Hello all,
I received my Anymote last night and wanted to give you all my first impressions.
If you have an Android device that has an IR sender, you do not have to purchase any hardware, you just have to buy the $7 app and you are good to go.
If you have an iOS device, you will need the hardware, which retails for $139, I got a used one off of Amazon for $65.
The connection to the phone and the hardware is via bluetooth. The hardware then is able to operate WiFi (Sonos, Apple TV, etc) and IR. They say it can learn IR signals, but I have not tested this yet. The device is powered via two AA batteries, and does not have the option to be wired. I guess this is a pro and a con, as I do not know what the expected battery life is with normal use.
With regard to the app, you can make macros and create a remote with those items to make it easier to do things.
I can speak to Switch Control on iOS, it does not work properly in item mode, you need to use point mode to select items. Kind of a bummer as most remotes extend past the screen, so it could be a challenge to use strictly with switch control - if you really wanted to do everything and not just macros via the app.
Once you have everything set up, you can then add the Echo skill for Anymote. This is where things get interesting. You are able to speak commands to operate any shortcuts, but I think the really cool thing is that you can operate ALL functions via voice. It is smart in the sense that it remembers what remote you last used, also, you can speak commands live. For example if the last remote you used was your Tivo, you can say "Alexa, Open Anymote" Then you can simply start saying commands like "up, down, right, left, select" and it will perform these commands on your Tivo remote. You have to wait for the signal to be sent between each command, but you do not have to start at the beginning ever time. The app has to be running in the background, and the phone has to be in bluetooth range of the hardware.
So, that is my initial assessment spending a couple hours with it last night. This review is worth what you pay for it! Hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Antoinette Verdone, MSBME, ATP
Owner, Rehabilitation Engineer
ImproveAbility, LLC
Office/Text: 512-522-1705
Cell: 512-497-6026
Email: xxxxxx@improveability.com
Fax: 888-501-1009
3310 W Braker Lane, Suite 300-424, Austin TX 78758
TWC/HHSC Provider# 1-274278960-0-000
"One cannot consent to creep when one has the impulse to soar" -- Helen Keller
Follow Us
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Voice activated tv control
From: Sara Feldman <xxxxxx@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, February 20, 2017 9:16 am
To: xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com
Hi-The Xbox One worked very well as a hands-free, voice-activated control for one of our clients for his Netflix and TV.Thanks,SaraSara M Feldman, PT, DPT, ATPPhysical Therapist, Assistive Technology ProfessionalMDA/ALS Center of HopeTemple Neurosciences3401 N Broad St, C537Philadelphia, PA 19140Phone: 215-707-4682Fax: 215-707-8235Please join us in our fight against ALS! www.alshf.orgOn Thu, Feb 16, 2017 at 8:48 AM, Liu, Patricia <xxxxxx@ucsf.edu> wrote:Greetings -
I'm looking for some ideas for a patient for hands-free voice activation for tv control, particularly to access Comcast DVR and Netflix. I'm aware of some solutions pairing Amazon Alexa + Logitech Harmony or Google Home + Chromecast. Anyone have more experience with these or other options?
Thanks in advance! Appreciate any insight or thoughts into this.
Patricia Liu, M.A. CCC-SLPSpeech PathologistRehabilitative ServicesALS Center at UCSFUCSF Medical CenterPhone: 415.353.1756Pager: 415.443.0668
--Sara Feldman, PT, DPT, ATPMDA/ALS Center of HopeALS Hope Foundation