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iPhone/iPod Touch Remote Apps

67K views 221 replies 55 participants last post by  Ruxl 
#1 ·
I think it's time to have a dedicated thread on this subject.


First some news I haven't seen here: there is a Remote app for MythTV called MyMote. Don't use MythTV, so I have no comment, but it's free so any Myth user out there should try it.


There is also a Front Row/DVD Player app. called DVDmote. I will try it next week and report. Screenshot looks ugly.


Others -- should search through iTunes over the weekend. All in all though, I was expecting, much, much more at this stage of the game. I still think it will happen, for sure in the next 6 to 12 months if not sooner, but this is what is missing:


-- Any kind of universal A/V component remote using a WiFi to IR repeater (this, done right, is the Holly Grail, as the current universal remotes out there are absurdly non-user friendly to program and expensive). This IMO is the kind of App the iPhone was made for.


-- Native app for Remote Buddy (The blog on iospirit.com says that they are working on it).


-- EyeTV remote from Elgato (they too are supposedly working on it).


-- Apple's remote upgraded to control Front Row, the Apple DVD Player and AppleTV.
 
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#103 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Further /forum/post/17760743


It looks like a competitor has come forward to this product. More information next month.

For me, the whole attraction of the RedEye is the fact that I DON'T have to have some dongle hanging off my phone. I suppose that works if you have a iPod Touch that lives in the vicinity, but for a phone that lives on my person, I don't want to have to plug the thingie into the phone everytime I flop down on the sofa for some TV, and then detach it when I leave the room (or walk out the front door).
 
#104 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalani /forum/post/17766702


For me, the whole attraction of the RedEye is the fact that I DON'T have to have some dongle hanging off my phone. I suppose that works if you have a iPod Touch that lives in the vicinity, but for a phone that lives on my person, I don't want to have to plug the thingie into the phone everytime I flop down on the sofa for some TV, and then detach it when I leave the room (or walk out the front door).

I actually have my old (original gen.) iPhone which I use as a dedicated HT remote, so I have no objection there. I also have components in different rooms, so this would save me $188 for an extra RedEye gizmo for the bedroom. Also my living room components are somewhat widely spaced -- I have concerns about pointing a fixed IR transmitter. Set up should in theory be much easier, and it won't stop working if a neighbor steps on your WiFi signal. No extra WAF inducing device/power cord.


My main worry is vaporitis. After all UI Remote was supposed to be the same thing, it was supposedly quite far along, heck, the NY Times had a big article about it, and then -- crickets. What do we have with the Rē™ Remote Control -- a website with a CES announcement. No dates, no price, no list of components, no beta program. I sure hope it materializes.


P.S. I scrolled through the UI Remote comments and there is an anonymous comment claiming the UI Remote guys were bought out by Logitech (who saw it as a threat to their business) and signed a NDA, thus the complete radio silence. Take that with two truckfulls of salt, but it actually makes a little bit of sense.


EDIT: FYI the person behind Rē™ Remote Control is Barry Baril, they are based in Oregon. Here is their press release. When exactly is CES?
 
#105 ·
Current state of EyeTV friendly remotes:

RowMote has finally fixed the forward skip button on their remote to work properly with EyeTV, also works fine with Front Row etc. Their server so far is more reliable than Snatch. Downside: not 100% responsive -- sometimes you have to hit a button 2/3 times especially if it has been sitting for a while.


Snatch is very frustrating to me, because it has great usability/design -- but their server has been very unreliable for me. It works fine for a while after boot and then stops responding. The one time I got motivated to post on their forums, they were down....


Which leaves me right back with PokeEye -- it does the least but is 100% responsive, server is absolutely rock solid. Wish our friend Setok would do an update, at least to fix the recording list/Snow Leopard bug.
 
#107 ·
yeah - I can see the Rē being attractive for some.. Has a nice portability factor to it as well... So far the service from RedEye has been very good - I'm not getting that Vaporware feeling, but the verdict is still out... (I've had their stuff before with decent results); I agree with Ted's concern though; That's why I've held off as well...


I track the replacement unit arriving today... stay tuned...


ken
 
#108 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Further /forum/post/17768470


There is a link on their site to the CES show . It opens in about two weeks. I would imagine they would not book an exhibit at this show so soon if there was no product yet to display.

I don't doubt they have a product to display -- the UI Remote people had one too. After all the Times article about them wasn't written by Jayson Blair and they had demo video and everything.


Just that anything involving hardware has the extra steps of mass manufacturing, pricing, sales, marketing that can be difficult to deal with. That or I shouldn't have read the Wired article about Duke Nukem Forever yesterday. I've had vaporware on the brain ever since
Really I do expect them to deliver -- just trying to keep my own hopes and dreams in check.


Ken: looking forward to your latest report on RedEye -- thanks again!
 
#110 ·
OK - Finally came and I spent a few hours setting up; Still more to do, but accomplished enough to give a early diagnosis.

Library of IR codes seems large - As I mentioned before, you select the Mfg, then the Device Category(type), it then retrieves via Internet a set of choices;

They had my LG TV nailed, Comcast cable box, Apple computer, etc. They did not have my EliteDVD player, but a Pioneer DVD generic worked most commands; They did not have my Lumagen video processor;


Ted: Denon receivers showed 5 possible selections, Oppo DVD Players 2, and Toshiba TVs 4; The odds are very much in your favor those all will map out of the box.


Also, the learning of commands was easy and solid; Designed pretty well to enter them rapidly;


Overall, my impressions are pretty positive (I'll be keeping it); Not without complaints I'll get to in a second; First the generally positive: the database is extensive regarding IR, the design itself is well thought out and relatively easy to deal with - It reminds me a little of the Pronto stuff.


The breadth and depth seems string; They covered different Rooms, Activity based interface for macro stuff, strong device type definitions, and a nice integration to the iPhone/Touch with custom assignment to any button of accelerometer, and multi-touch swipes; I even was able to get 'press n hold' to work on the Apple TV for popping up chapters during play... (Front Row works fine for those with Minis although I'm not a user, I did test it briefly);


I have volume with a flick of the wrist right and left - work pretty good..


They deal with the now infamous Toggle Power issues by allowing buttons to be types as toggle, repeating, etc. I personally hate non-discrete power on/off issues - I was able to customize my method for dealing with it by creating an ON and OFF activity that turns my system on and shuts it down - then each Watch activity just switches sources; Making this work depends on letting me programmatically define Activity launch and shutdown commands which it does allow.


They seem to have all the Channel icons and other button icons there out of the box ; Do a decent job of giving you a 'guessed' button layout - then letting you customize it;


The blast radius seems pretty good - mine sits about 13 feet from the gear- They have several blasters in the dock that provide a spray; Still has to be line of site generally though, but the radius is pretty wide...


On the downside: Software is bit buggy - during setup some crashes and some things didn't quite work without a workaround - but fortunately once the items are saved to the device - you just relaunch the app and start where you left off - I haven't had it lose any work; Also, the channel icons are B/W - I would like to have color - later no doubt; Also, response time is usually good, but occasionally lags just a bit..


Anyway, it's a xmas present for the wife so I have to gat back and finish some details...


Overall, a good product with good coverage in both breadth and depth of capability , but clearly needs a few software updates to clean up the bugs...


I'd give it a 7 out of 10


ken
 
#111 ·
Fantastic report Ken -- thank you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by kenliles /forum/post/17778346


The blast radius seems pretty good - mine sits about 13 feet from the gear- They have several blasters in the dock that provide a spray; Still has to be line of site generally though, but the radius is pretty wide...

Can you give any quantification for "pretty wide"? How is the vertical "radius"? My components are at varying heights.


Any tendency for IR signals not to register (as opposed to software based non-responsiveness)? I am figuring that software bugs can be fixed, but the hardware is what it is. We'll also see how prompt the bug fixes are.


I am very tempted, but I guess the smart thing to do is to wait until CES and see what the competition has to say for themselves -- I have a definite incentive to wait for the Rē with hardware in separate rooms.
 
#112 ·
hey Ted-

yeah - I'd put the horizontal dispersion at 45deg at least (each left and right for a total of 90 coverage); the vertical dispersion similar, maybe a bit less - at 13 feet distance unit on the floor, I have gear that spans vertically about 6 feet high. The highest (TV) as also at a 45deg angle horizontally and it picks it up fine.


I've had no missed sent signals (hardware registered); In fact that surprised me a couple of times when signal was missed I checked the software and sure enough I had put in the wrong command.


My biggest complaint is the buggy crash stuff - which happens mostly in setup mode because it's consistently storing the changed settings to the base. Most of the problems are clearly memory management rules being broken as the iPhone OSX forces the entire app to shut down; Once in Operational mode, it's not a problem.. but they clearly have more software work to do. Feature wise though, its quite good and well thought out.. Another 'worry' I have is a backup of the configuration. Sure would hate to have to redo it; Use on multiple phones works nice as it syncs the config to any phone talking to the base...


Good idea to check out CES before committing. I plan on getting a Tablet right away, so this solution better fits my situation - i like the Rē idea too though...


merry xmas!

k-
 
#115 ·
Hello there,


I am reading the complete thread now for hours. I am based in Germany and here we have some different things.


Normally no A/V component is equipped with the RS232 interface. So no chance to connect with this interface.


What made me read this thread is the search for a even more universal remote, that can remote control my infrared devices, my Blutooth devices and even my WIFi devices.


I have not found any app for the iPhone that can control the PS3 via blutooth.


The only solution so far I found is something from Logitech...



Does anybody know any solution in that direction?


Beste regards,

aixtreme
 
#116 ·
 The L5 website is now up. No release date given (February?). Seems it is a straight learning remote -- no predefined devices advertised.


For the PS3 question above -- L5's FAQ *claims* that the iPhone's Bluetooth is not enabled to transmit the stuff necessary to control a PS3. They don't specify if this is a iPhone API limitation that could be fixed in a future iPhone OS release or a hardware limitation. But if L5 are correct, the current iPhone (software/hardware) can not be turned into a PS3 remote.
 
#117 ·
Latest news on the Rē and L5: $69.95 and $49.99 respective pricing, Q1 releases.
Quote:
The IR adapter of the L5 Remote is a bit smaller than the one from NewKinetix though its app offers fewer features comparatively. Both devices are not yet available with planned releases in Q1. The NewKinetix Rē will cost $69.95 and the L5 Remote will cost $49.99 while the apps for each will be available for free in the App Store. Compared to universal remotes by Logitech and other companies that have a fixed button lay-out and can cost up to several hundred dollars, these iPhone/iPod touch accessories should provide viable alternatives to users at a lower cost.
Link to the full article at MacRumors
 
#118 ·
I am looking to integrate the ability of iTouch to show playlist/album flow etc. with my IR remote to control my HT equipment. The main reason I am looking to do that is because I don't always want to fire up my plasma TV just to view iTune/Front Row when playing music.


According to this forum, available solutions seem to be either (i) IR dongle or (ii) IR/charging base for the iPhone/iTouch device. I like the dongle idea but hate to have to unplug it often in order to charge the iTouch. The IR base solution also doesn't work for me because there is no place for me to put the charging base so that it is facing my HT equipment.



My question is: Does anybody know of an IR universal remote that will work with iTune and display content/playlist on the remote itself?
 
#119 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Millicurie999 /forum/post/17927528



My question is: Does anybody know of an IR universal remote that will work with iTune and display content/playlist on the remote itself?

Not sure I fully understand your question, but... No. IR is one-way only -- transmit, but no receive. Which means you wouldn't be able to get metadata from iTunes to the iPod Touch over IR.


If Apple doesn't provide this kind of iTunes browsing themselves on the Tablet, someone else will. The only problem is that whoever that is most likely won't also include the ability to control your A/V receiver. At worst, you'll need two different apps -- one for iTunes control and another to control your hardware and you'll have to switch back-and-forth. Oh, and you'll need a Tablet.
 
#120 ·
Thanks for your comment. To clarify, I guess what I am looking for is, ideally, a tablet-style universal remote that can control my HT (IR-based) and can interact with the Mac (wifi) for iTune/Front Row browsing.


The wifi-to-IR converter (along with an iTouch) mentioned in this forum allows me to do that technically but I am hoping for a more elegant solution.
 
#123 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by syner /forum/post/18020116


here's an alternative IR iphone itouch remote control http://totalcontrolapp.com


Thread over here (with pics):
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1213647

$225* for hardware +$59.99 for software = FAIL.

Every other option is cheaper (some going down to $50 for hardware AND software). Is this one so much better than the competition?


* and their website implies this is a sale price that will shortly go up!
 
#124 ·
where's the FAIL part exactly? i know plenty of remote control solutions for much more than this. obviously you haven't even gone to the website to see what you are making an opinion on.


your $50 hardware is a dongle based solution which is sorely limited and is like comparing apples and oranges. totally different methods, markets, etc. you can see the benefits on the link to the website.


and for similar hardware based solutions you can start with a full IR dbase built in which is a licensed cost. those other solutions are typically blank. you have to learn everything which is not an optimal solution.
 
#125 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by syner /forum/post/18051329


where's the FAIL part exactly? i know plenty of remote control solutions for much more than this. obviously you haven't even gone to the website to see what you are making an opinion on.


your $50 hardware is a dongle based solution which is sorely limited and is like comparing apples and oranges. totally different methods, markets, etc. you can see the benefits on the link to the website.


and for similar hardware based solutions you can start with a full IR dbase built in which is a licensed cost. those other solutions are typically blank. you have to learn everything which is not an optimal solution.

These guys provide $188 hardware software solution RedEye iPhone remote system. that comes with plenty of presets (one of our members kenliles has it and is testing it out. His feedback so far has been positive.) Also, presets are well and fine, but useless if they don't happen to cover the specific components you own.


Yes, I did go to the Total Control website, and no I didn't find anything that makes this better than RedEye. If I am missing something, please fill us in -- I'll be happy to admit to being wrong.


I too know of plenty of much more expensive universal remote solutions -- what they have in common is that they all date to the pre-iPhone era when vendors could gouge for anything universal/touchscreen. And they tended to be very hard to setup, use. That era is fortunately over.


The dust has far from settled on which iPhone IR universal remote is the best (and hopefully the best is yet to come). However, I think that if your product costs more than $200 more than some competitors (and $100 more than a directly comparable solution) there should be a strong argument for why we should want to pay extra. "The Harmony 900 costs even more" is not such an argument -- it simply shows that Logitech will soon be drummed out of the remote business.
 
#126 ·
those 'guys' have no IR dbase. you have to manually learn everything in. that is one difference off the bat which is why i listed before you even went down that road.


it only does IR. the hardware we use has among other things

rs232

i/o

GPIO

onboard temperature


this makes it much more flexible than a strictly IR solution.


i am not even sure if they have emitter ports on their device; do they? or is it just a blaster.


all of the remote are being currently sold; not just pre-date iphone era. that doesn't change anything. and no not everyone thinks touchscreens are great remotes so i don't see them leaving the market anytime soon.


as far as dongle based solutions this is my take

1. pita to have to add the hardware every time you want to use the app

2. pita to carry the hardware around with you to use it

3. limited to IR limitations (IR angle/degrees, length of control say in feet

4. have to turn your iphone/itouch around just to use it. what if my phone rings i have to turn it around every time?

5. only IR. what if i want to open/close my garage door? what if i want the tv to switch to my front door camera input every time the door bell rings, what if i want to turn on my lighting, control my hvac, etc.

6. what if i want to remotely control things that are not in line of sight.

ie.

1. i have a rack full of a/v equipment that sits in the basement. am i going to run downstairs every time i want to change a channel on my cable box?

2. i am in my backyard having a bbq and want to change the station on my stereo, whole house audio system, etc. am i going to run back inside, put on my dongle, flip my phone around, and go to the room where the system is to point directly at it or am i going to want to do everything outside while i am having the bbq

3. i am driving home at night and have groceries in the car. i would like to open my garage door as i drive up and turn the garage and kitchen lights on now instead of fumbling for light switches while carrying bags in my hands.


look it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the differences between a dongle or even strictly IR based unit versus something like the bitwise unit which is much more flexible. i didn't write all of this before because it is nothing new and is common knowledge. it is a pita to write it again and again. i am not making this up. this is all knowledge that has come before me. we just leverage from previous experiences.
 
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