HDANYWHERE (HDA), which is distributed by Amber Technology in Australia, has launched the uControl remote, a slender hand-held, hard button interface to control all the devices connected to an HDA system and more.

This breakthrough product brings users a unified whole-home AV experience, with endless entertainment and scene-setting options, that’s more affordable than comparable solutions whilst still being an attractive proposition for installers.

The uControl remote provides integrators with an easy-to-use, dedicated and customisable hand-held remote that they can specify into any HDA installation. It features an instantly understandable, intuitively placed button layout, ergonomically designed to encourage muscle memory, with an attractive OLED screen giving all the necessary information. When picked up from the charging mat, the uControl remote’s wireless charging and instant-on capabilities ensure that it is always ready to use.

Combining WiFi and infrared technology, the uControl remote allows integrators to power on and control all the audio-visual technology in a room as well as third-party systems, including Rako, Hue, Lutron, GUDE, BluOS, and Shelly, amongst others. This new device features more physical buttons than competing remotes, including a number pad, navigation wheel, play/pause, guide, red, green, yellow and blue, plus volume and channel up or down keys. Dedicated uControl favourites (macro) buttons mean a single press can trigger a quick action, routine, sequence or scene.

Adding a uControl remote to an HDA system is easy. Setup is a guided step-by-step process within the uControl app, powered by the HDA Cloud. Once assigned to a zone, the device can immediately locate and control the technology in that space. Further levels of customisation are possible for a more refined experience. For example, installers can quickly assign sequences to buttons, long press actions, secondary functions and more. The uControl remote is compatible with all HDA MHUB systems with uControl (2016 onwards).

HDANYWHERE founder, Chris Pinder, says: “We’ve listened to our customers and built the room remote they’ve been asking for in a high-quality design at a competitive price point. Our technology-neatening products are usually found behind the scenes but with the uControl remote it’s now in the palm of your hand. We’ve spent four years developing it from scratch and have created a game-changing companion remote control that opens up mid-market business opportunities for installers and improves the user experience of every HDANYWHERE system.”