Disqus
Intelligent Designs Group has released their Total Control Remote Edition for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The app lets you control your home Consumer Electronics devices (that support IR), in conjunction with a small hardware appliance (BC4/BCX-1 from Bitwise Controls). The idea is that you download the app, launch and configure it, and then you are ready to form a WiFi connection to the appliance. The appliance (situated near your CE devices) then shoots the relevant IR codes on command.
There is support for multiple profiles, each of which can contain layered configurations. In addition there’s a veritable compendium of devices, and the matching IR codes. But that’s not all – you can also learn remote controls, in case you can’t find your particular DVD player, Sat box, or whatever it might be!
A really wide range of devices can be controlled, including:
- Cable Box
- DVR / VCR
- DirecTV / Dish Network / TiVo
- DVD Player / CD Player / Bluray Player
- A/V Receiver / Amplifier
- Home Automation / Lighting
Overall then a good selection! The App rolls in at £34.99, which on the higher side of things as far as Apps go – plus you need the hardware. BUT if it works well, it suddenly makes the iPhone a great universal remote, and cunningly since you are using WiFi, then the IR sender can be hidden away with all your other AV/CE equipment – nice!
Total Control Remote Edition / £34.99 [iTunes link]
About The Author
Ben Robinson
Ben is a 10+ year veteran of the Mobile industry – starting his career when SMS was a still a relatively new concept for most people (!), he has now consulted on everything from bleeding-edge Mobile content, to the next-gen accessories you might view it on. As a result he has a broad and deep knowledge in numerous areas of Mobile – from network operators to device vendors, to infrastructure and middleware vendors (not to mention content delivery) – and has worked for companies in all of these areas! He is based in the UK, a hotbed of activity for mobile, and recently became a father for the second time – as oppose to in his younger years when he was happy spend time tweaking all manner of mobile devices to 'nth' degree, he now looks for services and hardware that provide the most efficient, compact, and reliable improvements to his already manic life! It’s his opinion that Mobile solutions should be there to help to make your life better – if a particular solution (be it service or device) isn’t doing this, he believes you need to ask the very important question of why you continue to use it... His focus at IntoMobile is mainly on Mobile content, services, and infrastructure, particularly as regards the UK market – and with the occasional look at devices. Additionally, using his extensive experience in the industry, he will provide commentary on the industry at large, with regular (and hopefully thought-provoking) articles.
