Smart IR Remote Control

The media could not be loaded. ** Instructions for adding any button to an Alexa routine at the bottom of my review **PROS- able to be added to Alexa routines- small and sleek- able to control devices spread all over the room- uses standard usb-c (cable included)- my devices were already in the database- can add buttons not in the databaseCONS- none, but it would be nice to add the device straight to the Alexa app, and control all functions straight from the routines menu, but I don’t think any IR device can do this yet.OVERVIEWWOW, this device is awesome, especially when you consider the price. I was surprised by how small the device is (I attached a size comparison with a pen). Setup was pretty easy, I just followed the instructions in the manual, and then connected the smart life skill to use the device with Alexa.MY USE CASEI have this controlling 3 devices: projector, TV, and soundbar. My goal in getting this was to easily transition between using my PS4 while sitting at my desk on my TV, to laying in bed on my projector, and vice versa. This worked out perfectly by using an Alexa routine (see attached video). I was a little worried that a device like this would only emit IR in one direction, similar to a remote, however, it was able to reach 3 devices on separate sides of the room. Amazing! I even pushed it behind my TV and it still works.INSTRUCTIONS TO ADD ANY BUTTON TO AN ALEXA ROUTINEI highly recommend you screenshot this section for later if you intend on using Alexa routines with this product.1. Setup the device as shown in the manual2. Add your device to the smart life app, most devices are already in their database, if it isn’t, choose the most similar device.3. Once the device is added, open the remote for it. If there’s a button that you want that’s not included with the default remote, add a custom button. This will have you point your remote towards the device and hold the button to add, works perfectly.4. Once all the buttons that you want are on the remote in the smart life app, then go to the smart tab in the smart life app and click on the tap-to-run menu. Here you’ll have to create a tap-to-run task for each function that you would like Alexa to receive.5. Once you have all the tap-to-run tasks working within the smart life app, go to the Alexa app, and search for the smart life skill and connect it to your account.6. In the Alexa app, go to the devices tab, click the “+” in the upper right hand corner, tap add device, then scroll to the bottom and tap other. This will pull in all the tap-to-run tasks into Alexa. Alexa will recognize them as scenes, therefore, you will find them in the scenes menu.7. Now you’re ready to create your Alexa routine like normal and just add the appropriate scene to your routine.** if you found this helpful please let me know by clicking ‘helpful’ **

Decided to pick one of these up for my bedroom TV. I've had a Logitech Harmony hub for my primary TV for quite a while. After getting this one, I set it up with the Smart Life app and was just blown away with how well it worked. It had my Hannspree TV in its database, so I didn't need any special programming to get that working. The only thing that it didn't have in the database was my Roku. But it was very easy to add it in. Not only does it have an IR blaster, it also has an IR receiver, which allows it to learn codes from an original device remote. With that, I was able to add all of the Roku functions that I need. After seeing up the devices, it is very easy to make up some smart routines to operate there TV and other items. And just after making the routine, it showed up in the Alexa app.The biggest issue that I have with the Logitech Harmony hub is that it doesn't seem possible to set a toggle switch for turning things on or off. They required 2 separate actions. Not true with this unit though. You can set it to turn on or off many items. The toggle worked out so well that I decided to set it up with one of my Echo Buttons. Now whenever I want to watch TV or turn it off, I just hit the big button and it does its thing.As for the controller itself, it's very nice. Compact and plain in appearance, it does a big job. It has a USB C plug and comes with a small USB cable, but no power supply. It has just one small button on it for putting it into pairing mode. Other than that, everything is done through changing settings in the SmartLife app.

4 stars is mainly because of the smart life app. Starting with the good, as another person said, this is what harmony should be, and I can't agree more. Price wise is unreal this things works better than ir blasters that cost 2 and 4 times more than it. I tried a broadlink mini and then a harmony hub before trying and loving this one. It has enough devices in it that most everything is in there that you would need. It's small but it works really well. Integration into alexa is the main reason as to why I like this one so much. Harmony's integration is simply terrible and the broadlink mini I never even got on my wifi. I really like automation you can do in the smart life app for multi commands on multiple devices that get picked up by alexa as scenes. I got the one with temp and humidity because why not, and it's really accurate. The ifttt I played with and works fine, but don't intend to use it much.The cons on this device starts with the smart life app in general. I personally don't like it because it feels cluttered. You can't group things and I have a several devices in it now like lights and switches along with two of these ir's now and all the remotes that I set up in the ir. So it's an eye sore of an app with all the devices and remotes on the front page. Personally I prefer structure so it's a con for me anyway. Roku isn't an available device you can select in the setup and the DIY/Custom learning function is painfully irratating. You click the button to learn then it just randomly goes away, after a couple tries it will finally stay up and try to learn the button. Best advice, if you are using that is just keep trying to add it over and over and over again until it finally works and adds because it eventually will.Regarding roku ultra's, you are out of luck on the ok button fully working. Roku in general integrates ok into alexa but has some issues mainly with prime video and voice commands. The blaster was able to learn the ok button but it doesn't work when it's in prime video for some reason through the blaster, I can use the learned one in the main menu and it works in netflix and a couple other apps though which was weird. Best guess is the ok button is sending multiple commands and the blaster is only picking up one. I have an older universal remote that the roku ok button works fine on also, but never could get the ir blaster to learn what the universal remote was sending at all.