SofaBaton X1S review and comparison. Should you buy the SofaBaton? Home Theater Gurus.

[@TechinaSec101]

Great review, Its a shame Logitech stopped making amazing remotes, just imagine what they could have been coming out with. The SofaBaton is great but i think still has a few things to upgrade.

[@amen_ra6926]

Out of curiosity, does Sofabaton explain why there is no numeric keypad. I know they don't get used much but if you're watching Over-the-Air, being able to choose a channel would be nice.

[@scottweismann4860]

This is a great video. I have the Logitech Harmony and have been curious about the up and coming devices with SofaBaton being one of them. I have been struggling with the Harmony not being able to control my lights and this video got me thinking about it. I came up with an option that works great for me and wanted to share. If you use Home Assistant, you can install an Emulated Roku and an Emulated Hue app that will allow you to tie into your smart home. I am now able to use the Harming home control buttons to control my lights AND I can hit the Pause button during an activity and turn on the LED light strips. I can then hit the Play button to turn them off when returning to the movie. Thank you Steve for this video as it helped me resolve one of my biggest issues. Appreciate you!

[@cigarobsession]

Harmony can’t be touched even today. Luckily used, like new elites are $150-$200 all day long on eBay and marketplace

[@dan_hitchman007]

Until Logitech decides to pull the plug on their Harmony server.

[@jaywaller9125]

in relation to the inputs, as long as there is a discrete code for the processor's input, shouldn't you be able to tell the Sofabaton to use that discrete input? Maybe I misunderstood that?

[@hometheatergurus]

No.. it's not setup that way. I wish it was. I went over how the setup is in the video. I wish it was like Harmony and just asked what input is "#" device.

[@7h3L05t]

I use a harmony and for my tv, I had to use the same setup as you did for the Sofabaton to get it to work. The Harmony gets confused at times in the exact same way as you say in your review. The real surprise is that your Harmony has a better definition for your device than the newer Sofabaton.

[@YogiTheBearMan]

the device database for Harmony is amazing. I even contacted them and successfully had them add a missing command for my device to the official database. What a shame they stopped, the should've just kept making and selling the Harmony hub remotes

[@dan_hitchman007]

These remotes SHOULD NOT be tied to a "phone home" app and an account to work and be configured properly. If anything happens to the likes of Logitech's Harmony server or Sofabaton folds... these remotes cannot be changed and become useless paperweights the moment you add or subtract any device or need to fix a code or command. We need universal remotes that can still operate and be configured without a tether to the web if the company shutters, so you can always program a command from a device's included remote control (since access to downloadable code libraries would be gone) or operate the software.

[@hometheatergurus]

Dan, you can setup the Harmony with the desktop app. That's the only way I'll even setup harmony. I personally don't like phone/ tablet apps. They're also learning so if worst came to worst you'd have to spend a few hours teaching it commands. It would never be a paper weight.

[@dan_hitchman007]

@@hometheatergurus The desktop app still has to be accessed with an account login and that's the software I use. The Harmony server gets shut down (which is inevitable)... and it's over.

[@johnwaugh8633]

I'm still shocked there haven't been more companies trying to fill the hole left by logitech. At this point the tech in the remotes is pretty low level by today's standards for even a remote that's from say Control4. Not saying Control4 isn't a quality product but it's not what anyone would call cutting edge. It would be fairly simple to make a user programable remote that could replace the harmony and even compete with Contol4 on some level.

[@danielwander605]

I feel like it has to do with the business model. I assume there’s not enough money to be made outside of the dealer only solutions. Logitech obviously found it not worthwhile and no one has really stepped in going on 4 years. I also think it’s a shrinking market. With HDMI CEC, single source systems, and phone/tablet apps there is less and less people who need something like a harmony. Also, there’s cost involved with maintaining the platform that is continuous. Meanwhile the customer pays their $300 and is most likely set for 5+ years. I do wonder if maybe Logitech added a monthly fee would that have changed things. I would have loved to see what a next gen. Harmony would have looked like.

[@richardbarr7191]

There is one that recently came to market Yio Remote II that will blow this and the Harmony away (I use Harmony now). The problem is the team that built it is small and they are having issues fixing the bugs in a timely manner on the version one release. It started as a kickstarter project. Look it up, you can get on the wait list and they will contact you. I passed first time around because of the reasons I discussed above. But if they make it, this will be your last remote. Look it up.

[@northeastcorals]

Remote Two by Unfolded Circle looks to be the most promising one I've seen so far.

[@richardbarr7191]

@@northeastcorals agreed

[@RealityADT]

Like the Harmony with Hub can the App be used to control devices so others in the household can use that instead of the remote?

[@Sifford12]

Yes, Sofabaton has an app as well to control devices

[@sethi100]

Not sure what I do when my Harmony dies. Hoping Sofabaton working on a next version. Might buy it if has Favorite icon channels -like the Harmony. Agree no back light for power button would bug me.

[@hometheatergurus]

Your Harmony my last another 5 years. I've had Harmonys for 20 years and yet to have one actually "break". If mine did break now, i'd head to ebay and find an elite or ultimate and grab one. There's still new ones to be grabbed for a few hundred. Yeah it's more than their MSRP but to me it's worth it.

[@roblisamoore]

The channel icons on my Harmony was one of my favorite features. While the Sofa Baton X1S does not have the icons, there is a workaround. You can set up macros that will show up on the screen just like the Harmony, the only few differences is that it not a touch screen so you will have to scroll and press the wheel to select. Also they will just show up as text, no icon but you can name them whatever you like....I used "Fox 504", "ESPN 570", "HBO 846", etc. I say the other big item missing is a number pad. Either way, I am finding the X1s to be a pretty solid replacement for my Harmony. If you run into any issues, the chat feature on the Sofa Baton Website has proven very useful to me! The X1s is very capable.....if you know how to program her right!

[@michelcouture7026]

I can use it to control my mac mini , nividia shield, my amazon stick with blue tooth

[@FastAndFuryosa]

I feel like its pretty easy to learn that the off button is on the top left. It’s the most common location for a off button since remotes have existed. Its not a big deal. And why would anyone set the remote down with the screen down? You’re creating your own problems.

[@hometheatergurus]

I went over all of that in the video. Obviously for me it was an issue. I explained why I place it face down as well.

[@curt248]

I didn’t know you could have Harmony turn lights on with pause function. Anyone remember how to make that work?

[@premshashi]

How do I use the 10% off Seymour screen deal?

[@hometheatergurus]

Call them to order.

[@graysonpeddie]

"Should you buy the SofaBaton?" Nope. Not buying that remote unless I can work locally without creating a cloud account. I also don't care for a Harmony Remote either. If Sofabaton shuts down their server tomorrow, I don't want to be at a mercy of someone else's server when setting up a remote control. I want to have my own private server that I can rack-mount and that's it. No one should care about my data except me. If I want to, I'll create a 100+ character email address (alias) that is unique to Sofabaton that consists of random numbers and letters. :) I'm a privacy enthusiast. But I do want home automation that can interface with a remote control with Home Assistant. Provided that the remote can work with no access to the Internet.

[@hometheatergurus]

For most that want the best in that price range the answer is yes, they should. Unless it doesn't meet your needs which in your case no universal remote does.

[@7h3L05t]

There are devices for you. There is usually a tax to pay for that privacy. The ones I know of its in the $200-$400 price range.

[@graysonpeddie]

@@7h3L05t if a remote controlling device does cost over $500, I'm willing to pay for it with my privacy.