Sounds promising. IMPORTANT: Your first post will be checked for appropriate content. But, like the Sofabaton U1, it lacks backlighting and a Help function. And if you dont want to read the rest of the update, I will give you the skinny. It looks great, and the hardware is solid, but it lacks the pedigree of the Harmony. Like me, you probably started to search for used Harmony remotes to stockpile but quickly found that prices skyrocketed. It seems, Sofabaton is neither responding here any more, nor did we see any improvement lately. Although a few DIY universal remotes incorporate a bit of smart-home control to adjust your lighting, temperature, or security system, there arent many options that can intuitively perform complex home-automation tasks. Sad day indeed. You could buy a remote made just for your TV from the company that made it, but this could be expensive and isnt really necessary. A good universal remote not only eliminates coffee-table clutter and the remote shuffle but also reduces button pushes by combining multiple actions into one button press. Hi all, Im a suffering Harmony user we lost the smart remote to a water spill a couple of months ago at learned at that point about the line being discontinued. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a backup Harmony Elite when Best Buy had blowout prices. SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote Control with Hub & APP, Smart Remote with One-Touch Activities, Works with Alexa/Google Assistant for Voice Control, Control up to 60 Entertainment IR/Bluetooth Devices $249.99 Special offers and product promotions Amazon Business Canada Business-only pricing, quantity discounts and free shipping across Canada. You dont even need to put a key finder on this because it is built in. The hub handles all the IR, wi-fi, and Bluetooth commands for your entire system. And there are no dedicated activity buttons for grouping different devices together to perform tasks like Watch TV or Watch a Movie. You can still create activities and assign them to whatever buttons you choose, but you have to figure out all the programming yourselfand we fear the apps learning curve may be high for someone who has never programmed a universal remote. I would love to have the remote turn on when you pick it up, it seems to work without having to press buttons twice. ; X1 Universal Remote for All Devices Supports more than 500,000 home entertainment devices of 6,000 brands. You use the wheel to scroll through your devices, and then you click the wheel to select either On or Off, or to select an Input. In fact, Ill bet youre super confused from what I just wrote! The IR is better or it isnt? The URC7880 includes all the important buttons and can control eight AV components, and you can group devices together into activities. Lets discuss. Looks like they're aiming for streaming device remote replacement not full AV rack in a closet control. All of the customization of buttons and choosing which commands show up on the screen is really only in Activities, anyway. Step2: Confirm the device information and submit it so that you can download the code to the hub. You started your Watch TV Activity, but your AV Receiver didnt turn on? Yes, I have a cable TV set top box its totally useless for changing channels the way they lay out the numbers. Sofabaton has promised a firmware update to fix that. Now that there arent as many of them, the price can only go up. Because the URC7880 is locked into eight device optionslabeled TV, STB, BLU, AUX, DVD, GAME, MEDIA, and S.BARyoure more limited in how you can configure the remote. Universal remotes are still made by a few companies. Home Theater Accessories. The u1 is limited in functionality but the X1 should fix that with activities, Bluetooth and the hub. But I manage to configure a new remote from scratch through command testing. The hub works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home, which is a plus. But when I tried to use it, it was not at all intuitive! The hub is also where you can teach the system to learn commands for devices not currently in the database. Overall, though, we didnt find the physical design to be as intuitive as the SofaBatons. Sure, you can still find a ton of low-end replacement remotesmodels whose primary purpose is to replace the one the dog chewed up and do little else. The buttons do not appear to be backlit, unless all your devices are sitting within IR view of the Hub it's useless. My excitment for this was tempered by all the mediocre reviews. The X1 controls the Apple TV via Bluetooth, and works flawlessly. I keep seeing this advertised in my Facebook feed does anyone have any experience with this companys past remotes? FYI macro whats that, I could not find the word in my instruction package. Your email address will not be published. Disclaimer have not tested all functions such as code learning and the voice stuff. When Logitech discontinued Harmony universal remotes, it killed the last of the big-name brandsas well as all of our former picks in this guideand left us pondering how to proceed. If youre looking for advanced whole-house control, with lots of complex lighting scenes and independent control of different sources in different rooms, youre better off turning to a local specialty AV retailer that can create a more-personalized control system from a company like Crestron or Control4. SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote Control with Hub - All in One Smart Remote Control with Customize Activities for Bluetooth IR 2.4G Devices Compatible with Alexa (Charge Plug Included) Brand: SofaBaton 11 ratings 24999 FREE Returns Size Name: With Plug See more About this item I used an early Harmony remote, and it was not good. Step6: Select the source location where the input device (Stream-ing box, Player) connects to the output device, like a TV. But, I am confident that future updates will fix some of these bugs. The X1 has a built-in battery, but it wont need to be charged for weeks. SofaBaton U1 Universal Remote Control Good features and performance for the price The U1 can control up to 15 AV devices and supports Bluetooth control. Home sofabaton sofabaton X1 Universal Smart Remote Control User Manual, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sofabaton/id1456346952, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=www.romateck.com.u1, Search Sofabaton on the App Store or Google Play. Being able to see the actual model names is more intuitive than generic device buttons labeled TV, STB, or AUD. Please note I HAVE NO NEED for those servers since all I want is to teach my remote from OTHER single-device remotes; I have no use for those "proprietary IR code databases" of theirs. But lets not mince words here. However, with the curtains open at certain times of the day, it seems the brightness of the room can impact it. Not sure if both of those cables can be used at the same time, but I would guess not. We appreciated the bright, green backlighting (which you can turn off) and the wrist rope. With that said, I hope they succeed. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. So if you need something more than the Sofabaton U1, but dont want something as expensive as Control4, then the Sofabaton X1 is the best choice. The remote itself looks nice and feels good to hold, and it has just the right number of backlit buttons. Tutorial X1 User Guide and FAQ, Continuously Updated Back key cannot be configured on Samsung The Frame 2022, You can press the key to assign Return and Exit on X1,choose the device, click edit---assign key for the X1 remote, then assign the command you like to the physiccal key of the X1. But heres the thing. The X1 is not out till Nov or Dec '21. The equipment consists of a mix of traditional IR devices, Bluetooth devices, and some Wi-Fi smart-home lighting and temperature items from Lutron and Honeywell. Created by Sofabaton X1 Sofabaton X1 5,769 backers pledged HK$ 5,217,117 to help bring this project to life. That is an excellent question. You have no option to hardwire the remote via USB and program it with your computer. I have returned, one month later, to give some updates and give my impressions after using it exclusively for a solid month. You can program the U1 using a convenient setup app for iOS and Android, and the app provides a lot of customization options to reassign what the remotes buttons can do. There is also an LCD screen to help the user figure out how to use it. Oct 25, 2017 3,980. Fewer people need a universal remote control these days, which explains why the category is dying and great options are hard to find. The remote feels solidly made, and the fit and finish are superb. Sofabaton is one of the few commercial universal remotes that will let you control a generous number of home theater devices, including your TV, DVD player/recorder, Blu-ray player, and more. And it isnt anywhere near as useful and intuitive as Harmonys Help button. Rest assured, we will continue to update the X1's firmware to be compatible with more routers. While the code base is not complete for the Yamaha receiver, learning codes from the remote is super simple. EASY Returns & Exchange. Without belaboring the point, you are on your own if you need help with anything aside from programming the hub. In years past, if you wanted an advanced universal remote that you could program yourself (as opposed to models that are sold exclusively through dealers, like Crestron and Control4, that program them for you), you had many choicesfrom brands like Harmony, Sony, Pronto, URC, and UEI. Found 1 Back command which works. 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). So fix it! SofaBaton claims its code database includes 350,000-plus devices and 6,000 brands. He also enjoys reading video game manuals. A game console or two might also be included. Ill go to Set, then Fix, then scroll to my AVR, and then click the wheel to make it say On. If, on the other hand, your home-entertainment system is built around an AV receiver and multiple source components, and sitting down to watch a movie or play a video game requires shuffling among several remotes to switch inputs and control multiple components simultaneously, a universal remote is exactly what you need. Can I Put My Subwoofer On Top Of Furniture? If they're not in the lists, you can manually learning the remote functions to the system via the hub. For a setup like this, a universal remote probably isnt necessary because basic control of these devices (such as browsing content, changing channels, and adjusting volume) is built intoor can be easily added tothe remote that came with your media player or TV. The good news is that a universal remote will work with any TV sold today. up and running with this remote in just a couple hours. Many cheap universal remotes require that you press a certain combination of buttons and then input manufacturer codes for each AV device until you find one that works. Still, if you want a universal remote with a lot of features and a lot of ways to use it, nothing beats the Harmony Elite. Seems very time consuming vs harmony. The software automatically (and wirelessly) updates the remote with the proper control codes after each new device is added. (If youre not sure how your device is controlled, try this: Point the remote at the ground in the opposite direction from the device its supposed to control, and then press a button. As we mentioned, the URC7880 can only control IR-based equipment, so it needs to have line-of-sight with all your gear. I bought the X1 to replace a URC Mx-980 laptop programmable remote. I recently got a new puppy, and he has had my Sofabaton X1 in his mouth several times with nary a scratch. Amazon had a 10% off click to add coupon and I read in Facebook group that emailing [emailprotected] and asking for a discount code they would give another 30% to stack on top. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. And that pesky bug where you had to press a button to wake the remote and a second time for the command? If you want the best AV presentation of your favorite films, we recommend 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, and the Panasonic DP-UB420 is the best player weve tested. It also had a handheld remote with an OLED screen, backlight, and an iOS and Android app. You heard me right. Honestly this review does not match my experience with the Sofabaton, and I think advising people to buy them at this point is wildly inappropriate without more realistic details on the stuff that is broken. Even used models can cost up to or more than $400. If youve never programmed a universal remote before, or youre used to the Harmony setup software that figures out the main steps for you, the learning curve for a more complex AV system will be high. So its been a whole month since I posted my review, and I have been using the Sofabaton X1 exclusively as my daily remote. I am assuming it is something to do with the glare from the sun on my glossy speakers and TV. I ordered it Saturday night. I Dont Have Perfect Placement And I Dont Care! Do universal remotes work for everything? Free shipping for many products! Its IR window was a bit wider and more robust than that of the SofaBaton, so I didnt have to be quite as direct in my pointing. I went to Amazon but it is not available and doing Google searches I do not find any site selling the X1 currently? I didnt notice it with my Harmony however. Sure, you could program a game console onto the DVD label and a second TV onto another unused category, but thats not helpful for other people trying to use the remote. Sofabaton X1 universal remote supports IR & Bluetooth & Wireless devices. Maybe im doing something wrong. So if Sofabaton can get Google Home integration working, I would be willing to unplug my Harmony Hub and move to the Sofabaton X1 full time! This has already been so much of a headache that even if I eventually get it to actually function correctly it will never actually make up for the time I have wasted trying to set it up. Copyright 1998-2023 AV Gadgets. Make sure that this fits by entering your model number. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. If youre thinking about getting one before theyre all gone, the companys statement on the product discontinuation added the following: We expect no impact to our customers by this announcement. Xfinity Remote Codes are essential for connecting your Xfinity Remote to your audio device or television. For instance, instead of having to push separate buttons to turn on your TV, switch HDMI inputs, power on your AV receiver, change inputs there, turn on your Blu-ray player, andfinallyget your movie started, a good universal remote can reduce all of that to one command (Play Movie), which you can access at the touch of a single button. Add in the lack of backlighting, and we think this one will be a bit more challenging to use in a dark room. Nothing, no hints. Decade long AV technician here. Nor have I had to reboot it aside from firmware updates. With SofaBaton Remote you can enjoy one click direct to the activity to trigger multiple devices, you can have fun creating as many as whatever you need. The Sofabaton X1 is NOT the heir apparent to the Harmony throne. Assistant Director of Communications Primary Care APP Needed in Along Beautiful Coast Oregon-4/10s Schedule JOB-2778565. Do you know of a video that explains it better. I expect many more. Step6: Syncing activities from Sofabaton X1 If you need voice control for a device, you can set it up as a separate Activity. Configuration of devices is pure frustration! Select the appropriate option for your device. For example, I saw firmware and app updates last month, and they added settings on the remote, like a timer for the sleep and backlight modes, to change how long it remains lit before dimming. please turn off the HomeShield Pro function or authorize X1 access. Sofabaton X1 - The Newly Anticipated Replacement For The Logitech Harmony Hub Has Arrived! The remote itself looks nice and feels good to hold, and it has just the right number of . Finally, the One For All setup app does have one helpful feature: a remote finder. It has an app to use it with that makes using and programming it much easier than a different model/brand Ive used in the past. The X1 folks speak of is apparently coming soon. I also review budget projectors, portable projectors, and other AV accessories for Wirecutter. Step 5: Source information: location of the device signal source. ), be prepared to spend time making it happen. Since fewer people need universal remotes these days, there are fewer great options that you can set up and program yourself. Tutorial X1 User Guide and FAQ, Continuously Updated Back key cannot be configured on Samsung The Frame 2022, You can press the key to assign Return and Exit on X1,choose the device, click edit---assign key for the X1 remote, then assign the command you like to the physiccal key of the X1. SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote Control with Hub & APP, Smart Remote with One-Touch Activities, Compatible with Alexa for Voice Control, Control up to 50 Entertainment IR/Bluetooth Devices Visit the SofaBaton Store 1,021 ratings | 187 answered questions $18999 FREE Returns Coupon: Apply 10% coupon Shop items | Terms Size: X1 Remote with Hub Remote is still note usable beyond the set of features a 25 USD universal remote is providing. My current Harmony 525 would have become unusable five times over by now if it had a non-replaceable battery. An AV Enthusiast since he was old enough to listen to records, Andrew enjoys helping the novice enthusiast with home theater and AV questions. I had an issue with my Hue lights and updated them and they told me next week. You can program this remote using a convenient mobile app that makes adding, removing, and changing devices easy. It cant control Bluetooth-based devices like the Google Chromecast or Nvidia Shield TV, but it will work fine with the majority of AV products, including most cable and satellite boxes, Blu-ray players, soundbars, gaming consoles, and AV receivers. FREE Delivery Across Mauritius. Step3: Verify that all devices are powered on. Finally, all the functions are mixed up on my Shaw cable boxhome is menu, menu is list, etcso their database is incorrect. Privacy Policy. While I agree, that there are bigger issues. Though each remote had its flaws, the Harmony line was still a step above the competition in how many features you got for the price and how much easier the remotes were to program for people with complicated home theater systems. I would imagine hone devices would include lighting and blinds etc Incromulent 1 yr. ago That would be great. Yes, we will open the local API of X1 by providing an API file, but X1 cannot directly add APIs of other products or smart platforms. You could say that smartphones have replaced them, but switching between a hundred different clunky apps isnt as elegant as the old Logitech Harmony remote, which is no longer made but still works. - Assumed reliance on the sofabaton cloud, implied by the use of the companion app - the WHOLE REASON I'm trying to move away from the Harmony 525 is that it cannot be programmed at all without accessing the Logitech servers, a situation upon which the X1 seems to completely fail to improve in any way. First, it navigates the on-screen menus and allows you to select by pressing on the wheel. I have the harmony 680 or 650 or something and they are starting to get worn out. It does consolidate remotes and the hub is great at sending signals. Once upon a time, companies made third-party universal remotes that worked with a lot of different devices and let you control them all with one magic wand. Make sure to enter your username and password. But, as my editor pointed out, this is normal for new devices. Plus, the EasyMote doesnt have a number pad to directly tune in a certain channel; this may be fine for over-the-air or basic-cable users, but it will be a pain if you have a large channel lineup. But those remotes arent designed to provide a really intuitive, streamlined, activity-based experience. Sofabaton one for all smart universal remotes have powerful cloud database, with easy programmable macro function,to simply your entertainment life among multi-activities switch freely. But you cant control Bluetooth devices, and the setup process is archaic. Its easy to do in the app, but if you have lots of very specific desires for how things ought to work (like I do! I reported that my Sofabaton X1 could reach all of my devices without the IR blasters, which is mostly the case. So I wish Devices on the X1 screen could just be hidden entirely. So its more flexible than many of the lower-priced remotes on the market. Its not ideal, but it gets the job doneand it means anyone can program this thing, even if they dont own a mobile device. This functionality used to be reserved for high-end, professionally programmed systems. Not having to specify what off is off. Since our last update in May 2021, several universal remotes that we previously tested have been discontinued, including the Caavo Control Center and the Sevenhugs Smart Remote U and Smart Remote X. Logitechs Harmony Companion, Harmony 665, and Harmony Elite were our former picks in this guide, but parent company Logitech discontinued the entire line.