Universal Remote – Roomie 4+

I’ve gone back and forth for a long time to try to find a good looking interface for controlling g everything around the home. There are systems that do it well, like control 4 and Savant, but those are really expensive and I don’t want to hire an integrator. There are completely DIY options like Home Assistant that just don’t look as good. Roomie Remote is a great balance between those two extremes.

I just hope the folks at Roomie Remote continue to invest in the platform by adding new integrations and options. I haven’t needed tech support or requested it but I do hope they recognize that their true market is likely tech saavy folks that don’t want to hire an integrator. Users might need a little guidance and assistant from time to time getting everything set up properly and it would really help the platform get adopted if they invested in providing some tech support to users beyond bug reports.

I’m in the process of getting a ton more Apple gear and iPort mounts so I can roll this out all over my house. Since the app is so configurable, I’m sure I’ll find more ways to integrate new stuff and make it even more useful over time!

This is a highly capable and reliable app that I have used for years, including the legacy Simple Control app. There is a pretty steep learning curve so be prepared to invest a fair amount of time up front to learn how to use it. The lengthy manual is informative and I found that to be the best way to gain an understanding on how to start with the app.

Now for the paid subscriptions. If you use Homekit devices in your home and would like to be able to control them from within the Roomie app, you will likely need the $100 per year Pro subscription. This is why. Even though the Home Complete $60 plan says that it supports unlimited devices, pay attention to the 5 room limitation. If you have Homekit devices in more than 5 rooms of your home (as defined in the Apple Home app), you will only be able to see and control the Homekit devices in 5 rooms. If you add a Homekit smart plug to the sixth room and want to control it, the Pro subscription will be required. So while you may only have a total of 6 Homekit devices in your home and each is in a different room, you will have to choose which 5 you want to control from within Roomie if you select the Home Complete subscription for $60/yr. Most homes have more than 5 rooms where Homekit devices might be located, and if your home is like this, you will need to get the Pro $100/yr plan to control those Homekit devices from within the Roomie app.

I’ve been using Roomie from the start and through its segue as Simple Control and then back. I’m so glad Will and the gang are back on track. This latest version and their revised purchase/subscription plans with Family Sharing and free access to the app for guests eliminates a lot of the annoyances of previous versions. Yes, the app isn’t what I would consider inexpensive, but nothing on the market comes close to offering what Roomie can do all in one simple and clean interface without installing an all encompassing proprietary home automation system. With Roomie, you can press a button to control (or voice command) all your AV gear, lights, scenes, cameras, etc. from various vendors and using multiple protocols… you’re not limited to just HomeKit devices or just one brand of receiver or lighting control… you can use just about anything and have them all work together under Roomie.