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## supasta (May 6, 2006)

eboydog said:


> Since the Roamio control does both IR & RF, will the Roamio 's remote work for it (using it in IR mode)?


It does. I have tried my Roamio Pro remote with my Mini in IR mode.

I have been contemplating purchasing another Roamio remote to replace my Mini remote. I quite like the new remote.

I had suppressed that idea until you drug it out again. I'll let my wife know it was your fault when she asks why we have another remote.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

supasta said:


> It does. I have tried my Roamio Pro remote with my Mini in IR mode.
> 
> I have been contemplating purchasing another Roamio remote to replace my Mini remote. I quite like the new remote.
> 
> I had suppressed that idea until you drug it out again. I'll let my wife know it was your fault when she asks why we have another remote.


No problem, I just ordered a Mini to appease my wife, she complained about the new Roamio until she found out the new one will hold ALL episodes of her Walking Dead series, now I may not see her for some time after the Mini gets installed!

Now if Tivo will get the Android Stream app going, I will be a very happy Tivo customer!


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## todd_j_derr (Jun 6, 2000)

If you buy the "Premiere" version of the Slide Pro remote, you can install the dongle in the Mini and use it in RF mode - I can confirm that personally.

So, I wonder if the same is true for the stock Roamio remote - in which case I wonder if you could talk Tivo into sending you a dongle. They don't charge extra for it with the Slide Pro, and IIRC it was packaged separately from the remote.

Although, it may be worth just spending the extra $20 for the Slide. I don't really care about the keyboard but the fact it lights up is a big plus.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Yes the dongle that comes with the Slide Pro "Premiere/Mini" version can be used to pair a standard Roamio remote with a Premier or Mini. So if you buy a Slide Pro for the Roamio you should order the Premiere/Mini one and use the dongle to connect the original Roamio remote to your Mini.


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## alarson83 (Oct 27, 2009)

Dan203 said:


> Yes the dongle that comes with the Slide Pro "Premiere/Mini" version can be used to pair a standard Roamio remote with a Premier or Mini. So if you buy a Slide Pro for the Roamio you should order the Premiere/Mini one and use the dongle to connect the original Roamio remote to your Mini.


I literally just asked this in another thread on the roamio forum before finding this answer.

Now if only the slide pro remote wasnt completely sold out.


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## wkearney99 (Dec 5, 2003)

todd_j_derr said:


> If you buy the "Premiere" version of the Slide Pro remote, you can install the dongle in the Mini and use it in RF mode - I can confirm that personally.
> 
> So, I wonder if the same is true for the stock Roamio remote - in which case I wonder if you could talk Tivo into sending you a dongle. They don't charge extra for it with the Slide Pro, and IIRC it was packaged separately from the remote.
> 
> Although, it may be worth just spending the extra $20 for the Slide. I don't really care about the keyboard but the fact it lights up is a big plus.


Yeah, but who's selling them (without gouging)?


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## supasta (May 6, 2006)

I would love to be able to purchase the dongle and the Roamio remote for use with my Mini in RF mode. I may call and see if that is a possibility.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

You'd think they'd sell that as a package. It's a way better solution the the default remote and that little USB IR dongle.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

So which remotes come with the dongle? Just the slide? I'm interested in getting just the dongle for a development project I have in mind. 

I don't guess anyone has just the BT dongle for sale or have a old broke slide remote??


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## d_vail (Feb 14, 2014)

eboydog said:


> So which remotes come with the dongle? Just the slide? I'm interested in getting just the dongle for a development project I have in mind. I don't guess anyone has just the BT dongle for sale or have a old broke slide remote??


The slide pro remote comes with the dongle IF you select that you are using it for a mini when checking out. They just throw it in the box with the remote boxed separately. While the old slide remote used Bluetooth, the new slide pro and dongle as well as the new rf roamio remote now use some proprietary non-Bluetooth wireless.


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

Dan203 said:


> You'd think they'd sell that as a package. It's a way better solution the the default remote and that little USB IR dongle.


The dongle is a usb RF dongle.


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## supasta (May 6, 2006)

poppagene said:


> The dongle is a usb RF dongle.


There is a USB IR dongle that is available as well. This is the item that Dan was referring to.

https://tivo.com/shop/detail/ir-adapter


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## poppagene (Dec 29, 2001)

supasta said:


> There is a USB IR dongle that is available as well. This is the item that Dan was referring to.
> 
> https://tivo.com/shop/detail/ir-adapter


No you are wrong and out of line -- read the response again -- he was referring to the slide pro remote which comes with or without a usb rf adapter and dongle. The seperatly available ir receiver and dongler is a different product


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Sorry dude, but supasta is right. I was referring to the IR dongle he linked to.

What I was saying is that they should sell the cheaper Roamio remote and the new RF dongle that comes with the Slide Pro as a package for Mini owners because it would be a better solution then the IR dongle they currently sell.

If people want to buy a Slide Pro it's a great solution, but a cheaper option with the simpler Roamio remote would be better since Minis are typically used in secondary locations where having the keyboard and learning capabilities of the Slide Pro are likely overkill. If they could package the Roamio remote with an RF dongle and sell it for $30 I bet it would be very popular amongst Mini owners.


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## todd_j_derr (Jun 6, 2000)

I would almost buy that, but the Roamio remote doesn't light up (and it's also not learning, correct?), which is kind of a bummer.

I did end up buying a Slide Pro for the bedroom Mini just for the light, although I have to admit the RF is a nice "bonus" - no more signals getting blocked by blankets, dogs, etc.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Not everyone needs the light or the learning or the keyboard. If they could sell a basic Roamio RF remote with dongle for $30, instead of $50 for the Slide Pro, I bet it would be a popular item. The RF and remote finder features alone would be worth it. Plus having the buttons in the same place as you're use to on the Roamio is also a bonus.


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## krkaufman (Nov 25, 2003)

> Plus having the buttons in the same place as you're use to on the Roamio *is also a bonus*.


Personally, I consider having the Mini using the same remote as the main/paired DVR unit to have been a basic requirement; that users have to dig through forums and scrounge a special dongle to have a consistent experience accounts for a few demerits on my Roamio/Mini evaluation.


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## CrispyCritter (Feb 28, 2001)

krkaufman said:


> Personally, I consider having the Mini using the same remote as the main/paired DVR unit to have been a basic requirement; that users have to dig through forums and scrounge a special dongle to have a consistent experience accounts for a few demerits on my Roamio/Mini evaluation.


But what about folk's Premiere/Mini evaluation?

The Mini came out quite a while before the Roamio did, and it needed to have a consistent with Premiere remote then. I agree they will need to changeover, but it will probably wait until the Mini gets updated hardware and can handle the remote without the dongle.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

krkaufman said:


> Personally, I consider having the Mini using the same remote as the main/paired DVR unit to have been a basic requirement; that users have to dig through forums and scrounge a special dongle to have a consistent experience accounts for a few demerits on my Roamio/Mini evaluation.


ANd they give you that option. You can purchase a newer remote if you want that matches what the Roamios use. The TiVo Mini came out in early 2013, well before the Roamio was released. If/when they refresh the TiVo Mini then they will most likely update the remote then. But at least they have an option to purchase a remote. Personally I purchased the Slide Pro remotes for all my Minis and Roamios. Although one of the Remote Pros was free.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

They haven't even updated the UI to be consistent yet, how can we expect a hardware change. TiVo is slow, we'll probably get an update with a Roamio remote eventually just not anytime soon.


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## DaviddesJ (Jul 7, 2014)

The Mini remote seems to have identical functionality to the Premiere remote, but the keys are inferior (mushy rather than clicky). Can I freely swap one for the other?

I tried using my Slide remote with the USB dongle in the Mini, but the response is too laggy to be usable. Maybe the Slide Pro is better? I would have thought the lag comes from the device and not from the remote and so it would be the same with all RF remotes. Maybe the Mini just doesn't have a fast enough processor to keep up with the USB interface? But why aren't other people having this problem?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I used the original slide and now the SLide Pro with my Minis. I have not seen any issues with lag. They have both been responsive.

You can use any TiVo remote with the Mini. Even my old S2 remotes will work with the Mini.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

DaviddesJ said:


> The Mini remote seems to have identical functionality to the Premiere remote, but the keys are inferior (mushy rather than clicky). Can I freely swap one for the other?
> 
> I tried using my Slide remote with the USB dongle in the Mini, but the response is too laggy to be usable. Maybe the Slide Pro is better? I would have thought the lag comes from the device and not from the remote and so it would be the same with all RF remotes. Maybe the Mini just doesn't have a fast enough processor to keep up with the USB interface? But why aren't other people having this problem?


Are you sure the slide pro remote is in RF mode ? As I agree, the mini remote in IR mode doesn't seem to respond well but I believe it's the IR emitter in the mini, not the remote it's self.

I use the newer Roamio remote with my minis since I have upgraded to the slide pro with my Roamio. As I bought the slide pro 's with the dongle, I use the new remote RF dongle and the response from the remote is 10 times better than IR mode.

From my experience, it's the mini IR response that's lacking, not the remote or processor in the mini.


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## Diana Collins (Aug 21, 2002)

Across our 5 Minis we have:

2 Roamio remotes, using RF 
1 Slide Pro, using RF 
1 Glo remote (in IR, of course)
1 Mini remote (although mostly this Mini is driven by IR emitters from a Slingbox)

We weren't smart enough to order the Slide Pros for the Roamios with dongles, so we bought them from Weaknees for $15 (despite my begging, TiVo said they couldn't send me just the dongles).


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