Hi all! Today I will try to talk about this magic wand completely. The first Smart TVs were produced with a conventional remote control, which was not very convenient to control a complex system. And in the future I had to purchase a “magic pointer” separately. Now all new LG TVs come with two remote controls: a regular one and an LG Magic Remote.
Today in this article we will look at some problems that may arise during use. I will also tell you about the compatibility of TVs for those who have not yet purchased this remote control and who did not have it included in the kit initially.
What is it for?
If you have ever tried to use a Smart TV system with a regular remote control using arrow keys, then you already understand how inconvenient it is. But I will highlight a few of the most striking amenities that you will gain by using this device:
- The remote control is equipped with a gyroscope, so you can easily use it to move the mouse cursor like an electronic pointer. Some, of course, connect old wireless mice, but this is not particularly convenient, moving the mouse around the sofa.
- The ability to give orders to the TV by voice. In the same way, you can not type a request into the search bar of your browser, but simply issue commands. This significantly reduces time.
- It also has all the basic functions of a simple remote control.
It was invented primarily to simplify the task of managing the Smart operating system.
Features of the SMART remote control for LG
To fully master the capabilities of the LG SMART remote control, you need to study its instructions for use, and also find out why this or that button is needed. Let's consider these aspects in detail.
Functionality
When using a classic remote control, moving between widgets, entering text, as well as any other actions in the SMART section of the LG TV are performed using control arrows, which is very inconvenient and takes a long time. Purchasing and using Magic Remote greatly simplifies these actions. Firstly, it is equipped with a gyroscope and can be used as an electronic pointer. Some users prefer to use wireless mice instead of a remote control, but moving them around the sofa is not always effective, so you have to look for a hard surface, and when working with a remote control, this is not necessary. As an alternative, only an air mouse can be used, which allows you to control the television receiver with hand gestures in the air. However, such a device has a fairly high price, so it is easier to purchase a more functional SMART remote control.
Secondly, Magic Motion is equipped with voice control. Thanks to this option, you can not only open the necessary sections or widgets using sound commands, but also avoid entering text queries into the search bar of your web browser - with the remote control you can simply pronounce them, which is much faster and more convenient.
Important! The SMART remote control of LG TV receivers supports simple gesture control. For example, by drawing a “V” symbol in the air, you can open the “Video” section. The user can customize movements to their liking, thereby further simplifying the operation of the device.
In addition to the main buttons that are on a regular remote control, the SMART remote control also has additional ones. These are keys for quickly jumping to certain applications, a scroll wheel for convenient browsing of web pages in the browser, etc. Thus, Magic Remote is a control panel designed primarily to work with the SMART functions of a television receiver, but at the same time capable of working as a standard remote control .
Identification of buttons
The range of Magic Motion remote controls is quite large - separate accessories are produced for models of different years of manufacture. They have different designs, with newer devices gaining additional features, but the basic set of buttons remains the same. So, on the AN-MR650 remote control, created for 2021 LG SmartTV receivers, the following keys are located:
- Power - turn on and off the TV receiver;
- STB – start or disable the LG SMART TV set-top box (if it is used, you can control the SMART set-top box and the TV from one remote control);
- Block of buttons for dialing numbers and letters;
- 0 – to enter “0” or a space when typing;
- LIST – list of saved programs;
- AD – display of a virtual console;
- “+” and “-” - adjust the volume of the TV receiver;
- up and down arrows – switch TV channels;
- “Mute” or the image of a crossed out loudspeaker – mutes the sound;
- button with a microphone – enter a command or search query by voice;
- button with a picture of a house – return to the main menu page;
- key with a drawn gear – device settings;
- central wheel (can be rotated or pressed) – for convenient browsing of websites;
- circle with arrows – buttons for moving in the menu;
- “Back” - return to the previous section or exit the menu;
- “Guide” — displays a list of TV programs;
- “3D” is a key for viewing 3D video, working only on TVs with the corresponding function;
- “Input” or image of a cable with a plug – displays a list of all connected devices (USB drives, set-top boxes, etc.);
- “Netflix”, “Amazon”, “IVI” - buttons for quick access to a specific widget;
- red, green, yellow, blue buttons - customizable keys for convenient transition to a specific section in the menu;
- “Text” - teletext control;
- “T.OPT” is an auxiliary key for working with teletext;
- “Focus”, “Live Zoom” - enlarges the area to which the control panel is pointing.
On other remote control models, almost all of the listed keys are present, but there may be additional ones . The user can find full instructions for the buttons in the accessory instruction manual.
Instructions for use
Instructions for use are included with each Magic Remote. If it was not there, or the manual is lost, you can download this document on the official website.
Models
Model AN-MR300
The very first model was the AN-MR300 series. It was convenient, but some users complained that the gyroscope's low sensitivity made it not so convenient to control the cursor. Later, the AN-MR400 version was released; it was a more reliable and sensitive remote control.
But now they are no longer produced. There are currently three versions on the market:
- AN-MR500
- AN-MR600
- AN-MR650
Their difference lies in the supported TVs. Older remotes may support 2012 and 2013 TVs. They also have a slightly different design, and newer models have added buttons. I'll tell you about them below.
Model AN-MR400
There is a difference in the balancing system itself, and also in reducing electricity consumption. On the old AN-MR400, many users complained that the batteries ran out quickly. Older versions use an older version of Bluetooth, which further increases power consumption when sending a signal to the TV.
Models AN-MR500 and AN-MR600/650
Typical breakdowns and repairs
If for some reason the Magic Motion remote control stops working, you need to carefully inspect it and try to fix the problem yourself. You should first make sure that the problem is really in the remote control and not in the TV receiver. If the remote control transmits commands via an IR signal, you need to point the accessory with an infrared sensor at the smartphone camera and press different buttons several times. If the light blinks, it means the remote control is working, and the signal is missing due to the fault of the TV receiver. Otherwise, you need to look for a fault in the remote control.
- The most common reason that the Magic Remote does not work is low batteries. It is recommended to purchase high-quality batteries with a large capacity, or even better, replace them with rechargeable batteries.
- If for some reason the remote control has lost connection with the TV, you need to reconfigure it. To do this, you need to turn on the accessory, press the wheel button and hold until a notification about the start of setup appears on the screen. If the connection parameters have been reset, after a while a new message will appear on the screen indicating that device registration has been successfully completed.
- In some cases, the reason the remote control does not work correctly is due to interference from other devices. These may be remote controls from neighboring devices, including television receivers in other rooms, nearby electrical equipment, bright lamps, etc.
- If the remote control has been spilled with liquid or dropped from a height, it may also malfunction. First of all, you need to turn it off. If moisture gets inside, you should remove the batteries and dry them thoroughly, then leave the remote control turned off for a while. Sometimes the device can be saved and it works as before.
Summarize. Using the Magic Remote greatly simplifies working with the SMART functions of LG SmartTV (relative to a regular remote control, mouse or keyboard). If this accessory is not included with the television panel, it can be purchased separately, the main condition is to choose the right one for a specific SMART TV receiver. This can be done with the help of technical support on the company’s official website or in the LG online store. After purchase, the product should be configured; a detailed description of this simple process can be found in the instructions for using the remote control, which is usually included in the kit, but if necessary, the document can be downloaded from the official website.
WebOS
If you are too lazy to spend money on buying a remote control, and generally too lazy to go to the store. You can try downloading the "LG webOS Magic Remote" on your smartphone. This program has the same functionality as the remote control. Now you can control Smart TV functions from your phone. True, the application is supported only on smartphones with the Android operating system.
You can download the applications from Google Play here.
Then you just install it and use it. This application is a little more convenient, since the cursor can be controlled by touching the smartphone screen. From there it is also more convenient to enter text, for example, for queries in the search bar of an Internet browser.
Rules for choosing a remote control
The need to purchase a Magic Remote may arise if only a regular remote control is included with your SMART TV, as well as in cases where the old remote control is broken or lost.
It is necessary to choose a new accessory based on the needs of the user. If he does not use the SMART functions of the TV receiver, it is enough to purchase a regular remote control - branded or from third-party manufacturers, which will cost an order of magnitude cheaper. At the same time, you need to remember that non-original universal remote controls will be much more difficult to connect to a television receiver, since you will need to manually enter and configure codes in order to synchronize two devices or start automatic selection of a suitable encoding . In addition, when purchasing such a remote control, you need to make sure that it is really suitable for a certain modification of the SMART device.
To surf the Internet, use applications and other actions in the Smart section of the TV, it is recommended to purchase a Magic Remote. You can find it at various retail outlets or in LG stores on the Internet. The latter option is preferable because there you can get reliable data on the compatibility of the TV receiver with a particular accessory. You can find a non-original SMART remote control on AliExpress or in other Chinese online stores, where such a device will cost much less, but there is a high risk of making a mistake and wasting money.
Reviews
We will only talk about the latest models 500 and 600, since the previous ones are already out of stock. The MR600 usually has positive reviews, since the manufacturer took into account all the shortcomings of previous remote controls and finally added input buttons, without which it was hard for Internet surfers.
But with the MR500 model everything is much more complicated. Most users complain that the remote control quickly drains the batteries. I think the problem is in the system that is supposed to put the remote into standby mode when the transmitter is not in use. This has all been fixed in version 600.
Also, most people complain about the scroll wheel, which simply starts to slip. This is due to the cheap rubber material. Many also write about the price, since initially the MR500 cost 2500-3000 rubles. But now the price has dropped to 1700.
Setting up the remote control on your TV
After purchasing a remote control, it must be “linked” to the television receiver to work together. To do this, you need to install the batteries inside the device, and then point the accessory at the television panel, press the wheel and hold it for some time until a notification about registering the device appears. If nothing happens, you need to restart the SMART TV receiver.
To use the remote control, you need to shake it slightly until the pointer appears on the display. On some models you need to press the wheel in the center of the remote control.
On a note! The cursor disappears from the screen if the accessory is not used for an extended period of time or if it is placed on a flat surface. To unlock the remote control again, shake it lightly.
In the event that failures occur and the TV receiver does not interact well with the Magic Remote, you need to press the “Home” button and hold it for several seconds to break the connection between the devices. After this, you will need to reconfigure the remote control.
