Beyond Logitech: The Sofabaton U2 Universal Remote Review You Need to Watch

[@BuzStringer]

Are we there yet? have we gotten past logitech? Sofabaton U2 Amazon - amzn.to/3Zatezz SexyTech - @sexytech69 I Used The Best Universal Remote of 2024 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJnHl2yJqZiqasU

[@stewartmarler1416]

A few questions if I may. Can macros be assigned to any button? Can they be compiled in the app so one can be selective and build them just-so? Can discreet input selection commands be piled up in macros? I am trying to find a remote that the wife and kids can simply push a designated button for either TV, DVD, Chromecast, Foxtel or Nintendo Switch and have the devices turned on and the correct inputs selected. This one is looking promising for that role.

[@diffmull]

You should "pin" your comment so it stays at the top. I think you lose the pin if you edit the comment.

[@BuzStringer]

@@diffmull oops, thank you :)

[@MikkoRantalainen]

Nope. If you don't have true activities, you don't even compete in the same class. I'd love to see a cheap hub + remote solution that supports activities but it seems that Logitech was closest to that with hub + companion remote but now that Logitech doesn't consider remote controllers worth their time, nobody has even remotely complete library of IR commands for such a many devices. The great part of Logitech's database is that many devices have e.g. dedicated Power Off and Power On commands, as well as dedicated IR codes for switching between devices. The official remote controller of said device rarely has those buttons but the device actually supports such commands if you know the correct IR codes, which Logitech reverse engineered for many devices. As a result, any system with lesser database and ability to only learn buttons from existing remotes, is going to be much worse.

[@diffmull]

@@MikkoRantalainen It would be great if we could interest the EU in this problem and get them to legislate for codes to be published by the manufacturers.

[@TheMetrolux]

3:54 Nice Professor Putricide reference there :)

[@mobo8586]

I like the handy little prism thing you have on your Samsung soundbar so you can see the menu when sat down. Great idea!

[@BuzStringer]

Best part of the whole setup!

[@briankgarland]

Just ordered it. Thank God someone came out with a decent (and cheap) replacement for Logi. So weird that there wasn't a race to fill the void that Logi left.

[@MichaelGreenham]

Their tech support is awesome. Used their chat and they fixed 2 issues within 30 min.

[@GregoryHalse]

Hi with the harmony remote you press one button and you it turns on the required device is this the same with u2 this was not talked in your video

[@Dragotalon]

already got rid of Harmony Remote and Use Sofabon U2 also was a backer for kickstart

[@IRDRUMMER]

Glad you mentioned the macro limitation to buttons only. What confuses me is on the official SofaBaton macro help video it shows a screen to choose from either buttons or full command list.

[@stevenjohns8719]

Hi, good video, found it informative, I recently purchased the X1 and tried for hours to get it working correctly, eventually gave up and sent it back to Amazon, I came to the conclusion you need a degree in computer science to programme it, I've sent for the U2 today which looks much more user friendly and got it on the black Friday deal for 50 quid, looking forward to your thoughts on the complicated X1, best wishes,SJ, UK.

[@BuzStringer]

thanks, and yep! The X1 has a way to go, the U2 is super user friendly. I have tried the X1 and it's not ready yet, the U2 feels a lot more polished and X1 feels rushed. I am holding back on reviewing the X1 properly because I want to give it a chance and and give Sofabaton a chance to address my concerns, but right now, don't buy X1.

[@TheMerchant96]

Interested to know what complicated wizardry you're doing with your setup. The whole home assistant Roku thing piqued my interest.

[@BuzStringer]

you made it to the end! :) I would make a full video about it but it really only applies to the Logitech remotes, and I think we are all trying to move away from them. But, In Home assistant you can setup a “Emulated Roku” device www.home-assistant.io/integrations/emulated_roku/ You can add this “Roku” to the Logitech remote that has wifi (Like the harmony hub) Home assistant then listens for “button presses” from the Emulated Roku You when you press Up for example on the Roku device on the Logitech remote, it can trigger an automaton in Home Assistant (or Node-Red) (I mostly use the Node-red addon in Home Assistant for automations but it works natively in Home Assistant as well) Of course you can map the “Roku Up button” to any physical button on the Logitech remote and make it do whatever you like in Home Assistant You can take it a step further, for example I have the “Roku Up button” as part of the startup on one of my Logitech activities. So if I start the “Watch Movies” activity “Roku Up” is sent to Home Assistant then Home Assistant can dim the lights, Set the TV to correct HDMI and Volume etc… It also lets you control things that aren’t aways in the Logitech remote, for example there is no dedicated HDMI input button on my TV (I can’t go to HDMI 2 directly for example, I have to bring up the input menu, urgh) BUT, My TV runs Android so I have added my TV in Home Assistant, and can switch HDMI inputs directly using Android ADB in Home Assistant (similar thing with my soundbar as well for Night mode) community.home-assistant.io/t/android-tv-hdmi/234411 The limitations are that it takes a device space on the Logitech remote and there are only a few buttons on each “emulated Roku” (Home, Rev, Fwd, Play, Select, Left, Right, Down, Up, Back, InstantReplay, Info, BackSpace, Search, Enter) You can make as many emulated Rokus as you want in Home Assistant, but I think there is a 7 device limit on the Harmony Hub. Bonus: In node red you can listen for changes to the activity on the harmony remote and launch an automation when an activity starts. I did lose a few weekends getting everything working but hopefully this points you in the right direction if you want to try it

[@TheMerchant96]

@@BuzStringer Thanks for the detailed response. Super interesting. I'd have never thought to use HA in that way. Now I've got some ideas that I may lose some weekends to lol

[@chuckray8675]

Is the back of the remote made out of this "silk" plastic thing that eventually turns into a sticky mess over the years and must be painstakingly removed with acetone (and the plastic below oiled with mineral oil to avoid white streaks)? You know, like on the back of the Logitech Harmony 1100 for instance.

[@djphat1736]

"till it dies!" Sorry, but nothing beats the logitech remote. Its just made for the job. Totally sucks they stopped making it. Should have sold it off or something so it can live forever. Thanks for the video. And when mine does finally go. I'll have to take a look at this or the U1 (most likely). That other one you showed in another video is not ready and way too much.

[@ahmedmazloum3601]

Can I control my lamp with it? Its remote uses a 2.4Ghz connection.

[@compudude]

Nothing beats the Logitech Harmony remotes. Eeeeexcept once the Logitech starts going, and gets glitchy, then something "not quite as good" can actually be better. My wife dropped our Harmony in the bedroom one too many times, and it's not super reliable anymore. The Sofabaton U2 has come in as a fairly viable replacement. It's missing some things, but it's getting better. Some things will need new hardware, others might be accomplished via software updates. First and foremost, if you have not yet cut the cord, there are some serious missing buttons. Exh A: There's no "Record" button. Like if you want to record a show to your DVR. There's no "List" to view the list of recorded shows, or "Guide" to show the live TV grid. There's no skip (vs FF). Sometimes you can reprogram unused buttons to take the place, but (a) some devices don't leave a lot of unused buttons, and (b) those buttons are rarely ideally placed. This made this a non-starter for my in-laws and parents, both of whom still heavily use their DVRs (cable and satellite). We were excited to try a viable replacement, but they quickly ran into a wall with those important missing buttons. If you have cut the cord, however, the more minimalist buttons (not as extreme as the X1 which sadly is out of the running... I need physical buttons!) likely meet *most* needs. The fewer and simpler your device lineup, the more likely it is to work and work well. Macros are nice but some actual activity based controls would be nicer, especially in terms of recovery when one device or another misses a command, which seems to happen annoyingly often. As another commenter pointed out, the ability to SAVE a configuration would be huge, along with being able to copy a setup to another remote. As it is now if you have to reset for any reason, you can't just restore, you're starting from scratch. Hope you remember all the settings tweaks you made over time! This is already a good remote. It wouldn't take much more to make it really great, however.

[@neilmcrae1]

I just got the X1S and its back in the box going back to Amazon - utter crap.

[@BuzStringer]

I didn't like the X1S it tries to do everything and ends up no doing anything very well. the U2 is a great basic universal remote, if you only want consolidate a bunch of remotes it works great but wont to much more than that. The X1S REALLY, REALLY misses the mark.

[@MuhammadArshad92]

Will you be reviewing the new x1s?

[@neilmcrae1]

I just got it - utter crap. Buggy and restarts, doesn't have numbers for channel selection - useless. Fails the WifeProof Test miserably.

[@AntiSocialHero]

This remote is my daily driver in the living room, but man is it a janky mess at times. I’d say it works just fine about 85% of the time. My wife absolutely hates how clicky it is.

[@BuzStringer]

you'll love or hate the clicky, i like clicky things. but i understand why people don't. the App could use some improvements, they seem slow on that.

[@CartesianJohn]

If you're really lucky you'll eventually lose the clicky... and gain a squidgy mess that only registers half your button presses. I'm on my third replacement from Amazon, Sofabaton were completely non-responsive to emails for support/warranty. Wholly agree on the janky mess though. Buggy as hell app, crap build quality... not so much a universal remote as universally hated. I'm desparately searching for a decent alternative.

[@wraighsj]

U2 is frustratingly ALMOST there ... needs ... (a) ability to backup/restore. Can take a while to program, if it resets ... got to do it ALL again (b) ability to copy one remote to another as a starting point ... otherwise ... repetition! (c) macro's only 4 commands long? I mean, come on, really?? (At least 10 needed)