How do I control my TV from my phone?

Today, the TV has long ceased to be a device that displays television programs. It has turned into a multimedia center that can be used as a monitor, watch any kind of movies on it, display an image from a computer on it, and do a lot of other things. We add that not only the TVs themselves have changed, but also the ways of controlling them. If earlier switching was carried out on the device itself manually, or we were tied to the remote control, now you can simply use a smartphone if it meets some criteria and has a certain software. Let's try to figure it out in more detail.

As it has already become clear, if you wish, you can configure the TV control from your smartphone, so that it will work as a remote control. Let's begin with that depending on the communication characteristics of the TV, it can be controlled from a smartphone using two types of technologies:

• Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection;
• with the use of the infrared port.

The first type of connection will be possible with models that support the Smart TV function, or with models to which the set-top box is connected that runs on Android OS. The second type of connection will be relevant for all TV models. In addition, in order to turn your mobile phone into a virtual remote control and control the TV, you can install special software, which manufacturers usually create in order to draw the attention of users to their developments. The programs can be downloaded from the Play Market or App Store.

As it became clear from the above, in order to transform a smartphone into an electronic remote control, you need to install certain software, which will allow you to use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth or a special infrared port, if available on the phone. Consider the most popular applications that are considered the most suitable for controlling TV from a smartphone.

The first program that deserves attention is TV Assistant. Its peculiarity is that after installation, the smartphone is transformed into a kind of functional wireless mouse. It makes it possible not only to switch channels, but also to use the applications that are installed on the TV. This application was developed by the Chinese company Xiaomi. If we talk in more detail about the capabilities of this program, then we should name:

• the ability to run programs;
• navigation through menu items;
• the ability to communicate in social networks and chats;
• the ability to save screenshots in the phone's memory;
• support for all versions of Android OS;
• the presence of the Russian language;
• free software;
• lack of advertising.

At the same time, there are some disadvantages:

• sometimes freezes;
• functions do not always work correctly.

Another program I want to talk about is TV Remote Control. This application is universal and allows you to control your TV from your smartphone. True, this program lacks support for the Russian language. But the interface is so easy and straightforward that even a child can figure out the features of the program. At the first start, you need to select the type of connection that will be used to control the TV at home:

• TV IP address;
• infrared port.

It is important that this program supports work with a mass of models of major TV manufacturers, including Samsung, Sharp, Panasonic, LG and others. There are a large number of necessary functions for controlling the TV: you can turn it off and on, there is a numeric keypad, you can increase or decrease the sound level and switch channels. An important plus will be the availability of support for device models with a version from Android 2.2.

Easy Universal TV Remote is also a free application that allows you to make your smartphone a TV remote control. This application differs from similar ones only in the interface. This offer is free of charge, which is why sometimes advertisements will appear. A feature of this software is the ability to work with smartphones on the Android operating system, starting from version 2.3 and higher. The user gets at his disposal a standard set of functions for such applications:

• device activation;
• sound setting;
• change of channels.

To set up the application, you just need to select a compatible TV model and 1 of the 3 available signal transmission types.

OneZap Remote - it differs from the software presented above in that this program is paid. Supports more than two hundred TV models, including brand models: Samsung, Sony, LG. Works with smartphones with Android OS version 4.0 installed. It is interesting that the user here can use either the classic menu, or make his own. As part of customizing OneZap Remote, you can change the shape of the buttons, their size, the color of the virtual remote. If desired, it will be possible to add control keys for a DVD player or TV-set-top box to one screen.

The last application I would like to say a few words about is the Samsung universal remote. This South Korean manufacturer is one of the best known TV brands. Therefore, it is not surprising that the company decided to develop its proposal for TV buyers, which would allow them to control their devices using a smartphone. The full name of the application is Samsung SmartView. This utility is extremely practical and easy to use. It has an interesting feature - the ability to transfer images not only from a smartphone to TV, but also vice versa. That is, if you wish, if you are not at home, you can still enjoy watching your favorite TV show if you have a smartphone at hand.

It should be added that TVs from LG or any other manufacturer do not support control using this program, which is another feature of this software. A rather serious advantage of this software is its versatility, which is expressed in the emergence of the ability to control not only Samsung TV, but also other brand equipment that has an infrared port. If a person has several TVs of the brand in question at home, then there is an opportunity to create a separate bookmark for any model so as not to get confused.

Besides, the advantages of this program are as follows.

• Possibility of forming macros. You can easily create a list of actions per click. We are talking about such functions as changing channels, activating the TV, changing the volume level.
• The ability to scan models to set up synchronization.
• Ability to create and save infrared commands.
• Backup function.All settings and characteristics can be simply transferred to another smartphone.
• The presence of the widget allows you to control your Samsung TV even without opening the program.
• The user can add his own keys for different kinds of commands and set their color, shape and size.

Now let's try to figure out how to connect a smartphone to a TV to control it. First, let's look at how to do this using the infrared port. Despite the fact that fewer smartphones are equipped with the mentioned port, their number is still large. The infrared sensor takes up a fairly large amount of space in the body of a smartphone, and is used by a relatively small number of people. This sensor allows you to control TV models that were released a long time ago. But as mentioned earlier, special software should be installed for this.

For example look at the Mi Remote app... Download it from Google Play and then install it. Now you need to configure it. To explain briefly, first on the main screen you need to press the "Add remote control" button. After that, you need to specify the category of the device that will be connected. In our situation, we are talking about a TV. In the list, you need to find the manufacturer of the TV model we are interested in.

After the selected TV is found, you need to turn it on and, when asked by the smartphone, indicate that it is “On”. Now we direct the device towards the TV and click on the key that the program will indicate. If the device reacted to this press, it means that the program is configured correctly and you can control the TV using the infrared port of the smartphone.

Another control option is possible via Wi-Fi. To do this, an initial setup is required. It is required to install a specific application. You can even take one of the above, having previously downloaded it on Google Play. After it has been installed, open it. Now you need to turn on the Wi-Fi adapter on your TV. Depending on a particular model, this can be done in different ways, but the algorithm will be approximately as follows:

• go to the application settings;
• open the tab called "Network";
• we find the item "Wireless networks";
• select the Wi-Fi we need and click on it;
• if required, enter the code and end the connection.

Now you need to launch the application on your smartphone, and then select the available TV model. A code will light up on the TV screen, which will need to be entered on the phone in the program. After that, pairing will be completed and the phone will be connected to the TV. By the way, you may encounter some connection problems. Here you need to check some parameters. More precisely, make sure that:

• both devices are connected to a common Wi-Fi network;
• the firewall transmits traffic between the network and devices;
• UPnP is active on the router.

If we talk about how to directly control the TV using a smartphone, then it would be advisable to continue the consideration of this process using the example of the Xiaomi Mi Remote program. After the application has been installed and communication is established, you can start using it. To open the remote control menu, you just need to launch it and select the required device, which was previously installed in the default application. On the main screen, you can add as many types and manufacturers of equipment as you like. And the control itself is very simple.

• The power key turns the device on and off. In this case, we are talking about a TV.
• Configuration change key. It allows you to change the type of control - from swipes to pressing or vice versa.
• The working area of ​​the remote control, which can be called the main one.Here are the main keys like switching channels, changing volume settings, and the like. And here it will be better just to manage the swipes, because it is more convenient that way.

It is easy to set up work with several remotes in the application. You can add any number of them. To go to the selection or create a new remote control, enter the main screen of the application or re-enter it. On the top right side you can see a plus sign. It is by clicking on it that you can add a new remote control. All remotes are arranged according to the type of a regular list with a name and category. You can easily find the one you want, select it, go back and choose another.

A if you want to switch as conveniently as possible, you can call the side menu on the right side and switch the remote control there. To delete the remote control, you need to open it, then find the 3 dots in the upper right and click on the "Delete" button. As you can see, there are a large number of ways to control the TV from the phone, which gives the user a wide field of possibilities to customize this process as much as possible to suit his needs.

You can find out how to use your phone instead of a remote control below.