Jun 062013
Beacon Remote System Android
- Box Contents – 1 Beacon unit, 4 AAA batteries, Instruction Manual
- Control more than 200,000 Audio, Video, and home automation components
- Totally customizable – Set up Beacon for Multiple Locations
- Powered by Dijit – Dijit app includes interactive program guides for every cable, satellite and over-the-air system in the US
- Connects to your Android device through Bluetooth
Compatible with Android Devices Using Os 2.3.3 Or Later; Bluetooth; Converts Devices Into A Remote For Most Home Entertainment Components; Enables A Simple Setup with TV’s, Stereos & Other Home Theater Components; For Use with Dijit’s Universal Remote App; Low-Profile Design; Blends with Almost Any Décor; Cordless Design; Operates without Wires Or Power Cables; Quick Setup with A Device Code Library & Integrated Learning Feature ; Includes 4 Aa Batteries For Up To 2 Months Of Operation
List Price: $ 69.99
Price: $ 32.98
Not yet ready for prime time,
My issue list:
1. The android software has a lot of flaws. For instance, the “buttons” should be
scaleable (through a preference?). They are much too large for my phone’s
screen. And since (why?) I’m artificially limited to two pages of buttons
for each device and activity, I can’t get even the most basic of controls
on the two screens. And in the button editor, the button movement facility
is far from smooth enough.
2. The device library is terribly limited. My OPPO blu-ray player is
a quite successful product, but they don’t have a remote library that
supports it. So I was forced to “learn” all the necessary codes. This
would have been ok, if a little annoying but for the fact that …
3. The Griffin’s learning mode was well-conceived, but implemented so
poorly that the conception was ruined. I have been through learning mode
for my OPPO buttons over and over (perhaps 10 times so far). Why can’t you
choose a single button to learn? It would be so easy to long-press a
button to select it and then have a menu item to learn that button. Or at
*least* let me start the learn mode and then skip forward somehow to the
button I want to learn! But …
4. Even the flawed interface to “learn buttons” would be ok if the
hardware worked better. Sometimes I have to press a control 10 or 20 times
before it registers. And waayyyy too often, it registers … and then
registers AGAIN for the next button, forcing me to start over (see above)
And over … and over
5. The Griffin device is pretty deeply flawed in other ways as well. Its emitters
aren’t powerful enough to control my devices from the natural location (the
fireplace mantel), so I’m forced to leave it on the floor in front of my
chair.
6. Finally, even though I have gotten everything working … the device
is still so unreliable as to make it uncertain whether I will continue to
use it or go back to all my multiple remotes. My phone loses its
connection around 40% of the time after a screen lock, and then the
software needs me to tell it AGAIN which bluetooth device is the Griffin
… even though of course it’s the same Griffin as it was the last ten
times it asked me to choose. Why can’t it save this? Bluetooth device ids
are persistent, they don’t change from one connection to the next!
All the problems here are fixable (except perhaps the emitter strength …
and I am experimenting with different orientations to see if that helps)
through software upgrades (already promised) and firmware. So we’ll see
if they reach a point of such improved usability that I feel this review needs
a followup.
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|Wait to buy this till,
Basically the concept is good, but the software is not stable at all!
Especially, the bluetooth connection between beacon & my phone is not stable.
Frequent disconnection happens, and sometimes I have to unpair it to fix it.
It is very annoying. I guess this can be fixed by software.
Wait to buy this till stable software is ready.
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|Works great for me!,
I’m not sure why so many were having problems with this remote system, I have had no problems at all. I have a Razr Maxx and I downloaded the software and was customizing my remote in no time. There are a few things I wish were a bit different with the software but just some small changes. I just ordered another unit for the bedroom, once I had the software I noticed that you can select different locations to control. I have it on my tablet now and it has been working fine, I wish the software would scale itself to the larger screen of tablet but besides that no trouble at all.
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