Have you misplaced the remote control again or just not at hand? TECHBOOK explains how you can easily control your TV with your smartphone!
Smartphones are now all-rounders and are taking on more and more tasks – even controlling the television if desired. This works with almost all TV and smartphone devices from the past few years. This means that misplaced remote controls or empty batteries are a thing of the past. TECHBOOK introduces you to the two most common methods for more comfort at home.
Smartphone as a remote control for various devices
The possibilities of a smartphone remote control are not limited to the television. In the meantime, manufacturers of peripheral devices such as receivers or streaming devices also offer suitable apps for smartphone control. In addition to the TV, you can also operate your Sky receiver, your games console or your Amazon Fire TV stick. But a large number of other devices now also offer this option. Just google for a suitable smartphone app that works with your device or search for it directly in the app stores.
Also read: 5 tips to get the most out of your TV
Best controlled via WiFi
The most common way to control the TV with a smartphone is via a WiFi connection. For this you need a WLAN-enabled television, such as a Smart TV. Then install the appropriate app to operate it. You can choose between apps that have been specially adapted to your TV or apps that can control multiple devices in a multifunctional way.
For TVs from Samsung and LG, for example, there is the “Samsung TV Touch Remote” or the “LG Smart TV Remote”. Both remote control apps come straight from the manufacturers and work flawlessly.
Universal apps such as surah in contrast, have a constantly updated device list. The advantage is obvious: ideally, you can control several devices in the living room with just one app. In return, you occasionally have to make compromises when it comes to operation, since the software has not been optimized for the respective television.
Infrared control as an alternative
As with the classic remote control, you can also control the television from your smartphone via infrared. This also works in combination with a smartphone app. In this way, older TVs that are not WLAN-enabled can also be operated. For this variant, however, you need a smartphone with a built-in infrared transmitter. However, since these are installed less and less in current smartphones, there are now suitable gadgets from third-party manufacturers. On the Internet, for example, you can find infrared adapters for smartphones from as little as 10 euros. These usually dock to the charging socket on your phone, and a suitable app is usually recommended to you when you buy it.