tvOS - game control via non-Siri remote
<p>I'm working on a game in Objective-C. The Siri remote works great via GCMicroGamepad and real MFi controllers work well via GCGamepad. However, third-party IR remotes do not work at all in-game (and neither does the Remote App on iPhone or an older Apple TV 3rd gen remote). </p>

<p>How can I recognize <em>and distinguish</em> these inputs?</p>

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<p>Two days later... I have found that a UITapGestureRecognizer can be used to detect Up, Down, Left, Right and Select events correctly when presented with a third-party TV remote or iPhone Remote.app. The directional events are actually unique to these types of remotes as well—the Siri remote does not generate directional tap events. Unfortunately, however, tapping the Select button on either the Siri remote or the third-party or iPhone Remote.app will generate a Select event from my tap recognizer. I need some way to distinguish the two.</p>

<p>The only distinguishing factor I can find is that tapping the Siri remote <em>also</em> generates a button-A press on the GCMicroGamepad—a third-party remote or iPhone Remote.app does not affect the GCMicroGamepad at all. But it's very extremely inelegant to attempt to watch the GCMicroGamepad for tap-release events, and then use that event to filter out a matching Select button event. Certainly it's not a recommended use of the APIs; it doesn't seem like a good long-term solution. If I could tell the Siri remote to stop generating UI events when in GCMicroGamepad mode, that would be excellent.</p>