Blumoo Smart Universal Remote Control (Discontinued)

Blumoo has gone out of business, and this product is no longer supported. This is not conjecture - it is posted in the blog on Blumoo's website (I believe citing this URL caused a previous version of this review to be rejected).Amazon should not be selling this product without a disclaimer - the product was already out of support when I purchased my unit in 2016.

Bought the Blumoo a few days ago and set it all up last night in about 3 hours. I have a Marantz AV receiver, Oppo DVD/Bluray player, Samsung LCD TV, Verizon cable box. Epson HD LCD projector, Apple TV, and DaLite screen with a motorized drive. I set up 8 macros to operate these devices if in appropriate combinations with a single push of a button on my iPad, for example "Watch TV", "Project TV", "Project Apple TV", etc.Set up was a breeze with easy and intutiive steps so you can check functionality as you work. Once the macros were set up everything worked as it should every time. I stashed away all of the remotes last night and hopefully will never need them again. My iPad (and iPhone) are now my universal remote controls. As I also have Echo Dot I'll be setting up the Alexa skill over the weekend.I only have two reservations: 1) The screen designs are very rudimentary and could be much more attractive. A good graphic designer can fix this so I assume this will be coming with future upgrades. 2) Two crucial functions for the Marantz receiver that toggle its two HDMI outputs were not available. I've emailed blumoo support about that and expect a solution presently.If you're frustrated by the number of remotes you have and want a reliable, low cost, easy-to-set up solution, blumoo is it. It's a great value and I highly recommend it.

I got Blumoo to control IR devices (TV, DVR, Bluray, Roku). My nurse was helping me set it up. First, it says it works with an Android or iOS app to do the setup. HOWEVER, to use voice control with the Amazon Echo you MUST USE an IOS device. So keep this in mind if you don't already have an iOS device.We installed the Blumoo app on my iPad Air. Plug in the Blumoo device. All the setup is done on the app. You use the menus to add the devices you want to control. You select the type of device, manufacturer, model. Blumoo sends IR codes to turn the device power on. At this point you now have a virtual remote for each device and can use your iOS device as your remotes. You enter your zip code and select your guide.You can setup macros to do multiple functions with a single press.For the Echo setup, you first enable the blumoo skill on the Echo. Next on the Blumoo app you enable voice, then ask Alex to register your Echo, she gives you a pin number to enter in the Blumo app. You then have to setup voice commands from a fairly large pre-defined menu. We did not see a way to add a custom voice command. Something that worked without programming, "Alexa, tell blumoo to watch channel six five five" and Alexa tells you she is changing to channel number and what program is currently showing.We added voice commands for "volume up" "volume down" "mute" "watch roku".We had to move the Echo to a new location so it could hear my voice over the tv sound. Once doing that it worked good, that is, when Alexa understood me. A few misses and have to repeat. One thing I found is instead of saying "Alexa, tell blumoo power tv" it seems to work better to "Alexa, tell blumoo" Alexa then ask to do what then say "power tv".

I had a harmony remote, and it died. It died from lack of use. A corrosion built up on the contacts from the humidity at this house. And without constant use of the button, it does not press that button anymore. Blumoo solves this problem by having touchscreen buttons. And there will not be any buttons you don't want, in the way. As the customize software lets you take them and throw them away. And you can have more that one screen for the buttons you do want. I only have two screens. The main screen for the TV has the volume rocker and the channel rocker. And the power button and the menu button. Then a d pad to navigate the menu. Which leaves for a lot of space between the buttons. But scroll down to the second screen of the same TV remote. For the number pad. That is 10 buttons I get to spread out over the entire yard. I don't have room for that kind of stuff on my main TV screen. And it is easy, and quite intuitive. I recommend this to everyone looking for a universal remote. You do need a smartphone. My parents are not on that train yet, so it is not good for them. But I recommend this for the other 99% of the world.

First off I have had one of these for years and loved it, so much that I bought a second one for my basement system. I used the same app on my iPhone to control both. No problem. So I wanted to add the app to my iPad, BIG PROBLEM!!!!! ITunes and Google Apps no longer have the app in their stores available to download. So consider this a warning to everyone looking to purchase. If you don’t already have the app, don’t waste your money. If you already have the app and want to add additional ones, you are PROBABLY OK. Keep in mind that I have a Samsung TV and Marantz receiver along with a ROKU in both locations to I did not have to “add” any new devices to my remotes menu when I added my second Blumoo. I really loved this remote device and hated to see them go out of business.

Update: The Blumoo is working again with Amazon Alexa Dot; the app started working in April 2017 Support has been slow but the one guy is working on it. All other functions are working properly in Canada with Bell Expressvu. Overall I'm happy with the Universal RF Remote.