Remodo X Positions Itself as a "Designer" BLE Remote for Media, Home Automation on the Raspberry Pi
Kickstarter campaign for the $28 remote promises broad compatibility thanks to BLE and infrared connectivity.
Remote controller specialist Remotec Technology has launched a programmable Bluetooth Low Energy-connected remote designed for the Raspberry Pi family of single-board computers: the Remodo X.
"With the contribution from dedicated developers around the world, Raspberry Pi has become a popular gateway for home automation and media centre," the company explains. "However, the existing products used to control Raspberry Pi all lack aesthetics, with some even requiring users to control via a wireless keyboard, air mouse or even PCB boards with IR receivers, creating a user-experience that is far from perfect."
"As a result, we had come out with the idea to create Remodo X, an elegant remote controller designed specifically for Raspberry Pi that can be programmed by a mobile app via Bluetooth connection — giving users the ability to control their smart living and in-home entertainment just with a click of a button."
The Remodo X is designed for use with a bundled smartphone application, which allows the device to configured for various functions via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection. The same BLE radio is used to link the remote to a Raspberry Pi, where it can be used to control Kodi, OpenHAB, Home Assistant, and other media and smart home packages.
Remotec isn't just concentrating on the Raspberry Pi, though: The company has also included an infrared transmitter which can turn the device into a presentation clicker or controller for media equipment including amplifiers and projectors. This is all despite the controller having just four physical buttons — though its ability to recognise long-press interactions gives it a total of eight per "scene" setting.
The company has launched a crowdfunding campaign for the Remodo X on Kickstarter, where "beta" versions are available for $20 with delivery in January 2021 and the full release versions for $28 with delivery in April that year.