But are you able to control multiple devices without having to switch between them each time you want to perform an action? E.g. I want to be controlling the Apple TV with the arrow keys/enter/etc. but controlling my Denon for volume. Similar to Harmony activities.
Regardless, I’ve long since returned this remote. My cheap RF remote is working perfectly with home assistant. Bonus with RF is not needing to have line of site(-ish) with the IR receiver when pressing buttons.
Not OP, but just saying you can absolutely assign any arbitrary device/action without changing Switchbot screens/templates. The remote doesn’t care whether signal A is for one device, or signal B is for another in the described DIY HA script based integration. However, that UI experience is fully dependant on your implementation effort in Home Assistant. Out of the box with Switchbot, it’s terrible and likely unsupported.
I explicitly needed this in my use case of multiple ecosystem lights (some hue, some smart plugs). I literally keep my remote on one “Switchbot template” and it controls I believe five different device ecosystems (hue, Kasa, fireplace, samsung, true IR old audio)
Hi, I’m from Germany and would like to use the remote as well. This has already been ordered. Do I have to have the switchbot hub 2 or does the hub mini also work?
Hi!
I’ve been playing with the Universal Remote for a couple of days. Unfortunately with the 4.2 firmware and 9.2 switchbot app version it is still very buggy. I’m extremely interested in the IR snooping/sending because at the moment the Switchbot app and the Hub2 recorded IR command actions is just absolutely horrible. Even though i can record and control the individual IR signals from my U5 remote via IR the automations just won’t work. They are absolutely bonkers and the execution order of the recorder actions is different almost every time when i execute the same action.
Here’s a screenshot of the Action i want to execute in order to switch the input to HDMI2: It’s supposed to power on the projector, go up twice, right once, select the input menu, go down once and then select the hdmi2 as input. On the left side of the screenshot you can see that it’s just totally different steps of execution. And the execution order is different each and every time. I don’t understand why this is happening.
So my question to you @eliz and @Cornmacabre are you getting successfull automation executions with this ESP32 + IR Hack? As it is at the moment the SwitchBot Universal Remote seems very much a work in progress.
can you add a very short delay between each command? that’s how to solve the same issue on sofabaton macros so I assume its the same on the Switchbot system too.
Agreed on the disappointment in reliability of even stock-standard stuff with the remote software. Who knows if/when they’ll iron it out.
Using the IR hack method, triggered actions are as reliable as what home assistant (or MQTT) can accomplish natively, which should be very good. Think of the remote essentially as just a bridge to trigger actions or sequences of actions preprogrammed in HA – Including a sequence of outbound IR signals to your AV devices.
The esp32 would send it, not the remote or hub2. We accept the convoluted IR pathway (SB remote > IR esp32 > HA automation/macro > IR esp32 > IR end device) for the reliability and automation flexibility.
Consider adding say 50 millisecond pauses between the IR actions you’re interested in programming so it isn’t just blasting out all at once.
I personally haven’t tested anything more than two sequential actions, but since posting months ago the method has been rock solid for me. Admittedly less AV oriented tho. Best of luck, cheers!
