Peel Universal Remote Control

Peel Universal Remote Control

Customer Reviews and Ratings

3.5 out of 5 stars

Based on 11 reviews

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    App & Remote are full of WIN

    • Written by from Laguna Niguel

    Let me start by saying I did a great deal of research prior to buying the remote. I was very skeptical due to all the mixed reviews. Seems like you either love it or hate it. After setting up the remote it seems the bad reviews stem from lack of attention to the devices limitations in addition to knowing what the app is and is not capable of. Having said that I was well aware of exactly what I was purchasing. 

    I loved how the app displayed what was currently on TV and the UI sold me on the remote. I even discovered channels I never knew I had. I wanted the luxury and convenience of changing the channel from my iPhone so I ponied up the cash and bought the remote.

    I had a minor technical issue setting this up and called PeeL customer service. The guy I spoke with was very polite and resolved my issue in under 5 minutes. Peel was then up and running and I haven't put it down since. Typically I don't even watch TV cause I have access to Netflix and streaming media servers, PS3, Apple TV etc but this system is so clean it has renewed my interest in cable tv. 

    If you're like me and doing research on this prior to buying it I suggest you trust my review and chalk all the negative ones up to poor pre purchase research. 

    Here are 3 facts and 1 suggestion. 

    Fact 1: if your router is more than 25 feet from the TV you will primarily use this on DON'T BUY THIS. 
    Fact 2: if you have trouble following a few simple instructions DON'T BUY THIS.
    Fact 3: this is not a "universal remote" by traditional definition. It does not have numerical buttons for you to select channels, rather it utilizes graphical images to suggest shows that are currently on and what you may like based on your personal settings. 

    Suggestion: download the free app today and test it out before you buy the remote. If you like the UI(user interface) and feel you would benefit from the convenience of pressing an image on your iPhone rather than being a cheapo and looking at the channel numbers and then using your relic remote to change it manually then buy the remote.

    The remote is simply an extension of the app that communicates with your devices.. Nothing more nothing less. I love this thing!!

    3 of 4 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Love that it supports 5 iOS devices at once!

    • Written by from San Francisco

    I had the Peel app for a few months before I got this remote. It turned out being one of my most used apps because it shows me what shows or games are on that I'll actually be interested in. My "Just For You" programs show up on the start screen immediately. I will say that it is probably 80%-90% accurate everytime with it's suggestions which is much better than Tivo or Netflix.

    Aside from the standalone app, when used with the remote it is a whole new way to watch TV. The app already knows what kind of shows I like and what channels I prefer so it just makes sense that I should be able to tap on the picture of the show in the app and have it change to that channel. The remote does more than just control my TV. I don't have to press "input" over and over again to switch to my Blue-ray or Apple TV. I just tap the button for those devices and the screen on my iPad changes to the buttons needed for that device. This makes the buttons simple and not cluttered like other universal remotes.

    I think the best part of the remote is that all three of my family members each have their own remote now on their iPhone or iPod Touch! Before we were always on a hunt for the remote, now we all have our own and we don't lose our phones or ipods like we do with remotes! The app is personalized for each person so my teenage son and 11 year old daughter have their own favorite shows that are recommended for them on their device.

    I just started using the new social feature which is pretty cool for finding what your friends are watching but so far I've only got a few buddies on there but I'm sure this will take off!

    Very useful app and the remote makes it even better! Highly recommended!

    5 of 7 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Very Disappointed

    • Written by from Chatsworth

    When I saw this I thought I'd finally found the UR I was looking for. And it appeared to be just as good as I'd hoped. Until it locked down my network to the point of being totally unusable. No explanations as to why or how to fix were provided. I triple checked, and each time it was plugged in to my network, everything else shut down. After no success in fixing the problem, I had to return it today. I hope they're able to fix this issue, whatever it turns out to be, and perhaps I'll try again.

    On a brighter note the app rocks!

    6 of 13 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Very disappointed. Poor support.

    • Written by from WEST PEORIA

    I was extremely excited to get one of these for my home. When I set it up, I found that it only worked with my DVD player and partially with my TV. The Denon amplifier, Zenith digital TV tuner, and Denon CD player were all incompatible. In order for this device to be worthwhile, it needs to have a major update of support for devices. It also does not have the capability of learning IR signals that are not in its system which made it useless for my home use.

    19 of 24 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    The New Way to Watch TV

    • Written by from Playa Del Rey

    This device helps you browse TV programs by your preferred genres rather than by those random groups we call "channels." It's a novel way of thinking about how we select the best content to watch on television. The user interface is polished and intuitive, and it worked with my rather complex home theater system without any trouble at all.

    6 of 9 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great with cons

    • Written by from Narberth

    Great as a tv guide! See a show you like, just press and channel automatically changes to desired show.

    Just make an iPad app and add more Remote commands or have an option to go straight to remote control page.

    2 of 3 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Simply Amazing!

    • Written by from Los Altos

    Amazing app followed by an amazing product... in my opinion everyone needs the fruit!

    2 of 4 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    TV 2 EZ

    • Written by from san Francisco

    I never look at Xfinity's interface anymore. The TV guide app alone makes my life (watching too much TV) even easier. For some reason, even though I know what's on in my head, I love seeing the icon as a reminder. Plus I never know what movies are on, so this definitely helps. Can't wait to get the Fruit, but I would recommend the app to everyone.

    6 of 11 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    Peel

    • Written by from CARMEL

    Quite easy to set up...
    However, before you buy this product, make sure you understand how it works.
    The Peel cable must be plugged in to a wireless hub AND be with in 15 feet from the peel device.
    Not really convenient. I plugged it into my Airport Extreme and the signal wasn't strong enough to reach the IR device. I had to use an airport express. Put the cost together and I could have bought a dedicated remote.
    Two suggestions for the Peel folks:
    1. Make surfing of all channels easier. The categories are good but don't want to use this all the time.
    2. Improve switching devices easier. The switch from cable to Blu-ray is much harder than it needs to be.
    3. Improve the range of the cable transmitter.

    Some fine tuning and this could be a great product. Right now I feel like I might slip on the Peel at times

    48 of 58 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Too limited...

    • Written by from Tucson

    I had been looking for a replacement as of late for my universal remote control. I wanted something that could also function on my iPod. But, I did not want to have some plug-in accessory like with Red Eye

    I researched and found two programs with two possible hardware options. Peel with the Peel Fruit, or Dijit with the (yet released) Griffin Beacon. With only one choice on the market, I went with it. And have buyer's remorse.

    The Peel program itself is awesome. It is the integration of the Fruit hardware, the limited device support and limited controls. You can't control switching devices (HDMI switches) and other devices, and you have very limited control inputs regarding the devices themselves.

    32 of 43 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Easy to use

    • Written by from Colorado Springs

    The Peel comes in an attractive package and is simple to setup and use. Basically you hook up the cable to your wi-fi router, download the app from the App Store onto your iOS device, and run the install via the iDevice. You follow the instructions to setup your devices and choose your TV provider. It's pretty simple and it works.

    The app itself is nicely done. You can setup your "fruit" for multiple rooms, in other words, you set it up for your living room and maybe your bedroom. You simply grab the fruit and tell the app you've switched rooms.

    The "macro" function of going from watching TV to watching a Blu-Ray is not complete. You may have to turn on your TV via the app vs selecting a macro that turns on your TV, your cable box, stereo etc... This seems like an easy fix via the app software.

    The only other issue is the "pause" button didn't work on my TiVo, however, there is an in-app reporting service and I received an immediate response from Peel. Again, it seems like an easy fix.

    I highly recommend this product.

    21 of 28 people found this useful

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