Smart Control 5 - Universal remote for 5 devices (TV, Sat/Cable/DVB-T, Blu-ray, Audio, Sound bar, streaming) - free Setup App and unique NETTV key - Learning remote - URC7955 - Black

This device has reduced the number of my remote controls down from 5 to 1 and has done an impressive job. Easy to setup using the free iPhone App and easy to customise using my existing remotes to include features I use. What I really like is that they put thought into activities, like watching Sky but wanting to control the volume of your audio device, and still be able to switch video sources on your TV! I wanted it to cover all my remotes and althought the NeoTeck SPDIF/TOSLINK switcher isn't listed as a selectable device, it was dead easy to setup the one remote to learn it's functions (although you must make sure the remotes are aligned and close together). For a wish list, I would like to have seen some additional buttons that I could customise or perhaps have an option key that could be used in conjunction with all the other keys so all existing remote buttons could be configured, but other than that, very pleased with this remote. The devices in my setup are a Finlux TV, Sony Sound Bar, Sky box, Panasonic DVD Hard Disk Recorder (which is about 15 years old!), and a Neotek optical switcher (to overcome Finlux timing issues). The remotes for these are now redundant and the One For All Smart Control provides a clean simple consistent interface to my varied AV setup, meaning only one set of batteries to manage!!

This was the second universal remote I tried. The first from another manufacturer had more bells and whistles including an OLED screen but said screen was DOA and it was returned for a refund. The OFA remote that I tried next was less sophisticated but correspondingly less expensive. The remote feels solidly made with a decent weight in the hand. The basic set up using the “magic” function was straightforward and efficient. There are extra features (“activity” - akin to macros) that I haven’t tested because the basic setup is all I need. It was very useful to be able to reassign keys between devices e.g. such that unused volume buttons for a set top box can be configured to control the TV volume avoid the need to switch back and forth. The ergonomics are pretty reasonable, though there are a few tweaks that would make it better in my opinion. The remote is in a long, narrow, baton format. Personally I would be happy if it were a little wider allowing the buttons to be grouped together in a slightly more natural arrangement and with slightly bigger buttons. That said, I’m still going through the retraining of my “muscle memory” after years of using another remote and I’m sure I will get used to it. Overall, it is getting the job done and I’ve no major complaints.

As the household techy I pride myself on being able to configure the whole entertainment suite setup, but universal remotes are always so annoyingly hit and miss. If you lost the original remote(s) it made the whole process a billion times harder. This remote? Was finished within 10 minutes using their app. The app hate (at least from Android) is hard to understand as I simply searched the make and model of my TV, tried 2-3 recommended settings and saved them. I'm now using this remote to control the bedroom TV, Xbox One and Stereo flawlessly. The currently active setting light will flash when a button is pressed so you know what you're controlling. One thing to note is that it gave me two layouts to try with my Xbox One, and I've tried every button on both settings but it will not open the guide (Xbox button on controller). It's archaic, but currently get around it by turning the One off and on (which opens up the guide).

Very well designed and intuitive remote control. I can easily control both television and set top box with it

This device is supposed to be programmable for 5 devices … thats IF your kit is in the short list of available codes ! If not then you should be warned that the memory in this device for learning is only enough for ONE device. My free view box is new but is not on the list ! So that takes all the available learning memory. 2 more TV’s that I have are also not provided for in the app. Now the app ! I don’t use Google ! The app DEMANDS that you must be signed in by using a Google account (no other option is offered) to gain access to the code lists. I don’t agree with Google’s ‘terms and conditions’ concerning personal privacy, ( one MUST agree to allow Google to track, use and have access to everything you do). So I am completely unable to get access to the supposed existence of the thousands of device codes that may (or may not) work. Memory chips are cheap so this devices lack of learning memory might be seen as a trick to force customers to use a Google account. I do NOT recommend this product, it’s just a very expensive failure. Also the keys are not well placed e.g. the playback control keys including the recording functions are all squashed down at the bottom of the device making them not-very-user-friendly to use. I seldom give bad reviews and often prefer to not give a review at all if I don’t have a kind word to say …. BUT this device really is deserving of some rebuke. Also note this device is NOT sold by Amazon, yet still claims Prime status ! So returns are not post free ! And it’s not cheep … better to put up with the one device function or just throw it away …. ☹️

I tried loads of codes to try and get it fully functioning with my Virgin Media STB and LG TV. The TV worked fine but the set top box only partially worked. I could not get the STB functions to work with the volume controls unless I switched to TV mode and even then if I muted the TV and then tried to select something on the STB the volume would be turned on again. More trouble than it is worth so I returned it.

I've had 3 Harmony remotes over the last few years and buttons have failed on all of them over a relatively short period. So, I thought I'd try this much more reasonably priced alternative. Good point - when I managed to get it set up correctly, it worked at least as well as the Harmony it replaced. Less good, it took me longer than i expected to set up and I didn't find the Smartphone app at all intuitive, or much use. Good point - I couldn't get my Denon Audio to work but I emailed support who supplied me with a code that did the job. So, despite the fact that for me getting the remote set up correctly was frustrating, I'd still give it 5 stars because its such good value compared with the Harmony. Now, getting on for 3 years after purchase, the remote is performing perfectly. And I've now replaced all my AA and AAA batteries with Panasonic 'Eneloop' rechargeables and à good quality recharger and plenty of spare batteries. The remote performs well with these and I'm never without a replacement.

As background to this review I need to explain that some years ago I discovered the world of Harmony Remotes, a universal remote that allowed you to program activities such as "watch movie" and it would turn on your TV, Sound System, BluRay Player and set everything to the right channel. Sadly Logitech discontinued them and the buttons on my Harmony 555 are now failing, so time to find an alternate. So after much searching I was faced with the choice of this remote or one more like the Harmony Remotes but at approximately ten times the price. As this one advertises macros and an Activity key I decided to gamble on this one before forking out ten times as much for the other. For setup I decided to use their iPhone app (Android version available) and that was a breeze for getting my devices added. I simply selected the brand for each of my devices, entered the model number, and it selected the right set of codes. This worked brilliantly and it was easy to do. A quick test and I found I could turn all my devices on and off. The only frustration with the app is that is all it does, you can't program macros with it or anything else, all you can do is setup the devices. In terms of device control everything was reasonably intuitive except for my Pioneer AV Receiver; the remote controlled hardly anything. However I was able to learn from my old remote and that introduced the missing buttons; I can't see why the default doesn't include them but not a great hassle to program the remote to learn them. For the life of me I cannot figure out the Activity button. The instructions imply that you press the Activity key until the activity you want is highlighted and everything will turn on (with a programmable choice of what combination, for example TV+STB or TV+STB+AV), however it doesn't; pressing the Activity key until the one you want is highlighted does nothing. [Update: Customer Service finally replied and explained that with all devices on the Activity button configures the remote to control relevant parts of each device so, for example, if you are watching TV then the programme buttons would control your STB, the volume buttons your AV receiver and so on. It isn't meant to switch the devices on/off but if you long press the power button having selected the activity that will turn the devices on/off] You are also supposed to be able to add a macro to the activity, for example to switch the AV receiver input to a different device (so for TV I need it to switch the input to the Humax box and for BluRay to the Sony player) with the commands being sent 3 seconds after you select the activity. I successfully programmed the macro and I can see the remote sending the commands 3 seconds after I select the activity, but as nothing is on it is a bit pointless. [Update: After talking to Customer Service the sequence would be 1. Select Activity 2. Long press power button 3. Select Activity again to send the macro] After some trial and error I found that if you select an activity and long press the power button it turns on the correct devices for the activity, but the macro is sent during the long press of the power button (as the 3 seconds have elapsed) so it achieves nothing. Also you have to remember to select the activity again before long pressing to turn everything off otherwise it will only turn off the device you last controlled. I've tried asking OneForAll support what I'm doing wrong but to date they have only sent me excerpts from the user manual which say exactly what the copy included with the remote says, so I'm no further forward. It might be I have a defective remote, but who knows. [Update: See above for answers from support] In frustration I have assigned macros to the red, green, yellow and blue buttons as we never ever use them for anything, and if we needed to in the future we could dig out the relevant remote. I programmed the red button to switch on the TV and AV Receiver and put the AV Receiver on the right input for my Fire TV stick. Similarly the blue button does BluRay, green button sets it up for my Switch, and yellow for my Humax box. These work brilliantly, one press and everything switches on, one press and it all switches off again. If you decide to do something similar just make sure the last device you turn on is the one you want the remote to control, so for TV I make the last device my Humax box as I receive TV through that. If you don't it's no issue as you can always use the Device button to select the device you want to control, but it's neater if you end the macro on the right device. [Update: Now understanding the Activity button I think I'll stick with the solution I devised as it is a one button press to achieve what would take multiple presses if you used the remote as intended] Finally the remote has a function to lock the volume control buttons to a particular device, so in my case they will always control the AV receiver no matter what device the remote is controlling. That works really well. So, in summary, I have managed to get the remote to do what I want. It isn't elegant but it works. The setup app is helpful but could be so much better if it allowed you to do all the setup. The Activity button's function eludes me but I've found a way round it. My heart says "spend ten times as much and get the more elegant remote" but my head says "save the money and stick with this one". I think I'll give it a few months and see how frustrated I get with it (or not). Given the intricacy of setting it up this is one product I'm keeping the instructions for ... [Update: I've asked customer support to update the instructions and advertising material to clarify the purpose of the Activity button as it is currently misleading]