Accessibility4: Our remotes

Frozen March 31, 2026


This essay provides a brief overview of the remotes we use to control our TV, Xumo streaming box, CD/DVD player, and cable box. The cable box serves primarily as a backup source for TV content in case the internet is unavailable.

Our television is a TCL Google TV, which I mainly use for streaming apps. It includes all of our streaming services except the Spectrum TV app. I typically rely on the voice-driven search feature to browse content across apps, although I can also navigate directly within each app. I operate this remote without any issues.

My wife primarily uses the Xumo streaming box. The goal is for her to operate just one remote - the Xumo remote. Xumo provides access to the Spectrum TV app as well as other frequently used apps such as Netflix and YouTube. For her, the accessibility of the remote is extremely important. We are still searching for a remote with better accessibility features to meet her needs and currently use the standard Xumo remote. A possible improvement is tactile/visual markers on key remote keys.  

We also have an accessibility Spectrum remote that can control the TV’s power and volume, as well as the cable box and CD/DVD player—all in one device. However, it is only used occasionally when we need to watch a DVD or rely on the backup cable service.

Remote Management Summary

DevicePrimary UserPrimary RemoteAccessibility Status
TCL Google TVMeTCL Voice RemoteFully Functional
Xumo Stream BoxMy WifeXumo RemoteNeeds Improvement (Seeking tactile/visual aids)
Cable / DVDBothSpectrum Accessibility RemoteOccasional/Backup Use Only

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