By Klaus Jakobsen, developer of A Decent Remote Hisense is the brand where “how do I control it from my phone” has four different answers, because Hisense ships TVs running four different operating systems: their own VIDAA, plus Roku TV, Google TV / Android TV, and Fire TV editions. The lost-remote fix is easy in every case, but it’s a different fix per system, and most remote-app frustration with Hisense comes from following instructions for the wrong one.
Which system does my Hisense TV run?
- VIDAA (Hisense’s own OS): VIDAA logo at boot, app row along the bottom.
- Roku TV: unmistakable purple Roku home screen; model numbers usually contain “R”. → Follow the Roku guide; everything there applies, including the no-pairing-at-all part.
- Google TV / Android TV: Google search bar on the home screen. → Follow the Android TV guide; PIN on screen, one minute.
- Fire TV edition: Fire TV home screen. → Follow the Fire TV guide, including the HDMI-CEC approval trick.
How do I pair an iPhone with a VIDAA Hisense?
VIDAA pairs the friendly way: PIN on screen, no remote needed.
- iPhone on the same Wi-Fi as the TV.
- Open A Decent Remote; VIDAA TVs on the network appear automatically.
- Tap the TV, read the PIN off the screen, type it in the app.
After that: navigation, volume, inputs, app launching, keyboard input, and power. One power-saving caveat: VIDAA’s deeper eco modes can cut the network radio in standby. If power-on from the phone stops working, check the TV’s power-saving setting and prefer the normal/networked standby option.
What if the Hisense isn’t on Wi-Fi?
VIDAA sets follow the same catch-22 as everything else: no network, no app. If the TV was on a network that no longer exists, the hotspot trick from the Roku guide works identically here. Recreate the old network’s name and password as an iPhone hotspot, let the TV rejoin, pair, then move it to the real network.
What are the other options for a Hisense TV?
Hisense’s own RemoteNOW app covers only the VIDAA sets, which is exactly the Hisense problem: with four possible operating systems, a brand-official app is a lottery ticket. A Decent Remote detects which system your set runs and speaks the right protocol every time, then does the same for the Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio or Apple TV in the rest of the house. An $8 IR replacement works as a backup, but it can’t type, launch apps, or help with the next lost remote.