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IR / RF Blaster with Smart Integration?

CMetaphor

CMetaphor

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Still doing the smart home thing, and wanting more from it.

Tis Prime summer sales (and Steam Summer sale time, owch my wallet...) so I'm splurging a bit here. Looking at this particular one:

Specially, its both IR and RF (although im not positive the latter covers Every band I could need) as well as a temp and humidity sensor. Some positive reviews, some negative. The negative ones seem mostly from tech-inept people that can't be bothered if it takes more than 1 step and 15 seconds to work.

Reading around, and some claim the completely discontinued Logitech Harmony Hub is still the best for this sort of thing. *Doesn't have temp/humidity sensors though, which I do kinda want as I have No such Alexa -accessible sensors in the house so far.

I could go for a Harmony and like an Amazon air quality monitor(edit: its $60 bucks! 20 more than the Linked Broadlink above)? That would give me those sensors as well as CO2 and particulate sensors. Nice to haves?

Suggestions?
 
Last edited:
the harmony software is becoming harder to find and it is more and more out of date. I would shoot for something newer and let harmony finish it's unfortunate death.
 
Not sure what your goal here but IMO no remote = not worth my time.

SwitchBot has a solution as well. And it does have a remote.

I'll be using my Harmony Hubs till they are no longer supported. And possibly even after that. Their basic remote is just so much better than most other choices.
 
If Alexa is your platform of choice, the Fire TV Cube has IR built into it if the goal is to control your media center. As such, it has all the "skills" built-in too.

While I don't have Amazon's air quality monitor, I do have AirThings ViewPlus. It's good to understand your CO2 and PM2.5 levels indoors, especially with all the wildfires. You'd likely want a few so that you can place them in rooms you occupy the most often. I'd lean towards purpose-built devices rather than some temp/humidity sensor jammed into an IR/RF blaster.

The only RF control I can think of is ceiling fans. I'd probably lean more towards swapping out the control module instead with something like this: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ha...remote-control-powered-by-hubspace/1001696098
 
xentr_thread_starter
lowfat said:
Not sure what your goal here but IMO no remote = not worth my time.

SwitchBot has a solution as well. And it does have a remote.

I'll be using my Harmony Hubs till they are no longer supported. And possibly even after that. Their basic remote is just so much better than most other choices.
Click to expand...
Never getting rid of remotes, the idea is to not need them. Can even keep batteries Out of them, unless needed. And basic functions controlled via Alexa would be welcome for friends and family that are over.
 
xentr_thread_starter
@JD A firetruck cube isn't a bad idea, but even on sale, and expensive one. And I'm not sure it would control everything, especially my HTPC, without some hacking. Also, unless the IR blaster cable can be supper extended, it won't be able to "see" all the IR receptors it needs to.

Like I said, I can sorta tell when to use my old school filter tower fans, dont necessarily need a separate sensor for air quality. Co2 would be very nice. The sensors on the above -linked Boardlink is just like, 3-4 birds with one 45 dollar stone? Glue it to my wall opposite the TV, and it'll see everything. If its sensors are decent enough to enable routines to automatically control my AC? All the better.

🤷‍♂️ dunno. Not sure i wanna go for 60 dollar air quality units for multiple rooms, this sale season is already going to be a rough one haha.

I've considered the Govee pm2.5 sensors, which are a bit cheaper, and I like govee stuff in general. But they're still $35ish apiece, and rumor is they're not great at routines for the AC.

Guess im looking for one small, cheap box that does it all. Can I have my cake and eat it too?
 
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