Cut the coffee table clutter and rule your A/V empire with an all-in-one remote—whether it’s a traditional clicker or an app on your smartphone.
The Basics
With all these new smartphone systems, why would anyone choose a hardware remote?
Buttons. Even if you’re used to pecking at a touchscreen, physical buttons are always nicer—especially on a remote control, where the tactile feedback lets you bump up the volume without taking your eyes off the screen. Some remote-control apps try to address this by assigning swipe gestures to various actions, but it’s still a big adjustment.
If I go the smartphone route, will I have to take off my protective Domo-kun case?
Probably not. Early attempts at turning smartphones into all-in-one remotes involved bulky external cases, but those are mostly gone. New app- based remotes break down into two types: those that involve plugging a small IR blaster into your phone’s charging port and those that communicate wirelessly with a separate IR blaster. Either way, you just pull up the control interface as you would any other app and you’re in business.
Do smartphone remotes work with as many A/V components?
Absolutely. App remotes draw from a constantly updated library of device definitions, and when said definitions aren’t available, manual programming options cover the rest.
Buying Advice
The more people in your household, the more a hardware remote makes sense. (Do you really want the kids waking you up to unlock your phone for Saturday morning cartoons?) But if you live alone or just love tweaking every little thing, a smartphone remote is for you. These systems let you customize things right down to individual button placement. They’re also better for controlling multiple zones: You’d never lug a stand-alone remote from room to room, but your phone is generally in your pocket.