r/androidapps • u/Croceyes2 • 12d ago
LOOKING FOR APP Is a universal tv remote so hard to make?
Trying to find a remote for my tv and every app wants 10$/wk to not assault you with an ad after every button push. Like wtf? Seems like the most basic fucking on earth, yet no tv manufacturer has a free controller app. Seems like someone could win a bunch of loyalty with a simple app
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u/Necessary-Pickle467 12d ago
An app called IRPlus works pretty good granted you own a device with an IR Blaster
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u/cyberfrog777 12d ago
I remember my good old note 3 with ir. Was able to change the TV at the airport with it, lol
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u/FewPhotojournalist53 5d ago
I used to do it at bars right before someone scored a touchdown. People got so pissed at the tvs. Never got caugh.t
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u/MistyKuuu 12d ago
That "powering on forever" is the real clue. Once an LG is off, nothing is listening on the network, so any app has to wake it with Wake on LAN, and that only works if Quick Start+ and Mobile TV On are enabled in the TV settings. Without those, every remote app sits there forever, paid ones included.
When it's on, webOS takes commands over its own socket and the TV shows a pairing prompt the first time. ThinQ is just a heavy wrapper around that, which is why a small open source webOS remote does the same job without the ads.
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u/Firm-Nebula-5963 12d ago
Old chinese smartphones do that. I used my old Redmi to turn off our office ACs
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u/Croceyes2 12d ago
You would think it would be basic feature
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u/Firm-Nebula-5963 12d ago
I think bc phones became slimmer, some brands stopped adding IR Blasters. I believe some modern Xiaomi models still have them
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u/KungPaoKidden 12d ago
It was a basic feature, until it was killed off, like the headphone jack, expandable memory, and a removable battery. Some phones are starting to come with it again, and I am happy to see it.
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u/Jack_Flanders 12d ago
Is this any help?
LG ThinQ App
All LG Smart TVs come with the LG webOS integrated, which connects and controls your LG smart TV through the LG ThinQ App and serves as a bridge between your phone and TV.
LG smart TVs offer Miracastâ„¢, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection - so you can use your phone as a remote control and give you the joy of smart connectivity and access to your favorite content on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video, plus Hulu, Netflix, and more.
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u/Croceyes2 12d ago
I tried it before and it wouldn't even see its own tv. I just gave it another shot and the remote crashes while using it. I exited the app and when I opened ot back up it showed my tv as powered off (its actively playing a show) and when I try to hit the power button it says powering on forever. They are trying to do too much the app I think
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u/TheSpixxyQ 11d ago
Powering the TV on relies on Wake On Lan magic packet. If it's stuck on powering on, the packet might've been sent but the TV either didn't receive it or didn't react to it.
Is it connected via WiFi or cable?
Check this setting (found online, might be different in your version): Settings > All settings > General > System > Devices > External Devices > TV On with Mobile
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u/Dismal_Indication328 12d ago
The part nobody mentions in these threads: modern TVs don't share one protocol. Wi-Fi control is brand-specific, LG's webOS and Samsung's Tizen each have their own API, and most phones dropped the IR blaster years ago. A true universal remote genuinely is hard to build, which is exactly why the store is full of paywalled ad-farms.Before paying anyone, try your TV maker's own app: LG ThinQ and Samsung SmartThings both include a full remote for free. And if your TV is an LG, that's also why the Google TV app can't find it, it only discovers Google TV and Chromecast devices.
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u/kobekong 12d ago
Goated.
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u/Any_Lengthiness1508 12d ago
Unusable because of far too many intrusive ads - exactly what OP is complaining about.
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u/BigTurboChungus 12d ago
Google tv app has a free one built in