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Control your PS3 with your universal remote

Matthew Moskovciak Matthew Moskovciak, April 6, 2009

We've been huge supporters of the Sony PlayStation 3 as a Blu-ray player since the console was released, but one of the main drawbacks to using it in a home theater has always been that it lacks an IR receptor. That means that home theater aficionados accustomed to using an activity-based universal remote like a Harmony either have to fumble with the separate Sony Blu-ray DVD Remote or just use the game controller to watch their movies.

Luckily, a small group of basically homemade products have popped up on independent Web sites, offering the ability to convert standard IR commands to Bluetooth and use some clever macros to get around the PS3's peculiarities. These converters, paired with a standard universal remote, can control essentially all the functions of the PS3, including turning it on and off, which have been sticking points for other converters in the past. We found all three of these products were pretty much flawless at their task, but they all cost $90 and up--a lot for such simple devices. You'll note there aren't any prices listed via CNET stores and that's because these products are sold directly through independent Web sites--you won't find them at Best Buy.

If you're not willing to shell out close to $100 for one of these homemade converters, you can opt for the Nyko Blu-Wave Infrared remote which is priced as a much more palatable $20. Using the included USB dongle and remote, you can use a standard universal remote with it, but note that it's not capable of turning the PS3 on and off.

More Resources
Six reasons you shouldn't use the PS3 as your Blu-ray player,
Best Blu-ray players,
Analog assault: Blu-ray players with 7.1 audio outputs
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Review date November 03, 2008 November 03, 2008 November 03, 2008 September 21, 2007
The Bottom Line The ps3toothfairy costs a lot for its limited purpose, but it allows your universal remote to fully control your PS3 and adds some advanced user-configurable options. The IR2BTci is the most advanced IR-to-Bluetooth converter we've tested, but most users will be fine with cheaper alternatives. The Schmartz PS3IR-PRO is an expensive IR-to-Bluetooth converter for the PS3, but it works great and puts your universal remote back in charge of your home theater. The Nyko Blu-Wave Infrared Remote is a cheap and easy way to add IR remote compatibility to your PS3, but the inability to power the console on or off is an annoying limitation.
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