We’ve always been committed to offering the best possible solutions for bias lighting, including offering customizations for various TV models to enhance compatibility. We’ve recently stopped offering the Vizio and Sony Bravia-specific infrared (IR) remotes. Here’s why:

No Longer Needed for Sony Bravia

The decision to stop offering a Sony Bravia-specific remote comes down to improvements made to our MediaLight Infrared Remote Control. We introduced the new MediaLight IR remote, which successfully addresses the peculiar strobing artifact that sometimes occurred even when the bias lights were turned off when powered by a Bravia TV. This issue was related to the interaction between our original MediaLight remote and certain Bravia models. By switching to the new MediaLight IR remote, we were able to eliminate this artifact and improve the overall performance of the lights when paired with Sony TVs.

However, it’s important to note that while the new remote solves the peculiar strobing issue that occurred even if you turned the lights off with the MediaLight remote, it does not fix the Sony Bravia bug — a long-standing issue specific to Sony TVs. Unfortunately, this bug lies outside the realm of what any remote control can resolve. However, we will soon bring to market our LightsOut USB that will turn the lights off when your Sony TV turns off. No need to use a remote.

No Easy Infrared Solution for Vizio

For Vizio TVs, the situation is a bit different. After extensive testing and customer feedback, we’ve decided to stop recommending any infrared controllers for Vizio TVs. The reason? The extreme possibility of interference with other devices. We offered alternatives and found that they, too, often interfered with some Vizio models. There's an old saying: “if you have a Vizio device, every remote control is a universal remote.” That's a polite way of saying that Vizio has a history of interfering with other IR devices.

Many Vizio TVs and soundbars (and a few Klipsch soundbars — maybe using some of the same parts?) interfere with other devices, including the alternative remote controls that we used to offer to solve interference issues.

Given the high likelihood of interference, we no longer feel comfortable recommending IR remotes for our products when used with Vizio TVs or soundbars (as well as the aforementioned Klipsch soundbars).

Instead, we recommend a setup without any risk of infrared interference. The best approach for Vizio users is to:

1. Set your Vizio TV's USB port to turn off when the TV is powered down. This way, your bias lights will turn off with the TV, eliminating the need for an IR remote. One advantage of Vizio TVs is that most of them offer this feature, which is rare (if not nonexistent) on other TVs.
2. For manual control, use our flicker-free button dimmer alongside #1.
3. Alternatively, you can opt for a Wi-Fi or RF remote if you prefer wireless control without the risk of IR interference. While we don’t currently offer a radio frequency (RF) remote, we can recommend one if you decide to go that route. Keep in mind that RF is typically not interoperable with other devices like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

We’re always looking for ways to improve our products and customer experience. While discontinuing these remotes might seem like a small change, it’s part of our commitment to ensuring that our customers enjoy seamless, high-quality bias lighting without the hassle of technical issues. We continue to recommend solutions that prioritize stability, performance, and user satisfaction.

For more information on compatible remotes and controllers, or for help choosing the best option for your setup, feel free to reach out to us.