Customer Ratings & Reviews
- Model:
- HDRX4BL
- SKU:
- 6302877
to a friend
Customers are saying
Customers are enthusiastic about the voice control, ease of use, and HDMI switching capabilities of the Control Center. Many appreciate the straightforward setup and compatibility with various devices, praising the clean interface. However, some users express concern regarding the required subscription fee. A few customers reported occasional performance issues, such as slow switching between devices or the need for occasional restarts.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
- Pros mentioned:Hdmi, Voice controlCons mentioned:Subscription fee
This device is $229
Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.This device PAY WALLS you. From all the research and even some of the reviews I had read I was under the impression I had 45 days to try the features then if I liked them I could proceed to purchase the subscription for this device which to save others the trouble is $3.99/mo $39.99/yr & $129 lifetime which you HAVE to create an account just to see all these prices. Nowhere on the site could I find the lifetime pricing without creating an account. Also this device requires you to enter your credit card info right from the start just to use it. I then have to cancel my subscription if I DON'T want the extra features. Hey caavo If you really want to push that the service pricing is required rather than optional why don't you make it a prompt at the register day of purchase instead of me having to make an account, enter my card info just to find out pricing then cancel it all if I just to use this device as the fancy hdmi switch it is? For example Office 365 has you swipe a card day of purchase for auto-renew or you can just buy a lifetime version of the software. Then it has you create a Microsoft account. Caavo please learn from this. Have registers give customers the option for auto-renew/lifetime day of purchase then swipe a card. If I had known day of purchase the pricing for the device plans rather than getting it home finding out I can't even use the device without the hassle of punching in my card info then I probably wouldn't be here writing this review right now. It just feels too much like a bait/switch. Had I known upfront these prices I probably would have saved up, got the lifetime, and enjoyed it for what it is. But instead I'm returning it. Thanks Caavo.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .We're sorry that it wasn't clear that a service plan would be required to get the most out of your Control Center. You are correct that a service plan isn't required to use your Control Center, but we give every customer a free 45 day trial to ensure they find it valuable before paying for the service plan. Information about what the service plan does and the cost is available here: https://caavo.com/products/control-center
- Pros mentioned:Ease of use
Would't work with Cable box
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I bought this to work with LG TV, Vizio Soundbar, Apple TV, Panasonic BluRay, and Cincinnati Bell cable box. It was relatively easy to install but the only device it really recognized was the Apple TV and partially the LG TV. It never worked with the cable box even after the manual set up procedure of pressing buttons for it to learn. I emailed their support who essentially suggested reinstalling and using their IR blasters very close to the cable box. I did this but it never worked. Apparently, there are relatively few devices that it has been certified to work with. I returned the unit.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Sabre86. If your Cincinnati Bell cable box is IR controlled, Control Center should have been able t control it. If you would like to give another shot at it, please reach out to '[email protected]' and we will try and set you up right this time.
- Cons mentioned:Subscription fee
could get to the use the product
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.even though the product says no subscription needed , they offer 1 month free and you are kind of forced into this free trial. Without credit card I could register and couldn't move beyond registration page. Returned the product.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend Exercise in frustration!
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I was so excited to try this device! Unfortunately, now I find myself boxing it up and sending back to Best Buy. My TV and cable box set up all runs through my SonyAV system so I followed the on-line video instructions and disconnected all HDMI cables and reconnected through the Caavo device. That was a chore in itself as I had to pull out the av receiver, cable box, etc., from the media cabinet to get to the back of each device. Once everything was connected I followed the on-screen Caavo prompts and sat for another fifteen minutes while the device downloaded the latest software update. Once that was complete it began the process of recognizing each of my devices. My Sony receiver was a synch but my Oppo blu-ray player and Hawaiian Telcom (Cincinnati Bell) cable box threw it for a loop and it just couldn't recognize them. That failed recognition process seemed to take forever as I watched the percentage bar slowly crawl across the screen! Then it attempted to "learn" the remote features of each of those devices and that process was painfully slow. In the end the Caavo remote couldn't control my cable box so here I am with ANOTHER device in my system when the purpose was to eliminate devices and the need for numerous remotes! The whole installation process must have taken me at least an hour, while the Caavo installation video makes it seem like ten minutes.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi coffegeek - I am one of the co-founders of Caavo. While we have a large number of happy customers, it is the bitter experiences like yours that keep us awake in the night. My personal feeling is that Control Center should have worked for you. I would like to have a chance to get my engineering and qa teams on a video call with you to see what might have gone wrong and would truly appreciate if you gave us a chance to do so. Please reach out directly to me via csdirect at caavo dot com. Thanks
- Cons mentioned:Performance
Terrible
||Posted . Owned for 9 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.The worse piece of tech that I ever had. The concept is great, but the execution is extremely poor. It freezes constantly. It takes a long time to start, it restarts by itself often. I don't recommend it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend Not worth the hassle
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Didn’t work. Simple as that. Tried to use with new Samsung TV, Apple TV, and Yamaha WXA-50 (wireless receiver). I couldn’t even get it to turn everything on with a single button. On the plus side... Best Buy was great - returned with no restocking fee, also refunded reward money used for purchase.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi kcw180 - We are not sure why you faced these issues. We have tens of thousands of customers who have been using the product to their satisfaction. If you would like to give this a second chance, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Thanks
Complete waste of time, TRASH
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Went and purchased the device in high hopes, unplugged every device and plugged them in and started the operating system and.... thats all! in order to move forward system had to update to latest version, but no matter what i used (wireless, ethernet) it would give a download error and try again, I tried to load it for 2 days straight to no avail. wasted so much of my time.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Streamer5G,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. Control Center updates are positioned to be quick and easy to download, I understand this may not have been the case for you and I'd like to see what we can do to improve on your experience. Please reach out to [email protected] and I'll be sure to get this taken care of for you right away.
Thank you,
Asad C
Caavo Support
Bad Caavo purchase from worst store Best Buy
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Search function does not work even with Roku Ultra. Does not support Bluetooth remotes. does not support Xiaomi Mi Box. Reboots itself several times a day. Too many more problems to list. I bought Caavo Control Central for $50 during BF sale. It is not even worth $5. I already returned 2 of them and now I am blacklisted by Best Buy. I wish I had not kept the 3rd one.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Sadrude - We are disappointed that you did not have a great experience. Control Center absolutely allows search across Roku Ultra. Xiaomi Mi Box is not yet supported but that support is coming soon.
Didn’t work for us
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.It was a nice idea but unfortunately didn’t work for us. It wasn’t as easy to set up as we hoped and we were never able to get it to work with Charter. It also did not understand our voice commands. In the end we returned it. I really was hoping it would work as advertised. Maybe in a few years it will be possible to get a voice controlled entertainment system.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Rose - We wish you had given us a chance to fix whatever you were experiencing. Control Center works well in tens of thousands of homes. In case you feel like giving us a second chance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support team. They will be happy to get it going for you.
Terrible
||Posted . Owned for 9 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I loathe this device — and the customer service reps I had to deal with from Caavo. It’s clunky and doesn’t work well with everything ...on top of being expensive. Thumbs down.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendToo many problems
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I really wanted to like this product but right out the gate I had issues. To download the updates to it, I had to plug it in directly to my modem, connecting via wi-fi did not work even though it was 10 ft away. Then when i connected it to the modem it was impossible to connect my tv since it was mounted.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Cmayweather -
we are sorry you had a poor experience with Control Center. If there is anything we can do, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]
Subcription needed
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Got the item and after reading the "fine print" decided to return it. A fee is charged to use the features.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .As stated on the front of the box as well as in the second bullet of the product description on Amazon, Control Center does require an active service plan to have access to the full suite of features.
These features include:
* Voice commands: Tune to a channel, switch sources, say what you want to watch, set a sleep timer, and more.
* Watch functionality: Editorial recommendations, For Your Consideration, Crowd Surfing, Caavo Cache, Content guides and the ability to create and store Lists.
* Universal Search: Access to content libraries that allow you to search across all your linked content including YouTube videos
The service plan is free for the first 45 days. Beyond that there are monthly, yearly, and lifetime plans available. If you cancel your service plan within the 45 day free period, you will still be able to use the basic features of control center. Without an active service plan, you will still be able to use the remote control to power on/off your system, control volume, switch to your source devices, navigate them, and launch shows.
What a pain
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Tried to install to my QLED Samsung . This TV did not want to recognize this device for the longest time . had to reboot this unit a couple times, then it showed up . I cant see the subscription of this device out weighing the ease and simplicity of my SMART TV .
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Mr.TJC - Control Center requires you to have a streaming device and does not support apps on your smart tv.
AWFUL!!!!
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.It is slow, not at all intuitive, and the best part? The voice control is only a trial. You have to buy a subscription to use the voice control. What a waste of money. Crappy product and shady company.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .We are sorry you're not loving your new Caavo Control Center. The service plan provides access to our hosted services to experience the full suite of Caavo features including:
Voice commands: Tune to a channel, switch sources, say what you want to watch, set a sleep timer, turn on/off and other remote control features
Watch functionality: Editorial recommendations, For Your Consideration, Crowd Surfing, Caavo Cache, Content guides and the ability to create and store Lists.
Universal Search: Access to content libraries that allow you to search across all your linked content including YouTube videos.
If you do not see the value in the service plan, you may cancel at any time. The first 45 days are provided free of charge so you can experience all the features before making your decision.
Not worth it
||Posted . Owned for 7 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.So, it seemed like a good idea, a hub to control everything but it made my tv seem darker and it is a hassle to set up. I am no longer using it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendIssues with “lifetime” service
||Posted . Owned for 11 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.I bought the “lifetime subscription” from Best Buy. The company charges my card each month. I do not recommend buying the service through Best Buy.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendDoesn’t work with smart tv so did me no good
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.Bought it and set it up. Hours later, figured out it doesn’t work with smart tv. Confirmed with email to company.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .We've recently released an update that allows Control Center to navigate most smart TVs. You can find more information here: https://support.caavo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025732511-TV-Mode
need more phone support
||Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.no written instructions. would let me control my avr. didn't work for me
No, I would not recommend this to a friendMonthly fee extra
||Posted .This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.This product could be good. One star for having to pay a monthly fee to use service l.
No, I would not recommend this to a friendBrand response from CaavoSupport
Posted .Hi Jayzlugz - Caavo service fee allows you to use voice and perform seamless search across multiple devices. We continue to invest in bringing you more and more features. I hope you continue to see value of the service plan. Please reach out to us if you have any questions. [email protected]
no dolby nor atmos
||Posted . Owned for 11 months when reviewed.This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.good idea but it don't support dolby vision nor atmos
No, I would not recommend this to a friend