SofaBaton U1 review: Price and availability
SofaBaton U1 review: Design
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Logitech must be really blushing, because at first glance, the SofaBaton U1 is a near copy of the Logitech Harmony universal remote. There’s a small screen at the top, a diamond-shaped directional pad flanked by volume and channel controls, play/pause and other media controls below that, and a number pad at the bottom. THe U1 even has a similar contour. When you hold the remote, though, it’s clear that the U1 is more cheaply made. It doesn’t feel as nice, and the buttons are a little harder to press. And that display at the top? Instead of a color touchscreen, the SofaBaton U1 has a black and white screen. Want to navigate between your options? You need to use a little scroll wheel that’s a little janky. The SofaBaton can control up to 15 devices, the same as the Logitech Harmony Elite. However, because the SofaBaton doesn’t connect to a hub like Harmony’s remotes, your AV equipment needs to be visible to the SofaBaton’s IR sensor — unless you have remote IR sensors, that is. The SofaBaton U1 is powered by two AA batteries.
SofaBaton U1 review: Setup and performance
Universal remotes aren’t always the easiest to program, but the SofaBaton had a bit of a steeper curve than others I’ve tested. After downloading the SofaBaton app to my phone, I then paired the remote to my iPhone via Bluetooth to continue the setup process. Programming the SofaBaton to recognize my other remotes wasn’t too hard, but it was a little time-consuming. You can either search by name, or point your remote at the SofaBaton so it can learn things manually. I didn’t have trouble with most remotes, but for some reason, it wouldn’t recognize the Up arrow for my DishTV’s remote, no matter how many times I tried. Once it learns your remotes, you can reprogram the buttons for each activity. For example, when using my Fire TV, I could change the volume controls to adjust my soundbar. You can also create macros for individual buttons to perform a number of tasks at once — such as turning on your TV, soundbar, and streaming stick — which, really, is the point of a universal remote. My biggest issue with the SofaBaton is that you can’t easily program it to switch to a specific TV input. I first had to assign buttons to switch to specific HDMI inputs — one for my Fire TV Cube, one for my Dish TV Joey — and then create a macro to switch to that input. It was a bit more complicated than my experience with Harmony remotes.
SofaBaton U1 review: Verdict
For $49, the SofaBaton U1 is a serviceable universal remote control. Like Logitech’s remotes, you can program it to control a huge number of devices, and it’s relatively comfortable to use, too. However, the setup process is much more involved — I had trouble working things out, and I review these for a living. The Logitech Harmony 665 will let you control up to 10 devices, but more importantly, it’s a lot easier to use. However, it’s double the price — and it’s the least expensive of Logitech’s remotes. If your budget is your primary concern, then the SofaBaton U1 is worth a look.
title: “Sofabaton U1 Review A Budget Universal Remote With Some Drawbacks” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-02” author: “Ann Murphy”
SofaBaton U1 review: Price and availability
SofaBaton U1 review: Design
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Logitech must be really blushing, because at first glance, the SofaBaton U1 is a near copy of the Logitech Harmony universal remote. There’s a small screen at the top, a diamond-shaped directional pad flanked by volume and channel controls, play/pause and other media controls below that, and a number pad at the bottom. THe U1 even has a similar contour. When you hold the remote, though, it’s clear that the U1 is more cheaply made. It doesn’t feel as nice, and the buttons are a little harder to press. And that display at the top? Instead of a color touchscreen, the SofaBaton U1 has a black and white screen. Want to navigate between your options? You need to use a little scroll wheel that’s a little janky. The SofaBaton can control up to 15 devices, the same as the Logitech Harmony Elite. However, because the SofaBaton doesn’t connect to a hub like Harmony’s remotes, your AV equipment needs to be visible to the SofaBaton’s IR sensor — unless you have remote IR sensors, that is. The SofaBaton U1 is powered by two AA batteries.
SofaBaton U1 review: Setup and performance
Universal remotes aren’t always the easiest to program, but the SofaBaton had a bit of a steeper curve than others I’ve tested. After downloading the SofaBaton app to my phone, I then paired the remote to my iPhone via Bluetooth to continue the setup process. Programming the SofaBaton to recognize my other remotes wasn’t too hard, but it was a little time-consuming. You can either search by name, or point your remote at the SofaBaton so it can learn things manually. I didn’t have trouble with most remotes, but for some reason, it wouldn’t recognize the Up arrow for my DishTV’s remote, no matter how many times I tried. Once it learns your remotes, you can reprogram the buttons for each activity. For example, when using my Fire TV, I could change the volume controls to adjust my soundbar. You can also create macros for individual buttons to perform a number of tasks at once — such as turning on your TV, soundbar, and streaming stick — which, really, is the point of a universal remote. My biggest issue with the SofaBaton is that you can’t easily program it to switch to a specific TV input. I first had to assign buttons to switch to specific HDMI inputs — one for my Fire TV Cube, one for my Dish TV Joey — and then create a macro to switch to that input. It was a bit more complicated than my experience with Harmony remotes.
SofaBaton U1 review: Verdict
For $49, the SofaBaton U1 is a serviceable universal remote control. Like Logitech’s remotes, you can program it to control a huge number of devices, and it’s relatively comfortable to use, too. However, the setup process is much more involved — I had trouble working things out, and I review these for a living. The Logitech Harmony 665 will let you control up to 10 devices, but more importantly, it’s a lot easier to use. However, it’s double the price — and it’s the least expensive of Logitech’s remotes. If your budget is your primary concern, then the SofaBaton U1 is worth a look.
