用藍芽與iPhone連接的萬用遙控器 - Gear4 UnityRemote

[kuanwei]

相信很多現代家庭中都面對著一個小煩惱－遙控器太多。家電越多遙控器也越多，電視，DVD撥放機，音響擴大機，冷氣機，加上其他零零總總的電器品(在日本甚至連電燈跟電風扇都有遙控器)，根本就是遙控器大爆炸。我算過，目前家裡的遙控器總數多達十來個。我一直夢想著能有這麼一個遙控器，它能取代所有的傳統紅外線遙控器，讓我擺脫遙控器太多的夢靨。

其實這樣的產品已經很多，從低階到高階都有，低階的叫萬用學習遙控器，我之前就曾買過一台，叫 Sony RM-VL600，機器長這樣

它預設了很多大廠的影音設備按鍵，配合上學習機能，幾乎能取代所有的紅外線遙控器，缺點是當你設定了很多家電後不容易記得哪個鍵是做什麼的，畢竟這個遙控器是以影音操控為主，冷氣機雖然可以設定，但是你得自己記住哪個鍵是溫度哪個鍵是風向，電視音響類的還可以，其他類型的家電就不太實用了。


再來就是配備有感應式液晶螢幕的高階萬用遙控器，市面上最著名的大概是這台羅技 Harmony 1100，長的非常高貴

此系列的功能非常齊全，不但預設了超多的品牌家電(約22萬種設備)，提供3.5吋的觸碰式螢幕，還能連上電腦自行客製化功能與按鍵，並提供無線電遙控子機，讓你可以遙控放在櫃子裡的設備而不受限於紅外線的先天限制；當然這樣的天王級產品價錢也是非常高貴(定價$400美金)，一般人大概不會想花這樣的錢去買台遙控器吧？



所以便宜的萬用遙控器功能不足，好用的又太貴，我就把腦筋動到我的iPhone上來啦，畢竟iPhone的硬體配備可是超高檔，拿來當萬用遙控器是大才小用，可惜的是iPhone並沒有配備紅外線通訊的功能，無法直接變成萬用遙控器，必須搭配其他硬體(紅外線發射器)才能做到，到去年為止我在市場上的找到的產品大多長的像這樣


不知道各位覺得如何？我個人是絕對不會買這樣的東西插在我的iPhone上的，真的是太沒有美感啦！



一直尋尋覓覓了很久才在幾個月前看到了我心目中的理想產品 Gear4 UnityRemote，產品長這樣

是不是好看多了？這台機器透過藍芽跟iPhone無線通訊，也不用電源線，本身靠兩顆AAA電池驅動。只要到App Store下載免費的UnityRemote App(Android版還在開發中)就可以和這台機器連線，並且可以客製化按鍵畫面與按鍵的圖示，根本就是我心目中的理想產品。Gear4 官方網站有更多介紹與圖片。


一開始它只在英國上架，直到今年初美國也開始販售，幸運的是UnityRemote 美國Amazon 提供國際運送，運送到日本加關稅後一共是$132美金，絕對說不上是便宜，但是考量到它的設計與便利性，我還是決定買了。目前東西正在貨運的飛機上，預計明天會收到，到時再來提供進一步的開箱分享文囉。

全文同時刊載與本人部落格，歡迎參觀。

更新：UnityRemote 的後續開箱照與使用心得上架囉！

[Jensen Chiang]

看了之後有點心動…
看來上班時間不適合上網…不然會不受控的亂買東西…!!
不過謝謝大大的分享…!

[kuanwei]

看了之後有點心動…
看來上班時間不適合上網…不然會不受控的亂買東西…!!
不過謝謝大大的分享…!

哈哈，非常同意。

你可以等個兩天看我的使用報告再決定，反正這次我注定是當白老鼠了。

[ss8800411]

期待你的開箱文
看來可以當寶藏

[sin0287]

請大大測一下兩顆3A電池的續航力。

[sin0287]

Amazon 上的 Review
Pros;
1. It's a remote with a customizable application for iOS. (AWESOME!)

2. The iOS application is very good overall. (Even more AWESOME!)

3. IR/BT transceiver is very small and unobtrusive, and quite attractive. (Sweet)

Cons;
1. Runs on three AA batteries... And there is NO option for an AC power adapter.
Apparently, the USB port on the back of the device is for firmware updates only. (Sucks)

2. You MUST turn the unit on when you use it, or set the Auto-On feature. (Sucks even MORE)

3. Even when you do set the Auto-On feature, when your iOS device is not connected
for a period of time, it powers off, and you must press the power button on the device AGAIN! (Blows)

4. You can only set one timeframe for Auto-On feature. So, if you want to set it to come on
for an hour or so in the morning while you're getting ready for work, and then off durring the day
And then on when you get home... You can't. (This could be updated in the application, however,
the fact that no one at Gear4 thought of this... Not a good indicator) (Blows like a mighty hurricane)

5. I had difficulty getting the application to connect with the device consistently. Not to be confused with pairing,
that is a onetime config, and that went w/o issue. (Note: I'm a Certified Apple Technician)

6. Did I mention that it runs on batteries and there's not an AC power option for it???? (Upgraded to blows like a mighty hurricane)

7. I returned it. Unfortunately, it's not ready for prime time. (Sadness)

You're better off with a Logitech Harmony remote. Especially if you're using a PS3. Even though you need to buy the Bluetooth/IR PS3
Adapter to connect to your PS3 (Sony's limitation, not Logitech's) It is the only 3rd party remote that will power the PS3 off and on as well
as control BluRay playback.

[kuanwei]

快報：剛剛已經收到UPS送來的包裹啦！照完開箱照迫不及待的開始測試所有功能，小玩了一個鐘頭，整體來說我相當滿意，雖然還是有點小遺憾（頻道圖案沒法自製>"<），但是大多是軟體升級就可以解決的，滿分一百的話我暫時先給85分！

App的部份設計的相當周全，很多我沒想到的功能都做到了，上面Amazon評論說的問題很多都已不存在，不知道是版本更新了還是使用者自己的問題。

等我週末認真玩一玩再來寫詳細評論囉。大家有問題可以提出來我看看能不能回答。

[kuanwei]

請大大測一下兩顆3A電池的續航力。

更正是三顆AAA電池，續航力短時間內應該測不出來，我剛剛連續用了一小時，不斷設定跟測試，看了一下App裡顯示的剩餘電力還幾乎全滿...

[kuanwei]

對Amazon的評論提出我目前測試的結果跟看法

Cons;
1. Runs on three AA batteries... And there is NO option for an AC power adapter.
Apparently, the USB port on the back of the device is for firmware updates only. (Sucks)
這點見仁見智，我個人是不會想接電源線的，只要電池續航力夠就行。

2. You MUST turn the unit on when you use it, or set the Auto-On feature. (Sucks even MORE)
平常就一直保持開機狀態不就好了？總之還是電力的問題。

3. Even when you do set the Auto-On feature, when your iOS device is not connected
for a period of time, it powers off, and you must press the power button on the device AGAIN! (Blows)
這點我還沒試到，等會來實驗一下。

4. You can only set one timeframe for Auto-On feature. So, if you want to set it to come on
for an hour or so in the morning while you're getting ready for work, and then off durring the day
And then on when you get home... You can't. (This could be updated in the application, however,
the fact that no one at Gear4 thought of this... Not a good indicator) (Blows like a mighty hurricane)
沒看到Auto-On，應該是指Auto-Connect Time，我是覺得還好，而且軟體修正就能改善。

5. I had difficulty getting the application to connect with the device consistently. Not to be confused with pairing,
that is a onetime config, and that went w/o issue. (Note: I'm a Certified Apple Technician)
個人目前還沒有遇到這類問題... 只要設備是開著的，一進App就自動連線啦。

6. Did I mention that it runs on batteries and there's not an AC power option for it???? (Upgraded to blows like a mighty hurricane)
前面已經提過啦

7. I returned it. Unfortunately, it's not ready for prime time. (Sadness)
Good for you. I think I will keep it.

[sin0287]

所以那篇評論可能是針對舊版的 UnityRemote。
期待大大更多的評測，我想打造一個容易操作的影音環境。
說實在的，現有的家庭劇院系統，不是家裡的每一個人都會操作，太複雜了。