I have a few devices in my house that I purchased before I started smart-homing, and I’d like to gain some control over them. Before I started with Home Asisstant, I put together an rpi that could learn IR codes and transmit them, but it wouldn’t learn the IR codes for one of my devices - I assumed it was because the device manufacturer used cheap equipment and didn’t follow standards, but that doesn’t really make sense if the rpi was simply watching the IR from the remote and then replaying it. Also, if I did that again I don’t know how I’d integrate it with Home Assistant.

Anyway, I just learned about IR blasters, thanks to BeardedTinker, and he mentioned that there are also RF blasters (I also have a few RF devices I’d like to control).

I’d like a device that doesn’t phone home and can blast IR and RF - but I’d but fine getting separate devices for IR and for RF. Do you have any suggestions for such devices? Which ones might have a better chance at learning IR codes that may not follow standards? For IR devices, is range or directionality an issue?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

  • @thehatfoxEnglish
    4•1 year ago

    I have a Broadlink RM4 Mini, it only does IR but it has worked well so far. The hardware is discreet and compact, so can easily placed somewhere discreet while still keeping line of sight. It has worked very reliably m.

    Setting it up in Home Assistant is a bit cumbersome, it’s a bit time consuming to get all of the IR codes programmed. But once I had mine set up it’s worked fine with my TV, stereo, satellite box, and some IR remote controlled lights.

    It can also be run fully locally. I have mine on a VLAN with no internet access and it runs without issue. There is also a Python program that can do initial setup to avoid the Broadlink app.