Evidence from 71 decrypted App Store remotes. What each ecosystem supports, what each app actually implements, and the target for ours.
yes = supported by the platform and evidenced in code. partial = limited or model-dependent. — = not available. Activities are app-side compositions unless built into the TV.
| Ecosystem | Discovery | Pairing | Keys | Text | Voice | App launch/list | Channels | Inputs | Volume | Power | Media transport | Settings/picture | Private listening | Voice audio to TV | Gamepad/touchpad | Activities | IR fallback | Watch/widgets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roku ECP1 HTTP + ECP2 WebSocket+JWT (state, EPQ, tuner). | yes | none | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (EPQ) | yes (RTP/PCM) | yes | — | app-side | partial (Roku TVs only) | yes |
| Samsung Tizen D2DComm with gamepad, The Frame art mode, IME sync. | yes | token | yes | yes | yes (WS) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | — | yes | yes (gamepad, touchpad) | app-side | yes | yes |
| LG webOS Full SSAP endpoint set incl. 3D, notifications, storage. | yes | PIN/client-key | yes | yes | yes (audio socket) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (full settings) | yes (soundshare PCM) | yes | partial (pointer) | app-side | yes | yes |
| Vizio SmartCast HTTPS SmartCast plus a BLE control path. | yes | PIN | yes | yes | partial | partial (Cast) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (menu_native) | — | partial | — | app-side | yes | partial |
| Sony Bravia IRCC-IP with 41 codes extracted from a third-party app. | yes | PSK/PIN | yes | partial | — | yes (appControl) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (BRAVIA Connect) | — | — | — | app-side | yes | — |
| Android TV / Google TV (Polo) Field numbers verified against polo.proto/remotemessage.proto. | yes | TLS+code / BLE | yes | yes (IME) | yes (voice payload) | partial (app link) | yes (keycodes) | yes | yes (level, preferred device) | yes | yes | — | — | yes | partial (gamepad keycodes) | app-side | partial (some models) | yes |
| Amazon Fire TV Official Feniks second-screen is a later track; Fling is being replaced by Matter Casting. | yes (DIAL/BLE) | code+ECDH | yes (ADB) | yes (ADB) | yes (Alexa) | yes (DIAL/ADB) | yes (key events) | yes | yes | yes | yes | — | — | yes | partial (ADB keyevents) | app-side | partial (some models) | — |
| Hisense VIDAA MQTT sendkey confirmed in the current app; U6 behavior needs hardware validation. | yes | default creds / TLS cert | yes (sendkey) | yes | — | — | yes | yes | yes (UPnP) | yes | partial (UPnP) | — | — | — | — | app-side | yes | — |
| Apple TV (MRP/Companion) itsytv-core (MIT, Swift) with an App Store precedent. | yes (Bonjour) | SRP+PIN | yes (HID) | yes (sessions) | partial (MRP voice) | yes (icons) | — | — | yes | yes | yes (now playing) | — | — | partial | — | app-side | — | yes (system) |
| Denon / Yamaha (receivers) Denon raw socket, Yamaha SOAP/YNC. Zone/source/scene model. | yes | none | yes | — | — | — | yes (zones) | yes (sources) | yes (zones/groups) | yes | yes | yes (scenes) | — | — | — | yes (scenes) | yes | — |
| Panasonic Viera X_LaunchApp/X_LaunchKeyword, encrypted-command variant exists. | yes | none/encrypted | yes (X_KeyEvent) | — | — | yes (X_LaunchApp) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | — | — | — | — | app-side | yes | — |
| IR hub (BroadLink/SofaBaton) Covers any device with an IR receiver; no state readback. | hub setup | hub account | yes (IR) | — | partial (hub integrations) | — | yes (IR) | yes (IR) | yes (IR) | yes (IR) | yes (IR) | — | — | — | — | yes (scenes, backup) | yes (by definition) | — |
Score = protocol families + features (voice, keyboard, watch, activities, channel list, state readback, private listening, ad-free). Clone families included; our target row is the bar to beat.
| App | Protocols | Voice | Keyboard | Watch | Ad-free | Activities | Channel list | State readback | Private listening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our universal remote (target) P0 · 0 ratings · score 99 | roku-ecp tizen webos smartcast bravia androidtv firetv-adb vidaa appletv-mrp denon yamaha panasonic ir-hub | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal TV Remote Control＊ P3 · 31,241 ratings · score 15 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal Remote・TV Control P3 · 11,167 ratings · score 15 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| TV Remote - Universal Control P2 · 623,892 ratings · score 14 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Smartify - LG TV Remote P2 · 110,961 ratings · score 14 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Reforo - Remote for Smart TV P2 · 109,761 ratings · score 14 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal TV Remote · P3 · 93,427 ratings · score 14 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| TV Remote - Universal P3 · 59,525 ratings · score 14 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | yes |
| Remote for Firestick & Fire TV P3 · 52,092 ratings · score 13 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Universal remote tv smart P3 · 42,846 ratings · score 13 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Remotie: remote for Samsung TV P3 · 26,935 ratings · score 13 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Smart Remote for Sam TV P3 · 10,717 ratings · score 13 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | yes |
| TV Remote & Universal Control™ P2 · 150,014 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal Remote TV Control P3 · 50,574 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Fire Remote for TV P3 · 39,840 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal TV Remote™ Control P3 · 32,986 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast sony-bravia fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| TV Remote Control Universal + P3 · 12,618 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast androidtv fire-tv appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | — | — | yes | yes |
| Universal TV Remote Control . P3 · 10,690 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| TVRem Universal SmartTV Remote P3 · 6,979 ratings · score 12 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Roku Remote (Official) P0 · 6,291,803 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Google Home P0 · 1,384,321 ratings · score 11 | lg-webos vizio-smartcast androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| SmartThings P0 · 846,838 ratings · score 11 | samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Rokie - Remote for Roku Player P2 · 712,439 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Universal Remote TV Control · P2 · 142,804 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | — | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal TV Remote Control・ P3 · 82,337 ratings · score 11 | samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| RemoTV: Universal TV Remote P3 · 17,951 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Universal Remote | Smart TV P3 · 11,489 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Remote for LG Smart TV+ P3 · 10,947 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Smart Remote Control & TV Cast P3 · 10,930 ratings · score 11 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| VIZIO | WatchFree+ P0 · 70,459 ratings · score 10 | lg-webos vizio-smartcast fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| TV Remote ∙ Universal Control P3 · 33,265 ratings · score 10 | samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Smart TV Remote Control Plus P3 · 20,452 ratings · score 10 | samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Stick - Remote Control For TV P3 · 16,085 ratings · score 10 | samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| TV Remote Universal P3 · 11,744 ratings · score 10 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | — |
| Amazon Fire TV P0 · 1,427,363 ratings · score 9 | lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| LG ThinQ P0 · 238,127 ratings · score 9 | lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Sam : tv remote for Samsung P2 · 116,473 ratings · score 9 | samsung-tizen lg-webos androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Sam Smart TV Remote- Things TV P3 · 49,117 ratings · score 9 | samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Universal remote for Roku tv P3 · 34,018 ratings · score 9 | roku-ecp lg-webos androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Unimote : smart TV remote P3 · 29,770 ratings · score 9 | lg-webos sony-bravia androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Rokumote : your TV Remote P3 · 27,008 ratings · score 9 | roku-ecp lg-webos androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Remote Control for Samsung-TV P3 · 26,943 ratings · score 9 | roku-ecp samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — |
| TCLee : Remote for TCL ROKU TV P3 · 20,808 ratings · score 9 | roku-ecp lg-webos androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| LGee : TV Remote for LG P3 · 13,223 ratings · score 9 | lg-webos androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| Google TV: Watch Movies & TV P0 · 4,887 ratings · score 9 | androidtv fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | — |
| BroadLink P1 · 2,597 ratings · score 9 | roku-ecp fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Remote control for LG P3 · 63,892 ratings · score 8 | lg-webos fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — |
| Remote for Samsung P3 · 58,558 ratings · score 8 | samsung-tizen fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — |
| Viz - Smart TV remote control P3 · 44,791 ratings · score 8 | vizio-smartcast fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — |
| Smart TV Things for Sam TV App P3 · 28,475 ratings · score 8 | samsung-tizen lg-webos vizio-smartcast fire-tv | — | yes | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — |
| Remote for LG P3 · 17,833 ratings · score 8 | lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| VIDAA P0 · 13,644 ratings · score 8 | fire-tv vidaa-hisense | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Universal Remote - Smart TV . P3 · 12,988 ratings · score 8 | lg-webos androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | — | — | yes | yes |
| Smart TV Remote for ThinG TV P3 · 10,405 ratings · score 8 | lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Harmony® Control P1 · 2,455 ratings · score 8 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Denon AVR Remote P1 · 1,451 ratings · score 8 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| RoByte: Remote for Roku TV App P2 · 256,119 ratings · score 7 | roku-ecp fire-tv | — | yes | — | yes | yes | yes | yes | — |
| FireStick Remote Control P3 · 29,545 ratings · score 7 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| TV Plus: Smart TV Remote P3 · 21,886 ratings · score 7 | lg-webos fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| TV Remote : Control Smart TV P3 · 15,489 ratings · score 7 | androidtv fire-tv appletv-mrp | yes | yes | — | yes | — | — | yes | — |
| Remote for Samsung TV Smart P3 · 13,697 ratings · score 7 | samsung-tizen fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| Remote for Android TV P3 · 12,330 ratings · score 7 | androidtv fire-tv | yes | yes | — | — | yes | — | yes | yes |
| Sony | BRAVIA Connect P0 · 11,246 ratings · score 7 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| TV Remote for Roku · P3 · 11,200 ratings · score 7 | roku-ecp fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| Remote for Fire TV - FireStick P3 · 10,657 ratings · score 7 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| AV CONTROLLER - US P1 · 788 ratings · score 7 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | yes |
| SofaBaton P1 · 302 ratings · score 7 | roku-ecp fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | yes | — | yes | — |
| Remote Mouse P1 · 18,749 ratings · score 6 | fire-tv | yes | yes | — | yes | — | — | yes | yes |
| Remote for Vizio · P3 · 15,084 ratings · score 6 | samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv | — | yes | — | yes | — | — | yes | — |
| Universal Remote - TV Remote · P3 · 12,863 ratings · score 6 | samsung-tizen lg-webos fire-tv | — | yes | — | yes | — | — | yes | — |
| Remote for Firestick · Fire TV P3 · 24,430 ratings · score 5 | fire-tv vidaa-hisense | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — | — | — |
| Apple TV Remote P0 · 41 ratings · score 4 | fire-tv | — | yes | — | yes | yes | — | — | — |
The features that matter, all evidenced as feasible. R1 = ship at launch, R2 = fast follow, R3 = differentiators.
| Priority | Feature | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| R1 | All eight ecosystems plus receivers and IR hub, one capability-driven UI | replica clients + protocol evidence for all |
| R1 | Discovery with SSDP/mDNS/DIAL and manual IP; per-brand pairing with saved credentials | 60/71 apps hold the multicast entitlement; every brand's pairing flow read from code |
| R1 | Keys, text entry with bidirectional field state, app launch with icons, channel list with images, volume with min/max from the device | Roku text edit state, Samsung IME sync, LG channel list, Smartify channel images |
| R1 | State readback everywhere: volume, current channel, current app, power, media player state | ASTFoyer traits, LG getCurrentChannel, ECP2 media player state |
| R1 | Setup flows that name the failure: Local Network, Roku permission, PIN/code/token, manual IP | RoByte permission onboarding, Sam's Local Network guide, LG PIN, Android TV code |
| R1 | Hardware volume buttons and keyboard-when-focused | Family E physical volume handling, spec's keyboard state |
| R2 | Private listening (Roku RTP/PCM, LG soundshare) | RTPAudioClient and soundshare endpoints in the official binaries |
| R2 | Voice on Android TV, webOS, Samsung, Fire TV with consent flow | TVRem voice payloads, WebOSVoiceAudioSocket, TRSamsungTVWSSendVoiceData, FireTV voiceCommand |
| R2 | Apple TV via MRP/Companion (itsytv-core) with now playing and app icons | MIT Swift package with an App Store precedent |
| R2 | Activities with roles, custom layouts, backup/import | Harmony roles, SofaBaton import/export |
| R2 | Watch app and widgets | Five audited apps ship watchOS companions; DeviceControlWidgetExtension precedent |
| R3 | Gamepad (Samsung), The Frame art mode, EPQ/picture controls, 3D, notifications on TV | D2DComm gamepad, wallService, EPQECP2, SSAP display/notifications |
| R3 | BLE paths (Vizio, Fire TV, Android TV) for devices with bad Wi-Fi | VVIBLEFramework, BleManagerDiscoverPeripheral, ATR BLE security key |
| R3 | Matter Casting for Fire TV and Matter TVs | Amazon's Fling replacement; Google Home CHIPServiceRequestHandlerExtension |
| R3 | Siri shortcuts for volume and power | VIZIO ActivityVolumeUp/DownIntent |