I've been wanting some voice control over my television recently, since I have Amazon Alexa working for various other home automation including the thermostat, smart light bulbs, and smart switches on fans. So given the low price and small physical footprint of this thing, I ordered it with fairly low expectations (after reading Amazon reviews, of course!).
What I wanted, minimally, was to be able to say "Alexa, turn OFF/ON the TV" (I have Verizon FIOS with a Samsung LED TV). Miraculously, I was able to set this critter up right out of the box to do that. However, I don't think many people would have been able to do so. First, there is a serious lack of documentation on this device. It did come with a minimal product insert, but even with help from Google, I had to flounder around for about an hour to figure out how to set it up.
First problem was, that there is no power supply. There is a power supply CABLE, but no AC converter, and it's important to get exactly the right kind. It took me a few minutes to find one in my house that fit the bill (500 ma was the sticky wicket) and cannibalize it for use with the RM mini 3 (a.k.a., the "black bean"). I still have to replace that power supply somehow, and I'm not even sure what device it came with.
Second, the little product insert that came in the box, the so-called "user manual", is pretty minimal. It told me to find the needed app for my smartphone by scanning a QR code or searching on the name of the device in the Google Play Store. When I searched in Google Play, it brought up dozens of apps; the most likely one (the Broadlink "e-Control" app) clearly did not support RM mini 3. So I found and installed a QR code scanner (had to try 2 different ones to find one that worked right) which let me browse to a website and install the correct app. All of which just redirected me back to the incorrect "e-Control" app. But I installed it anyway, and then it volunteered by some slight of hand to install the app that I really needed, which is called IHC (for, I think, "Intelligent Home Connection"), also a Broadlink app. This latter app seemed to work as the minimal setup instructions suggested.
From there, I had to move my Android phone right over next to the RM Mini 3 (i.e., within 1 meter of it) to begin the setup process. First, it required me to create a Broadlink account (which required me to get and enter a code sent either to my smartphone or via email--I chose the smartphone). Once that was done, it offered (I'm sure I clicked somewhere to initiate that offer) to find my TV, and then my set top box. After finding each device, it went into a quite unfriendly mode where it asked me to verify functions by first clicking on a button the app showed me, and then verifying whether clicking that button had done the same thing that a similar button on the physical remote would do. Thankfully, I managed to get the ON/OFF button working for both the Samsung TV and the Verizon set top box right off the bat.
The final, and equally confusing step, was to link my Broadlink account with Amazon Alexa. I following online instructions by bringing up the Amazon Alexa app, going into the settings there for "Skills", and searching out and enabling the Broadlink Home Automation skill. That linkage required me to tell the Alexa app how to logon to the Broadlink app (in my case, mobile phone $ and password). After all that was done, it started working.
So now, I can just say "Alexa, turn on the TV" or "Alexa, turn off the TV" and it works. We can also say "mute/unmute the TV" and "change the set top box channel to 589" and "lower the TV volume by 10". My husband particularly likes that last one, because it can take a while to lower the volume of the TV drastically using the real remote.
Given the poor docs, I'd be tempted to give it only 3 stars, and I certainly can't give 5 stars. But let's face it--the price is right. This is the lowest cost home automation device imaginable, costing barely more than a single Philips Hue smart bulb (of which I own many), and it did do the main thing that I required almost directly right out of the box. Finally, it looks cute. So for now, 4 stars seems right. We'll see how it holds up over time, and how difficult it's going to be to troubleshoot in the future. I may post a followup to this review when I find that out.
| Brand | Broadlink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Broadlink |
| Model Number | RMMINI3-EN |
| Model Name | RM MINI3 |
| Model Year | 2018 |
| Part Number | MINI3-2 |
| Compatible Devices | Television |
| Special Features | One in all IR universal remote control, Timer control |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Standing screen display size | 26 Feet |
| Colour Screen | No |
| Aspect Ratio | Unknown |
| Voltage | 5 Volts |
| Battery Description | Lithium-Ion |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Wireless Type | 802.11bgn |
| Number of Ports | 1 |
| Total Usb Ports | 1 |
| Connector Type | ALexa Google Home |
| Contains Liquid Contents | No |
| Has Auto Focus | No |
| Includes Rechargable Battery | No |
| Remote Control Included? | No |
| Has Programmable Buttons | No |
| Manufacturer | Broadlink |
| Item model number | RMMINI3-EN |
| Product Dimensions | 5.5 x 5.5 x 6.5 cm; 130 Grams |
| ASIN | B01FK2SDOC |
