Wish there was a remote control for your home entertainment center that was as easy to use as an iPhone or an iPad? You’re not the only one.
Indeed, there are already several products on sale that will turn your iPhone into a TV remote, although most of them rely on a dongle that you must connect to your phone before you can start changing channels.
Now comes Logitech (maker of some of the finest, so-called “universal” remotes on the market) and its new Harmony Link ($99, slated to arrive in October), which controls up to eight home-video devices with the help of a glossy, pebble-shaped module that “blasts” wireless commands to your TV, cable box, DVD player, and other components.
The Harmony Link's "mini-blaster" module sits on or near your TV cabinet, where it sends wireless commands to your various home-video components.
As described by Logitech, the setup process is relatively simple. You just install the free Harmony Link app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Android smartphone, and then strategically place the compact Harmony Link module (which connects to your home Wi-Fi network) on or near your TV cabinet.
Then, using the step-by-step menus on the Harmony Link app, you configure the module so it can communicate with your various home video devices (up to 5,000 brands are supported, Logitech says). You’ll also have to set up a few main activities, like “Watch TV,” “Watch a Movie,” or “Play a Game.”
It sounds complicated, I know. But as the satisfied owner of Logitech’s marvelous, easy-to-use Harmony One remote, I’m guessing that configuring the Link to work with your TV, DVR, and other components will be a relatively painless process.
Once the setup is all finished, turning on your TV, changing channels, and futzing with the volume will be a simple process of launching the Harmony Link app on your smartphone or iPad—and thanks to the wireless Link module sitting near your TV cabinet, you won’t have to worry about attaching a dongle to your phone before you start watching.
Even better, the Harmony Link app for iPad boasts a searchable, on-screen programming guide, complete with photos and show descriptions.
So, ready to trade in your old TV remote (or remotes) for an iPad app?
LINK: Logitech Harmony Link
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I’m getting this for your parents for Christmas!
Great timing for us: the rechargeable battery on our Harmony One is starting to last no longer than 10 minutes. If the software is optimized for Android tablet screen sizes this is going to be awesome!
I’m assuming that it will work from multiple devices, too? That it’s not licensed to one device?
Thanks for pointing this out.
You know, I should have specified that there isn’t a Harmony Link app optimized for Android tablets. The smartphone app will work on something like the HTC Flyer or the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but it won’t have program listings—or at least, not yet.
As far as the Link working with multiple devices … I don’t have a specific answer for that one, but I don’t see why not. I’ll check.