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Frequently Bought Together
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Technical Details
- Wireless universal audio/video controller for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
- Low-profile component designed to blend unobtrusively with any décor
- Use your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad as a powerful universal remote control without dongles or cases
- Connects to your iOS device via Bluetooth and gives you control of your TV, stereo, and other home entertainment components
- For use with Dijit's Universal Remote app, a free download from the App Store
Product details
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Product Description
Manufacturer's Description
Your iPhone, iPod, or iPad becomes the easy-to-use, never-lost remote your home entertainment center has been waiting for.Your entertainment system expects a remote control to speak to it via infrared signals. Your iOS device speaks Bluetooth. Beacon acts as a bridge between them. Imagine being able to control your TV or stereo using your always-handy iPhone. Or your iPod touch. Or your iPad. Beacon pairs with your iOS device via Bluetooth and works with Dijit's Universal Remote App to put complete control of your home entertainment center in the palm of your hand. There are no bulky cases or dongles, no wires or cables. Control your home entertainment system using the Universal Remote App on your Multi-Touch display. Setup is quick and easy. The Dijit app uses a library of constantly updated device codes to simplify setup for your TV, set-top box, sound system, media players and more. There's even an integrated learning feature for components not yet included in Dijit's library. Bluetooth pairing is simple and puts you just a few taps away from using Dijit's intuitive Program Guide and your touchscreen-based device to change channels, volumes, input, set your DVR, and more.
Product Description
Description:
Features:
The most powerful, easiest-to-use universal remote control... ever.
Powered by Dijit - Your Personal Media Assistant - Beacon uses your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to control everything in your home entertainment system. Without wires. And without networking.
So put away the remotes.
Stop surfing around for something to watch.
Sit back and relax.
It's time to watch better with Beacon™.
Your entertainment system expects a remote control to speak to it via infrared signals. Your iOS device speaks Bluetooth. Beacon acts as a bridge between them.
Imagine being able to control your TV or stereo using your always-handy iPhone. Or your iPod touch. Or your iPad.
Beacon pairs with your iOS device via Bluetooth and works with Dijit's Universal Remote App to put complete control of your home entertainment center in the palm of your hand. There are no bulky cases or dongles, no wires or cables. Control your home entertainment system using the Universal Remote App on your Multi-Touch display.
Setup is quick and easy. The Dijit app uses a library of constantly updated device codes to simplify setup for your TV, set-top box, sound system, media players and more. There's even an integrated learning feature for components not yet included in Dijit's library.
Bluetooth pairing is simple and puts you just a few taps away from using Dijit's intuitive Program Guide and your touchscreen-based device to change channels, volumes, input, set your DVR, and more.
Features:
- Wireless universal audio/video controller for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
- Low-profile component designed to blend unobtrusively with any decor
- Use your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad as a powerful universal remote control without dongles or cases
- Connects to your iOS device via Bluetooth and gives you control of your TV, stereo, and other home entertainment components
- For use with Dijit's Universal
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
I wrote the review below a couple of months ago and I'm pleased to report that Griffin have listened. We now have the eagerly awaited iPad version of the app, and the most recent firmware upgrade for the device, which you install using another free app, has fixed all my Sky problems. We could still do with improvements to the buttons available for the devices - we need red, green, yellow, blue buttons - but at last this product works well enough to replace my Harmony remote. Good job!
Original review:
This device has so much potential, and to a certain extent it appears to deliver quite well. The Griffin gadget is quite discrete and the software is more configurable than anything else at the moment, so you can really design your own buttons, macros and everything you might want. But in the end it's let down by the lack of Sky compatibility.
At the time of writing there's no iPad version of the software out yet - this is extremely disappointing, but I'm sure an iPad version will arrive soon. In the meantime, the iphone display is bearable on the iPad when you magnify by 2. There's also no TV guide for us in the UK, unlike the US and Canadian versions. Thankfully, there's plenty of good news - your buttons are configurable, they look attractive, the device can learn new buttons if it doesn't know your gadget, and the inevitable delay between pressing a button and seeing the action is just about bearable. The Griffin device is a little strange in its design - not the classic symmetry of the Unityremote by Gear4 - but it's not out of place amongst the gadgets.
How does it cope with the varied gadgets of a computer scientist (me)? Sony TV - after a search for the right remote in its list, works perfectly. Yamaha amp/receiver - works perfectly (although to access more advanced functions I had to create new buttons and teach it from the original remote). Pioneer DVD - works perfectly. Technics multi CD player - not listed, but able to learn all buttons perfectly.
And the most commonly used gadget of all in the UK? The Sky HD box? It doesn't work!
I'm so sad... There are many different remote settings to try (Sky, SkyPlus, Pace, BSkyB, etc) and none are capable of doing more than turning the box on. With repeated and very persistent button pressing I can just about change channels. Even if it did work, there are no green,yellow,blue buttons available (just a red one which doesn't work) - again a sign that Griffin have no idea about Sky remotes. Even worse and the Griffin universal remote seems incapable of learning from the original Sky remote. What's going on? My Harmony universal remote could manage this task. This is a terrible shame and makes this universal remote largely useless for a large number of UK customers. Griffin please sort this out! In the meantime my very non-universal remote may end up on Ebay...
Original review:
This device has so much potential, and to a certain extent it appears to deliver quite well. The Griffin gadget is quite discrete and the software is more configurable than anything else at the moment, so you can really design your own buttons, macros and everything you might want. But in the end it's let down by the lack of Sky compatibility.
At the time of writing there's no iPad version of the software out yet - this is extremely disappointing, but I'm sure an iPad version will arrive soon. In the meantime, the iphone display is bearable on the iPad when you magnify by 2. There's also no TV guide for us in the UK, unlike the US and Canadian versions. Thankfully, there's plenty of good news - your buttons are configurable, they look attractive, the device can learn new buttons if it doesn't know your gadget, and the inevitable delay between pressing a button and seeing the action is just about bearable. The Griffin device is a little strange in its design - not the classic symmetry of the Unityremote by Gear4 - but it's not out of place amongst the gadgets.
How does it cope with the varied gadgets of a computer scientist (me)? Sony TV - after a search for the right remote in its list, works perfectly. Yamaha amp/receiver - works perfectly (although to access more advanced functions I had to create new buttons and teach it from the original remote). Pioneer DVD - works perfectly. Technics multi CD player - not listed, but able to learn all buttons perfectly.
And the most commonly used gadget of all in the UK? The Sky HD box? It doesn't work!
I'm so sad... There are many different remote settings to try (Sky, SkyPlus, Pace, BSkyB, etc) and none are capable of doing more than turning the box on. With repeated and very persistent button pressing I can just about change channels. Even if it did work, there are no green,yellow,blue buttons available (just a red one which doesn't work) - again a sign that Griffin have no idea about Sky remotes. Even worse and the Griffin universal remote seems incapable of learning from the original Sky remote. What's going on? My Harmony universal remote could manage this task. This is a terrible shame and makes this universal remote largely useless for a large number of UK customers. Griffin please sort this out! In the meantime my very non-universal remote may end up on Ebay...
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
I don't normally review products on Amazon (even though I tend to buy quite a lot of stuff here) but thought I should for this fantastic device. I'd read a few mixed reviews with people having problems controlling all their devices, which is pretty much the point of something like this, so if even one doesn't work it somewhat defeats the object. Happy to report that I can control everything I wanted to below.
I'm was using the multi remote that came with the Philips TV to semi control everything but it's a bit tricky at times and I have to get the original remote for some functions. Now using this with the Dijit app on both a iPhone 3GS and iPad2
1. Philips 32PF9830 TV - full control using built in Philips TV Remote 4
2. Bose GS321 DVD - full control using built in Bose Receiver and DVD remotes (have 2 screens - one for controlling amp features and one for DVD playback)
3. Sumvision MKV2 Media Streamer - no built in functions, but have programmed all the buttons on the original remote
4. Digitalstream DHR8205U Freeview+ HD TVR - part control using built in DTV remote but have added missing buttons (colour function buttons)
5. Philips BDP3000 Blu-ray - built in functions for Philips Blu-ray (but it won't bring the device out of standby)
It's also possible to create custom views with a mix of functions across multiple devices, so for the common functions everything is on one screen. Still haven't got into the activities functions, which allows you to set-up a number of functions with delays so you can have a single button to switch on the right devices, set the channel, volume, function, etc.
You can't connect more than 1 bluetooth device to the Beacon at the same time, and have to press it to reconnect a different device, but I guess this stops you fighting to change channels with someone else who also has a controller!
Impressed with the German seller too, who quoted a delivery of 2-3 weeks but it arrived 4 days after placing the order. If you have a iPhone and lots of remote controls, this is a near-perfect solution. You'll just have to remember to keep your phone charger to hand!
I'm was using the multi remote that came with the Philips TV to semi control everything but it's a bit tricky at times and I have to get the original remote for some functions. Now using this with the Dijit app on both a iPhone 3GS and iPad2
1. Philips 32PF9830 TV - full control using built in Philips TV Remote 4
2. Bose GS321 DVD - full control using built in Bose Receiver and DVD remotes (have 2 screens - one for controlling amp features and one for DVD playback)
3. Sumvision MKV2 Media Streamer - no built in functions, but have programmed all the buttons on the original remote
4. Digitalstream DHR8205U Freeview+ HD TVR - part control using built in DTV remote but have added missing buttons (colour function buttons)
5. Philips BDP3000 Blu-ray - built in functions for Philips Blu-ray (but it won't bring the device out of standby)
It's also possible to create custom views with a mix of functions across multiple devices, so for the common functions everything is on one screen. Still haven't got into the activities functions, which allows you to set-up a number of functions with delays so you can have a single button to switch on the right devices, set the channel, volume, function, etc.
You can't connect more than 1 bluetooth device to the Beacon at the same time, and have to press it to reconnect a different device, but I guess this stops you fighting to change channels with someone else who also has a controller!
Impressed with the German seller too, who quoted a delivery of 2-3 weeks but it arrived 4 days after placing the order. If you have a iPhone and lots of remote controls, this is a near-perfect solution. You'll just have to remember to keep your phone charger to hand!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
There are a couple of things that I'd failed to appreciate from reading the reviews and the blurb - maybe not very carefully, so they haven't affected the overall rating. If they had it would be one star.
This unit IS iOS only. I thought that reflected the fact that it had been brought to market before the Android Dijit client was made available, but that's not the case. Griffin make a separate Beacon for Android. I don't understand why that's the case, given they're Bluetooth devices, but that's the way it is. I had intended to use it with my Android phone, but I ended up using it with an iPad.
It's also battery powered - which makes it easy to position in the room, but does mean it's going to be drawing power whenever your iPhone/iPad is connected - unlike a normal remote. I've not done any testing, but I suspect it'll need a new set of batteries in weeks rather than months.
But the basic problem - the reason it only has 3 stars - is that, having identified my TV, DVD player/amplifier and Sky box, all I'm given is control over the very bare functionality - power on/off, channel up/down, volume control and access to basic menu functionality. It's disappointing they've not put more effort into the device profiles. I could spend ages manually programming in all the other functionality, but given the other issues, I'm not motivated to put the effort in. I'd also be more inclined to do that if there was some way to share device-specific profiles with other users - something I've seen with other 'soft' URCs.
I'm left with the impression that all I've managed to do is turn my ipad into the equivalent of a £10 remote from Maplin, by way of a £50 add-on.
This unit IS iOS only. I thought that reflected the fact that it had been brought to market before the Android Dijit client was made available, but that's not the case. Griffin make a separate Beacon for Android. I don't understand why that's the case, given they're Bluetooth devices, but that's the way it is. I had intended to use it with my Android phone, but I ended up using it with an iPad.
It's also battery powered - which makes it easy to position in the room, but does mean it's going to be drawing power whenever your iPhone/iPad is connected - unlike a normal remote. I've not done any testing, but I suspect it'll need a new set of batteries in weeks rather than months.
But the basic problem - the reason it only has 3 stars - is that, having identified my TV, DVD player/amplifier and Sky box, all I'm given is control over the very bare functionality - power on/off, channel up/down, volume control and access to basic menu functionality. It's disappointing they've not put more effort into the device profiles. I could spend ages manually programming in all the other functionality, but given the other issues, I'm not motivated to put the effort in. I'd also be more inclined to do that if there was some way to share device-specific profiles with other users - something I've seen with other 'soft' URCs.
I'm left with the impression that all I've managed to do is turn my ipad into the equivalent of a £10 remote from Maplin, by way of a £50 add-on.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Griffin Beacon
A great product that allows fully customisable control screens on the Iphone. I was looking for a product that I could set up activities for switching several units on/off at once... Read more
Published 1 day ago by David
Hardly a Beacon
Griffin Beacon - I really wanted to like you. What a great idea and as I drive my music with iPeng on iPad, thought I could ditch the remotes (again) but they're all back out. Read more
Published 5 days ago by M. D. Simister
Good but lacking too much
This product has the hint of being really good. However it is not good without the software, and the software is really poor. Read more
Published 3 months ago by jonp
Decent item
Much cheaper on Amazon.com
Havent really used it much but the dijit app has now been released for the Ipad and it is much better. Read more
Havent really used it much but the dijit app has now been released for the Ipad and it is much better. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Vinoth
Brilliant gadget
I bought this for my other half hoping it wasnt a gadget that he wouldnt be able to work or use. It was neither and he loves it. Great present
Published 4 months ago by Suew2800
Beacon + iPad2/iPhone4
If you have an iPhone or iPad and a projector, get yourself a Griffin Beacon
I have my projector + Free-to-view Digital Tuner + DVD player all mounted behind and above my... Read more
I have my projector + Free-to-view Digital Tuner + DVD player all mounted behind and above my... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Sherman Duck
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