Smart Remote Controls – Alexa Control with IR / RF Blasters

A smart remote control is a one-stop controller for all electronic devices in your home, making your current ordinary remote controls obsolete! You can even create Alexa routines for total smart home automation … Welcome to the Future!

April 2021 Update: So after months of rumors, Logitech has announced they are pulling the plug on the Harmony smart remotes. They say they will continue to support existing users for the foreseeable future, while also updating the platform and adding new devices. However, they will no longer manufacture universal remotes. We still list them below as they are selling off their existing stock, however, we've bumped them down the list.

A smart remote control can be used to control different devices. In my home, I’ve configured my smart remote to universally control all devices in my home theatre using the MoesGo WiFi IR Control Hub. This does away with 7 individual remotes which previously controlled my electric heater, projector, set top box, HDMI switch, android box, surround sound and strip lights! 

For the finishing touches, I created an Alexa IR blaster by hooking up my smart remote control, which uses the SmartLife app with Alexa routines. I can now instruct her to “Activate Cinema” which turns on all devices simultaneously! I can also request her to “Switch to Chromecast” or “Switch to TV” which cycles through the various HDMI inputs between my switcher and projector.

Read on to learn about the best smart remote controls and which ones are best for your home!

The BroadLink IR/RF Smart Home Hub can be used to control smart devices, as well as smart home appliances. You can use it to also control curtain motors, projectors, and light switches around your home.

Although this smart remote is not compatible with appliances that use rolling codes, it will work perfectly with any device that supports 430-440MHz. You will find no shortage of compatible devices, as it supports 50,000+ IR controlled entertainment and home devices. 

No matter what device you want to use this hub with, TVs, Air Conditioners, Streaming players, or Amplifiers, it has you covered. Moreover, it features an online IR library that keeps track of all the compatible devices and adds new ones as soon as compatibility is confirmed.

Manual Learning Mode

You can also resort to manual learning. Using the easy-to-understand voice control, you can turn your TV on/off, adjust its volume, change channels, fast forward, rewind, stop, pause, and many more.

Thanks to the easy-to-use BroadLink App, which is available for both iOS and Android, you can remotely control your IR/RF devices. Along with voice command support for Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, this smart hub also works with IFTTT.

Tech Specs

Batteries	Not Required.
Compatible Devices	50,000+ IR devices.
Internet Access	2.4GHz
App	Yes
Voice Control	Yes

Note: Compared to the previous version of this product, the latest model now comes with Wi-Fi 6E support for the latest home routers, a new faster processor, and additional HDMI, USB-A and Ethernet slots.

The Amazon Fire TV Cube is the most powerful and reliable remote control that can stream video, music, and games to your smart TV. Thanks to voice command compatibility, you can control your smart devices and appliances from across the room. This smart Fire TV control is compatible with a soundbar and an A/V receiver.

You can use this smart hub to change the live cable or cable channels using your voice. Even when the TV is off, you can use simple voice commands to make Alexa check the weather or turn on the lights. As soon as you get this upgraded Fire TV you will get access to 4K Ultra HD content, and support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+.

Fire TV is compatible with multiple streaming platforms. You can connect it with Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, HBO, Apple TV, and many more. Furthermore, you can use the Alexa Voice Remote to adjust the volume on your TV without having to convey a voice command.

Tech Specs

Batteries	2 AAA batteries.
Compatible Devices	N/A
Internet Access	Dual Band
App	Yes
Voice Control	Yes

The Sofabaton U1 is one of the only devices listed here that can control Bluetooth devices, alongside infrared. It comes with an iOS and Android app, where you can install and control your devices.

A key differentiator is the configurable macro button. Similar to an excel macro, it allows you to create a set of actions which when triggered, execute in the set order. This is useful when booting up all of your media devices with a single action.

While not as nice as the Harmony elite, there is a decent OLED screen at the top of the remote, with an easy switcher scroll button.

With the loss of Logitech Harmony, people will be looking to Sofabaton to fill a gap in the market so it's well worth a look.

The MoesGo WiFi IR Control Hub is an all-in-one infrared remote control hub. Users can use it to control their TVs, Air Conditioners, Fans, smart lights, and many other smart devices. However, they should always make sure they are connecting 38K kHz supported IR devices with it. Sadly, this control hub does not support any RF devices. 

If you want to control your devices even when you are not at home, you can simply use the Smart Life/Tuya App. You will also get a hands-free experience, as this smart remote control also supports Google Home and Amazon Echo for voice control.

Advanced Control

You can rely on this smart hub to turn your TV on/off, change the TV channels, turn on the setup box, adjust the temperate on your Smart Air Conditioner, and so on.

Along with hundreds of compatible devices, users can also use the DIY copy function to make this smart remote controller learn to work with other smart devices and home appliances such as LED fireplaces, ceiling fans, or simple heaters. 

Tech Specs

Batteries	Not Required.
Internet Access	Supports 2.4GHz
App	Yes
Voice Control	Yes

The Orvibo Smart Home Hub is a smart remote control device. It’s compatible with multiple voice assistants, working smoothly with your traditional home appliances, as it supports infrared signals.

With the smart app that accompanies this smart remote control, you can see the status of all connected devices instantly. It’s possible to have a maximum of 15 IR home appliances connected to this device.

As far as setup is concerned, it takes only a few minutes to get this device up and running.

The Logitech Harmony Companion (including Hub) is compatible with Alexa for voice control. With a tap of the finger, users can lower the curtains, dim the lights, and play their favorite movie! 

They can also control their Philips Hue Lights and Nest Learning Thermostats. Using the Harmony Remote App, you can control your home entertainment system or any home automation appliance.

To make this smart remote control easy to use, the manufacturer equipped it with multiple dedicated home automation controls. Thanks to the Harmony Hub, you can control devices tucked inside cabinets or walls. 

Supported Devices

This remote control works with over 270,000 smart devices that include Smart TVs, satellite and cable box, Apple TV, Game Consoles, Philip Hue lights, and many more.

Users can easily set up this device from their computer or using the dedicated app that is available for both iOS and Android. As far as the internet connection is concerned, this smart remote control works with 802.11g/n, WPA Personal, WPA2-AES, and 64/128-bit WEP encryption.

Tech Specs

Batteries	1 Lithium Metal Battery.
Compatible Devices	270,000.
Internet Access	Supports 802.11g/n, WPA Personal, WPA2-AES, and 64/128-bit WEP encryption
App	Yes
Voice Control	Yes

The Logitech Harmony Home Elite Remote is the most intuitive and powerful remote control. For voice control, it works perfectly with Amazon Alexa. You can expect this elite remote control to program 15 different home entertainment and other connected home appliances at the same time. 

Users love this device because it comes with a full touchscreen that they can use to simply use the swipe and tap motions with their fingers when wanting to change channels or start playing a movie.

One Touch Activities

To make things even simpler, this smart control comes with multiple One-touch activities. For instance, it has a “Watch a Movie” action. When users press it, the smart control will automatically adjust the device settings and open the movie library for the user. Along with touchscreen control, you can also benefit from the voice control commands using Amazon Alexa. 

The Harmony App, which is available for both iOS and Android users, will turn smartphones and tablets into personal universal remote controls. Thanks to the closed cabinet control feature, users can easily control appliances that are usually hidden behind cabinets.

Tech Specs

Batteries	1 Lithium Polymer Battery.
Compatible Devices	N/A
Internet Access	(Supports 802.11g/n, WPA Personal, WPA2-AES, and 64/128-bit WEP encryption.
App	Yes
Voice Control	Yes

Other Smart Remote Controls

The SwitchBot Hub Mini Smart Remote works perfectly with Air Conditioners, Smart TVs, and other important home appliances. Users can control all connected devices from their fingertips. If you have always considered getting a SwitchBot ecosystem, this smart control can be your gateway. 

After you get this device, connect all your SwitchBot home devices to the internet, enable the SwitchBot Cloud Service, and you are good to go. You have now turned your boring home into a smart one. To make things easier, this smart hub supports voice commands with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and IFTTT. Along with conveniences, it will also help you cut down on your bills and save energy.

The Frankever Smart IR Remote Controller is a moderately priced smart remote control that offers all those functionalities that you would expect from a smart remote control. Thanks to its infrared blaster, you will face no lags in response time. As soon as you press a button, you will see the remote executing that command instantly. 

After you get this device, turn it on, and it will automatically detect your Home Wi-Fi network, and after it will connect with it. Press and hold the reset button. Wait for the network connection indicator to blink. After it blinks, it means the connection has been made successfully. This remote control supports multiple 38k Hz devices. Moreover, you can use the DIY feature to make it learn how to work with other ones in your home.

Should I Buy a Smart Remote Controls

Smartphone Universal Remote Control

Smartphones have become ubiquitous. All of us have one, and we carry it around all day. If you are considering buying a universal smart remote, you should check for Smartphone compatibility. When we are talking about Smartphone compatibility, we are specifically referring to a dedicated mobile app.

Scenes and Routines

There is a common terminology you will hear when researching for the best Universal Remote controls – Scenes. Some might also call it One-Touch-Activities. These two terms can be used interchangeably. 

What they refer to are simple tasks that every household needs to take care of. For instance, turning on the lights when waking up, turning on the water heater, and so on.
Similarly, every household has some common entertainment activities. For instance, watching a movie after dinner, or listening to music when cleaning the house. These distinct activities are treated separately by most smart universal remote controls. These devices have separate buttons for such separate activities. As soon as you press a button, a particular scene will be executed.

Voice Control

Voice Control is an essential feature in Smart Remote controls. Even a few years ago, being able to control multiple devices with one single remote controller was unimaginable. Then came a time when we all had a friend who had a Remote Controller App that could control any and every Air Conditioner regardless of its brand. And now, we have reached the next frontier. Voice control is the future. Being able to control your smart home appliances with voice commands has slowly become the new normal. If you’re considering buying a Universal Remote Control, make sure it supports voice control.

Scheduling Features

Smart Universal remotes make our lives easier. They give us the chance to control our smart devices using an App, as well as voice commands. As if that wasn’t enough, most Smart Universal remotes also have the feature to schedule certain tasks. For instance, you can schedule when you want the lights in your bedroom to turn on. Similarly, you can schedule your Air conditioner to start up 5 minutes before you arrive at home so that when you enter through the doors, you get the right temperature for you to relax.

Smart Remote Controls Features to Consider

Smart Speaker Compatibility

Smart Universal Remotes have grown in popularity for one simple reason- they make our lives easier. However, convenience is another important factor that most consumers prioritize.

When you make your remote control perform a certain task, you might be more comfortable if you can hear it says what it’s going to execute. If your smart remote control is compatible with voice assistants such as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, you don’t need to worry much. You can engage in a natural conversation with your device. But to hear your preferred voice assistant, you need your controller to work with a smart speaker, unless you have a hub that has built-in speakers. 

Communications – IR Blaster, RF, Bluetooth, and Wifi

There are a few ways your smart universal remote control can form a connection with your smart gadgets. It can use IR, RF, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.

The IR devices rely on light signals in the infrared range for wireless remote access – for example, an Alexa IR Blaster. On the other hand, RF-supported devices rely on radio frequency to establish a connection with the remote control. These two methods are mostly found in the older generation of appliances.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have devices that establish a connection with remote controls using either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Compatible Devices

You don’t want to be stuck with a remote control that doesn’t work with most of your home appliances. While getting a universal remote control, you need to make sure all the important appliances at your home are supported by the remote control you are considering buying.

All smart home appliances will support a universal remote control. It is true for Smart TVs, Smart refrigerators, and so on. On the other hand, older models can also work with a smart remote if that remote supports IR/RF devices.

Smartphone App

All popular smart universal remote controllers come with an App. These dedicated apps help users with a lot of things. For instance, most smart remote controls can be configured and set up using an App. You might also find remote controls that do not offer any other alternative.

Number of existing remotes to consolidate

Another important factor to consider is how many ordinary remote controls your smart remote control can replace. For instance, you may have 10 home appliances that you want to control using one single universal remote control. In that case, you have to make sure the minimum threshold for the Smart Remote Control of your preference supports at least 10 devices.

Common Questions Relating to Smart Remote Controls

The Verdict

This article covered all aspects related to smart remote controls. You now know about the top 5 best universal smart remote controls. You also found out about the most important features to look for in a smart remote control.

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment below if you have any questions!

Sources

oneforall.com