Do you have a combo of TV, media player, and soundbar in your home? If yes, then you should shop for a best universal remote. It will help you to operate multiple devices at a time.
Here, we are going to unpack our top five picks of best universal remotes. Let’s have a look.
Five Best Universal Remote Control
- Logitech Harmony 650
- Logitech Harmony Companion All in One
- The Logitech Harmony Smart Control
- Logitech Harmony Elite
- Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote
- Logitech Harmony Express
Best Universal Remote Control
Logitech Harmony 650
It is a programmable remote that comes in silver color. The Logitech Harmony 650 is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Seven or Eight generation, Windows Vista. This model comes with Alkaline batteries. Manufacturers always try to innovate upgraded models that comes with high-quality, premium features. This model is reflects the master-mind of the manufacturers.
Features:
Supports 6000+ brands:
This Harmony 650 supports more than six thousand brands. You will get the option of a Blu-ray player or an old VCR here.
Guided online setup:
As soon as you buy the product, connect the device to your pc. You can get a complete guide here.
Color Smart Display:
The smart display allows you to see the icons and commands on the display with ease.
One-click Buttons Active buttons:
You only need to set up the device now. As soon as you click once on the buttons, you can turn on your favorite channels.
Pros:
- Comes with a smart display
- Offers complete guide manual
Cons:
- Poor battery life.
Logitech Harmony Companion All in One Remote Control
The Harmony model comes in black color. Instead of using any infrared to transmit signal, Logitech companion uses RF. The battery life of the Logitech is about one year. It comes with a hub and an IR blaster. People can operate functions like “Water TV” in this case.
Features:
Easy home entertainment and automation control
The Logitech Harmony Companion is the best universal remote that comes in a value for money quality. With the help of the device, you can control automation devices like Philips hue lights, Nest Learning Thermostat, and so on. Besides, it can support a few entertainment devices such as Roku, or Sonos, Apple TV. This Harmony Companion supports a few game consoles that are as follows, like— Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, or Wii.
The purpose of this Logitech model is to adjust sound, change channels, fast-forward, and rewind. It also allows you to control individual or combined devices such as lights, etc.
Closed cabinet and game console control
The Logitech Harmony Companion can send commands from the Harmony app to the devices with the help of IR, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth wireless signals. As a result, users can now easily access online entertainment services such as Netflix, Hulu, Wii, Xbox One, or Fire TV.
Alexa voice control
Now, you can control your harmony activities using Alexa with a Logitech Harmony remote. Besides, while using Alexa, you can turn on the TV and open your favorite channel.
Turn household smartphones into personal remotes
By taking the Harmony app’s help, you can use iOS or Android smartphone or tablet into an all-in-one device.
Pros:
- Comes with fifty one-touch favorite channels
- RF signals are used
- Nice price value
Cons:
- Can’t operate more than 8 home theater devices
- Consumes enough time in programming
- No backlight is available..
Inteset 4-in-1 Universal Backlit IR Learning Remote
It has a velvet coating on its back. This model comes with the volume and channel lock, macros, custom button labels, key punch-through, full back-lighting, and a vast built-in A/V device database.
Inteset comes with four buttons that are already programmed for Apple TV (A), Xbox One (B), Media Center (C), and Roku (D). It helps the users to use the remote immediately with the help of these streaming devices. You can also add any additional program here to use any A/V device like your TV or cable box. It comes with individual stickers available above the programmed buttons. It helps you to find the right keys. Inteset has Red, Green, Yellow and Blue buttons that are considered as standard Xbox color control buttons.
It is designed in such a way so that it can support the IR capable streamer set-top boxes. Inteset allows you to control Fire TV and the Nvidia Shield. But you can use these two when you have an Inteset IReTV IR Receiver.
Features:
Extremely Simple Set-up
You can set-up this model within a few minutes with the help of the Device Code Lookup tool. However, You only need to select the type of device, manufacture, and code. Then, Inteset allows you to control all the functions of it using the applicable remote buttons.
TV Smart Hub Programming
Those who have a TV with a Smart Hub can get the benefits of these features. In addition, You only need to add a simple program by using the Display button for accessing your Smart Hub capabilities.
Pros:
- Great configuration
- Easy to set-up
Cons:
- Can’t support AppleTV 4K
Logitech Harmony Smart Control
It comes in black color only. The dimension of the product is 25.5 x 13.8 x 8.9 cm. This model comes in 453.59 Grams weight. To run this model, 1CR2 batteries are needed.
Features:
Smart control:
The device can turn the RF signals into IR. You can understand the Bluetooth commands easily now. It helps to control up to eight devices that are: PS3, plus your Internet subscription services, Netflix or Hulu. Besides, it supports more than 270,000 devices from 6,000+ brands.
Allows listening music, watching movies:
Now, you can listen to songs, play your favorite Game, or Watch a Movie with its help. The device helps you to control Amazon Fire TV. You can install the Harmony App and include a Fire TV with the device easily.
Find your content faster
You can connect your smartphone or tablet keyboard with the Harmony App. It helps to get any content quickly on Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon FireTV. The device is compatible with Windows PCs and Macs.
Pros:
- Helps to find contents very fast using the harmony app.
- Allows the users to enjoy music, movies, songs
Cons:
- Hard to set up.
Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control, Hub and App
The dimension of the product is 25.15.24 x 5.08 x 1.52 cm. Here, Lithium Polymer batteries are needed. The weight of the product is 340 g. This model is compatible with Alexa as well. Logitech Harmony Elite can control up to 15 devices at a time. Besides, you can see here an improved button layout, voice integration, dedicated connected home buttons, etc. Apart from this, Harmony Elite contains a replaceable, and rechargeable battery that has 20% greater capacity.
This Harmony Hub has been offering the same quality since 2014. The features of the harmony hub are quite similar to the harmony home hub. It comes with a glossy black pack that has 1.0 × 4.9 × 4.2 inches dimension. You can see here a wide-angle IR transmitter. Besides, there are two 3.5mm ports on the back panel that allows you to connect the two included IR receivers. The power of the hub is generated from a micro USB port. It remains on the back of Logitech Harmony Elite along with a cable and wall adapter. A pairing/reset button is also there.
Features:
Home theater control
Along with offering to watch movies and listen to songs, you can use this remote model to control the sound of the music player or TV. You can use this device for voice integration and activation of Alexa.
Alexa voice control
You can now use Amazon Alexa with the help of this device for starting and stopping Harmony Activities. With the help of Alexa, you can turn on the TV and enjoy your favorite channel. Besides, you can see a few options in Alexa devices. As for example, you can say “Alexa, turn on the TV,” or “Alexa, turn on Netflix,” etc.
Easy switching
Using the device, you can now control all devices at a time. Harmony app helps to do so by grouping your devices. What they have to do is that they only need to touch ‘Watch a Movie’, ‘Watch TV’ options. It will automatically open the channel that you want to watch.
Full-color screen touch display
It comes in a full colour touch screen display. You only need to swipe and tap to change channels option. Then you will be able to do fast-forward, rewind, and adjust the volume. With the help of Harmony Elite, you can access more than fifty channels. All the members in your house —from kids to adults— can use Harmony Elite with the smartphone or tablet.
It comes with a Harmony Hub that depends on the signals coming from the app to your devices. The remote model allows you to use the Android app or iOS for adjusting devices even when you’re away from home.
Pros:
- Compatible with alexa
Cons:
- Hard to set up
- Poor programming
Logitech Harmony Express Universal Voice Remote with Amazon Alexa
From iPhone, iPad, iPod touch device to iOS 10.0 or higher version— it is compatible with all types of phones. Logitech Harmony Express also supports Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones or tablets along with Android 5.0 or higher versions. It comes with a Bluetooth Smart technology that only supports iOS or Android devices.
Logitech Harmony Express is specially designed to support the Roku or Fire TV. You can see a large circular button connected with an LED at the top. It has a circular navigational pad also. The name of the nine navigational buttons are as follows:- Back, Home, Menu, Fast Forward, Play/Pause, Reverse, Volume Up, Volume Down and Mute.
Compared to others, this model is smaller and lighter. It comes in 2.2 ounces that is comparatively more than the half of the weight of the Harmony Elite that comes in 5.8 ounces. The length of this Logitech Harmony Express model is 4.4 inches. It consists of a hub that is used for sending commands to the different entertainment devices. The cloud and the included IR blaster are the ones that help you to do so.
Features:
Alexa built-in:
The device supports Alexa’s voice control. Now, what you need to do is to only press the voice buttons of Alexa . And then say something to Alexa. It will give you an instant response.
Voice command shortcuts:.
You only have to press the short key options and ask to activate the apps such as prime or Netflix, etc. The Harmony Express allows you to switch to any specific channels in your television promptly.
Control smart devices:
The device allows you to control Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled devices. Besides, you can control traditional home theaters also by using this remote.
Remote finder:
Sometimes, you can lose the remote in couch cushions or under furniture. But don’t worry, as there exists a finder option in the express app. Using the feature, you can find your device easily. It comes with a rechargeable battery, blaster, mini blaster, USB cable, ac adapter, and user documentation.
Pros:
- Supports Bluetooth enabled devices
- Allow controlling Bluetooth enable devices.
- Easy to set-up
Cons:
- Expensive compared to others
What is the working process of Universal Remotes?
Nowadays, we can see a high demand on any digital cable, DVR, HDTV, DVDs, and CDs, home theater systems. Most of these new electronic gadgets offer new remotes that come with three, four, five, or more controls. From programming cable boxes to recording favorite shows— about all kinds of host operations can be done by using it. Besides, you can now easily control CD volume and set up movie subtitles with the help of it.
A few devices are there that are controlled through IR. When you use an infrared light signal, the red light will go through your remote and the targeted device. Infrared acts as a flashlight and shining IR light beams. Human eyes can’t detect the frequency of infrared light. And it is the reason why we can’t see the signals through our bare eyes.
Coming in a wide range of varieties, these universal remotes take a major part in the market industry. The visual size of these upgraded models are more extensive than a normal standard remote. As a result, you don’t lose them between the couch cushions.
Types of Products that Can be Controlled Using Universal Remotes
A few electronic appliances are there that can be operated with these remotes. Here, we have given a few names of these appliances.
- DVD/VCR
- CD changer
- Amplifier
- Tape deck
- Game console
- Computer
- Light controller
- Cable box
- Satellite box
Most of these remotes usually come with glow-in-the-dark features such as luminescent buttons or a backlit screen. It helps the users to operate the device even when the lights are not sufficient. You can find a few universal remotes that come with LCD screens. What makes these upgraded remote models different from the ordinary ones is a battery backup feature. Now, with the help of flash memory, you can save the programmed commands. You can also find here charging cradles. It assures you that you will not lose any programmed memory.
Universal Remote Technology
There are two types of universal technology that are: multi-brand and learning. Multi-brand ones are pre-programmed with a lot of different codes. The main purpose of this kind of remote is to operate a number of standard electronics. That means you need not to spend too much time by typing plenty of complicated codes yourself. People use this gadget to manage up to four electronic devices. Channel turning and volume control are the main functions of these remotes.
The learning how to use them are beneficial as these ones can operate top-notch electronic models with it’s pre-programmed commands. You only need to hold the remote first and take it closed to the real universal remote so that it can copy the commands from it. In this case, the infra-red lights help you to do so by transmitting the signals to the real one.
Types of Universal Remotes
PC-programmable Remote:
As soon as you update the program, it will download all the commands through a USB cable. Mainly, PC-programmable universal remotes consists of the RS-232 interface.
WiFi-enabled Remote:
These ones are available in the market. While using the them, your cable provider will not be able to know what you are watching on TV by using the Wi-Fi network services. While using these models, you can get all the new updates on a small LCD screen.
LCD touch screen Remote:
The luminescent LCD screen allows you to operate these models by touch. LEDs are available at the top of the device. The dimension of the screen of these models usually remains 5 cm to 10 cm.
Radio-frequency Remote:
To operate these models radio-frequency waves are used. You can take help of RF-capable radio frequency remote that can help you then. In this case, the RF signals are usually broadcasted. The extender uses the device where you want to transmit the signal. As soon as it transmits the signal, it will beam out that command at an infrared wavelength. The wave detectors can detect the wavelength of the signals.
What is the process of setting up the universal remotes?
When you are going to set up a universal remotes, you should choose one that has several buttons so that you can control and configure the set-up method within just a few minutes.
When you transfer the control function from one device to another, you need to place both the remotes facing each other. The gap between them should not be more than 5cm. As soon as you do it, a connection will establish between them. Then, you need to press and hold both blue and red buttons for three seconds. When the back-light turns on, you can copy the commands. Now you have to press the button. There is a light sensor that indicates the completion of this copy method. After completing the copy functions, you have to press the OK buttons. You can change the configuration of the settings here.
Advantages and disadvantages of Universal Remotes
Along with offering a few benefits like remote consolidation, macro commands, glow-in-the-dark features, universal remotes have a few drawbacks too. That’s why when you are going to buy it, try to examine the device. And make sure that all the functions of the device are working properly.
Advantages:
- You may feel disturbance while using different remotes for various devices like TV, Audio system, Home Theatre, Blu-ray, etc. Universal remotes can help you to control multiple devices.
- It is easy to set up and operate.
- You can save your money also. Using one universal remote, you can save the cost of multiple batteries.
- It has a Glow-in-the-dark feature that helps to locate the device even when the room is too dark.
Disadvantages:
If you have lost the device or broken it by chance, then you have to repair the devices or replace it.
Conclusion:
In this article, you will get a brief idea about the top five best universal remotes. Besides, it will also let you know about its pros, cons, setup procedure, and so on. We hope that you will get helped after going through this article.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can you use your iPhone as a universal remote?
Yes, you can use your iPhone in this case. Turn the iPhone or iPad into a remote that can control all devices in your home. Whether it is a TV or AC, you can now control anything using this one.
- Can you use your smartphone as a universal remote?
You can find a few android phones that come with an embedded infrared “blaster.” Here, your only task is to download a universal app. AnyMote Smart IR Remote, IR Universal Remote or Galaxy Universal Remote are beneficial here as these ones helps to control any device containing an IR signal.
- How do I connect my universal remote to a smart TV?
To do so, you need to follow a few steps. Let’s have your eyes on those steps.
- First, you need to turn on the TV.
- Then, you have to press and hold the “Code Search/Setup” button. And after that, wait for a while until the indicator lights up. As soon as the indicator gets lightened, release the button.
- Then, what you need to do is to press the “TV” button. By doing this, you can make sure that the remote is syncing to a TV.
