Awesome Tips This Smart Remote Makes Life WAY Easier!
This smart remote from SofaBaton has made life WAY easier. Here’s how I’m using it!
This smart remote from SofaBaton has made life WAY easier. Here’s how I’m using it!
SofaBaton X1S: (affiliate link)
A brand new feature that I did not include in the video is the ability to control more devices in the smart home with the remote. Thanks to @mark_the_it_guy who pointed this out in the comments. Here is the video that explains how to control more devices with the remote.
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0:00 Intro
0:46 Sofa Baton X1S
2:17 Hardware
4:30 Smart home integration
6:37 Adding devices
8:57 Activities
10:20 Verdict
10:53 I have regrets
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MUSIC
Space Trooper by DivKid
All of the music throughout is by Nihilore.
Spotify playlist:
Ending song is The End by EVA.
Deals for Days. Big home savings are happening now.
Here's a link to the SofaBaton X1S: https://amzn.to/4gq1u1m
A brand new feature that I did not include in the video is the ability to control more devices in the smart home with the remote. Thanks to @mark_the_it_guy who pointed this out in the comments. Go to add a new device and select WiFi. At the bottom there is the ability to create a virtual device for IP control. Very cool!
Really hoping for some group of nerds to work on the best ESPHome remote that integrates perfectly with home assistant, taking into account the design decisions by this remote.
I have a Harmony remote, and the same limitation of only supporting Hue lights exist there. Fortunately Home Assistant has an "Emulated Hue", so I can control my non-Hue lights with the remote.
Home Assistant also has a Roku emulator, which both the Harmony and SofaBaton can use to trigger other functions – there's an active thread in Home Assistant's forums about support for SofaBaton. I use this to have activities that launch specific apps on my Android TV ("Watch TV" launches YouTube TV, and "Watch a Movie" launches Plex), but there's so much more it could do.
Oh, thats a cool remote I wouldn't mind having physical buttons, looks at price-tag… never mind I think I am find
Is it better than Switchbot Universal Remote
Nice remote, but not for 200$ lol. I think im going to try the Switchbot remote.
You probably heard about the Flirc Skip 1s . I would also totally watch a video where you try and do interesting stuff with that one and it's a bit more on the budget friendly side 🙂
How did you get such long battery life? Mine doesn't even last a week between charges, even with virtually no use, sitting on a table (and no, nothing vibrating or waking it).
They had me until you showed me the back button
What are the home theater chairs you have?
The Eras Tour!!!
Been using harmony smart remotes since 2005/6. Still have a couple including the elite. Hate that they discontinued them.
**Home Assistant workaround**. I bought the $15 Onn Google TV from Walmart to use strictly as a Home Assistant gateway for the Sofabaton. On the Google TV I installed the app "Button Mapper", you can map any button to send Webhooks to Home Assistant to control devices (I used buttons 0 through 9 and A through Z). Add the Google TV to the remote and assign it to the activity and add the mapped buttons to the display. Once setup you don't even have to leave it plugged in to your TV. Just plugged in to power in Bluetooth range of your remote. Works amazing let me know if you have any questions.
My holy grail has been one of these remotes that can do a good job of integrating the TiVo remote functions.
Have you tried the switching universal remote? It has IR functionality if you have a switchbot hub, plus it's currently on sale as a package with the hub
Ive had their other remote it was a little cheaper but it worked just as well and it has IR built in
Please test yio remote 3 when available.. I think it’s the best remote ever (from the preview).
Spelling Optoma and Optima hurt me. I have no idea why.
Hey Reed, have you ever looked into the control 4 system if so what do you think of it.
It is very irritating that your video titles are now in German. I wonder why you do that.
You indeed explained logitech hub, all is copied very good from logitech. I have four logitech hubs with remotes in my house, safeguard them for life😂
It is also possible to emulate hue bulbs in ha if needed.
one problem here – it completely rely on the internet, instead – would like to see completely offline system with possibility to provide access remote access (selectable)
I looked at it a few weeks ago and there were lots of concerning reviews which put me off
Don't ever underestimate the "spouse approval" !!!
What kind of Optoma projector do you have? I heard that they die easily, is it true?
Never ever ever going back to programmable remotes. Logitech stopped making the remotes because no want wants or needs more remote controls. Good lord we must have 40 or 50 remotes. We use the apple TV remote that's it.
The Spanish dub is trash brother, absolutely horrible AI work
Can’t believe I’ve just watched a video about a handheld remote control and got caught up in it and enjoyed it, definitely pulled my dad socks up and slipped into my dad slippers 😊. Probably the reason why I find that every time I go on YouTube that the first thing I do is go hunting to see if you’ve dropped a new video and willing to watch whatever you produce. Yet again another interesting and informative great video Reed.
I've been considering buying one of these, timely video!
I’m flabbergasted you home assistant YouTubers aren’t doing the unfolded circle remote3, it’s so perfect except for missing dedicated hardware buttons for lighting and outlet controls but you can use the 4 colored shortcut buttons for these if you wish and it’s FULLY 100% LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL
Thanks. Will be a great replacement for my Harmony Elite when we can no longer get them.. Cheers
Thanks so much for touching on your home assistant programming!
I love my Harmony Elite, It still works, but some stuff is no longer supported, like thumbnail favorites on Roku. I wish someone else would take it over.
Hah. Cameron Gray posted a video about this same remote about two hours before yours was posted. Looks interesting for when my Harmony remote finally breaks.
I was really interested in this until you mentioned it has an API that can integrate with homeassistant…. Then you showed the API and its cloud based… Big no for me 🙁
TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS,,, Seriously ???