Am I going to hand (my daughter) the remote so she can access 100+ channels of digital TV by herself?
I asked that question about a year ago in a post titled “Say Hello to Generation We.” What I didn’t know then was that it wouldn’t be the TV she was going to be interested in this early, but the remote itself. Since writing that my daughter has developed a keen interest in “daddy’s remote,” a.k.a our universal remote. We tried giving her the remote from an old VCR, but she wasn’t fooled.
Fortunately, Fobis Technologies has solutions for parents looking to give their children a level of control, but still keep them, and your AV equipment, safe. In this post we’ll look at the weemote 3 which can simplify control of a TV and set-top box (cable or satellite). Fobis also sells the weemote Sr. which is functionally identical to the weemote, but features a more sedated color scheme and some tweaks to the default settings to make it friendlier for seniors. We’ll review the weemote dV, which controls DVRs and DVD players, in an upcoming post.
First Impressions
At first glance the weemote looks like a toy, but I mean that in a good way. The rounded shape and bright colors wouldn’t look out of place in a Fisher-Price catalog. And like most toys, the weemote can stand up to the abuse that kids can dish out. During our review it survived being stepped on, dropped onto hardwood floors, and even being licked. Needless to say, I wasn’t willing to subject “daddy’s remote” to those tests. And I certainly wouldn’t recommend trying the last one on any remote.
Ten bright buttons (Mute, Power, Volume Up/Down, Channel Up/Down, and five “Favorite Buttons”) and an LED poke through the weemote’s shell. The Favorite Buttons are each shaped differently (a square, triangle, pentagon, circle, and star) to allow younger children to use the remote, e.g. “press the star to watch Disney”. At the bottom of the remote is a plastic door that protects the six programming buttons.
Basic Setup
Like other aftermarket remotes, the weemote must be programmed to control your TV and, if you have one, set-top box. This is done by entering a code or two from the Quickstart booklet. I had to try a couple different codes for our Sony TV, but our Comcast cable box worked on the first code. Once this is done, you enter up to ten favorite channels. The first five will be accessed using the weemote’s Favorite Buttons and the second will be accessible using the channel up/down buttons.
One important thing to note: If the device you use to change channels (TV or set-top box) is not listed in the Quickstart booklet, you will not be able to use the weemote to change channels, greatly reducing it’s usefulness. Fortunately, the weemote is pre-programmed with codes for a wide range of products. However, you may want to check the list in the booklet (available online) if you’re using unusual equipment.
Advanced Setup
Here’s where I get to geek out a bit. As I mentioned, the weemote is very easy to set up, but beneath that bight plastic are a powerful set of options that can help you tweak the way it works to fine tune it to your preferences. For example, you can do any (or all) of the following:
- Disable volume controls
- Limit channel up/down to favorite channels or allow it to access all available channels
- Tune to Favorite Channel #1 at start up
- Auto-program children’s channels for users with DIRECTV Total Choice or Total Choice Plus
- Adjust the speed of the remote signals
- Adjust the delay of the keypad
- Adjust power options (disable/enable TV and/or cable/satellite box power)
- Select a TV input to tune to at start up (limited)
- Learn commands from your existing remote(s) to the Mute, Volume/Up Down, and Favorite Channel buttons
Testing
In our home, all audio and video goes into our receiver and then to the TV. This means we have to use our universal remote to turn everything on and select the proper input on the receiver. This is something the weemote can’t do, and honestly wasn’t designed to do. Because of this, my wife or I will turn on the TV, set the volume, and then let our daughter control the channels using the weemote. So, our weemote was programmed as follows:
- Power – Disabled
- Volume – Disabled*
- Channel Up/Down – Favorites Only
- Fav. Buttons 1-5 were each programmed with a kid-friendly channel
*I did use the learning feature to have the weemote control the receiver’s volume, but I disabled this feature before handing the remote over to my daughter. This proved wise as she is a big fan of the volume button. With it disabled, I don’t have to worry about her damaging her hearing (or the speakers).
Changing channels was just as fast as entering the numbers on the original remote. I flipped between the channels a bit and then handed the remote to our daughter. She quickly mashed the buttons and managed to change the channel several times before stopping on a show she recognized (and giving the weemote the previously mentioned “lick” test). Ok, not the most scientific of tests, but the weemote did what it was supposed to do. And she did find one issue: Like all infrared remotes, the weemote must be pointed at the TV or set-top box to control it. This may seem obvious, but when sending a series of commands (e.g. 2-1-8 for channel 218) with a single button press, the weemote must be aimed correctly until the last signal is received, not just until the button is released. This means that it’s possible for partial commands to be received, for example “2-1″ instead of “2-1-8.” This isn’t a flaw with the weemote, and is something that also affects our much more expensive universal remote. It didn’t happen too often though, and should be less of an issue with a bit of practice
Conclusion
The weemote delivers on the company’s promise to make “TV safer for your kids.” But if this was all it did, I wouldn’t recommend it. Most set-top boxes accomplish the same thing by allowing you to set access codes for specific channels and/or program ratings. The weemote is not a substitute for these features. In fact, your children can always bypass the weemote’s pre-defined channels by using the buttons on your set-top box or TV to change channels. Enabling your set-top box’s access controls will prevent your children from viewing channels and programs you consider inappropriate, no matter which remote you use.
I also wouldn’t recommend the weemote if all it did was eliminate the remote clutter in your living room. Cable and satellite service generally includes a remote that does this quite well. Local stores also carry a wide range of aftermarket universal remotes that do the same thing.
What sets the weemote apart from the other solutions is that it makes TV safer by not only limiting the channels, but also by greatly simplifying the remote itself. This means that not only can your kids not get to unapproved channels using the weemote, but they also can’t accidentally purchase a pay-per-view title or change your TV’s setup menus to a foreign language (am I the only one who has had this happen?). Add a durable, kid-friendly design to the package and the weemote is definitely a winner.
it is cool.