![]() The Sofabaton U2 is another universal remote from the same brand we picked to include in this roundup – and for good reasons. There’s also the Sofabaton mobile app you can use as a substitute for the physical remote and for easy setup and macro configuration with your home devices. The Sofabaton X1 has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts for weeks before you plug it into the wall over its USB-C port. ![]() It takes a while to set up everything, but the fact that the X1 supports over 500K unique IR and Bluetooth devices (with more added through updates) is worth appraising. For instance, you can configure a macro to turn on your TV, home theater audio system, and Blu-ray player together. You can program the X1 to execute certain actions simultaneously. The device comes with dual IR blasters, meaning you can tuck all your home entertainment equipment behind a closed cabinet for a clutter-free look and still control them effortlessly. The SofaBaton X1, like the Harmony Elite, sends signals to a hub, which connects to your home Wi-Fi and works with Alexa and Google Assistant, enabling hands-free voice controls. There’s even a circular D-Pad for traditional controls. Like the Harmony remotes, the Sofabaton X1 features a handy little OLED display with a tiny scroll wheel below it, allowing seamless cycling between your programmed devices and various remote functions. Every key press offers tactile feedback – not too hard or soft. The rounded, textured edges provide a comfortable grip. It’s designed nicely and has an intuitive layout, with backlit buttons that make it easy to use in dimly-lit home theater environments. I was going to measure the voltage out of curiousity, but I can’t remember where I put my USB voltage meter.If you’re looking for something similar to the Logitech Harmony Elite, the SofaBaton X1 is the closest option and one of the Best Logitech Harmony Alternatives available in the market. In any case, one of my Harmony Hubs has been running just fine on a random USB charger for years, while the other uses the OEM supply. USB-IF needs to take a break and let the world catch up before releasing yet another spec bump. And it’s disappointing that the haphazard USB-C spec has made things worse instead of better. I suspect there are more people who have issues resulting from crappy USB cables than adapters, but that’s just my opinion. Doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to work, but it does mean that they’re less likely to fail and burn down my house. I like to know that the things I’ve plugged into the wall are tested and certified for use in Canada/USA. Personally, I avoid buying generic USB chargers/supplies that are not UL-listed. So yes, a 5V adapter that puts out less than 4.75V under load may cause issues if Logitech didn’t give it much buffer (which I could believe), but if there’s less than 4.75V then one or both of the adapter and/or USB cable are poorly designed/manufactered and/or failing. The Harmony Hub ships with a 5.15V/1A adapter and (as far as I’m aware) meets the USB specification. The goal is just to stay above the 4.75V minimum, and most USB devices can work with less. 5.1-5.3V is pretty common for OEM AC adapters. To compensate for voltage drop that comes with putting a load on the device (and mediocre USB cables), a lot of power adapters aim a little higher. The USB specification for 5V is plus or minus 5%, which is 4.75-5.25V. So I’m looking for replacement hardware for the last step, it’s ok if the device does not have harmony-like activities and I have to program extra steps into openhab rules. harmony hub: turn on 3 devices by IR and set the in- and outputs to the right values.openhab: set harmony activity to “WatchTV”.wired infrared transmitter (so the device itself can be placed inside a closet).openHAB integration, preferably by local wifi.database with device types and commands, or learning mode from existing remotes.send infrared commands to multiple devices.Does anyone have experience with alternative hardware? Minimum requirements are: Unfortunately Logitech discontinued the Harmony Hub so I’m unable to replace it with a new one. Lately the hub starts acting weird, being offline a lot and not responding to commands. Hi, I currently have a Harmony Hub, which controls my home cinema setup (SetTop box, amplifier, TV).
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