Media Remote

Description

The Xbox Media Remote is a compact accessory designed to control the Xbox One as an entertainment system. It functions like a traditional television remote. Using infrared, it can operate both the console and compatible televisions or receivers, making it possible to manage streaming, movies, and music without a game controller. It is made with soft plastic, which degrades over time, but is otherwise well built. All the buttons are backlit, which auto activates when an internal motion sensor is triggered, great increasing usability in dark settings.

The remote was particularly designed to control either Xbox One’s pay tv integration, a feature effectively non-functional outside the US. In traditionally PAL territories a free-to-air digital TV (DVB-T) tuner was eventually released, which functioned well, but the integrated software was poorly localised. Although the TV tuner support and all integrated entertainment aspects were removed from the Xbox Series X, the remote continues to work well with, particularly for streaming apps.

The remote was part of Microsoft’s ill-conceived attempt to reinvent the Xbox as an entertainment hub. Although they did a quick reverse course it ultimately failed catastrophically, destroying the brand’s momentum  and perception, setting for a long malaise that ended the Xbox platform.