# How do you enter text with a smart tv remote control?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 13, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845 "2024-06-13T19:14:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/1 "2024-06-13T19:14:32Z")
Ok, my g/f decided we needed a bigger tv (so she can read text), and there don’t
appear to be any which aren’t “smart”, so …
Anyway, it all works as expected, except for the entry of text, eg, in the youtube
search box.
The remote control has number keys like a (non-smart) phone, where you access letters by pressing the relevant number key (eg, press 1 twice to get “a”, twice to get “b” etc.).
But this does not work, pressing 1 twice just enters two "1"s.
I don’t have a smart phone, which i understand may do the job with a tv remote app.
Google hasn’t helped, even though it can’t just be me who wants to do this.
Any suggestions ?
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/2 "2024-06-13T19:17:57Z")
Is there a “settings” option?
Look for audio and alternative to audio for hearing impaired.
Do you have a service like Dish or DirecTV it’s fairly easy to find on that remote under “Menu”
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/3 "2024-06-13T19:18:10Z")
One option is a Bluetooth keyboard.
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/4 "2024-06-13T19:21:25Z")
Oh, I misunderstood your meaning. You want to see your text messages from your phone on your TV screen. Yeah, you have to Bluetooth it if your phone does that.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/5 "2024-06-13T19:26:06Z")
Does the remote have an up/down left/right configuration around an enter button on it? If I recall those will navigate you to highlight the text entry box and then hitting enter on that box will bring up an onscreen keyboard that you again use those cursor buttons to navigate.
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/6 "2024-06-13T19:35:25Z")
Bring up the YouTube app:
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/rNLEL1f.png)
1. Click on the magnifying glass
2. Scroll around the onscreen keyboard and select letters to spell out what you want
3. As you type, the words will show up at the top
4. Some TV’s have voice input. If yours does, you’ll see a microphone. You’ll need to read your TV’s instruction on how to do voice input. This will allow you to click the mic icon and then say say “Cooking Basics” into the mic in your remote rather than typing it in
Some TV’s also allow casting. Casting is where you mirror your phone/computer screen to the TV. However, it can sometimes be tricky to get casting working. Not all devices and TVs use the same casting technology. If you post your TV model, we may be able to see if supports casting and which methods it supports. If it does support casting, this can be more convenient since you can just use YouTube on your phone/computer and see it also on the TV.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/7 "2024-06-13T19:38:43Z")
What kind of TV is this?
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### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/8 "2024-06-13T20:00:17Z")
Thanks for the replies folks !
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> One option is a Bluetooth keyboard.
I have one of these :-
> **[iPazzPort 2.4G Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad Mouse Combo, Lightweight...](https://www.ipazzport.com/shop/oem/oem-products/handled-multifunction-usb-keyboard-with-touchpad/)**
>
> With touchpad combo and QWERTY layout, this mini handled 2.4Ghz USB mulitimedia keyboard is used as a universal keyboard remote to operate USB enabled devices like Raspberry pi ,PC, XBMC ,PS4 ,Android /Google TV Box etc in browsing web, watching...
I don’t think it’s bluetooth though, maybe just wireless. I plugged the dongle
into a usb socket on the tv, but it didn’t work. (May try that again and look in
the device settings menu to see if i can get it working.)
> [@Beckdawrek](#):
>
> Oh, I misunderstood your meaning. You want to see your text messages from your phone on your TV screen. Yeah, you have to Bluetooth it if your phone does that.
No, i want to enter text on my tv using the tv’s remote control.
> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> will bring up an onscreen keyboard that you again use those cursor buttons to navigate.
I can do that, but’s very clumsy, i want to know how to use the letters on the
remote :-
[ ](https://i.ibb.co/S7HBKdJ/bush-tv-remote.jpg)
eg, pressing “2” twice should enter an “a” (or is it once for “a”, twice for “b” ? i can’t
remember.)
> [@filmore](#):
>
> Scroll around the onscreen keyboard and select letters to spell out what you want
See above !
The model is Bush DLED40FHDS
Cheers !
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/9 "2024-06-13T20:02:08Z")
The TV may not be setup for using the number keys to enter letters.
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### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/10 "2024-06-13T20:05:20Z")
Do you mean there may be a setting i can change to enable it, or
the tv doesn’t support it ?
I can’t find any mention of it in the manual, it just says to use the on-screen
keyboard mentioned above.
(Why do they put the letters on the number keys if you can’t use the bloody
things ? Bastards !)
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/11 "2024-06-13T20:12:02Z")
From everything I can see, your only option is to arrow around to select letters on the the virtual, on-screen keyboard. There doesn’t seem to be a way to use the remote’s numpad to enter letters.
This TV may support casting. I see this in the manual:
> [@](#):
>
> Smart Centre
> Smart Centre is a mobile application running on iOS and
> Android platforms. With your tablet or phone, you can
> easily stream your favourite live shows and programmes
> from your smart TV. Also; you can launch your portal
> applications, use your tablet as a remote control for your
> TV and share media files.
I’m not familiar with this method of casting. But if you can get it working, you might be able to cast from a smartphone.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/12 "2024-06-13T20:12:42Z")
99% chance your TV doesn’t support it. I’ve never heard of or seen one that did.
The general idea now is use voice input to enter text info, with the fallback being to use the cursor keys on the remote to drive a cursor around on an onscreen picture of a keyboard.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/13 "2024-06-13T20:14:35Z")
> [@pjd](#):
>
> I don’t think it’s bluetooth though, maybe just wireless. I plugged the dongle
> into a usb socket on the tv, but it didn’t work. (May try that again and look in
> the device settings menu to see if i can get it working.)
If you need a dongle, it’s not Bluetooth.
---
### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/14 "2024-06-13T20:38:04Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> There doesn’t seem to be a way to use the remote’s numpad to enter letters.
I think you’re right… even though it says right there in the manual in the section
describing the remote control …THIS :-
> 1. Numeric buttons: Switches the channel, enters a number **or a letter** in the text box on the screen
(bolding mine)
Lying BASTARDS.
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> The general idea now is use voice input to enter text info,
I guess so, it does have support for alexa. And you can use a smartphone app
which presumably uses a virtual keyboard for entry - but i don’t have a smartphone.
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> If you need a dongle, it’s not Bluetooth.
Ah. thanks.
I can’t find anything in the manual about bluetooth or other keyboards, so i suspect
i’m just out of luck.
Oh well.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/15 "2024-06-13T20:38:54Z")
No mention of Bluetooth whatsoever?
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### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/16 "2024-06-13T20:43:24Z")
Only 1 … in the connectivity troubleshooting section :-
> **Disruption during playback or slow reactions**
> You could try the following in such a case:
> Keep at least three metres distance from microwave ovens, mobile telephones, **bluetooth** devices or any other WLAN compatible devices. Try changing the active channel on the WLAN router.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/17 "2024-06-13T21:25:22Z")
That suggests that the TV doesn’t support Bluetooth connectivity.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/18 "2024-06-13T21:39:35Z")
> [@pjd](#):
>
> I think you’re right… even though it says right there in the manual in the section
> describing the remote control …THIS :-
And even though the remote has letter labels on all of the number buttons.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/19 "2024-06-13T21:52:10Z")
> [@pjd](#):
>
> Oh well.
Maybe I missed it, but did you try pressing the number several times in quick succession for each letter on the pad? (So to get “a” you’d press “2” twice.) That’s how my telephone works to enter names in its phone book.
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### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/20 "2024-06-13T23:45:54Z")
Another thing to _try_ (no promises) on such a remote is press and HOLD the numbered/lettered keys. On some systems, this will let you then select any of the options (the number or one of the three letters listed). Which will still require yet more faffing about to get to the letter you want…
I’d go with the voice to text option myself, because dear god the “typing” with arrow keys and praying for autocorrect to get it faster is a pain.
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