# 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:** 14
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [June 13, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/21 "2024-06-13T23:52:50Z")
Call the tech customer service. They will tell you exactly if/if not whether it’s possible. Very quickly.
The number should be easy to find in the handbook under troubleshooting.
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### Author:  [@Retzbu\_Tox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Retzbu_Tox)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2024, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/22 "2024-06-14T00:30:47Z")
> [@pjd](#):
>
> Why do they put the letters on the number keys if you can’t use the bloody things ?
That particular remote (model rc4391p) ships with more than one Bush television.
> [@](#):
>
> _ **The RC4391P Replacement Remote Control is fully compatible with a wide range of Bush / Vestel / Nordmende TV models, including DLED24HDSDVD, DLED32FHDS, DLED40FHDS, DLED49FHDS, and more.** _
The number/letter buttons might only work for some of the TV models with which it is shipped.
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### Author:  [@Feurmann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feurmann)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2024, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/23 "2024-06-14T05:15:58Z")
It looks as if, _possibly_, there is a key under the number 9 button which toggles between text and numeric entry. (Can"t be sure because the more I zoom in, the more pixellated it gets.) But worth a try?
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### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2024, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/24 "2024-06-14T05:25:45Z")
Sadly, according to the manual, page 12 [pdf]
> **[8019639.pdf](https://bush-support.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/documents/instruction-manual/8019639.pdf)**
>
> 5.51 MB
The key under the numeral 9 is the “source” key. While the manual mentions a few things in TXT mode, they seem to be driven by the directional keys, not the number/letter keys.
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### Author:  [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2024, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/25 "2024-06-14T05:56:05Z")
Plugging in a USB keyboard might work. I know, you’ll have to get up and walk to the TV, like it’s the 70s or something, but there’s a good chance it will work.
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### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2024, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/26 "2024-06-14T14:09:23Z")
Thanks for all the input, people.
I’m about 99.99% sure i can’t do what i want without either a smartphone/tablet
type device, or an alexa type thing.
I’ll live with the arrow key letter selection method for now.
I don’t see why they can’t implement the number key text entry method, i’m
sure it’s a very simple bit of code… i will suggest it to bush, the tv does
update its software automatically so it must be possible.
(I won’t hold my breath though.)
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### Author:  [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)
#### Post date: [June 14, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/27 "2024-06-14T23:38:32Z")
If I may hijack this thread slightly, a few years ago I designed a new way to enter text with a four-direction remote, which was supposed to be more efficient than the grid of letters commonly used on TVs. I was working for Roku at the time, and I showed it around. The engineers generally thought it was pretty cool, but management wasn’t very interested, so it didn’t go anywhere. It generally uses fewer keypresses than a grid-based UI but it takes a little time to get used to.
I have a browser-based prototype [here](http://greenwoodsoftware.com/kb/) if anyone wants to play with it. It has soft buttons for use on a phone/tablet, but I think it works best with hard buttons (the arrow keys on a keyboard).
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### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/28 "2024-06-15T00:25:35Z")
If you really want a hijack, I have a smart TV remote with the usual remote keys on one side, but if you flip it over there is a QWERTY keyboard.
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### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/29 "2024-06-15T08:06:34Z")
> [@markn\_1](#):
>
> it takes a little time to get used to.
True that ! But cool anyway !
> [@DPRK](#):
>
> I have a smart TV remote with the usual remote keys on one side, but if you flip it over there is a QWERTY keyboard.
That’s not a hijack, it’s very relevant - i’ll look into it.
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### Author:  [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/30 "2024-06-15T08:09:43Z")
And in a major development …
I have discovered that it is in fact the YouTube app that is the problem …
the BBC IPlayer app does let me use the numeric key multiple press letter
entry method.
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### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/31 "2024-06-15T08:27:40Z")
Glad to hear it is working(?)
> [@pjd](#):
>
> That’s not a hijack, it’s very relevant - i’ll look into it.
Mine looks like this, FWIW:
[ ](https://www.netonnet.se/Images/Items/224xxx/224745/ContentImages/dual__94618_zoom.png)
Never checked whether it is compatible with devices besides the particular one it came with, but anyway you get the idea.
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### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/32 "2024-06-15T20:54:18Z")
> [@DPRK](#):
>
> Never checked whether it is compatible with devices besides the particular one it came with, but anyway you get the idea.
There are a bunch out there that are compatible with specific manufacturers, across a variety of models, but a quick search didn’t find much that claimed much universality. And none (again, _quick_ search) that matched that format and Bush as a mfc. Quite a few more options though if the TV was Bluetooth enabled, but that’s not a feature of the model listed upthread.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/33 "2024-06-15T20:58:33Z")
I don’t think anyone suggested just adding a Roku or other streaming device rather than using the streaming features built into the TV. You can get many of these devices for under fifty bucks. Yes, it’s annoying that you bought a new TV specifically because you wanted a smart one, but this might sidestep the whole issue.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-enter-text-with-a-smart-tv-remote-control/1002845/34 "2024-06-15T21:00:20Z")
> [@DPRK](#):
>
> I have a smart TV remote with the usual remote keys on one side, but if you flip it over there is a QWERTY keyboard.
I have a similar remote. It came with a used Vizio TV manufactured in 2010.
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