Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Like many I have waited since launch for a media remote for the ps4. Sony produced a very nice first party remote for the ps3 and even Microsoft produced a media remote for the Xbox one that was available at or near launch. So when I first heard of the PDP "Sony authorized" media remote I was quite excited to try it out. Playing netflix, youtube, etc. via a dualshock 4 is not the best of times. So I had the PDP remote preordered since it was announced and it arrived on the 21st. Well it's the 23rd and its going back for a refund. On the pro side it is a nicely set up remote. It's very thin and light with the enter, directional buttons and volume controls are in easy reach. This as about where the pros come to an end. I did pair it with my ps4 without issue and then proceeded to set it up to run my TV and soundbar. So good so far. Controlled Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu with no problems, no control for Youtube though but that may be fixed with an update to the app. Here comes the problem. The remote has a "volume punch through" feature. This is supposedly to allow you to change the volume on the equipment of your choice while the remote is set to use either the ps4 or TV. so you're not constantly having to switch back and forth between devices. I wanted to control volume through my soundbar while using my ps4, not an unreasonable thing to expect from this "universal media remote" right? It has the ability to do so right? But for some unknown reason PDP decided that only the TV can be used with the punch through feature. I tried to set up the soundbar as punch through and the remote says nope. I was then wondering if I was doing something wrong so I tried to set up the TV as punch through control. Worked just fine. So let me get this straight, engineers at PDP decided that volume punch through would be a nice feature to have, but they set it up in such a way that it will only work with TV volume.....on a remote designed to control AV and soundbar equipment. So you can't easily control audio volume, through your audio equipment. Why? Because screw you customer, that's why. Ok fine, I can deal with switching back and forth between devices let me just turn off the punch through feature so I can control soundbar volume. Oh wait, what's this...I can't deactivate the punch through feature, so no matter which device I am using the remote is stuck on controlling the TV volume only. Why, PDP what did I ever do to you? So now despite my best efforts I have a "universal" remote that can no longer control the volume on my soundbar, a piece of equipment it is designed to work with. It breaks down to this is basically a poorly designed dollar store universal remote with some bluetooth guts crammed into a admittedly nice looking package. A real disappointment since I am now back to running my ps4 media through a game controller because Sony refuses to get off their butt and make a decent remote and this one we got is crap. If you run your audio solely through your TV speakers you should be fine.