BeamoteHow to use your phone as a TV remote
Phone remote apps work in one of two ways. Infrared (IR) apps flash light like a classic remote. Wi-Fi apps send commands over your home network. Most phones today have no IR blaster, so in practice the Wi-Fi kind is the one that works.
Does my phone have IR?
Recent Samsung Galaxy S and Z phones, Pixels and iPhones don't. A few Xiaomi and Redmi models still do. On a phone without IR, an "IR remote" app can't do anything, and many of those apps exist only to show ads. Check how an app connects before you install it.
What a Wi-Fi remote needs
- A smart device: Google TV, Android TV, a smart projector such as XGIMI.
- Your phone and the device on the same Wi-Fi. A guest network or a second router keeps them apart.
- The device on, or in network standby. Many devices can't be woken over Wi-Fi once fully off.
Which app for which device
| Device | How |
|---|---|
| Google TV · Chromecast · Android TV | The Google TV app's remote, or Beamote (app shortcuts, keyboard) |
| XGIMI projectors | Global models use Google TV; China-market (GMUI) models work with Beamote |
| Samsung · LG TVs | The maker's app (SmartThings, LG ThinQ). Coming to Beamote |
| AV receivers (Denon, Yamaha …) | The maker's app. See AV receiver remote apps |
All of them in one app
With a different app for the TV, the projector and the receiver, one movie night means switching apps three times. Beamote finds the devices on your Wi-Fi, keeps them in one app and switches between them at the top. It supports XGIMI projectors and Google TV / Android TV today, with receivers and more TVs being added.
