Add in its ability to control a total of 15 devices, and the U1 certainly can be set up to control multiple systems around the house. The remote communicates with the app via Bluetooth, so the first step in the setup process is to pair the two. And then you can start adding your devices; this is a straightforward process in which you can choose from a list of preloaded devices including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Nvidia, DirecTV, and Xfinity or enter the manufacturer and device name.
SofaBaton claims its code database includes ,plus devices and 6, brands. The software automatically and wirelessly updates the remote with the proper control codes after each new device is added.
I loaded all of my gear from both of my AV systems into the remote in just a few minutes, since all of my devices were in the SofaBaton database. You can also quickly learn IR codes from your existing remote, and you can choose what you want each device to be named on the OLED screen. Overall, we found the basic setup process to be straightforward but not necessarily quick.
Your time investment will depend on how precisely you want to tweak your controls. SofaBaton makes you customize every little thing yourself unlike the Harmony setup software, which figured out a lot of stuff for you. More on this below. The good news is that all of the programming and customization has to happen only once unless you tend to upgrade your AV gear a lot.
The hard truth is, with the death of the Harmony remote line, consumers have been left with a smattering of universal-remote options that all have notable flaws. This remote requires line-of-sight to control any IR-based equipment, and you need to be deliberate in pointing the U1 at your gear rack—and keeping it pointed there until any command sequences are done.
My family is accustomed to using a Wi-Fi—based system, where you can point the remote anywhere in the room and the commands will still work, so the U1 took some getting used to. You have to select the device in question and resend the command. But you have to figure out the macro or sequence of steps and assign it to a random button. For my family, the most logical option was to program a Watch TV macro onto the power button for the Apple TV or the Google Chromecast—likewise with the Xbox for gaming.
Speaking of macros, the process of creating them, though logistically simple in the app, will be more mentally taxing than some people will tolerate. Finally, the U1 remote can pair with only one Bluetooth device at a time.
If all of your devices can be controlled by infrared IR , the One For All URC Smart Control 8 is a simple, affordable remote that has all the important buttons, including activity control to group components together.
With support for eight AV devices, the URC can accommodate a pretty extensive home-theater system. The URC has all the necessary buttons we like to see, and the core functions, like volume, mute, channel, home, menu, back, exit, and navigation, are grouped together near the center.
There are even a few app-shortcut buttons including a dedicated Netflix button that you can program from the device of your choosing. Eight pre-labeled devices are listed at the top, with one device button to scroll through them all a button for each device would be faster.
All of the buttons are smallish and—beyond the navigation wheel in the center—not well distinguished by shape. Add in the lack of backlighting, and we think this one will be a bit more challenging to use in a dark room.
The remote requires four AAA batteries, and they are not included in the package—which is kind of obnoxious. Make sure you add a set to your shopping cart. On the plus side, the URC does have an activity button that can scroll through five activities TV, movie, music, game, and custom. During setup, you can designate which devices should be grouped together for a certain activity, and the URC will automatically assign key buttons like volume, input, home, and navigation to control the correct device.
Plus, a press-and-hold of the red power button serves as an all-off for each activity. But before your eyes glaze fully over, know that this part will be quick. That in turn means a single remote can get a lot more done. Think of when you use a higher-end Roku remote, say, to turn your TV on and off, or control its volume. A version of the streamlined experience that Harmony spent so many years providing now comes built in.
And while Logitech tried to diversify its Harmony line-up by adding controls for smart home devices like light bulbs and smart speakers, that remains decidedly a realm of voices, not buttons. Harmony took a stab at building Alexa directly into a remote ; it went poorly.
It also seems not to be worth the trouble. Crumbs, really. Its complementary desktop software, particularly for macOS, has also straggled of late, Werthauer says. If you just look on the support forums, there are people having problems all the time.
They need help with the set-up, they have questions, they have a lot of trouble with the USB drivers and all kinds of stuff. Read our review of the Logitech Harmony Hub here. You can use the Search field to filter the table to specific results. As noted above, full reviews of nearly all Logitech products are available in our blog.
You can find all of the remotes featured on this site at Amazon. This way, we can continue to produce more awesome content, like this article. More on our affiliation with Amazon is below. We hope you find our Logitech Harmony Comparison Chart and review helpful.
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Do you plan on purchasing one of these universal remotes? If so, do you plan to use it to control your entertainment center, smart home devices or maybe a combination of the two? If you enjoyed my Logitech Harmony Comparison Chart, you might also some of the other posts I wrote:. Learn more Share via: Shares. Harmony Elite. Harmony Companion. Harmony Hub. Harmony Harmony Ultimate. IR only.
Prime Eligible? Price not available. Shop Now. See It At Amazon. Leave this field empty. Smart Home Controls: No. Mobile App: No. Alexa-Enabled: No. Size: Weight: 7. Reasons to avoid - Somewhat involved setup - Nonrechargeable battery.
Caavo Control Center. Specifications Devices Controlled: 4. Mobile App: Yes iOS. Weight: 2. Reasons to avoid - Can only connect four devices at once - Requires subscription. Logitech Harmony Companion. Specifications Devices Controlled: 8. Weight: 14 ounces. Reasons to avoid - Lacks touchscreen. Amazon Fire TV Cube.
Size: 3. Weight: Reasons to avoid - Alexa-only. Specifications Weight: 3. Size: 6. Batteries: 2x AAA. Compatibility: All Apple TVs. Reasons to avoid - No Siri button - Buttons not backlit. Mike Prospero. Topics Gadgets.
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