Schmartz Inc. may be a new company, but they’ve already managed to create a name for themselves in PlayStation 3 accessories through a range of remote control solutions. They’re the only source in this roundup to offer both an economical infrared-to-USB converter, the PS3IRX, as well as two more advanced infrared-to-Bluetooth versions, the PS3IR-1000 and PS3IR-500. Priced at $79.95 the PS3IR-1000 is an upgrade from the previous PS3IR-PRO model and doesn’t skimp on advanced features. For those on a tighter budget, the simplified PS3IR-500 can be had for $39.95, making it the least expensive complete solution in our roundup.

We’ll first take a look at the PS3IR-1000, and then finish up with the PS3IR-500.

Small, smaller, smallest…
A running trend with these adapters is their compact size, but the PS3IR-1000 takes that to the next level with a footprint smaller than a standard business card. It measures 3.25” wide, 0.60” high and 2.02” deep (8.3cm by 1.5cm by 5.1cm), and looks something like a small pillbox.

The front features a slim plastic shield hiding the infrared receiver and the infrared transmitter, while on the back are three closely placed ports. The first is a 2.5mm headphone jack labeled “PS”, which in this case stands for “Power Sense” and not “Power Supply”. The second is a standard mini-USB port used for both supplying power and communicating with a PC. The third is a 3.5mm headphone jack labeled “IR” for external infrared input. On the top of the unit is a status LED that creatively illuminates the Schmartz light bulb logo.

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