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FAQ for the Upcoming Skip 1s


Nathan

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Please feel free to ask your questions here. We'll try to keep a running list of answers.

Is there a guide?

Yep! Click here for the Skip 1s Manual

If the wizard doesn't set up my remote correctly, how can I fix it?

The Skip Manual walks through this, but you can also watch this video: https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx_0KGN0cjdz2_DfUkIz5hIxXPcjCsMwY0

What is Flirc's range?

Like all infrared (IR) devices, Flirc works best when it's placed in the line of site of the remote control.

What Operating Systems are supported

Windows 10/11, MacOS with support for native Apple Silicon and x86. Linux support is planned.

Does the Skip 1s support Bluetooth?

No, the Skip 1s only supports IR (infra-red) remotes. 

How many buttons can I store?

TBD

How many devices are in the Skip database?

50k

What happens if I can't find my device in the Skip database?

Please provide us feedback. It is possible you are looking in the wrong area, but for uncommon devices we are happy to add a profile via support. In the future, it will be possible to map unknown devices directly in the setup software.

Can I map more than one remote button to the same Skip button?

Yes, each button supports multiple devices and buttons at once.

When will new software features get released?

Skip setup software and firmware will be released quite frequently as we continue to update. Auto-update functions have been built into the software, so you should always be up to date.

Does Skip work with the smart devices that have no IR input?

Two workarounds exist for these devices. Most support HDMI-CEC, which means you can control them using your TV remote buttons on the Skip 1s. Many also support USB in, including the Fire TV Stick, Raspberry Pis, and any other HTPC. For those, we suggest pairing your Skip with a Flirc USB for ultimate control.

Does Skip 1s use a hub?

No

What sort of batteries does it take?

2x AAA batteries

What is the battery life?

Easily 6 months, but will be closer to a year once final design changes are complete.

Are the keys backlit?

No, we decided against this, it is hard on the battery. The profile Keys light up, and there are RGB leds in each segment of the cursor. All LEDS are designed into the plastic, no weird bumps, or separate pieces. All continuous pieces of beautiful plastic. See attached.

How do macros work?

Any button can be anything. Further, any button can be a macro. Each button is a list, where the user can adjust the timing of the button.

Is the Apple TV Gen4 supported?

Yes, definitely. The AppleTV has built in IR support.

What devices are supported?

Everything, we have one of the largest and well kept IR databases in the world. Further, the remote has our extremely sensitive IR receiver we use in our flirc product. We are adding support to learn any device that isn't supported. We will also publish a web tool to browse and search for devices.

Is there a hard activity limit?

Right now, we have 3 profile buttons for activities. This is not a hard limit. We could possibly use the 'color wheel' button as a shift key and create more profiles, but currently, our initial soft limit is 3.

 

 

 

IMG_2456.jpeg

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You essentially answered (or TBD'd) all my questions.

Looks to be a neat product, but as a Logitech Harmony Hub user I'm looking for a replacement for its functionality, including Bluetooth and Wifi.

I won't be buying one, but I sincerely hope the skip1s is successful so you can come out with a hub-based RF remote in the future! The only other competitor is the SoftBaton X1, and while it's promising, it definitely isn't there yet. There's a real window of opportunity for Flirc.

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Thank you so much for the feedback. Yes, there is a lot that we didn't include on the 1s. But we have a lot of plans, and it was really important for us to start from scratch. Too many companies try to throw everything in the remote and fuck it all up, it's complicated. So we started with the basic, want to nail it, and then we'll be rolling out additional technologies. Not to mention the chip shortage really screwed everything up.

But one of the best things we did, was do everything in react native desktop. This is not a webapp, this was a massive effort. And that was specifically so we can leverage a lot of our work back to tablet/mobile. 

I could say for certain, I do not want to do a hub. I don't like those things. No reason why everything can't be on the remote.

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Couple of reasons.

First, the hub isn't battery powered. Since it's plugged-in, it can maintain persistent bluetooth and wifi connections which don't need to be reattached every time the user wants to use their remote. This persistence also allows Google Assistant and Alexa integrations. When I walk from my bedroom to the living room, I often call out "Hey Google turn on the TV". Silly, I know, but I like it. I also use Google Assistant to remotely turn on my air conditioner on hot days while I'm on my way home from work. This works in routines also, so when I leave the house my lights, fans, and A/C all turn off. Standard smarthome stuff.

Also I may be talking out my butt on this one, but since it isn't power constrained, it also seems to shoot out a vastly more powerful IR signal than any handheld remote I've used. Even inside a partially obstructed cabinet it has no problems turning my TV or A/C on via IR.

Second reason is the separate hub allows the handheld remote to use exclusively low-power RF signals, meaning it doesn't need to be aimed at the device you want to control, it works under a blanket, even in another room, and the remote's battery lasts *forever*. My simple little harmony smart control remote uses a button battery and it easily lasts two years of daily use. I have one in the bedroom too, use it a lot less, and I don't think I've ever replaced it over like 7 years.

The app is something I don't use particularly often, so I wouldn't be at all upset if it was a webapp or electron or whatever. It's fine if something I open every 6 months uses a gig of RAM. What matters to me are features, UI design, and ease of use.

Edited by norrishh
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Pre-ordered mine, looking forward to it. 

I've used the FLIRC for years now but I've been on a constant search for the perfect remote to use, there always seems to be something missing. Hopefully this one does the trick. 

 

Curious, is the remote smooth or textured, or grippy? Or something else? I have sensory OCD issues and I find myself rubbing the plastics. On most of my other remotes I've tried, I either pick up a silicone textured case, or use calm strips on the back of them so I have something I can touch without wearing it out. 

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2 hours ago, Starslayer74 said:

Curious, is the remote smooth or textured, or grippy? Or something else? I have sensory OCD issues and I find myself rubbing the plastics. On most of my other remotes I've tried, I either pick up a silicone textured case, or use calm strips on the back of them so I have something I can touch without wearing it out. 

It's smooth. I'd guess calm strips on the back would be the way to go.

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7 hours ago, Starslayer74 said:

Will there be input commands for keyboard emulation or Kodi?

Not sure if I entirely understand this question. But if I'm following you, the remote is absolutely going to work with the Flirc USB, which does keyboard input already. 

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It's just an IR remote so no bluetooth keyboard commands are possible. It has a bunch of buttons not really used in kodi though, and you can remap them to do whatever you want inside Kodi with an addon. You may be able to map press and hold to different IR commands too, I don't know if the skip1s supports that functionality. A good FAQ question, actually.

https://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:Keymap_Editor

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On 7/29/2022 at 7:22 AM, norrishh said:

It's just an IR remote so no bluetooth keyboard commands are possible. It has a bunch of buttons not really used in kodi though, and you can remap them to do whatever you want inside Kodi with an addon. You may be able to map press and hold to different IR commands too, I don't know if the skip1s supports that functionality. A good FAQ question, actually.

https://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:Keymap_Editor

I'm trying to make sure we're on the same wave length here. Do you know what the Flirc USB is and that it can translate any IR input into any command - keyboard or otherwise - your computer can accept via USB? Given the existence of the Flirc USB, the need for the Kodi Keymap editor is likely nonexistent in a Skip + Flirc USB combo. 

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14 hours ago, Starslayer74 said:

I have a FLIRC USB but I wasn't sure if the remote itself supported keyboard mapping since it had it's own programming tool. 

The idea is for the Skip to support any possible command supported by the receiver. If the receiver, in this case, is a USB Flirc, then every command from the Flirc should be drag and droppable onto the Skip, including a full keyboard. At that point, the limiting factor is just the number of buttons on the Skip itself, which obviously isn't 104/5.

If your goal is for the Skip to instead support LIRC inputs, well, there's a reason the company is called FLIRC. 

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Hello!

First time poster and long time FLIRC user here.  :-D

I found out about the Skip 1S just hours ago. I've been reading everything I could find about it. My Harmony is on its way out and will need to be replaced soon. :-/

I have questions. To program the FLIRC USB, you need to have a remote that sends a unique IR code for each button. Even with a very good device database, you can't have buttons for everything. Say I want a button that brings up the audio delay slider in KODI. There can't possibly be a button for everything. Does the Skip app allow creation of a new button that brings its own new IR code? When I needed a custom button on my Harmony, I just grabbed an ancient VCR remote and learned an IR code from that. What's the Skip's approach to that?

As for the IR database... Is that your own or third party? What about European makes and models?

Will there be a connection between the FLIRC USB and Skip app?

Greetings from Germany

Googlhupf

 

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On 8/3/2022 at 3:32 PM, Googlhupf said:

Hello!

First time poster and long time FLIRC user here.  :-D

I found out about the Skip 1S just hours ago. I've been reading everything I could find about it. My Harmony is on its way out and will need to be replaced soon. :-/

I have questions. To program the FLIRC USB, you need to have a remote that sends a unique IR code for each button. Even with a very good device database, you can't have buttons for everything. Say I want a button that brings up the audio delay slider in KODI. There can't possibly be a button for everything. Does the Skip app allow creation of a new button that brings its own new IR code? When I needed a custom button on my Harmony, I just grabbed an ancient VCR remote and learned an IR code from that. What's the Skip's approach to that?

As for the IR database... Is that your own or third party? What about European makes and models?

Will there be a connection between the FLIRC USB and Skip app?

Greetings from Germany

Googlhupf

 

Welcome.  Let me see what I can answer:

 

1. There is not a button for everything. However, presumably what you'll do in your audio delay slider example is re-assign some keyboard button or combo to that feature. Which brings us to 

2. Yes, we very much plan on integrating the Flirc USB and Skip app as much as possible. For non-custom situations, you should simply be able to pick the Flirc USB - Kodi profile when setting up your Skip, and the USB likely won't need any programming at all, save maybe a quick update. For custom situations, you'd likely assign your custom keys as described in the drag n drop portion of the video above. Presumably, every Flirc profile on the Skip App will include all 104/5 keys in the button list. We just won't use most of them in the default setup. This will probably require some work in the Flirc USB app as well, since I don't anticipate Skip having every possible keyboard combination as a listed option. Whether the Flirc App will be able to send newly created combos TO the Skip App is unknown to me. I don't think we were planning on that tight an integration, but it's a good idea, so never say never.

3. Not sure how much we're allowed to say about the database. 50k devices are supported, and that includes US and EU models.

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On 8/3/2022 at 1:32 PM, Googlhupf said:

Hello!

First time poster and long time FLIRC user here.  :-D

I found out about the Skip 1S just hours ago. I've been reading everything I could find about it. My Harmony is on its way out and will need to be replaced soon. :-/

I have questions. To program the FLIRC USB, you need to have a remote that sends a unique IR code for each button. Even with a very good device database, you can't have buttons for everything. Say I want a button that brings up the audio delay slider in KODI. There can't possibly be a button for everything. Does the Skip app allow creation of a new button that brings its own new IR code? When I needed a custom button on my Harmony, I just grabbed an ancient VCR remote and learned an IR code from that. What's the Skip's approach to that?

As for the IR database... Is that your own or third party? What about European makes and models?

Will there be a connection between the FLIRC USB and Skip app?

Greetings from Germany

Googlhupf

 

To add on to Nate's response, it's a commercial licensed database. It's updated frequently, and well done. We will have in an update a mode, similar to how flirc works, where you can learn buttons into the remote. 

Flirc has it's own protocol, and if you need a code, there will be a ton of extra named, 'custom1, custom200, etc. You can use those to repurpose whether it's through flirc, or another device. I'll publish the IR spec as well.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Is there an ETA on when these are going to ship?  I pre-ordered 2 and a Flirc USB (which I need now).  I would have thought the usb would have shipped until the remotes are ready to ship, but that doesn't appear to be the case and evidently there's no good email address that anyone monitors for questions about my order.  So can someone contact me about this please?

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17 hours ago, vwmofo said:

Is there an ETA on when these are going to ship?  I pre-ordered 2 and a Flirc USB (which I need now).  I would have thought the usb would have shipped until the remotes are ready to ship, but that doesn't appear to be the case and evidently there's no good email address that anyone monitors for questions about my order.  So can someone contact me about this please?

The plan is to ship a special box set with USB and Skip together. We don't have an official release time beyond the stated Fall 2022 yet. With that said, I see your order in the list, and can go ahead and get the USB shipped out now. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Another harmony user here with ticking time bomb hardware!  Was great to see the Skip 1S, looks like it could be a great replacement for most of what I need, and I've already got a flirc USB in my setup for a kodi box so hopefully I'll be able to use that.  Great work, this looks really promising.  Any plans on releasing / shipping in the UK?

One thing that my harmony does is give the option to bind two functions to each button, using press or long press as the discriminator.  This allows a harmony companion remote to support 6 activities using just 3 physical activity buttons, for example, and allows a ton of power user workarounds in other scenarios as well (e.g. long press on channel up / down could cycle through picture settings on the TV, rather than having to dig through the on screen menus).  Not sure how viable the long press approach is for the 1S?

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I just read about the skip1 for the first time today and think it's a great initiative.

 

One thing that bothers me with most solutions today (including Harmony) is the cloud dependancy and the risk of the units becoming paper weights in case a compay decide to discontinue a product.

 

Will I be able to use the config application completely standalone or is internet required when I need to make any changes to the config?

Is there any way of easily backing up the config of the skip1 and use later to restore in case of hw failure without any internet access?

 

I of course understand that updates to the application/remote is needed to add support for new devices, bug fixes and features.

 

Like others, I've also grown quite accustomed to the harmony hub + companion rf remote solution and it's great to not need line of sight for the remote toward the devices and let the hub handle it, together with the extra small ir blaster placed inside a closed cabinet.

 

Update: I of course did not see the image (attached) on the kickstarter page with some buzzwords which indicate non-cloud reliance and such but still would appreciate some more details if possible.

 

7e7d363f9c2d14cf4d32b01289a4a2d5_original.jpg

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On 11/9/2022 at 1:16 PM, Macke said:

I just read about the skip1 for the first time today and think it's a great initiative.

 

One thing that bothers me with most solutions today (including Harmony) is the cloud dependancy and the risk of the units becoming paper weights in case a compay decide to discontinue a product.

 

Will I be able to use the config application completely standalone or is internet required when I need to make any changes to the config?

Is there any way of easily backing up the config of the skip1 and use later to restore in case of hw failure without any internet access?

 

I of course understand that updates to the application/remote is needed to add support for new devices, bug fixes and features.

 

Like others, I've also grown quite accustomed to the harmony hub + companion rf remote solution and it's great to not need line of sight for the remote toward the devices and let the hub handle it, together with the extra small ir blaster placed inside a closed cabinet.

 

Update: I of course did not see the image (attached) on the kickstarter page with some buzzwords which indicate non-cloud reliance and such but still would appreciate some more details if possible.

 

 

As you say, the app certainly isn't cloud reliant, save for updates and such. 

Current plan is to allow for simple exporting of configs that can the be re-uploaded or even imported into a Skip app somewhere else. So for example you could set up grandma's remote at your computer, then send it over to her via email.

Request for an IR repeater has been heard. Definitely planned for the road map eventually. 

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On 11/13/2022 at 6:49 AM, Nathan said:

As you say, the app certainly isn't cloud reliant, save for updates and such. 

Current plan is to allow for simple exporting of configs that can the be re-uploaded or even imported into a Skip app somewhere else. So for example you could set up grandma's remote at your computer, then send it over to her via email.

Request for an IR repeater has been heard. Definitely planned for the road map eventually. 

Thank you clarifying that Nathan. Much appreciated.

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