Apple's 'Remote' application was a good start, but we've known for some time now that the platform was capable of far, far more. ThinkFlood is stepping up today and proving our assumptions right, as the RedEye universal remote control system effectively converts your iPhone or iPod touch into a remote for any IR-equipped component. The app itself is completely free to download, though it's the $188 base station that really makes the magic happen; your handheld talks to said dock via WiFi, and if you've got an AV device, home automation system or pretty much anything that responds to IR signals, your iPhone can now control it. The setup supports multiple rooms, controllers and users simultaneously, and we're told that it "controls a virtually unlimited number of devices and can store a virtually unlimited number of commands." Heck, this thing even reacts to multitouch gestures and accelerometer controls. Don't believe us? Check the vids just past the break.
Not really a new idea, but nice to see someone supporting home automation. Have had phone control of my home for several years now, but this would add a nice graphical touch. Pre or Android support coming?
@sitruc I have gone thru every palm out there, from my old Pilot to the III, V, Handspring Treo, and Palm Treos up through the 650. I can say without exception, the built-in ports are terrible. I loved Novi remote, and used it regularly, but the only hardware that had an IR port that could shoot 25 feet was the Handspring, and that was with the extra Springboard IR Module.
I'd much rather see Logitech come out with an app/IR-WiFi adapter. I've used Harmony remotes for years and like the interface. Considering the cost of real universal remotes ($100-500 for decent Harmony remotes, and thousands for other Touch Screen options) $190 isn't bad to be able to control anything from anywhere. You can't change tracks from the back deck with IR!
Um, no they haven't. No Palm OS, Windows Mobile or Symbian device have ever had this functionality.
I used to control my TV with a Sony Ericsson P910 and a Palm Tungsten T3, both of which sucked at it. Sony's Clié devices were somewhat better because they had universal IR ports (i.e. much stronger blasters), but they still required line of sight and the concept of activity based remote controlling weren't around at the time. Because of the IR only functionality, neither could control devices in other rooms, let alone allow for multi-room functionality.
@(Unverified) However, a Harmony is this big unwieldy thing with tons of buttons that takes a little while to find each thing you want to use. I haven't used RedEye's software, but given the platform there's certainly the possibility for a really nice, elegant, and usability-focused solution that only shows you what you need when you need it.
Logitech's Harmony remote is a long-running tragedy. The device database maintained by Logitech is full of errors and omissions, so I hope this gadget gains traction just to light a fire and give them some competition. The Harmony hardware is old school, and I can see how iPhone will have far more appeal.
@(Unverified) but when you think of the costs involved...
software that would be priced around $2.99 for the phone itself (it doesn't take very much programing skill to write a program that sends some UDP packets to a local IP)
And then a networked reviver that converts UDP packets to IR pulses...what maybe 20 dollars to Fab, I know you can do it with a arduino board. I think a price point around 50-70 dollars would be acceptable...but nearly 200?
A Harmony remote does a lot more then this does, plus you can move from room to room with it (the IR port is on the remote...this thing is landlocked to were-ever the receiver is)
A good idea, but a bit of a price gouge.
personally though I just duct tape all my remotes together....:-p
@Ed T: how is Harmony's database broken? I've set up remotes for myself and others, and never run into a single problem.
Although I have a Harmony One right now, I probably would have opted for the cheaper Harmony 700, because when I'm couch surfing, I want tactile buttons so I don't have to look at my remote. Navigating a media center via iPhone would be a pain in the ass.
The problem is that Logitech Harmony remotes are really a pain to use. They have none of the iPhone OS slickness, especially not the full touchscreen Harmonys like the 1000 and 1100. They both suck and I regret my purchase of the H1000. Also, they are around $500 and the IR-RF receiver is an additional $100 or so. At least in Europe.
@(Unverified) Heck, if I could find the parts, I could buy a $2 IR LED and ~$5-10 parallel male-female cable, literally stick the LED in the female end of the cable, plug it into any computer, and it'd take all of 20 minutes tops to hack together a program to pulse the LED in response to signals over a network and another to transmit said signals from an iPhone. I've been meaning to do that for a while now.
Any professional design these days would want to use USB instead of parallel, since modern computers actually have USB, but that's not going to raise the cost of hardware from $12 to $188.
Even for the advantage that this thing doesn't need a computer, I can't justify the price. A Game Boy Color, which I bought for a buck recently, with a maybe $20-40 wireless receiver could do this job very well.
No, you haven't. The E71's IR port isn't "universal", which means it's too weak to properly control stuff from far away. Also, it doesn't allow for multiroom controlling, activity based setups or touch screen control.
It's like saying "I've been cooking coffee on my stove since the 70s" when somebody releases a fully automated espresso machine. In other words, pretty stupid.
@Lundmark How are you going to tell me what I don't do with my own phone? I control my system from 11 ft away. I just measured it for argument's sake right now. All you have to do is turn the phone horizontally with the IR port facing forward and push the designated button for what you want to do, also make sure it is aligned with your system as it needs to be accurately pointed.
Sounds interesting, but I have my AV equipment in two different rooms, so I would need two of these I guess and a wi-fi network. Right now I just use IR repeaters that work 75% of the time.
I also hope that they have to IR learning feature correct and will allow me to add/subtract different button for a bunch of different devices.
I can't wait till my neighbour gets one of these, so I can feck about with their TV's using the signal leekage that will inevitably flow into my house (Semi-detached..)
I would buy it for around $30. I'm still trying to understand how the IR signal actually gets sent to each device. Are there IR cables that plug into this thing and run to your devices similar to how a SlingBox controls your devices? I'm assuming you'll need one of these in each room where you'll want to control devices.
I'll definitely take a look since I own a touch and the software is free. But with a base that means I wont need to aim a remote directly at the tv while rubbing my head on my tummy like I do with my $200 Logitech. Great remote, but half the time it misses turning on the HDTV, or the Receiver, which is a PITA.
The only problem I see with this is, if I like it enough, I'll have to buy a used ipod to use solely for being the living room remote, ramping the cost up even more. But the wifi->IR Basestation is genius and would make it worth it.
@(Unverified) You can fix that with just an IR repeater for like $20, most of it in tiny little cables. Just go to someplace like Smarthome and they'll guide you thru the stuff you need. Lets you put all your stuff in a closet or behind cabinet doors too.
To all the people saying "x has been doing it for years" - who cares? To do this without the extra hardware it requires an IR port on the phone. Not all phones have an IR port, and that would include the Palm Pre and the Droid. They would also require external hardware to do this.
For those of you who don't understand why this solution might be attractive for some people, not everybody wants a bunch of different devices. This would take the place of all your remotes, which is something some people would actually enjoy. Is that really so hard to understand?
@Jack It is hard to understand for most of these people, because its for the iPhone. Their only reason for existing is to say that anything the iphone can do, they have been able to do with a nuclear submarine since 1985. Its doesnt matter if its cool, or works, or replaces your 500 remotes. What matters is that THEY could do it with their phone 300 years ago.
Its a big reason i dont read this site much anymore. And certainly dont comment much at all.
I'll jump in when it's priced around $100. That said, it's a very interesting device. Naturally I'd like to try it out first to see how it works in practicality.
This seems like a good idea, but it's missing some key features that still make a Harmony RF remote a winner in my mind. For one thing, I don't see any arms/tentacles which is a must for me since my equipment is on different shelves.
The iPhone itself lacks IR, so I'd need something special for my in-front-of-the-wall TV vs. my behind-the-wall devices, whereas my Harmony remote has built-in IR for the TV, but RF capabilities for the devices.
Lastly, I doubt they'll have a PS3 attachment, which comes in super handy for my Harmony system.
@(Unverified) Agree about the "tentacles". They should have had an output for an IR repeater, and they don't. Sure you can use an IR pickup for a few extra bucks, sticking it on the front of this thing, but you really should cover up all the IR emitters then since I've seen issues with duplicate paths having different delays.
Obviously from the whole iPod dock thing they expect you to dock your iPhone/Touch in the thing to keep it powered. Like you I'd rather put the thing in the cabinet with the equipment and keep my iPhone with me, or use a different dock to power it. I don't want to run a power cable to my coffee table. Sorry.
I was sure hoping for around $50 as well. The Apple Remote app works so well for controlling the Apple TV and selecting AirTunes sources from anywhere via WiFi. An IP->IR transceiver just shouldn't be this expensive - even with the application. Hmmm, some of you have devices that allow you to remove the IR sender by itself and put it in remote places, and it still responds to the device? I do have to get me one of those!
Why didn't they just add an IR dongle for the Iphone. Smaller equipment, less steps to communication, no external equipment outside of a dongle that plugs into the Iphone, completely portable for any IR device you run across. This is just counterintuitive. Iphone->router->ir set top device->tv Iphone->dongle->TV
@glamajamma Actually you dont need a router because the dock acts like an wireless adhoc so it is iphone > dock > tv.
The price at $180 is way high considering it is just a network repeater with built in IR. You can get a network repeater for under $40. My guess is Apple tax. Would also be nice if it did RF as well
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posted December 2nd 2009 2:27PM
Not really a new idea, but nice to see someone supporting home automation. Have had phone control of my home for several years now, but this would add a nice graphical touch. Pre or Android support coming?
@(Unverified)
A product named Red Eye would be especially poignant on the Droid.
Palm has been doing this for years without any extra hardware.
http://download.cnet.com/Novii-Remote-Deluxe-for-Palm-OS/3000-2056_4-10520005.html
@glamajamma
Simply because Palm devices have built-in IR ports
@glamajamma Many phones have had IR for years. The WinMo phones and PocketPC's I've had have had IR. Anyone who pays nearly $200 for this is a fool.
@sitruc I have gone thru every palm out there, from my old Pilot to the III, V, Handspring Treo, and Palm Treos up through the 650. I can say without exception, the built-in ports are terrible. I loved Novi remote, and used it regularly, but the only hardware that had an IR port that could shoot 25 feet was the Handspring, and that was with the extra Springboard IR Module.
I'd much rather see Logitech come out with an app/IR-WiFi adapter. I've used Harmony remotes for years and like the interface. Considering the cost of real universal remotes ($100-500 for decent Harmony remotes, and thousands for other Touch Screen options) $190 isn't bad to be able to control anything from anywhere. You can't change tracks from the back deck with IR!
Um, no they haven't. No Palm OS, Windows Mobile or Symbian device have ever had this functionality.
I used to control my TV with a Sony Ericsson P910 and a Palm Tungsten T3, both of which sucked at it. Sony's Clié devices were somewhat better because they had universal IR ports (i.e. much stronger blasters), but they still required line of sight and the concept of activity based remote controlling weren't around at the time. Because of the IR only functionality, neither could control devices in other rooms, let alone allow for multi-room functionality.
So guys, this comparison is just ludicrous.
@glamajamma I bought the Novii software. It wasn't compatible with a few of Palm's devices, like all of the newer ones. And programming it was a pain.
i don't see the point in this for that price you can by a logitech remote.
@(Unverified) However, a Harmony is this big unwieldy thing with tons of buttons that takes a little while to find each thing you want to use. I haven't used RedEye's software, but given the platform there's certainly the possibility for a really nice, elegant, and usability-focused solution that only shows you what you need when you need it.
Logitech should be taking note here.
Logitech's Harmony remote is a long-running tragedy. The device database maintained by Logitech is full of errors and omissions, so I hope this gadget gains traction just to light a fire and give them some competition. The Harmony hardware is old school, and I can see how iPhone will have far more appeal.
@(Unverified) but when you think of the costs involved...
software that would be priced around $2.99 for the phone itself (it doesn't take very much programing skill to write a program that sends some UDP packets to a local IP)
And then a networked reviver that converts UDP packets to IR pulses...what maybe 20 dollars to Fab, I know you can do it with a arduino board. I think a price point around 50-70 dollars would be acceptable...but nearly 200?
A Harmony remote does a lot more then this does, plus you can move from room to room with it (the IR port is on the remote...this thing is landlocked to were-ever the receiver is)
A good idea, but a bit of a price gouge.
personally though I just duct tape all my remotes together....:-p
I'd much rather control my stuff from the iPhone and ditch my Harmony. But $188 is just too much for that. Some competition please!
@Ed T: how is Harmony's database broken? I've set up remotes for myself and others, and never run into a single problem.
Although I have a Harmony One right now, I probably would have opted for the cheaper Harmony 700, because when I'm couch surfing, I want tactile buttons so I don't have to look at my remote. Navigating a media center via iPhone would be a pain in the ass.
@(Unverified)
The problem is that Logitech Harmony remotes are really a pain to use. They have none of the iPhone OS slickness, especially not the full touchscreen Harmonys like the 1000 and 1100. They both suck and I regret my purchase of the H1000. Also, they are around $500 and the IR-RF receiver is an additional $100 or so. At least in Europe.
@(Unverified)
URC Or Phillips > Harmony
@(Unverified) Heck, if I could find the parts, I could buy a $2 IR LED and ~$5-10 parallel male-female cable, literally stick the LED in the female end of the cable, plug it into any computer, and it'd take all of 20 minutes tops to hack together a program to pulse the LED in response to signals over a network and another to transmit said signals from an iPhone. I've been meaning to do that for a while now.
Any professional design these days would want to use USB instead of parallel, since modern computers actually have USB, but that's not going to raise the cost of hardware from $12 to $188.
Even for the advantage that this thing doesn't need a computer, I can't justify the price. A Game Boy Color, which I bought for a buck recently, with a maybe $20-40 wireless receiver could do this job very well.
I've been doing this on my E71 for ages and for a fraction of the cost. I can't wait to do it on the N900 for free without needing extra hardware.
@Eternity What app are you using for this on the E71?
@billyblack204
http://irremote.psiloc.com/
YMMV and it isn't exactly iphone simple so make sure your receiver is supported.
@Eternity
No, you haven't. The E71's IR port isn't "universal", which means it's too weak to properly control stuff from far away. Also, it doesn't allow for multiroom controlling, activity based setups or touch screen control.
It's like saying "I've been cooking coffee on my stove since the 70s" when somebody releases a fully automated espresso machine. In other words, pretty stupid.
@Lundmark
How are you going to tell me what I don't do with my own phone?
I control my system from 11 ft away. I just measured it for argument's sake right now. All you have to do is turn the phone horizontally with the IR port facing forward and push the designated button for what you want to do, also make sure it is aligned with your system as it needs to be accurately pointed.
Mashup of the old ideas with the new one
Sounds interesting, but I have my AV equipment in two different rooms, so I would need two of these I guess and a wi-fi network. Right now I just use IR repeaters that work 75% of the time.
I also hope that they have to IR learning feature correct and will allow me to add/subtract different button for a bunch of different devices.
@rcappo
It has. You can learn commands from the original remote.
I want this but $188 for the base station is a deal breaker. I thougt it was just an app.
@PattyXXX
How exactly would an app control AV equipment with no IR interface (i.e. the base station)???
@(Unverified) When you're dumb, anything is possible
I can't wait till my neighbour gets one of these, so I can feck about with their TV's using the signal leekage that will inevitably flow into my house (Semi-detached..)
@(Unverified) Not sure what you're talking about. Its on wifi. However secure your Wifi is, its that secure. Signal leakage? Huh?
This would be super-cool if it cost maybe $20 or so.
1:54 on the first video.
He clearly doesn't type the whole of "Family Room" and when the camera zooms back on him again, hes got one of those
"No.. Seriously, I wasn't looking at pornhub mobile!!!" looks..
Even if it was 50 bucks, but nearly 200 no way. But one positive thing, I can never find a remote in my house but I can always find my phone.
I would buy it for around $30. I'm still trying to understand how the IR signal actually gets sent to each device. Are there IR cables that plug into this thing and run to your devices similar to how a SlingBox controls your devices? I'm assuming you'll need one of these in each room where you'll want to control devices.
this explains why we're so fat now.
I'll definitely take a look since I own a touch and the software is free. But with a base that means I wont need to aim a remote directly at the tv while rubbing my head on my tummy like I do with my $200 Logitech. Great remote, but half the time it misses turning on the HDTV, or the Receiver, which is a PITA.
The only problem I see with this is, if I like it enough, I'll have to buy a used ipod to use solely for being the living room remote, ramping the cost up even more. But the wifi->IR Basestation is genius and would make it worth it.
@(Unverified) You can fix that with just an IR repeater for like $20, most of it in tiny little cables. Just go to someplace like Smarthome and they'll guide you thru the stuff you need. Lets you put all your stuff in a closet or behind cabinet doors too.
To all the people saying "x has been doing it for years" - who cares? To do this without the extra hardware it requires an IR port on the phone. Not all phones have an IR port, and that would include the Palm Pre and the Droid. They would also require external hardware to do this.
For those of you who don't understand why this solution might be attractive for some people, not everybody wants a bunch of different devices. This would take the place of all your remotes, which is something some people would actually enjoy. Is that really so hard to understand?
@Jack It is hard to understand for most of these people, because its for the iPhone. Their only reason for existing is to say that anything the iphone can do, they have been able to do with a nuclear submarine since 1985. Its doesnt matter if its cool, or works, or replaces your 500 remotes. What matters is that THEY could do it with their phone 300 years ago.
Its a big reason i dont read this site much anymore. And certainly dont comment much at all.
you want this for $188? you gotta be kidding... apples for brains
@(Unverified) it's the same tactic TomTom did with their iPhone app, "Give away the razor, but rape them on the blades"
...oh wait, what am I saying? TomTom never gave anything away
I'll jump in when it's priced around $100. That said, it's a very interesting device. Naturally I'd like to try it out first to see how it works in practicality.
This seems like a good idea, but it's missing some key features that still make a Harmony RF remote a winner in my mind. For one thing, I don't see any arms/tentacles which is a must for me since my equipment is on different shelves.
The iPhone itself lacks IR, so I'd need something special for my in-front-of-the-wall TV vs. my behind-the-wall devices, whereas my Harmony remote has built-in IR for the TV, but RF capabilities for the devices.
Lastly, I doubt they'll have a PS3 attachment, which comes in super handy for my Harmony system.
@(Unverified) Agree about the "tentacles". They should have had an output for an IR repeater, and they don't. Sure you can use an IR pickup for a few extra bucks, sticking it on the front of this thing, but you really should cover up all the IR emitters then since I've seen issues with duplicate paths having different delays.
Obviously from the whole iPod dock thing they expect you to dock your iPhone/Touch in the thing to keep it powered. Like you I'd rather put the thing in the cabinet with the equipment and keep my iPhone with me, or use a different dock to power it. I don't want to run a power cable to my coffee table. Sorry.
@(Unverified)
You can use the Logitech PS3 Harmony adapter with RedEye to control the PS3.
I was sure hoping for around $50 as well. The Apple Remote app works so well for controlling the Apple TV and selecting AirTunes sources from anywhere via WiFi. An IP->IR transceiver just shouldn't be this expensive - even with the application.
Hmmm, some of you have devices that allow you to remove the IR sender by itself and put it in remote places, and it still responds to the device? I do have to get me one of those!
When are TV manufactures going to finally drop ancient IR technology for something simple like Bluetooth.
Why didn't they just add an IR dongle for the Iphone. Smaller equipment, less steps to communication, no external equipment outside of a dongle that plugs into the Iphone, completely portable for any IR device you run across. This is just counterintuitive.
Iphone->router->ir set top device->tv
Iphone->dongle->TV
@glamajamma Actually you dont need a router because the dock acts like an wireless adhoc so it is iphone > dock > tv.
The price at $180 is way high considering it is just a network repeater with built in IR. You can get a network repeater for under $40. My guess is Apple tax. Would also be nice if it did RF as well