Remote Controller: Hardware for use by HA to control entertainment system

Configuration
1

Hi,
I am looking for recommendation for hardware that HA can control to manage an entertainment system. For details the system has:
Fetch TV Box, TCL TV, Yamaha Amplifier, Sony Blue-ray DVD, Chromecast Ultra.

At the moment I am using a Harmony universal remote, which is beginning to fail and are no longer available for purchase, so not a straight replacement.

I am hoping to set up a tablet with a dashboard to handle the tasks of watching TV, listening to music, watch a DVD, et.al.

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions.

2

BroadLink RM4 pro - integration has been solid - it can do anything an IR control can do.

The main disadvantage is volume control isn’t ideal as the IR doesn’t allow you to set a volume level - it’s a volume up or volume down. I suppose you could send a lot of volume downs (to get it to zero) and then you could volume up to a specific level.

So in the future I’ll replace my AV receiver with a Denon that has a WIFI interface.

3

How much research have you done? How many of these devices can be directly controlled by HA? See Integrations - Home Assistant

Are you currently controlling everything over IR, or are some of them RF or IP?

4

Yes, quite a bit, but unsure of what hardware was out in the world, and so asking.

I have seen none of these with HA integration, although Fetch states it will work with Google Home, but I have not managed to get it to connect.

5

Thanks, Will check it out

6

Here’s a handy tip for you while your Harmony is still relatively working:

The Harmony database for your devices will usually contain discrete commands, such as separate power on/off or switching directly to a specific source without needing to navigate the menu.

When you get the Broadlink, teach it all the discrete commands you possibly can using the Harmony remote instead of the original remote. Yes, it’s a massive pain, but you’ll be grateful when you need to resend an activity because one of the devices missed a command.

3 Likes
7

Yamaha may work, there are two integrations to look into. MusicCast - Home Assistant and Yamaha Network Receivers - Home Assistant

Chromecast definitely should. See Google Cast - Home Assistant

But the others may require a IR blaster as others have suggested. (You didn’t say whether you were using IR, RF or IP).

Not to dismiss the Broadlink, but there are other options. This one recently came to my attention https://smarthomescene.com/reviews/tuya-zigbee-infrared-ir-remote-zs06-review/

Also there are a number of howtos for making a remote control interface using ha. If I can find the one I was thinking of, I’ll post it here.

1 Like
8

Here’s a seemingly easy one which was just released yesterday, right around the same time you were typing that comment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJltW8pVLag

1 Like
9

I am pretty sure that either tom_l or Petro developed one. But I liked a quick browse through that video, and I now want a pixel 9 fold pro.

1 Like
10

Thanks for the detail. Not applicable as I don’t have a smart TV. I need the hardware as I asked originally.

11

Yes, same deal as the last reply, I am after hardware recommendations as the current equipment I have is not smart integrated.

I am looking forward to making the mistakes that will eventually give me a perfect remote using HA, once I have settled on an IR/RF blaster to control all of the individual pieces of the entertainment system.

12

Thanks Nickrout, It appears all of the entertainment systems appliances use IR as the current Harmony 650 remote only supports IR. Yamaha Amplifier, only IR. Google Cast already integerated to HA, but it is a stand alone, and needs to connect via the Yamaha amplifier, so it will happen with hardware decision.

13

This doesn’t replace the hardware. It’s simply a software interface you can use to control the broad link.

You just need to change the commands in the code to fire the required IR codes. The rest of the setup is pretty much identical.

14

You don’t need a smart tv.