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Anonymous User
Not applicable

New Smart Remote - Old Box

Good afternoon. i have the BLACK now tv box with the standard black remote (without vioce search)

Im wondering if the new smark stick / box  retome would pair up as i like the idea of the volume button on the remote. 

For those thinking why dont i just replace the box.... well i believe the new box doesnt have an ariel socket on the back of it? i need this due to not having a smart tv for freeview.

thank you 

7 REPLIES 7
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User

I am assuming you have the nowtv Freeview smart box with a TV aerial plugged into the back of the box ?

Just buying the newer smart voice remote controller on it's own will not work with your nowtv Freeview smart box, because you need to pair the new smart remote with the new 4K smart box or smart stick.

I own both a smart 4K box and the older Freeview smart box and once you pair the newer remote using the new smart 4K box you can then use the newer remote with the older smart Freeview box if both boxes are setup on the same wifi network if you wish (well it works in my setup if i disconnect the power to my 4K smart box and just use the older Freeview smart box with the newer smart remote).

With the smart remote controller the TV on/off and TV volume buttons work on my Panasonic TV (thou just be aware not all television brands work with the newer nowtv smart remote, where you may or may not have issues with the more obscure named tv manufacturers).

The other buttons on the newer remote that works with my older nowtv Freeview smart box is the Home button, back button, up, down, left, right buttons, OK / enter button, the star option button, Play, FF & RW buttons.

Out of the Four direct access buttons on the newer remote the only button that works is Sky Store.

The voice search button doesn't work also on the Freeview smart box because it is not Voice Search compatible with it's current software.

I haven't tried the nowtv stick with the supplied smart remote on my nowtv Freeview smart box, but would have thought if connected on the same wifi home network in theory it should work (no guarantee mind).

Perhaps if you want to take a gamble, then pick up a cheap nowtv smart stick, set it up and pair the new smart remote first with the stick, then leave the stick in the cupboard and use the stick remote on the older Freeview smart nowtv box.

Like i said there is no guarantee it will work and it would be your own decision if you wanted to try this, but has a precaution if it doesn't work maybe look at a retailer who will offer a non quibble no question asked returns policy if you get no joy.

  

Miketurn
Scholar 3

I've just tried this with the remote on my Smart Stick and my old 'puck' style black box and it works! This is good news, as I prefer having my box wired by ethernet but I like being able to control my TV volume with the remote too.

Now I can control the wired puck with the smart remote and have the best of both! Smiley Happy

Miketurn
Scholar 3

Interestingly if you have a line of sight to your 4K box, you can use an old style remote and all the buttons work.

I have a few of the old style remotes hidden away in drawers, so it's handly to know I can use them with the 4K box should I break or lose the wifi remote it comes with.

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Miketurn

Yep like you found out, where you can use the older style IR nowtv remote controller from the white, black or Freeview version of the nowtv boxes with the new 4K smart box (when the older remote has a line of sight to the 4K box in an emergency if you misplace /lose or if the smart remote becomes faulty).

Personally I couldn't go back to the older style remote and much prefer like you to use the newer smart remote on both my 4K and nowtv Freeview box, where I just love the addition of the TV volume & standby button on the newer style remote which is such a useful feature to have.

When the BF sales was on I even bought a new smart stick for £15 (which i didn't need or don't use) where I took advantage of the offer price mainly for the 3 month entertainment pass and the spare smart remote controller included in the deal to use with my nowtv older Freeview box.

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi so if I understand this it works like this... 

Using two hdmi sockets in same TV, Plug in both new stick and old box, set them up on same network. Pair the enhanced remote to the stick and then link it to the TV controls for sound etc. Then remove the stick and the enhanced remote can now control the old box and TV?

Please explain further if I have it wrong. 

 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

Hi @Anonymous User 

 

That should do the trick.

 

Once you have setup the Stick with the Smart Remote it should then work with the older NowTV boxes if using the same wifi network or if the box is wired over Ethernet (minus the voice search and the three direct access keys that i mentioned previously).

 

If you are going to use the older box with the smart remote from the Stick, then don't leave the Stick powered up on the same television when using the smart remote with the older box otherwise it will be operating two devices at the same time.

Anonymous User
Not applicable
Hi that's great, I'll give it a try.