Flirc Me Baby ~ A Backup Plan To Logitech Harmony Remote Controls 24Aug24

Skip 1s Universal IR Remote... I was pleased enough with the use of the Flirc USB dongle on the Blodgett theater's new music streamer for remote control via Harmony that I went back to their website. It turns out they've built their own universal remote, Skip1, recognizing Logitech was abandoning a key capability and price point.

 

Logitech discontinued all Harmony programmable universal remotes 3 years ago now... The CEO said with the state of theater equipment moving to integrated smart streamers and sound bars that demand is declining for independent universal remotes, plus it was just too small a biz for them anyway. He also said he loves the dedicated Harmony community and will continue to run the servers and update the apps and databases. Flirc and others are filling the void but others have weak reviews and all have shortcomings. As mentioned prior, I use 4 entry level Harmony remotes; they are keen and inexpensive universals that control all the "TVs" in our homes. They were inexpensive, easy to program, and pretty reliable; they aren't perfect. The remote with custom assigned buttons talks to the hub which then blasts the right IR codes (or bluetooth or WiFi), or sequence of codes, to the TV & audio gear. I am buying some backup remotes and hubs to stay running if something breaks, hoping they continue to run the servers. I continue to use them and reprogram them with iOS and even a PC (they already decommitted from macOS) ~ but some day, despite the support commitment, the Harmony servers may be turned off and I won't be able to do this.

Flirc Skip 1s Overview... As a secondary backup plan I did purchase a Flirc Skip 1s programmable universal remote ($50 - including another Flirc USB for the NestMT) and am testing it now for possible deployment as an alternative or replacement of the Harmony. I rue the day I have to rebuild the four remote controls we use and hope it never happens ~ but I know I should prepare. This entry is about my Skip 1s investigation and some comparisons to Harmony. The Skip 1s feels like and looks like great hardware. It is powered by two AAAs and has some backlighting and color as indicators, but not a screen. To program it requires the downloadable Skip App... it appears pretty slick at first glance. It seems designed for macOS but runs on Win or Linux as well. The remote plugs into the computer via USB-C cable to sync the design with the remote.

In comparing... first off, the remote itself is similar to the Harmony, solid and small, and without a screen. Second, the Skip App (runs on Win, macOS, & Linux) is a local program so there is no "cloud server" to become unavailable, etc. ~ a number of competitors employ the cloud as Logitech does/did. While cloud services work ok, they do add complexity and a point of possible failure. Yet they do solve the issue of using multiple devices to program the same remote (unless the programming app "reads" the remote for it's current build before proceeding). Third, no bluetooth or WiFi/IP based control exist in the Skip 1 as they did in the Harmony.

Programming experience... My first four attempts to get an "activity" to power on and control all the devices needed for "Stream Roku" in either the Blodgett Theater or the Blodgett Fam Rm did not work. It was probably me somehow, but still frustrating. I even used the record mode and the original remote control for one device to teach Skip 1s its IR codes. I still could not control that device. I'm gonna call off the chase for now and do some research I guess, but I have other endeavors. I'll update this entry if I ever get satisfaction with Skip 1s.