If you want this universal remote, be prepared to pay a pretty penny
Back in February, Control4 snapped up Neeo, makers of a universal remote control that was originally a huge Kickstarter hit.
Full verdict: Neeo Remote for Control4 review
Now, the first fruit of that acquisition is available; the Neeo Remote for Control4 is on sale through Control4 dealers for £560.
The slick looking, machined aluminum remote control features a 3-inch, edge-to-edge, LCD display and the good news is that, thanks to Control4’s Smart Home OS 3, it works straight out of the box.
Comprehensive verdict: Living with Control4 review
Users simply have to sync up their home Wi-Fi details to the Neeo Remote and it will find the Control4 system it’s set to control.
We’ve had the Neeo remote for a few days now (stay tuned for the full review), and setting it up is an absolute cinch. It also automatically pulls in favorites from your OS 3 settings, once you tell it the room you’re going to use it in the most.
Essentially, the display section of the remote apes the same OS 3 interface you’d get on your Control4 touch panels, or smartphone apps; so it’s not just for controlling your TV and streaming services – you can also use it to control your smart home scenes, multi-room audio and a whole lot more.
The limited physical buttons at the bottom are used for basic controls within apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime where, let’s face it, you only ever really scroll through on-screen menus and use very few physical buttons.
For cable or satellite TV, you are able to program your favorite channels as icons for the display, as well.
The Neeo Remote doesn’t look any different on the outside from the original crowdfunding success story, which raised over $1.5 million back in 2015.
However, we spoke with SnapAV’s (Control4’s parent company) Charlie Kindel, who he told us that a lot of work had been done under the hood in order to get Smart Home OS 3 seamlessly running on the device.
The Neeo Remote for Control4 comes with a charging dock, and you’ll get up to five days’ worth of use from a single charge. As mentioned, it costs £560, and you can order one from your dealer right now.
It’s worth noting that the original – the non-Control4 version – Remote cost £350, so it’s a fair old mark up. It’s also much more expensive than the standard SR-260 remote, and infinitely more expensive than, you know, just controlling things from your phone or touch panels.
However, Control4 users are used to paying a premium for devices that work seamlessly within their setups.
If you want to see the new Neeo Remote in action, or indeed any Control4 kit, it’s worth popping along to a Control4 showroom on 21 November, when the company is holding another C4Yourself Day.
