BroadlinkRM Mini3 Black Bean Universal Remote, WiFi + IR Control Hub for Smart Home, Compatible with Alexa, One for All Infrared Controlled Home Devices TV, STB, Air Conditioner, DVD

Works great with the smart phone. You need the old remote or some type of remote to be able to code the buttons on your phone, otherwise it won't work. The instructions were not that clear on how to set up the device.Here is what I did to make it work (Note: I used a LG G6 and a Panasonic Non-Wifi TV):1. Plug in device to see the blue light turn on.2. Down Load APP3. Press and hold the tiny pin-hole button (need a paper clip or thumb tack) until it begins to flash quickly.4. Connect your phone directly to the Black Bean's Wifi signal (you have to go into your phone's wifi settings to do this). Once you are connected to the Black Bean, the Black Bean will connect to your home wifi. Once it is connected to your phone it will stop flashing.5. Start a Home TV function on the APP. Once you do this, the screen on your phone will look like a remote.6. To set the buttons on the App screen, you first need to push a button on the screen. For example the power button. You will see an icon appear that says searching for signal.7. Once you see the icon, push the corresponding button on the remote. If you pushed the power button on the app earlier, push the power button on the remote.8. Repeat for the rest of the buttons you want to use. This is the most tedious part and my only complaint. It would be nice if the app already had the key functions for major brands stored so that it was already coded.The nice thing is you can code this to other IR devices, though I have not attempted this yet.

This guy is very well done. It transmits IR very well, almost as well as the RM03. The RM03 is like as if it's a massive ball of IR light with every command, but it costs more money. The Mini3 does a great job, just not quite as extreme. You can put this unit pretty much anywhere in the room and everything will see it, either directly or reflected. We have two Broadlink units right now. One is this Mini3, and the other is an RM03. This Mini3 does IR-only, but does a great job of it. That Mini3 is controlling our kitchen A/C unit with no issue. The RM03 does IR as well as certain RF frequencies. If you want to control any RF-controlled outlets, like Etekcity Wireless Remote Control Electrical Outlet Switch for Household Appliances, Wireless Remote Light Switch, White (Learning Code, 5Rx-2Tx), for example, you would want the RM03. But if all you need is IR, you should get this Mini3 as it's cheaper and does a fantastic job with IR.The Android software for these units works just fine, but it's a bit confusing to set up initially. If you work at it, you'll get it. After you get it set up, you will have no problem. Be sure to setup the profile backup feature as that will help keep you from losing your config, plus you get the added bonus of being able to share your remote control configurations with other users (especially your spouse or kids, like I do). The only thing I wish the Android software would do is allow you to enable some form of snap-to-grid. It's a bit hard to line up all the buttons in a nice way when using the user-defined "random sort" remote. There is a great Tasker plugin that you can use to control your Broadlink devices, if you're into that sort of thing (I certainly am!).

So much to work on here - but so much to work with. The IR control hub went into a shed that's being set up as a combo office/work out area. I'm an endurance coach, so I work remotely with athletes in the office, then work out with local athletes in the workout area. This control hub was to fit into an existing Alexa system with an echo and a connected surround sound. The office has an a/c unit, a heater, a fan and a few other devices including a tv being used as a computer screen.The IR hub comes in... (cue Benny Hill music)In the box is the hub, a power cord, and no adapter. I was prepared for that, having read other reviews. One other reviewer said a minimum of 500 ma was needed, but in the day and age of 2.4a out becoming standard, most of us will have what is necessary. If you're ordering this to work with a smart house, I guarantee you have a spare phone charger somewhere that will work. I put this on a shelf near the ceiling with line of sight for every device in the room.There are two apps that work with the device - e-control and ihc from broadlink. e-control is the better of the two. It's the more mature parent app that's been through a bit, isn't always perfect, but usually has the answers. The app is more finessed, the interface is better and without instructions, I was able to get through it easier, add devices(hubs) and remotes. Unfortunately, this app is not the one that works with Alexa. Enter IHC. This is the teenager that thinks it knows everything, only to be wrong and throw tantrums then rage quit on you occasionally. IHC is a mess. Only remotes added in IHC as a tv or set top box, then reprogrammed as you need it can be detected in the Alexa app and controlled, but you have to add remotes after clicking on the RM mini 3 hub. Then tap the + button at the bottom to add the remote that you want to. I imagine it's set up this way to attach a specific remote to a specific hub assuming that most homes will want more than one IR control hub. Who wouldn't, they're AWESOME. Control all the grandpa tech in your house with your phone and your voice? Hell yeah. Not so much. Unless the firmware begins to support more than remotes added as televisions for Alexa, I'm not sure most people will have the patience required to add an entire home's contents of remotes as televisions, then reprogram button by button.Having said that, I can use Alexa to:Turn on/off the tv and adjust the volume, channel, input and a few other thingsTurn on/off the sound system and adjust the volumeTurn the fan on/offVolume though - adjusting the volume on the tv or surround sound system moves it up or down 4-5 notches. So it goes from "can't quite hear it" to "too loud for conversation" to "OMFG GOING TO MELT MY BRAIN!!!"So then, using the IHC app, outside of the Alexa system, I discovered some quirks. Every time I try to adjust the ac unit, it changes the temperature reading to Celsius from Fahrenheit - despite being locked for usage to the US (according to some reviews). e-control does not do this, and allows me to adjust in Fahrenheit. I’ve given up trying to fix that and accepted I need to be able to think in both anyway, and printed off a copy of a c-f conversion chart so I can tape one to my ac unit and one to my forehead. The help number is a country I don’t recognize (I’m guessing China) and the manual is in Engrish.However - I dropped 22 bucks on this little hub and I have all the infrared remotes from the office programmed into my phone. I can wirelessly and remotely control every device in my office. Take THAT bipolar Texas weather!!! That alone is worth it.If the company fixes the firmware and the e-control app, or updates IHC to work with Alexa properly, I'll update my rating to a 5 star. In the meantime, it really isn't ready for Alexa unless you're ready to put some work in and sacrifice some features.