CES 2012

Tablets as Remote Controls

Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 15, 2012

Your universal remote control may become a thing of the past. TV manufacturers are creating apps that can not only control the TV, but can be programmed with macros to control your whole home theater system.

Remote control apps have been appearing over the past year. These apps work over wifi to control connected TVs and devices.

This year, Sony and Samsung are showing tablets with IR (infrared control), that can send commands to most any home theater device.

What do you think? Are you ready to chuck your home theater remote for an app on a tablet?

COMMENTS
Arnaud32's picture
Submitted by Arnaud32 on January 15, 2012 - 9:20am

Have you ever try the Harmony link?
It seems to have the same capability as the Harmony one, except it is just a black box that is connected to an Ipad, Iphone ore Android device. So you just control your entire HT through your tablet.

I am tired of my Harmony ones that have a screen failure after 1year and 2 months... and am looking at something more intutive...

Jon Iverson's picture
Submitted by Jon Iverson on January 15, 2012 - 12:47pm
Love the idea of the iPad/touchscreen controller, but still desire hard buttons that are always available and instantly responsive for volume, mute, and few other simple commands.

Though I have remote control apps on my iPad and Touch for several devices including DirecTV (great app!!!), my preamp, disc player, etc., the fact that I have to wake it up or have a lit screen in my darkened room to adjust volume is a major drawback.

yachtmandu's picture
Submitted by yachtmandu on January 15, 2012 - 7:40pm

nothing like a remote control the size of a dinner plate that is useless in a darkened theater room and requires 100 % of your attention to simply adjust the volume...don't take this wrong, i do love my iPad, but as a remote control it's cumbersome, time consuming, and sort of like trying to eat popcorn blindfolded with a single chopstick...

Arnaud32's picture
Submitted by Arnaud32 on January 16, 2012 - 10:44am

I completely agree with you on the remote buttons that are a must.
However, i got my system configured with a second zone for upstair's music, and I love the idea of using my ipad to actually turn-on my music system and chose from my library (considering using a mac mini as a music server, as suiggested in an article here last year)directly from my ipad, without having to go downstairs, and back and forth for volume adjustments....

raymay's picture
Submitted by raymay on January 16, 2012 - 6:52pm

For many reasons, I personally like the iPad as remote idea. Indeed, I just bought and set up a RedEye which I'm successfully using to control my music/ht system. There are two things I'd like to do, but haven't figured out.
How to control Zone B of my McIntosh MX119; and
How to control the on/off function of a MacBook from the iPad (I can use iTunes remote use the MacBook is on).
Ideas?

Arnaud32's picture
Submitted by Arnaud32 on January 18, 2012 - 1:09pm

For the mac, can't you use the screen sharing capability to pilot it from another device? Not sure it works from an ipad, though...

As far as the zone 2 problems, have you tried to "teach" your redeye device the command from the original remote, and then using the activity set up to create the zone 2 listening?

Deckard's picture
Submitted by Deckard on June 12, 2012 - 9:18pm

I welcome the one remote to rule them all, iPad or otherwise. My remote clutter is spreading from my coffee table to my iOS devices as every component I buy has a different app to controll it. I am looking for a solution that not only reduces the clutter, but also makes my home theater to my family as well.

billjones847's picture
Submitted by billjones847 on October 2, 2012 - 3:48pm

Yes I would love to have a tablet as a remote. I see that the Sony has the ability to do Macros. How about a shoot out review between the two as a remote. Thanks.

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