Griffin Technology and software company Dijit Media have teamed up to create an app and hardware combination that acts as a remote control for your entire home entertainment system.

The system, called the Beacon Universal Remote Control System, is for iOS devices, and converts Bluetooth signals from the device into the infrared signals required to control AV equipment. Used with Dijit’s free Universal Remote App, allows you to control your TV, set-top box, sound system, and media player from your iOS handset.

The app uses a device code library to ensure that it has the codes necessary to connect to all your equipment. This library is constantly updated with codes for new equipment, says the company. The device can also ‘learn’ codes not already pre-loaded into the app.

“Beacon puts control of the home theater right at your fingertips,” says Matt Brown, director of product development at Griffin. “Thanks to our hardware and Dijit’s App integration, we’ve created a powerful, pocket-sized tool that truly simplifies and customises the entertainment experience at home.”

“Consumers have 21st-century home entertainment experiences but are stuck with remote controls that haven’t been updated since the 1980s,” adds Maksim Loffe, founder and CEO of Dijit Media. “Dijit is here to overhaul the control experience, and our partnership with Griffin Technology marks another milestone in making this happen. Beacon is an amazing product that brings the power of fingertip search and discovery of all your entertainment content right from your smartphone to your HDTV.”

The device is now shipping in the US, with a price of $79.99. The release date is yet to be announced in the UK, but the price will be £54.99.