SofaBatonU2 Universal Remote (with Backlight), All-in-One Smart Universal Remote Control with Customized APP for TV/Soundbar/DVD/Blu-ray/Projector and More, Macro Buttons & Extended Infrared Range

This is a pleasant upgrade to the already excellent Sofabaton U1. I especially like the lighted buttons on the new model -- much more usable in a dark A/V setting. This device consolidates a basket of other controllers, as well as offering the ability to create custom controllers with macros that control several devices. Disclaimer: Sofabaton offered me a full rebate on my U2. That's important for a reader to know. Also important is that the reason they did so was probably that I was happy with the U1 that I purchased four years ago. The U2 is even better.I found the setup intuitive, especially for the power and flexibility offered. I had an easy time downloading the data for my TV, Blue-ray, digital radio, Sonos, Apple TV 4k (3rd generation), and old Nakamichi receiver. The hardest part of that was tracking down the exact model numbers of some of my components.I didn't always meet with immediate success. For example, there were two models that seemed close to the model of my LG TV, and the first one had the volume up and down backwards for my TV. So I tried the other profile, and all was well. You can test the buttons in the phone app, and it's easy to download a different profile or customize individual buttons. When I bought my U1 about 4 years ago, some of my components didn't have entries in the Sofabaton database. But their customer support folks were very responsive and helpful, and immediately added the devices I needed.My old Nakamichi TA-3A receiver was recognized, but the buttons didn't all work correctly. It was a simple matter to customize those buttons. You get a layout of the Sofabaton's buttons displayed in the Sofabaton phone app; press the button in the app, and then select an option to set its function. You can either look up the selection from the database, or select the option to learn from the existing remote. Then point the remote at the Sofabaton, and press the button on the remote. I did that to set buttons for the main four inputs on the receiver, the tuner track up and down, and tuner seek back and forward. Works like a charm. You can also simply customize a button's function from the database, which might have been easier. I did that for some of the other functions I added.With about 30 seconds of playing around, I figured out how to create a macro. So I downloaded a second profile for my Oppo Blue-ray player, but named it OppoNakCD. Then I set the power button to be a macro to which I added actions to: power on the Nakamichi receiver, select the "CD" input on the receiver, and power on the Oppo Blue-ray player. I made another button into a macro to reset the receiver's input to "Video", power off the receiver, and power off the Blue-ray player. I also set the volume up / down buttons to control the receiver's volume, and I set the "input" button on the control to be the Oppo's disk eject button.When you add multiple commands to your macro (just hit the "+" and select the device and then the command to add), there's a default pause added between the commands. Just tap on that pause, and you can change the interval to whatever you want. I did this between my receiver's power-on and input selection, because it takes a couple seconds before it's ready. Very cool. Now it's as if I had a simple, all-in-one CD player with dedicated remote control.I just discovered a Sofabaton video explaining a lot of this, but it turned out I didn't need it. I think I'll want to review it anyway, because it seems to include tips beyond what I've been exploring tonight. In case it helps someone else, here's the link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQLT6MJQVDY

A year ago, I had nearly lost hope that I would find a good replacement for my Harmony remote, the buttons of which had become almost nonfunctional, and which Logitech has ceased manufacturing. But then I learned about the Sofabaton. Still, I held out, not being confident that this remote could integrate the functions of my various devices. When the old remote recently became nearly unusable, I relented, and was encouraged by an online user review of the Sobabaton. The review was glowing, describing how simple it was to include functions of one device in the operation of another, and how in fact programming and operating the remote was actually easier than the Harmony. So I ordered it. I programmed it in one afternoon (with a few tweaks the next day). For my entertainment center, I used Sofabaton's extensive database of device functions; for my Frigidaire AC, I had the remote learn the functions directly from the AC remote. The entire task went far more smoothly than I could have imagined. My new Sofabaton is working like a charm!

I bought this after finding that Logitech stopped making their stellar remote. I’ve only had it for a day and have found that it’s not as good as the Logitech, but it works if you mess with it enough.My video/audio setup is simple: Sony Bravia 3, Sony UBP-700 Bluray player, AppleTv 4k settop box.The remote is of good quality. Nice display and roll wheel lets you pick what device you want to control. The keys are backlit and light up when you grab the remote. It’s big enough not to get lost and feels good in hand.Getting the remote to see the individual parts is fairly easy; use the phone app to add devices to the remote. The app does the heavy lifting.Unfortunately, that’s when things get a bit tricky. My AppleTV is plugged into the earc hdmi port on the TV, the Bluray is on a standard hdmi port. I don’t have speakers set up yet.Turning on the tv defaults to whichever input you last used, so if you were watching Bluray and now want to watch something on AppleTV you have to jump through a few hoops. The easiest way is to turn on the tv, switch inputs, and either turn off or ignore the device you were using before. The Logitech remote would switch off the current device, switch on the one you want to now use, then switch the inputs to the tv. This remote is not so smart.My tv is not connected to wifi, neither is the Bluray Player (I recommend that you do the same if you value privacy), the only device connected for streaming in the AppleTV.AppleTV is a bit strange because it is still “on” even when it’s off. The hdmi port is still active and the box is in a kinda suspended state. Because of that the earc port on the tv senses it and wants to default to it if i want to switch to Bluray. So, I turn on the tv, switch inputs to bluray. The TV senses the active earc port and switches back to AppleTV. I switch back to bluray and ignore the AppleTV. Not elegant, but it works.Turning stuff off is a pain too. You can’t use the power button to turn off AppleTV, if you are watching AppleTV you quick-tap the remote power button and that turns the tv and AppleTV off. A long press (2. -3 seconds) brings up a tv reset dialogue. Weird!While in AppleTV, if you want to go to the AppleTV Home Screen a long press (2-3 seconds) on the back-arrow button does the trick.None of this is explained anywhere, and none of it is logical.The SofaBaton remote does allow programming so you can get it to do what you want. I haven’t gotten that far into it yet. The remote will also learn from the original remote. That process is easy. You can also easily program or reassign buttons to act however you want. I had to do that the get the Bluray player to open and close the drawer.In all, it’s a decent remote. Not stellar. Be prepared to mess with it.Update: I’ve had it for a few days now and have added the Ugreen 3 port HDMI switcher to the mix. I got the this switcher because it can be remotely controlled.My arrangement now is this: the AppleTV and the Sony UBP-700 Bluray player are on post 1 and 2 of the switcher. The output of the switcher goes to a standard HDMI port of the TV ( not the earc port). I add the IR sensor to the switcher too. And I’ve added the switcher to the remote.Now things work better. Turning on either the Bluray Player or AppleTV will turn on that device and the TV ( the HDMI port on the tv has CEC enabled which turns on or off the device connected to it). If I want to switch devices I simply scroll down to the switch on the remote, select the device ( I have buttons 1 and 2 reprogrammed to to ugreen switch 1and 2 buttons respectively), scroll to the device I’ve selected on the switch and power it on. I can then select the previous device and power it off. I can then turn off everything by powering off the tv.This is not elegant, but it achieves the goal of reducing the number of remotes you have to deal with. There’s macros you can set up too. I haven’t gotten that far into it yet and may leave it as is because it works.