I never realized that there was a such thing as universal smart remotes, but after picking up a Google Home, I checked out Amazon and damn, I’m overwhelmed with the amount of products for sale.
If you’re not familiar (if you are, skip ahead), these universal smart remotes are basically boxes that connect to an app and send IR data out when you use the remote from the app. Connectivity through Google Home / Alexa seems to be common as well, so voice activation can also be used, bypassing the app on the phone. Some of them also have added temperature and humidity sensors.
**I’m looking for** people in the community have some experience with using these infrared smart remotes here in Japan. *Ideally, I’ll want multiple users to be able to log in.* This doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore, but with brands out there that I’d never heard of, I figured I should at least put that out there. Other than that, they should be from app developers that sell their apps on the Universal Market, not exclusive to the Japanese market. If I can’t download it with my countries app store, it’s a no go.
***Most important*** *is that I’ll want the box to control my lights and AC*. I have no clue how these devices work, but I assume some of them operate from a database of remotes. I have two sets of Panasonic lights that will be in range, a Mitsubishi AC unit, and a CIRCULight light and overhead fan combo.
I figure I’ll have no issues with the big brand units, but the CIRCULight may not be on any database, and my hope is that the app and device would have a ***well thought out manual entry mode***.
***Last,*** *I’d prefer that the unit has temperature and humidity sensors that can be integrated with Google Home*. I would be best if I can allow Google Home to take over, rather than the app itself, but that’s less of an issue. Bonus if it has a panel, but it’s not all that necessary. >!Extra points if they don’t look like weird UFO shaped objects… that will only attract the cat and he’s bound to knock it over!<.
Two that I’ve noticed online are **Edison’s Smart Multi-Smart Remote Control** ([https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Multi-Smart-Temperature-Humidity-Appliances-Controller/dp/B09R3N3TRJ/ref=pd\_vtp\_d\_sccl\_4\_6/355-7995320-0263224?pd\_rd\_i=B09R3N3TRJ&th=1](https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Multi-Smart-Temperature-Humidity-Appliances-Controller/dp/B09R3N3TRJ/ref=pd_vtp_d_sccl_4_6/355-7995320-0263224?pd_rd_i=B09R3N3TRJ&th=1)) and **etife Smart Remote Control 4** ([https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/etife-Remote-Control-Google-Infrared/dp/B0B1PW2H1P/ref=sr\_1\_1?crid=3798C0RPFU1O4&qid=1704337797&sprefix=smart+remote+google+hom,aps,162&th=1](https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/etife-Remote-Control-Google-Infrared/dp/B0B1PW2H1P/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3798C0RPFU1O4&qid=1704337797&sprefix=smart+remote+google+hom,aps,162&th=1)) … of course there are many, many more, but with so many devices on the market, I can’t look at all of them. I’m sure some people here have given them a shot, and I hope that there are a few good ones on the market that will work with the remotes I already have.
Also, I’m looking for a good motorized curtain device or system that isn’t going to break the bank, and thinking that these might help my insomnia, at least in the morning when I wake up. Looks like Switch Bot is making rechargeable devices that snap right into the curtain rods and I didn’t notice these products until recently… if anyone here is using them, let me know how they are holding up!
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