Reddit reviews Logitech Harmony 650 Infrared All in One Remote Control, Universal Remote Logitech, Programmable Remote (Silver)

Or you could buy a universal remote cus it's not 2001...

It’s ridiculous how many people are straight up ignoring the fact he says “It has to be an HTPC running Windows”.

Anyway. I use a mini pc I bought on amazon for my kitchen tv. It’s small so I have it tucked away behind the tv. I also bought a IR receiver and have it attached to the bottom of the wall mounted tv with Velcro. We use a Logitech remote to control Kodi and stream content or watch prerecorded content off my main HTPC through our wireless network. I suppose if I really wanted to I could install Media Center in it as well and share some of the 8 tuners from the main HTPC and watch and record live TV as well. My wife uses a wireless keyboard with mouse pad she leaves on the fridge if she wants to go online to find recipes and or kill time browsing the web. Here are the links.

The mini Pc. There’s a newer better version available now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01K2UU52A/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_inactive_ship_o1_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

IR receiver, these can usually be found on eBay cheaper.
https://www.amazon.com/HP-5188-1667-Center-Remote-Transmitter/dp/B000Z7XJME/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=hp+usb+ir+receiver+for+pc&qid=1573556978&sr=8-5

Remote
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004OVECU0/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_inactive_ship_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Keyboard
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014EUQOGK?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0

Nice! First thing i noticed was 3 remotes. When i first started my very first setup one thing that changed my life was this remote right here: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Infrared-Universal-Programmable/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_19?crid=2EXCQYES8ZHGZ&keywords=logitech+remote&qid=1565108225&s=gateway&sprefix=logitech+r%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-19

It was inexpensive on black Friday @ BB for about $20-25 some years ago. It controls 8 devices including, at the time a bought it, the PS3 ( needed an $10 adapter though). Really easy to set up and they still work perfect. Been almost 10 years.

​

But a really nice clean set up.

65 for a remote? Ouch! You can get the Harmony 650 on Amazon for like 67 and all you need to do is type the model of your receiver in their software and they get all the codes setup. Plus then you'll have a kick-ass remote for your setup.

First, if your TV has a composite input, just use that. Composite to HDMI converters have spotty quality at best. What model TV do you have? Do you have any other equipment with Composite inputs? A HT receiver or a VCR/DVD combo with HDMI out?

As for a remote, Logitech Harmony remotes still support laserdisc players. This is the one that I have and it operates my Pioneer CLD-D406 perfectly.

Logitech Harmony 650 Infrared All in One Remote Control, Universal Remote Logitech, Programmable Remote (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-SG6BbD7839VB

Ok, well under normal circumstances you would connect all your devices, cable, box, blu ray player, game system, etc to the receiver, the receiver would take the audio and play it on itself and send the video only to the TV.

however, thats not a real receiver. its a basic little all in one system thats severely limited in its functionality. it has no capacity to add other video devices to it. so all your devices still have to connect to your TV. if your TV is new and supports ARC, the TV will send the audio of all its devices back to the Sony sytem. if your TV is a bit older you will need to run a seperate optical audio cable to get the sound back to the receiver. this only adds complications.

I strongly suggest going with separates. buy your blu ray player, receiver, and speaker seperatley. even if you cannot afford all seperates, atleast buy a stand alone blu ray player and a package such as this:


because while low end, you atleast get a real actual functioning receiver that can handle more than one input, and isnt married to the speakers it came with if you wish to upgrade in the future.

While you are free to buy a system like the Sony you linked, just understand its limitations: no handling of additional devices, low reliability, and cannot decouple the speakers and receiver as they are designed for each other.


as far as your remote question, i highly recommend getting a Harmony Remote by logitech. it takes a little bit of setting up on a computer you would probably have to do that, but after its done, its very simple to use, and handles all the input switching and mode switching automatically.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OVECU0/

Harmony Remote 650 or 700. They are identical, except the 700 is rechargeable (both use AA batteries, but the 700 has a built-in charger). The 700 has been discontinued but you can still find them pretty easily.

Harmony 650: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0

Harmony 700: www.amazon.com/Logitech-915-000162-Rechargeable-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B004OVECUA

I have one of each and have been really happy with them -- I'm using them with Roku 2XS, Roku 3, Samsung TV, LG soundbar, Sharp TV, a set-top digital antenna box, my XBOX360, bluray player, air conditioner, etc... it's all programmable via a webapp and highly customizeable as well.

The Harmony series operates a little different from "normal" universal remotes. Once you have your devices defined, you create "activities" that use them. Push the button for an activity and the remote figures out what settings need to be applied. IE "turn the TV on and to HDMI1, switch the soundbar to optical2,set the volume controls to soundbar, the menu & arrow buttons to ROKU, and dim the lights to 40%" -- it makes it REALLY easy to use.

This. Harmony 650 controls 8 devices. I have two controlling 5 devices in living room and 4 in bedroom. Only $38 bucks on Amazon right now. https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Infrared-Universal-Programmable/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538690985&sr=8-3&keywords=logitech+650+harmony+remote

The regular Harmony remotes support just as many devices, and don't require an internet connection to work.

For the sake of simplicity and having it all on one remote:

UHD player to TV via HDMI.

Soundbar to TV via optical connection (Not an optical drive. It's not a computer CD ROM drive). Set TV to output via optical rather than TV speakers.

Program this remote to control everything.

I know this won’t be a popular answer, but I would just upgrade to a better remote. I have a Logitech and it works fine with AppleTV.

Logitech Harmony 650 Infrared All in One Remote Control, Universal Remote Logitech, Programmable Remote (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qr86AbMB8DKZA

Plus it’s half the price.

Maybe and that's a big maybe, if your TV and cable box support HDMI-CEC.

Better off just buying a universal remote

I dunno, I'm happy with my $50 Logitech Harmony. Programming is tedius, but once that's done I don't have to touch it again. Controls multiple devices from a single remote and supports macros.

But my favorite is still my trusty old Harmony 550. Then again it didn't cost me $400. For that much money I'd expect it to cook me breakfast too.

This logitech remote will control your Roku and every other device you own. We love our's.

Logitech Harmony 650 with a FLIRC dongle. Works great for XBMC, but I use a wireless mouse and keyboard when I need to.

Totally- you have powered speakers, so you don't need an amplifier, you're just are looking for volume control (right?)

Assuming you're using RCAs to connect your speakers, here's a very basic $35 infared volume control. Plug the RCAs from the TV into the in, and your speakers into the out, and voila- remote controlled volume.

Now- if you're still wanting one remote to control it all, a low-end Harmony will set you back another $35 but control your tv, this volume control device, plus any devices (blu-ray, Apple TV, Roku, etc) you might have plugged into your TV.

I ended up tightening my budget quite a bit on this new home theater, so some of my choices aren't as nice as what I had before, but I'm very happy with what I got in the end. I want to thank everyone who gave me advice in my last post here. It was all very helpful!

I went with a 65" Samsung 120Hz smart TV. I decided against getting the 240Hz because I couldn't see a difference between the two when looking at it, and the 3D makes my wife sick in any case. That saved me almost $500.

For the receiver, I took everyone's advice and opted away from the all-in-one set I'd been looking at. Instead, I got a great price on a Pioneer VSX-824 that I've been very happy with.

I know the Denon reciever is what everyone recommended, and it's what I bought at first, but strangely enough my PS3 didn't work with it. It worked just fine connected to the TV directly, and other devices worked with that HDMI cable and port, but the PS3 just told me to go fuck myself. A quick google search told me that it's a flaw in the way the HDMI handshake works with Denon receivers, so back it went.

I went with Pioneer speakers as well, hooking up a
pair of tower speakers for front left and right, a pair of matching bookshelf speakers for the rear, and the matching center speaker.

The subwoofer will have to wait, for now, but the plan is to purchase the matching subwoofer when we're ready.

Instead of the Harmony Ultimate, which didn't seem to get any good remarks, I opted for the much cheaper Harmony 650, which has made my wife very happy. No more frayed tempers about what button does what on which remote. I'm even buying my parents one for Christmas.

I'm hugely pleased with the upgrade over my previous setup, even if it's not everything it could have been. What do you all think?

The go to solution is a Logitech Harmony remote. That way you can get any components you want and still only need one remote.

I spent $50 for the one that I have, brand new from amazon it only supports 5 devices, but it works pretty well.

the software for the computer though, that gets a little confusing, as there's a couple different versions of it, one for regular users and one for 'power users', I apparently fall somewhere in the middle, as I don't care about the millisecond delays on key presses, but I do care about the menu layouts on the remote.

/sigh.

This ;)

Okay, I can't pick just one, so I present you the following. As you'll notice, all three are practical items, but that's because most people would/could use them all.

Most comfortable keyboard I've ever used.

Best remote control ever. Seriously, this thing is easy to program and can be customized any way you want. It's only limitation is the 5 device limit, but that's still enough for most (even me!). This is the model I have, but you may find another model by the same brand that better suits you.

This umbrella is not only head-turning cool, it's also really great quality that's above and beyond what you would expect from something that looks like a novelty. It's even cooler to me because I actually do Japanese swordsmenship, and the other members of our club/dojo are jealous.

Pretty much your only option is the pricey but awesome Harmony 650.

When I was exploring options, I settled on the much more affordable RCA 6-Device Remote. But my Roku is in line of sight...

Your TV life will never be the same.

A remote control will work by sending out pulses of infrared light. There is a sensor on the device - TV, DVD, stereo, yes, even your ceiling fan - that can see the IR pulses, and reacts accordingly.

You can actually see it yourself. Point any IR remote at your phone's camera, press a button, and you'll see the LED in the end of the remote lighting up.

Each device has a specific set if pulses to react to. This means you can have multiple devices, but only have the one remote control one device.

A universal remote will copy these pulses. Devices like the PUCK will have pre-programmed devices you can control. The PUCK has the feature that you can control it via Bluetooth with your smart phone.

If your smart phone has an IR blaster you can download an app like Suremote and have your phone work as a universal remote.

I have a very similar remote to this one. These type of "learning" remote has the added advantage that if a button isn't working correctly, you can programme the universal remote from your existing remote.

With Smartglass you can do a lot of it. But if you have a lot of extra hardware, you might be better off getting a Logitech Harmony Remote: http://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420667243&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+harmony+650

Yea no... I don't need another remote in my living room.

Flirc + Harmony remote.
The Harmony will control any and every device you have. The problem with the shield is the lack of an IR port, the Flirc fixes that and allows you to map any IR command to any Keyboard command you want. It's basically limitless. We have 1 remote to rule them all. Even my 70yr old mother can work my TV. She just presses "Watch TV" and the remote turns everything on for her.

To complicated and confusing. Can you cut to the chase?

You knocked something into something ... then what happened?

"I accidentally kick the hi-fi and knocked it onto the tuner." ...and then ...what?

So, what is it you need? Seemingly a remote, but what happened to the existing remote?

The remote had a AUX/MD switch, but what is MD?

You CAN NOT run the speakers directly from the Computer.

If you want a full universal remote, nothing beats the Logitech Harmony Remotes. Harmony has many thousands of devices that they support, and you can check them in advance on-line to be sure your device is supported.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Infrared-Universal-Programmable/dp/B004OVECU0/

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-350-Simple-Set-up/dp/B00J7KM5X4/

I use the Harmony 350 with Rotel, Onkyo, Yamaha Stereos with out any problem or conflict.

You plug the Remote into a computer USB input, the go to MyHarmony.com, enter your equipment, it is automatically programmed through the USB connection. No messing with codes or pushing the On/Off button 50 times.

https://www.myharmony.com/en-us/

Now if you want to replace your amp, then consider what features you need and how much money you want to spend. You can get a very good very reasonably price Amp w/DAC and decent power for a pretty reasonable price -

SMSL AD-18 Class-D Amp with DAC - $139 -

https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-AD18-Amplifier-Bluetooth-Subwoofer/dp/B071JN7GXN/

You will find several very positive reviews of this product on YouTube, this being one of many -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEooiaet9eQ

There are many of these Class-D/Class-T amps available on Amazon, the prices range from about $25 up to about $150 depending on brand, power, and features.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=smsl+amp&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=lepai+lepy+amp&ref=nb_sb_noss

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=topping+amp&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

I'm still not sure what the problem is or what you need, but hopefully I've given you some options to consider.

In my room I have this setup; my PC is connected to an A/V Receiver that goes to TV out, a usb infrared mce sensor (not this one), a logitech harmony 650 universal remote and a kit of philliphs hue lights for software I use eventghost and ScreenBloom to give a touch of ambiance to the room, with all things set up I just press one button on the harmony remote and it turns on the A/V receiver, tv, run the ScreenBloom app to fade the lights and opens steam in big picture, I also have some shortcuts for the SC Chord button to control the lights while gaming.

although I don't know if it would work if you stream your PC to TV with Steamlink or the like, since my setup is for a PC that is directly attached to and in proximity of your TV.

My boyfriend can't live without this anymore Not to generalize but, I guess men love controlling the remotes...

I have a wishlist for my SO. Because he's a spoiled man. xD

As long as your have line of sight to your device the Logitech Harmony remotes work well.

I use this one, The programming software is trash but once it is set up it works.

I had this for my old Mitsubishi AV system. These linked the IR for the VCR, DVD and Stereo. The cable runs under the unit and plugs into the "network" jack. The emitter end is positioned under or near the IR receiver of each unit. The idea was, one click to set the system to the configuration you want. To be honest, I don't remember it ever working correctly. If you had the cabled emitter off by a hair one unit in the set up would not respond and you'd have to start all over. That was probably 10-15 years ago. Now I just use one of these and badda boom, badda bing, one click for whatever set up is called for (i.e., Netflix, vs. Satellite, etc.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004OVECU0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$52 for this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004OVECU0

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ol/B004OVECU0/ref=ocp_see_all_offers?ie=UTF8&ocp=0

Just grab a harmony 650 remote & program it.

Well worth $60 - http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427042449&sr=8-1&keywords=harmony+650

Ok. So you don't need to push a ton of wattage through your mains and a decent, but not insane, sub will do.

My, personal opinion, recommendations.

Receiver(In no order. These are just brands I respect with good enough features and wattage):

1. Harmon Kardon. $329.00 . http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-AVR-1700-Network-Connected/dp/B009HB2USI/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383147455&sr=1-5&keywords=harmon+kardon
   
   
2. Denon. $259.00. http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-1613-Channel-Receiver-Networking/dp/B007R8U5QW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383164105&sr=1-3&keywords=denon
   
   
3. Onkyo. $259.00. http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-8050-Network-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B004UR486G/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383163556&sr=1-9&keywords=onkyo
   
   I have always had good to great experiences with the above brands. If looking stylish is at all important, do the Harmon Kardon. Also, in my experience, HK power is very very clean. All of these include wireless networking and HDMI switching. I would buy the denon personally. But, I'm biased towards denon.
   
   Subs:
   
   
4. Velodyne. $399.00 http://www.amazon.com/Velodyne-Impact-10-10-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B001GON5AG/ref=sr_1_4?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1383163718&sr=1-4&keywords=subwoofer
   
   
5. Klipsch. $399.95. http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-Synergy-Sub-10-Subwoofer-Black/dp/B00D65QYMO/ref=sr_1_23?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1383163849&sr=1-23&keywords=subwoofer
   
   When it comes to these two subs, it's a crap shoot deciding which to get. Velodyne and Klipsch subs are both fantastic. I'm leaning, personally, towards the Velodyne. But that's just me.
   
   So, in conclusion, you had a budget of $800 dollars. If you did the Denon or Onkyo and one of these subs that puts you at 650. As a bonus, here's a used KEF center channel for 150 bucks on Ebay. It would give you 3.1 channel.
   
   http://www.ebay.com/itm/KEF-HTS3001-Piano-gloss-Black-2-Way-Uni-Q-3000-Series-center-channel-Speaker-/281195898826?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item417894e7ca
   
   Also, do yourself a favor and get something similiar to this:
   http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Remote-Control-Silver/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383164516&sr=8-1&keywords=harmony+remote
   
   It will replace all the remotes in your system and make switching from TV->Games->DVD much easier with Macros.

No, but you could get an IR remote and receiver. There are fancy ones too but come at more cost.

As far as I know, you would need 3rd party software to accomplish switching monitors such as MultiMonitorTool. Assuming you have windows 8 64bit, here is the direct link.

1. Extract the files to C:\MMT
   
2. Right click on MultiMonitorTool.exe and click Send to-> Desktop create shortcut.
   
3. Open the program.
   
4. The program shows you your displays. Determine what is what from the "Name" column. Suppose it's display 2:
   
5. Right click on your new shortcut on the desktop and click properties. Adjust the target to look like this:
   C:\MMT\MultiMonitorTool.exe /switch \\.\DISPLAY2
   
   Press OK. Then use the shortcut to toggle display 2 on and off.

Actually it's ~$60 if you link to the correct one:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Remote-Control-Silver/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

I've used a few of these. Personally, if you don't need RF control, or the ability to control devices inside a closed cabinet. (in which youd also need to purchase a smart hub). I'd go for the cheaper Harmony 650

$100? Most defintley.

$200? Never.

$160? (found the One slightly cheaper) Maybe, if you're willing to spend $160 on a remote (I wouldn't)


There is a few cheaper Logitech Harmony remotes you can get, like This one ($50) or this one ($92)

Not sure what differs between those and mine, but they should provide the same functions.

> So your saying, if i change all the settings in Game Mode, and then turn game mode off, all these settings will save? So if i switch bak to Dynamic or movie, and it changes everything back, when i turn game mode back on, these settings will adjust again?

Correct! I know it's a pain in the ass (I have to switch mine every single time as well) but you could always invest in a Harmony 650 remote (one of the best things I've ever bought, and I hate most programmable remotes) and set up a macro so it's only one button press and the remote will do the work for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Infrared-Universal-Programmable/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=pd_lpo_23_bs_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=02GYJK0FYWE9NHSGDC9E

seriously one of the best things I have for my "game room" one button press and it switches to the system on I want to play, to the correct HDMI on the receiver, while turning the other system I was playing off. Works wonders for having 4 game systems and a 4k bluray player. One button press does it all, including turning what you want on when everything is off.

> RF20

Where did you find it cheaper than the Harmony 650 being referenced in this thread? The 650 is $60 at Amazon and the cheapest I can find the RF20 is $60...

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421101426&sr=1-1&keywords=harmony+650

Listen to this post.

Any speaker can be wireless:
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=109&cp_id=10110&cs_id=1011011&p_id=10601&seq=1&format=2

One remote to control your AVR, TV, cable box, roku etc: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412367653&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+harmony

Welcome to the wonderful world of audio :)

The rest of us use programmable smart remotes with touch screens. Here's a good inexpensive one for starters: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OVECU0/

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414427392&sr=8-1&keywords=logitech+universal+remote

that is the most popular logitech universal remote on amazon. Regular price is $90. Sounds like kinect is on par with the cost of a universal remote but instead uses ultra useful voice commands and also turns your smart phone into a universal remote. Sounds like a great deal and great value for only 100 bucks

This one does basically the same thing.

An Flirc and a Harmony remote. This setup can be mapped to do anything you want, and control all of your devices.

you can use any harmony remote, and some of them are cheaper than a replacement nvidia remote:

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Infrared-Universal-Programmable/dp/B004OVECU0

can also get a hub only, use your phone, and control way more than just the shield tv. So the cost can easily be offset if that's a concern.

I always like the Harmony One/900 but they stopped making them, it's been replaced by the Harmony Touch, which is a good remote but lacks physical number keys, which IMO is a crucial feature of any decent universal remote.

Logitech still sells the Harmony 650, it's got a rechargeable battery and is pretty much the same thing as a Harmony One, but uses buttons around the screen instead of a touchscreen like on the One. But you can get it for $65, instead of $300 give or take.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Remote-Control-Silver/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1406940486&sr=1-1&keywords=harmony+750

I got the 650. Probably the best bang for your buck unless you want a fancier one that can control bluetooth devices.

It's definitely a living room game-changer. One button to turn on everything for a given activity (gaming, watching tv, etc) and to change to all the correct inputs; one button to turn them all off when you're done. And dogs love them! I've had to replace mine twice

I installed the Netflix Windows 8 application and XBMC.

I then installed OblyTile and created a custom large button at the Start menu/tile interface for XBMC (needed to customize the tile with the XBMC logo, but wasn't tough). I also added the Netflix tile right next to it, large as well.

I installed Chrome (browser of choice) and created two smaller tiles that were links to bookmarks in Chrome, YouTube and Google Music.

Change the background of the Start/tile interface to something dark with a little bit of a pattern. Looks very clean and crisp.

I use a Logitech K400 right now. I have a Logitech 650 and Flirc I want to finish setting up, but I haven't had the chance to tinker with that aspect yet.

Overall, Windows 8.1 and XBMC + Netflix works really well. The Netflix app is stellar and XBMC keeping XBMC full screen (hitting "\") and just hitting the Windows button to get out of it/go to Netflix is very smooth and user friendly. I prefer it over the Apple TV and my Ouya by far.

And I built it with the very affordable Intel NUC DN2820FYK, which accepts 2.5" HDs.

I just did something similar, added some bookshelf speakers to a small room setup. However, the ones I added were un-powered and my TV did not have a variable output. I had to find a little amp that would also take IR to control volume Kentiger V10 Bluetooth Hi-Fi Stereo

Everything is controlled from a Harmony remote which makes it all still nice for anyone to use.

First advice, confirm what outputs your TV has to see if you will need something that can manage the volume or not.

2nd, consider adding a Harmony remote to simplify the setup if you need to add additional hardware that can handle the volume and won't work with the existing remote. This guy is very affordable and works well Harmony 650

No need to spend this much.

[The Harmony 650](http://www.Logitech.com/ Harmony 650 Infrared All in One Remote Control, Universal Remote, Programmable Remote (Silver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004OVECU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hyhAybHGG32QS) works perfectly well for me for all of my devices!

Highly recommended!

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Infrared-Universal-Programmable/dp/B004OVECU0

I did look at Harmony remotes. This one is the best-seller on Amazon.

It has fifty-four buttons. I counted. Fifty-four buttons and a screen. In lieu of an input select button, it has presets for “activities”, none of which maps onto my use cases (i.e. use the Chromecast or the Wii U). It's also fifty dollars, which is comparable in price to a basic Harry Potter magic wand replica that has zero buttons.

I also found this one, which is much better at only twenty-nine buttons, but there seem to be another dozen or more clickable areas on the touch screen, which would bring the total up significantly. Also, for that price, I could control my television with a working replica of the Tenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver, which also has zero buttons.

Unfortunately, my phone does not have an IR blaster.