Sofabaton X2 remote - finally a Harmony replacement?
Discussion
Watching a few reviews of the new Sofabaton X2, it looks a product that could replace a Harmony Elite.
Early days, and the software needs some tweaking, but the basics are all there, and it's much more usable than the X1S - touchscreen, more logical button placement, etc.
I was particularly interested to see proper Home Assistant integration, allowing control of smart devices via MQTT. Seems like it works fine if you want discrete buttons, but falls over if you want to automate via activities.
Chap in a video was using the X2 to control some smart lights which were already set up in HA. Configuring a button on the X2 to control the lights worked, but switching the lights in an activity startup sequence caused problems.
Early days, and the software needs some tweaking, but the basics are all there, and it's much more usable than the X1S - touchscreen, more logical button placement, etc.
I was particularly interested to see proper Home Assistant integration, allowing control of smart devices via MQTT. Seems like it works fine if you want discrete buttons, but falls over if you want to automate via activities.
Chap in a video was using the X2 to control some smart lights which were already set up in HA. Configuring a button on the X2 to control the lights worked, but switching the lights in an activity startup sequence caused problems.
Watch reviews? Ha. I'm living the experience.
Got an X2 a couple of days ago, partly due to my Harmony One having a terrible battery life, and partly due to being in the process of updating some of my HT gear and worrying that the Harmony One wouldn't cope.
The X2 FEELS like a proper bit of kit in the hand, but the setup process is nowhere near as smooth as Logitech's, the buttons etc are nowhere near as clear or responsive as Logitech's, the graphics on screen are bland (1999 called, and wants its UI back ...), and the software is pretty much what you'd expect from a Chinese-made device - 10 years ago.
On the plus side, Sofabaton's database did not include the IR codes for my TV or my Freeview box. Not terribly surprising - the TV is 18+ years old (a Pioneer KRP-500A - it was a VERY good panel), and the Freeview box was a bit niche and was only on sale for 12 months. A quick message to Sofabaton's tech support Weds evening, and by the time I woke up on Thursday morning both devices were supported.
On the downside, those same IR codes appear to have been ripped from some enthusiast's website. My AVR - which is both modern and a popular model - has modes/inputs for items like "GAME" and "VIDEO". But in the IR commands these were all relabelled, to stuff like "PS5" and "SkyQ".
On similar lines, the database is missing commands for some oft-used and important functions. As an example, the AVR again - there's no command to switch modes, or bring up the on-screen display. Of course all those things can be added (it's a learning remote after all) but that is a bit of a PITA.
I've yet to get "activities" working at all - and this was dead simple, and a mainstay of the Harmony remotes. Oh, I'm trying, but whether it's my gear (and the "plumbing") or the X2 and its software (and quirks) I'm not yet sure!
Most of all though I'm just left a bit unimpressed by the look and feel of actually using the device. The screen is bland, the (limited) icons are dull, the menus not very responsive - and I have little faith that the buttons will last as long as they have on my Harmony One (the down-volume button already seems a little unreliable). Overall, the Harmony One is totally intuitive - I can hand it to a visitor and they're fine with it. Do the same with the X2 and the visitor is as likely to erase the device from the settings menu as they are to successfully turn the Blu-ray player on.
Hopefully some of the above will be sorted after a few more hours of head-scratching, and some of it should be addressed with updates. And frankly it's better than nothing, in a field of no competition at all (why did Logitech throw in the towel? Why did nobody else simply buy them out?)
Got an X2 a couple of days ago, partly due to my Harmony One having a terrible battery life, and partly due to being in the process of updating some of my HT gear and worrying that the Harmony One wouldn't cope.
The X2 FEELS like a proper bit of kit in the hand, but the setup process is nowhere near as smooth as Logitech's, the buttons etc are nowhere near as clear or responsive as Logitech's, the graphics on screen are bland (1999 called, and wants its UI back ...), and the software is pretty much what you'd expect from a Chinese-made device - 10 years ago.
On the plus side, Sofabaton's database did not include the IR codes for my TV or my Freeview box. Not terribly surprising - the TV is 18+ years old (a Pioneer KRP-500A - it was a VERY good panel), and the Freeview box was a bit niche and was only on sale for 12 months. A quick message to Sofabaton's tech support Weds evening, and by the time I woke up on Thursday morning both devices were supported.
On the downside, those same IR codes appear to have been ripped from some enthusiast's website. My AVR - which is both modern and a popular model - has modes/inputs for items like "GAME" and "VIDEO". But in the IR commands these were all relabelled, to stuff like "PS5" and "SkyQ".
On similar lines, the database is missing commands for some oft-used and important functions. As an example, the AVR again - there's no command to switch modes, or bring up the on-screen display. Of course all those things can be added (it's a learning remote after all) but that is a bit of a PITA.
I've yet to get "activities" working at all - and this was dead simple, and a mainstay of the Harmony remotes. Oh, I'm trying, but whether it's my gear (and the "plumbing") or the X2 and its software (and quirks) I'm not yet sure!
Most of all though I'm just left a bit unimpressed by the look and feel of actually using the device. The screen is bland, the (limited) icons are dull, the menus not very responsive - and I have little faith that the buttons will last as long as they have on my Harmony One (the down-volume button already seems a little unreliable). Overall, the Harmony One is totally intuitive - I can hand it to a visitor and they're fine with it. Do the same with the X2 and the visitor is as likely to erase the device from the settings menu as they are to successfully turn the Blu-ray player on.
Hopefully some of the above will be sorted after a few more hours of head-scratching, and some of it should be addressed with updates. And frankly it's better than nothing, in a field of no competition at all (why did Logitech throw in the towel? Why did nobody else simply buy them out?)
countblah said:
Watch reviews? Ha. I'm living the experience.
Got an X2 a couple of days ago, partly due to my Harmony One having a terrible battery life, and partly due to being in the process of updating some of my HT gear and worrying that the Harmony One wouldn't cope.
The X2 FEELS like a proper bit of kit in the hand, but the setup process is nowhere near as smooth as Logitech's, the buttons etc are nowhere near as clear or responsive as Logitech's, the graphics on screen are bland (1999 called, and wants its UI back ...), and the software is pretty much what you'd expect from a Chinese-made device - 10 years ago.
On the plus side, Sofabaton's database did not include the IR codes for my TV or my Freeview box. Not terribly surprising - the TV is 18+ years old (a Pioneer KRP-500A - it was a VERY good panel), and the Freeview box was a bit niche and was only on sale for 12 months. A quick message to Sofabaton's tech support Weds evening, and by the time I woke up on Thursday morning both devices were supported.
On the downside, those same IR codes appear to have been ripped from some enthusiast's website. My AVR - which is both modern and a popular model - has modes/inputs for items like "GAME" and "VIDEO". But in the IR commands these were all relabelled, to stuff like "PS5" and "SkyQ".
On similar lines, the database is missing commands for some oft-used and important functions. As an example, the AVR again - there's no command to switch modes, or bring up the on-screen display. Of course all those things can be added (it's a learning remote after all) but that is a bit of a PITA.
I've yet to get "activities" working at all - and this was dead simple, and a mainstay of the Harmony remotes. Oh, I'm trying, but whether it's my gear (and the "plumbing") or the X2 and its software (and quirks) I'm not yet sure!
Most of all though I'm just left a bit unimpressed by the look and feel of actually using the device. The screen is bland, the (limited) icons are dull, the menus not very responsive - and I have little faith that the buttons will last as long as they have on my Harmony One (the down-volume button already seems a little unreliable). Overall, the Harmony One is totally intuitive - I can hand it to a visitor and they're fine with it. Do the same with the X2 and the visitor is as likely to erase the device from the settings menu as they are to successfully turn the Blu-ray player on.
Hopefully some of the above will be sorted after a few more hours of head-scratching, and some of it should be addressed with updates. And frankly it's better than nothing, in a field of no competition at all (why did Logitech throw in the towel? Why did nobody else simply buy them out?)
What problems are you having with activities?Got an X2 a couple of days ago, partly due to my Harmony One having a terrible battery life, and partly due to being in the process of updating some of my HT gear and worrying that the Harmony One wouldn't cope.
The X2 FEELS like a proper bit of kit in the hand, but the setup process is nowhere near as smooth as Logitech's, the buttons etc are nowhere near as clear or responsive as Logitech's, the graphics on screen are bland (1999 called, and wants its UI back ...), and the software is pretty much what you'd expect from a Chinese-made device - 10 years ago.
On the plus side, Sofabaton's database did not include the IR codes for my TV or my Freeview box. Not terribly surprising - the TV is 18+ years old (a Pioneer KRP-500A - it was a VERY good panel), and the Freeview box was a bit niche and was only on sale for 12 months. A quick message to Sofabaton's tech support Weds evening, and by the time I woke up on Thursday morning both devices were supported.
On the downside, those same IR codes appear to have been ripped from some enthusiast's website. My AVR - which is both modern and a popular model - has modes/inputs for items like "GAME" and "VIDEO". But in the IR commands these were all relabelled, to stuff like "PS5" and "SkyQ".
On similar lines, the database is missing commands for some oft-used and important functions. As an example, the AVR again - there's no command to switch modes, or bring up the on-screen display. Of course all those things can be added (it's a learning remote after all) but that is a bit of a PITA.
I've yet to get "activities" working at all - and this was dead simple, and a mainstay of the Harmony remotes. Oh, I'm trying, but whether it's my gear (and the "plumbing") or the X2 and its software (and quirks) I'm not yet sure!
Most of all though I'm just left a bit unimpressed by the look and feel of actually using the device. The screen is bland, the (limited) icons are dull, the menus not very responsive - and I have little faith that the buttons will last as long as they have on my Harmony One (the down-volume button already seems a little unreliable). Overall, the Harmony One is totally intuitive - I can hand it to a visitor and they're fine with it. Do the same with the X2 and the visitor is as likely to erase the device from the settings menu as they are to successfully turn the Blu-ray player on.
Hopefully some of the above will be sorted after a few more hours of head-scratching, and some of it should be addressed with updates. And frankly it's better than nothing, in a field of no competition at all (why did Logitech throw in the towel? Why did nobody else simply buy them out?)
Watching the videos, it didn't seem that different to how it's done on the secondhand Sofabaton X1S that I bought a few weeks ago for the bedroom, and that was pretty straightforward, not really any harder than the Harmony.
I watched another X2 video review this morning, chap with a pretty fancy home theatre setup who really didn't seem to get the concept of a programmable universal remote. He'd set up all his devices, but hadn't even tried activities. He was happily using it in device mode.
Anyway, I've ordered one, with the "ball" blaster
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