How to make sense of Logitech’s universal remote lineup

Posted on 23/11/2020 by Engadget

When I was a kid there were two devices attached to the television in my family’s living room: a VCR and a cable box. And we had a universal remote to tie it all together. These days, the amount of gear in my home theater is far greater and it’s all...

Deal Of The Day: 57% Off On Blumoo Bluetooth Universal Remote

Posted on 03/05/2016 by David Ponce

Your home is filled with myriad devices that all need some form of remote controlling. The Blumoo Bluetooth Universal Remote is meant to bring all these under one roof so you can centrally control everything you need.

Say goodbye to the days of lost remote controls and cluttered electronic gear. Blumoo connects your smartphone to your electronic devices for complete access, literally at your fingertips. Control your home theater experience from the couch or around the house— Blumoo gives you 150-ft of powerful Bluetooth connectivity.

– Get universal control of your home theater w/ a simple, one touch system
– Enjoy support for Alexa on Amazon Echo, Dot, Tap, Fire Stick & Fire TV
– Get powerful music streaming functionality
– Scroll through the custom TV guide based on your service, postal code & preferences
– Easily upgrade your A/V equipment from your connected iOS or Android device
– Download the Apple Watch App
– Automatically update it over the air to add new features, device libraries & functionality
– Control over 250,000 A/V components
– Set up quickly & easily

Normally $100, it’s $52.99 after today’s deal.

[ Get The Blumoo Bluetooth Universal Remote ]

HiRemote IR For Your Smartphone

Posted on 21/05/2014 by Darrin Olson

HiRemote IR Remote Control for Smartphones While IR communication still has a place, the low signal, unidirectional, line of site required technology does not find its way into many modern day devices. Except entertainment media component remote controls, of course.

Because of this, unless your media components support WiFi, Bluetooth or NFC you are going to need to keep track of that remote. That is unless you get your hands on the HiRemote from Chineese startup commpany called Jeeqi. This device plugs into the 3.5mm jack on your smartphone and has an associated app that lets you use your handset as a IR blaster to control your TV, Blu-ray and other components. No more looking through the cushions for the remote.

Jeeqi is looking for funding to support a project to produce the HiRomote on a site called Pozible, which is an Asia-Pacific version of Kickstarter.

via VR-Zone

Control4 delivers home automation Starter Kit for under $1,000 including installation, we go hands-on

Posted on 28/06/2012 by Zach Honig

Replacing a house full of switches and dials with a single remote seems a desirable proposition, but less-than-intuitive setup processes and fees that run far into the thousands make a disconnected home the only option for some. Like other home automation system manufacturers, Control4 has a bounty of offerings that can run up pricing into that out-of-reach range, but if you're looking to adjust audio and video in a single room, the new Starter Kit should get you going for just shy of a grand, including installation. That price includes a HC-250 Controller, which delivers IR control for up to eight components (via splitters connected to the four IR ports on the rear), serial control for up to two receivers or other systems and IP control for an unlimited number of devices. There's also an SR-250 ZigBee remote in the box, which offers full control through a television interface (HDMI and component outputs can be found on the HC-250's rear). You can also have full access through a variety of add-ons, including a $999 7-inch in-wall touchscreen with camera, a portable version for the same price, or any Android, iOS or Mac device -- access licenses for smartphones, tablets and computers run $199 each, or $499 to cover the entire home.

The Starter Kit can enable control of a single room, which may be fine for some users -- to add additional home theater setups you can bring on more HC-250s at $599 a pop. There's also an option to add ZigBee lighting controls ($129 per switch), ZigBee door locks ($150 to $350) or a door intercom unit with camera ($799). All-in, outfitting a large home can be quite pricey, and the Starter Kit is designed to get folks in the door, rather than to deliver a complete solution. We tested the controller with a TV, audio system, a pair of lights on two zones, the door intercom and a deadbolt, and all performed seamlessly without an hiccups. We also took a look at the intuitive drag-and-drop PC-based interface, which owners can use to change macros and add media. Introducing new components to the rig will require a dealer service call (or remote access, if you're just trying to loop in something like a NAS to serve up content). The Control4 Starter Kit is available through third-party dealers beginning today, including Magnolia Home Theater in select Best Buy stores (in that case, Geek Squad will handle the install). That sub-$1,000 figure factors in two hours of labor, and may climb a bit higher depending on dealer rates. Still, if you're just looking to get your feet wet, this seems to be a solid solution. Thumb through the gallery below for a closer look at the components and interface.

Gallery: Control4 Starter Kit hands-on