- Built-In Bluetooth radio for controlling Sony PlayStation 3
- Blu-Ray and DVD Control – Specific buttons to control top menu, popup menu, angle, audio channel and subtitle features of movies
- Advanced PS3 Buttons – Dedicated buttons such as triangle, circle, square, X, Select, Home and Start for maximum control of PlayStation3
- Non-Volatile Memory -Settings are stored in non-volatile memory so they aren’t lost when batteries are changed.
- DVR Friendly Layout – Frequently used buttons are centrally located
Product Description
The first remote control to use both Bluetooth to control the PS3 and Infrared to control the other devices in your entertainment center. Built-In Bluetooth radio for controlling Sony PlayStation3. Built-In IR for controlling numerous models of TVs, VCRs, DVDs, DVRs, surround sound systems, cable, satellite and set top boxes. Replace up to six different remote controls. Pre-programmed to support numerous models of TVs, VCRs, DVDs, DVRs, surround sound systems, cable… More >>
PS3 Blu-Link Universal Remote Control
Before I get into my thoughts on the Blu-Link remote, I’ll start by saying that I’ve purchased and returned two Logitech Harmony universal remotes. The Harmony Xbox 360 remote and the almighty Harmony One to be precise. These are the only products I’ve ever returned on Amazon.com. They were nice enough remotes to look at, and the computerized setup was convenient. I just couldn’t get past the delay in button presses. No matter how you set the inter-device or inter-key delay for the remote, there is a noticeable delay between pressing a button and seeing the result. (For example: Holding down the volume button for an A/V receiver for a few seconds would result in about 3-4 extra commands after you let go of the button. Annoying) I am far from the only user to be bothered by this, as a quick Google search can yield innumerable results on the topic.
The Blu-Link remote doesn’t have a computerized setup, a display, or a charging station. I give it 5 stars nonetheless. It does what it’s supposed to do, and does it at a reasonable price. Using the supplied codes, I had my PS3, Samsung TV, Onkyo A/V receiver, and DirecTV HD-DVR up and running MOST of the way within a couple of minutes. I then spent 5, count ‘em, 5 minutes using the remote’s “learning” feature to fill in the remaining functionality. Notably, I ran into the same problem that another reviewer had with my A/V receiver, in that it would power it on, but not off. Teaching the Blu-Link the Onkyo remote’s power code directly alleviated this problem. Various other commands were learned from my old Onkyo remote, but the DVR and TV were good to go using only the supplied codes. The volume master feature works as it should, sending all volume commands to the AUX input, the Onkyo receiver. The manual also explains how to set up a master volume device, but to also be able to control the TV’s volume when you’re on the TV input. (I mention this after seeing another reviewer’s frustration with trying to do that)
Now, for the reason I was so excited about this remote in the first place: The ability to control the PS3. I can tell you that it works flawlessly. Power on, power off, video/music playback, menu navigation, just about everything you can do with the PS3 controller can be done with the Blu-Link remote. To power on, you simply hit the PS3 input selector. To power off, you hold the “Home” button, just like you would on a PS3 controller, and select “Power off device”. Simple! The only ommission I’ve seen is the lack of “L” and “R” buttons. The only use I would have for them is webpage back/forward keys, (which is still easily done by hitting “triangle” and selecting it from the menu) but since I don’t do much web browsing on the PS3 it’s not a big deal.
The finish of the remote is very attractive, and I find the button layout to be very comfortable. Be aware that the buttons are quite small, namely the number keys and transport buttons. (FF, RW, etc.) Those with large hands may have problems.
I spent less than 10 minutes setting up this remote to control all of my components, and have been loving it in the time since. Yes, I have to manually adjust inputs when watching a movie instead of hitting a singular “Activity” key, but I also don’t have to deal with the delays present in Logitech remotes. The PS3 control is fantastic, and you can get the Blu-Link remote for $10 less than the price of the Logitech PS3 adapter alone!
If you’re unhappy with Harmony remotes, and you’re a PS3 owner, this is a no-brainer. Buy it now!
Rating: 5 / 5
The version that Amazon is selling as of 11/9/09 is not the latest version and does not work with the PS3 Slim. After contacting Blu-link tech support, you can get your remote firmware upgraded however you will have to pick up the tab on the shipping back to them.
Other then that it’s a cool remote, easy to program and learns other commands from other remotes. The price is right when compared to something like the Logitech Harmony series (which I ultimately ended up buying).
Once Amazon gets the new version I would recommend this remote.
Rating: 2 / 5
I really want to love this remote, and I almost do. There’s just a few kinks that I’m really having a hard time living with. Let me break down my loves and hates:
Love:
- Almost eliminates 6 remotes/controllers (the “almost” is explained below)
- “Teaching” commands is a breeze
- Has a wide variety of buttons so I can logically assign buttons
- Feels good in my hand (I don’t think the buttons are too small, and I have normal sized guy hands)
Hate:
- Only 50 programmable commands, globally. This means you can only “teach” the remote 50 new things across all devices. I ran out before I even got to my receiver’s remote, so I’ve had to go back and pick and choose which commands I’ll actually need regularly.
- If you leave the remote in PS3 mode for a long time (60 minutes?) it will stop controlling the PS3 until you turn the PS3 off/back on. I re-paired, too, but I don’t know if that’s a necessary step all of the time.
As to my first complaint, I called the company’s support number and talked to the fella there (very nice guy) and he confirmed that there are only 50 programmable commands. I asked him if I could request a feature and that it be more memory for the next model. Perhaps if enough people request it we’ll get our wish. The company’s site [...].
For my second complaint, I recommend doing what you have to in PS3 (Bluetooth) mode and then change to some other mode. The Bluetooth probably just goes to sleep to conserve battery power, but it’s very frustrating. So switch modes and I think everything will be okay.
Overall, I really do like this remote because it’s one-of-a-kind. Why hasn’t anyone else thought of making a IR/Bluetooth remote? Who knows. But they haven’t, so this is the best there is for now. It’s definitely first-gen, but a great attempt. Hopefully they’ll iron out the bugs and the next version will completely rock. I know I’m game to get an update.
Rating: 4 / 5
PS3 Blu-Link remote control looks very cool.
I was given a Blu-Link remote for Christmas and have been using it since. For me, the Blu-Link is working as expected for the most part. It took about 10 minutes to set up, only because I have a Samsung TV and there are about 30 “codes” for Samsung to try. I also set it up to control my Sony HTIB and Motorola DVR from FiOS.
One negative, the unit currently does not support the DVR function on the Motorola. I have the “multi-room” DVR and the main box is where the PS3 is. I was able to program the remote to talk to a Motorola set top box, and it works fine, but I cannot bring up the DVR function and Blu-Link does not list a Motorola DVR code. Maybe they will add it in the future.
I’ve set the remote to “push” the Sony HTIB for when I use the volume button, so no matter what other device I am controlling, volume changes the surround sound volume only. I like that feature. I can apparently do more “customizing” of it, but have no need to.
My only other negative is that I had a night where I had to keep reconnecting the remote to the PS3. For whatever reason it wouldn’t work. If I popped a battery out and popped it back in it would work. Since that night (New Years Eve), it hasn’t needed to be reconnected, so who knows what the root cause was.
Overall, it is getting the job done for watching movies on PS3 and controlling 3 other devices. It is substantially cheaper than purchasing a Harmony remote with a PS3 adapter, and I feel no desire to buy a Harmony now that I have the Blu-Link. Hopefully the New Years Eve disconnection issues don’t resurface, and eventually support for the Motorola DVR with multi-room on FiOS becomes available.
Rating: 4 / 5
This remote was on my Christmas list because Sony doesn’t provide a remote for watching movies on the PS3. (Don’t expect to use this remote as another game controller even though it has some controller buttons.) The universal remote capability was an added bonus. I was pleased with it until it stopped working with the PS3 Slim. During the middle of the first movie I watched it suddenly wouldn’t control any PS3 functions. I found out from the manufacturer (and other reviews here) that this is a problem with the first 1,000 made which is apparently all that Amazon carries. (I think Amazon should note the Slim issue in its description.) Sony apparently changed the firmware on the PS3 Slim model making this remote inoperable. I like this remote so I am awaiting a replacement with a firmware update but I will have to pay return shipping for the old one. On the plus side this remote operates my HDTV and TiVo HD with no problems. It learns your other remote functions easliy if you want to change them. It is a little small but buttons are generally laid out well. I still find myself using my TiVo remote frequently because I’m so familiar with it but with practice this remote would function almost as well. A back light would be nice, too. All in all I was pleased with this remote but if you need PS3 Slim functionality make sure you find one with the newest firmware unless you want to pay additionally for return shipping.
Rating: 3 / 5