Turn Your Lights On and Off with a Remote Control
As part of the build-out of a media room (more on that in a future post), I installed a light dimmer that is controlled with a wall control and an IR remote control. Initially, I though this would be a a nice extra. However, it has proven to be a very useful upgrade. The dimmer can be cycled through 16 steps from completely on to completely off. It also has all-on, all-off, and favorite setting buttons (in case you like your lights to be somewhere in the middle). The remote control has all the same buttons. Since it is an IR remote, you can program the functions into you universal remote. Even better, if your universal remote has activity functions you can include the light control as part of an activity.
For example, you may have a "Play DVD" activity. When you select that activity, the TV turns on, the DVD player turns on, the TV source switches to DVD, the lights dim, and the DVD plays all with a single button push. The universal remote that I use is the Logitech Harmony 890 (because it uses IR and RF and can work through walls), but any Harmony remote would work well and the Harmony One has been getting great reviews. The reason I like the Harmony remotes is that they connect to the Internet via your computer's USB port and download the information necessary to remotely control all your electronic devices.
I liked the remotely controlled dimmer so much that I installed one in my bedroom. Let me tell you, it's great! I can get in bed, read for a while, and then the a button on the remote to turn out the lights.
The remote dimmer that I used in both rooms is the Lutron Maestro IR One Touch Smart Dimmer Remote.
Jon
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[...] any lighting that is controlled by a switch can be remotely controlled. See my article on remotely controlled dimmers for additional details. These dimmers integrate beautifully with universal remotes such as [...]