Roomie Remote speaks your receiver's own IP protocol — two-way, with live feedback. Real decibels, every input, surround modes, and zones, from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. And the rest of the room comes along: Sonos, HomeKit, Hue, Lutron, and the display itself.
Roomie doesn't fire blind commands and hope. It holds a live, two-way conversation with your receiver over IP — what you see on screen is what the receiver is actually doing.
The receiver's actual level in decibels, updating in real time on every device — not a blind IR nudge.
Separate source and volume for Zone 2 and Zone 3 — music on the patio while the theater runs a movie.
Switch any input and surround mode by name — the settings that live three menus deep on the front panel.
Your receiver supports AirPlay 2, so Apple Home sees it as a speaker — and nothing more. No inputs, no surround modes, no zones. The usual workaround is running a Homebridge or Home Assistant server on hardware you maintain forever.
Roomie skips all of that. It controls the receiver natively over IP and brings your HomeKit accessories into the same app — so "Movie Night" can set the input, engage the right sound mode, and dim the HomeKit lights in one tap. No server, nothing to maintain.
The manufacturer's app and single-purpose receiver remotes do one job. Your evening isn't one job — it's the receiver and the display, the source, the Sonos in the kitchen, the lights, and the shades.
The receiver-only apps are genuinely good at receivers — that's the honest part. The difference is everything else in the room. Competitor capabilities are manufacturer-stated.
| Capability | Roomie Remote Universal remote app | Manufacturer app Denon / Marantz AVR Remote | Receiver-only apps e.g. DeRemote | Homebridge + Apple Home DIY server |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume in real dB, live feedback | Yes | Yes | Yes | Nospeaker volume only |
| Inputs & surround modes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin-dependent |
| Multi-zone (Zone 2 / 3) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Plugin-dependent |
| Controls the TV, projector & sources too | YesIP · IR · Serial | No | No | More plugins |
| One-touch Activities across devices | Yes | No | No | DIY scenes |
| Sonos, Hue, Lutron, Nest in the same app | Yes | No | No | More plugins |
| Apple HomeKit accessories alongside | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| No server to build or maintain | Yes | Yes | Yes | Noalways-on box + updates |
| Older receivers without network control | YesIR or serial adapter | No | No | No |
| Native on iPhone, iPad, Mac & Apple TV | Yes | iPhone & iPad | Varies | Home app devices |
| Price | Free to startsubscriptions from $4.99/mo | Free | Paid app | Free + server hardware |
Denon and Marantz are trademarks of Sound United / Masimo. DeRemote and Homebridge are products of their respective owners, referenced here for comparison only. Competitor capabilities are based on publicly available information as of 2026.
Open Roomie on any Apple device. Networked Denon and Marantz receivers appear automatically — no IP addresses to type.
Bring in the TV or projector, sources, Sonos, lights, and shades. Older gear joins via a Roomie IR adapter or serial.
"Movie Night" sets the receiver input and sound mode, powers the display, and dims the lights — one tap, every time.
Roomie Remote provides deep, two-way IP control — volume in real decibels with live feedback, input switching, surround modes, and multi-zone — and unlike receiver-only apps, it also controls the TV, projector, sources, Sonos, lighting, and Apple HomeKit accessories in the same app, on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.
Not natively. They support AirPlay 2, so Apple Home sees them only as a speaker — no inputs, no surround modes, no zones. Roomie fills that gap with full two-way receiver control, and brings your HomeKit accessories into the same app and the same one-touch Activities. No Homebridge server to build or maintain.
Yes. Roomie controls receiver zones independently — separate source selection and volume for Zone 2 and Zone 3 — so the patio can play music while the living room runs a movie.
Yes. Networked models are controlled directly over IP with nothing extra to buy. Older units without network control can be driven by infrared with a Roomie IR adapter, or over RS-232 serial via a supported serial adapter, using Roomie's 400,000+ command database.
Yes. Roomie controls Sonos, Philips Hue, Lutron, Nest, Apple TV, smart TVs, projectors, and Apple HomeKit accessories alongside your receiver — one Activity can set the input and sound mode, dim the lights, and start playback in a single tap.
You can control one smart TV free with no subscription. Subscriptions unlock unlimited devices, rooms, and Activities, and one purchase covers iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV with Family Sharing.
Download Roomie Remote free and give your Denon or Marantz — and the whole room around it — the control it was built for.