Solution 01 — TV, AV & Streaming
One handset for the installed base and the new box.
Viewers do not know which generation of hardware is in the room. They know that one remote should turn on the TV, switch to the soundbar and reach the streaming menu — without a manual.
The brief
The remote is the only part of the system the viewer actually touches.
Panel, SoC and streaming OS are chosen months before the remote brief arrives. By then the installed base is fixed, the app team has its own roadmap, and the remote has to make all of it feel like one product.
Most of the work is not the enclosure. It is code coverage, device switching logic, pairing recovery and the order of keys on a surface the viewer reads in the dark.
- IR coverage assumed from a spreadsheet instead of measured on samples
- Voice key added after the ID and PCB are frozen
- Pairing flow depends on an app that is not built yet
- Certification testing scheduled in the final week
- Key map copied from a competitor, not tested with viewers
What we build
Four decisions that determine whether the remote feels finished.
Each one is agreed and documented before tooling. If a requirement is not testable, it is not in the spec.
IR coverage you can verify
We build from your device list and sample remotes, then verify each code on the actual unit. Coverage is reported as tested models, not as a claimed percentage.
IR and BLE, one power path
Dual-radio boards share the key matrix and battery budget. We define which keys are IR-only, which are BLE-only and what happens when the link drops.
A key map with a hierarchy
Primary viewing keys stay large and reachable. Source and setup keys move to a secondary group. The layout is reviewed as a printed template before tooling.
Voice, app and pairing handoff
If voice or app pairing is in scope, we work from your existing stack or define the BLE service with your firmware team. Recovery is part of the flow, not an afterthought.
Recommended control stack
Start standard, then customize only where the product requires it.
The table is a starting point for scoping, not a fixed catalogue. Each row is confirmed against your device list and target market.
| Layer | Standard path | When it becomes custom |
|---|---|---|
| IR link | NEC, RC-5, RC-6 plus a learned code set | Non-standard boxes or codes that must be captured from samples |
| BLE link | HID over GATT for standard navigation | Custom GATT service, voice transport or secure pairing |
| Input | Silicone keypad, 2× AAA | Capacitive touch, rechargeable cell, backlight |
| Validation | Functional test on the agreed device list | Drop, key-life, temperature or cleaning beyond the standard plan |
Project profile
Replacing two remotes with one, without losing the old boxes.
A streaming hardware brand needed a single handset for its new device and the TVs already in customers’ homes. The program was scoped around code coverage first, enclosure second.
One key matrix, two links
Three device groups
EU, US, UK targets
Brief to pilot build
Questions
TV / AV program FAQ
Can you match a code library we already maintain?
Do we need to supply the app for voice and pairing?
How do you handle certification?
What is a realistic first order?
Start a project
Send the device list. We will send back the gaps.
Tell us what has to be controlled, which markets you ship to and when the pilot needs to land.