Just curious, so these let you throw all the remotes into a draw and just use an app for all IR devices ?

Work well ?

Cost ?

TIA

xpd:

 

Just curious, so these let you throw all the remotes into a draw and just use an app for all IR devices ?

 

Work well ?

 

Cost ?

 

TIA

 

 

 

That's one use case. Another that seems to come up is remote access to IOT/related devices - e.g. turn your heat pump on from outside the house. I bought the RM Pro trying to add some smarts to a pretty dumb central heating system but it didn't work (that might well be the screwy central heating system). I was never that happy with the interface or the servers based in China so gave up on it reasonably quickly, but others seem to have better results.

IIRC, RM Mini is IR only, RM Pro has IR+RF.

Yeah I have a few mini's and pro's, they're great. I use them to control Panasonic Heatpumps using Home Assistant which passes through to HomeKit for control via the Home App and/or Hey Siri via HomePod's that are dotted throughout the house. Although that sounds like a convoluted process tree, it works with almost no lag and flawlessly.

xpd:

 

Just curious, so these let you throw all the remotes into a draw and just use an app for all IR devices ?

 

Work well? Cost ?

Nope, they're pretty rubbish for that if you use their app.

If they support your heat pump they're good for heat pump automation, especially for older heat pumps that don't have WiFi control or a good timer. The app is pretty rubbish, and when daylight savings begins or ends they go screwy for a few days.

If they don't support your heat pump you can add it, but it's painful. You have to program every possible state you want to use, as heat pumps send most things as full state not "add one degree". Some things like "ultra quiet" can be an on / off command. Example states you have to set

• Heat, 21 degrees, low fan
• Heat, 21 degrees, medium fan
• Heat, 21 degrees, high fan
• Cool, 21 degrees, low fan
• Cool, 21 degrees, medium fan
• Cool, 21 degrees, high fan

Of course you could use auto, and you have to program multiple temperatures.

It's pretty terrible for controlling TVs if they remote isn't built in too.

So all in all, it's ok for automation with their app, probably ok if you're building your own app, otherwise don't bother. They're cheap, $30 or $40 I think, that's the only reason they sell over others.

Broadlink is fine for heat pump automation if your heat pump is supported, and they supported my two random models no problems. It's worth a shot before you spend $200 per unit or whatever. Just don't expect a perfect device with a beautiful UI.