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Which universal remote for iOS should you choose?

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Jul 15th 2011 at 8:00PM

This week I ran in-depth reviews of three iOS-based universal remote systems. Each uses a separate remote unit, as opposed to dongle-based IR blasters like the Ri remote and others. We'll take a look at those other IR remotes another time. The question is, of the Peel, UnityRemote and Beacon, which one should you choose? As usual, it depends upon your needs.

The basic universal remote

If all you need is a working universal remote, your best bet is the UnityRemote from Gear4. While it lacks the bells and whistles of Peel's guide and Beacon's customization, I found it "just works" and is better at controlling your devices than the others. UnityRemote tries to make sure it gathers discrete on/off codes, for example, walking you through a testing sequence upon setup.

The relative simplicity of the UnityRemote is a good thing for the average user, I believe, and its small footprint and advanced settings menu will appeal to home theater enthusiasts as well. Plus, the advantage of a native iPad app can't be understated -- the iPad is a natural living room companion, probably more than your iPhone would be, and UnityRemote really shines on the larger screen real estate.

The TV junkie

If you watch a lot of TV but not necessarily the same thing every day, preferring to "zone out" on some TV whenever you get the chance, take a look at Peel. You will have to put up with a more complicated setup than the others, but you won't have to activate the remote every few hours, and the way Peel handles show discovery is unparalleled thus far.

That said, you can always use the Peel app by itself. The hardware won't work well in large homes or if your router is far from your TV, and I found that as a universal it was lacking several controls one might need. If you want to tune to a specific channel or program a recording, for example, it falls down completely. But it does allow you to set reminders for shows, and that's a plus -- but the remote hardware isn't needed for reminders. Still, if you aren't bothered by the cost of a somewhat limited remote hardware solutions, Peel is worth a look.

The home theater power user

If you want the ultimate combination of guide, customization and affordable hardware, Griffin's Beacon is a good choice. While there's work yet to do on the Beacon, the combination of Netflix support, Roku control, and universal remote can't be beat. Plus, the Dijit app allows more customization than any other remote on the market (including those dongle-based remotes), making it a pleasure for those of you with complicated setups. Actions and gestures are icing on the power user cake, so there's very little you will find Beacon can't do.

Beacon does use more batteries than the others, and lacks some of the advanced tuning features found in UnityRemote, but Beacon hopes to avoid that by providing updates to the app and hardware so that everything "just works." For now, the product is early in its lifecycle and I expect it will only get better. Plus, as the lowest cost solution of all the remote with the most flexibility, I'd say it is overall the best bargain of the bunch. That's a good thing if you've already maxed out your credit cards buying all that AV gear for your home theater!

Conclusion

There's no such things as "one size fits all" when it comes to technology. Each remote had quirks and flaws that could be deal killers for you personally. I recommend downloading all the associated apps first and trying them out before you buy the hardware. Since the interface you'll be using will be on your iOS device, you'll want to spend some quality time ensuring buttons are comfortable to you, and all the additional features are things you'll use. When you do buy a remote, look for a retailer with a generous return policy as these are all first generation products prone to issues anyway. If you don't like it, you'll want to return it.

If you have suggestions for other universal remote solutions, leave us those in the comments.



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Looking for the perfect iOS universal remote for your AV gear? Here's what to choose based on your needs.
 

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21 Comments

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Chris May

Just to help clarify a point. I went out and bought a Beacon because the above review said it was the most customizable. I interpreted that to mean adding custom functions, or macros. I believe the reviewer was actually talking about being able to configuration the buttons on the screen. The Beacon remote (actually it's the Dijit app) does have customizable functions, but they take several steps to get to and must go under the headings of Power On or Power Off.

Looking at the unity remote app in demo mode, it does appear to have macros that work like traditional remote macros, where you can set up a bunch of things to happen at the touch of a button.

The Unity also seems to have better support for discreet codes.

July 31 2011 at 9:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Treehugger

My 6 y.o. DLP only has one HDMI input, and no easy way to select inputs. Will any of these 'remote' solutions all any kind of macro recording, or allow you to select an input automatically, if it isn't something that can be done with a factory remote ?

(I know, I know... and it's only 720p, but it works perfectly still. I'm holding out for a TV with AppleTV built-in, and yes I already have Apple TV, but it would awesome if it was integrated so I didn't even have to change inputs)

July 25 2011 at 11:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Peter

Seems to me that if equipment manufacturers would get a little more hi-tech, using a band-aid approach of a universal remote would not be necessary. What if the A/V makers put bluetooth into their equipment so you could pair your iOS device with them and then an app could look to see what equipment is paired, go to the 'net to get the proper interface information/drivers, and form up a nifty UI that is equipment-specific? Or have the A/V makers put WiFi chips into the devices and provide socket-level APIs.

To think we've come to a point in the 21st century where you have IR blasters sitting your coffee table is just incredible to me. We should be way beyond that by now.

July 18 2011 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Shippo

Hi, whats the best, in majority opinion, for a universal remote control thatll work for MacOSX? i would like to find a reasonable on that i can use with scripting for my mac mini media server hookup :P

July 18 2011 at 1:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gerald Geronimo

I have a RedEye remote for iPhone iPad and iPod touch. I thought about getting a harmony remote but RedEye does everything and more. Plus I can surf the net on my "remote control" ;)

July 17 2011 at 7:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rdnymllnsktr

Here's my L5 remote review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKzFkNMpEMk

July 16 2011 at 2:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike L

Why didnt you review SQ Remote from squareconnect.com?

July 16 2011 at 1:23 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mike L's comment
Gary Merinstein

I agree: all three remotes are basically TV remote control oriented, but there are many other devices in an extended home theater system which SQ Remote, IRTrans, and other devices can also control. eg. SQ Remote also controls my AC unit, and it isn't limited by BT so I can get that much closer to home automation via the internet with SQ Remote than with any of the devices reviewed.

July 23 2011 at 3:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marius Stedjan

I think RedEye is a good solution (not the mini), cause of it's WiFi connectivity and letting you customize the UI and write pretty custom scripts.

Specially for people like myself, who have all their stuff (receiver, mac mini, consoles etc) in another room, WiFi is a must. Bluetooth sucks when it comes to walls ;)

July 16 2011 at 10:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David A

I use a somewhat higher end solution to universal control. For the hardware I use a number of iTach units (http://www.smarthome.com/_/ProductResults.aspx?Ntt=iTach) that offer a way to control A/V equipment through IR or Serial ports. The iTach units work over ethernet (either Wi-Fi or wired) so the compatibility/range are pretty good. On the iOS side there are two consumer oriented software solutions to control the iTach units:

- iRule (http://www.iruleathome.com/)
- iMasterControl (unfortunately the developer passed away and the website is no longer available)

I greatly prefer iMasterControl as it is much easier to program, but iRule develops more graphically pleasing solutions. There are a number of other iTach compatible apps, but they're for custom installers unfortunately.

My wife loves the iMasterControl software. We have our iPads running the software, and bought two iPod Touches as remotes too. This gives us A/V control and Home Automation control (through Indigo).

Two of my room setups (they're a little out of date as I've changed out some of the equipment, but illustrate the overall capabilities) are shown here:
(http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=19783746#post19783746)

I really wish someone else would capitalize on these capabilities a little more.

July 16 2011 at 10:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lawrenurst Simith

I saw Philips and Logitec models in the market. Don't remember their model nos. Anyone have experience (good/bad) of any ?
http://aquascoop.net

July 16 2011 at 1:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Lawrenurst Simith's comment
Kurt Riebe

Are you asking about actual iOS options? or are you asking about remote controls like Logitech's Harmony line? If the latter, I've had extensive use with Logitech's Harmony remotes and aside from the really cheap $30-$40 version, they have been great. If you can afford one of the more expensive ones, it is definitely worth the ability to get one that has a charging dock so you don't waste a ton of money on batteries. The Harmony One is awesome.

July 16 2011 at 3:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kurt Riebe's comment
DR

Kurt, I wish I'd had the same luck as you with Harmony. I've had two different ones (not the most expensive, but not cheap either) and both of them started having trouble with the physical buttons after about a year. After getting burned a second time, I decided that I wouldn't go back to them again. That's why I was so excited by the Unity Remote. Unfortunately the BlueTooth renders it unreliable as far as responsiveness, but other than that I find it just as programmable as a Harmony.

July 16 2011 at 11:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down
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