Something for All Those Remotes!

[Larobpra]

I had been wanting to do something to free up space on the table next to my recliner, so I took some time a few days ago and came up with with this little tower from some scrap pieces in the shop.

 

[FaT Air]

DVR, TV1, TV2, FTA, Mover, VCR(Yeah, still use it occasionally). Yep, got 6 on the table, shared with the mouse and keyboard. Near the TV's is the remote extender to run everything but the TV's.
Should do something also. The cable guy looked at all the remotes and said "I'll leave the TV programming to you". I think I scared him.

 

[Mr Tony]

scary thing is since I moved I only have 3 remotes on the table now
Directv
TV
DVD recorder

at one time I had probably 10

 

[AcWxRadar]

at one time I had probably 10

I only had six remotes at most on my coffee table:

Sharp TV
Onkyo A/V HTS
Onkyo DVD
Windows Media Center / Gateway PC
AZBox
Coolsat
plus the laptop, mouse and wireless keyboard, cell phone, notebook and pen.
plus the cigar tray, and beer/koozie cup and once in a while a JD bottle and shot glass.

I had often pondered buying one of those high dollar universal "programmable" Harmony remotes.
I wonder if they are worth the price?

RADAR

 

[Mr Tony]

Here is when I had 8 remotes....I know before that when I used VCR's to record stuff I had more than 10
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...ve-on-your-coffee-table?p=2172607#post2172607

 

[1badtwo]

I had often pondered buying one of those high dollar universal "programmable" Harmony remotes.
I wonder if they are worth the price?

RADAR

I have the Logitech 1100 and dispise it. In the living room I run a URC MX850 which is harder to program, but I love it. Been looking to pick up another to replace the 1100.

 

[DJdish]

I´m using 6 remotes, and find myself sometimes looking for one of them.

 

[Bongu]

I wouldn't recommend the low end Logitech remotes. Been there done that.

 

[danristheman]

I hate when you buy a universal remote that you want to control all your electronics like the TV, stereo, DVD player and it only controls one thing so you need another universal remote to pick up where the other one left off. So this is a vicious cycle.

Dan Rose

 

[mdavej]

My $15 JP1 remote controls everything in my house, including my house a lot better than a high dollar harmony ever could. I haven't used an OEM remote for anything in over 10 years. JP1 is pretty amazing. If it's IR, a JP1 remote can control it.

 

[JFOK]

Hi All,

I've been using the Logitech Harmony 600 for about a year now and have nothing but praise for it.
I free up three separate remotes, running my TV, receiver and dvd player with it.
It nice to be able to turn on all three of them at once, with just the push of a button.
Haven't tried loading the info from my microHD or 4dtv receiver into it yet.
Can't understand why someone wouldn't like this remote.

 

[wbarrett]

I only had six remotes at most on my coffee table:

Sharp TV
Onkyo A/V HTS
Onkyo DVD
Windows Media Center / Gateway PC
AZBox
Coolsat
plus the laptop, mouse and wireless keyboard, cell phone, notebook and pen.
plus the cigar tray, and beer/koozie cup and once in a while . IcJD bottle and shot glass.

I had often pondered buying one of those high dollar universal "programmable" Harmony remotes.
I wonder if they are worth the price?

RADAR

Radar

Unequivocally, going to a Logitech Harmony One is worth every penny. Mine covers Panasonic plasma, a Yamaha audio amp, a Delphi SkiFi XM receiver, a Manhattan RS-1933, an AzBox Premium Plus, a Panasonic Blu-Ray DVD player, an AppleTV box, and a 4x1 HDMI / Toslink switch. Only thing in my system I did not put in is the G-Box remote.

Set up is very easy via a web-enabled app. I have yet to find a device not in the online database. You use color icons and "Actitivties" to have the remote do a preset pushes to turn on and control your devices. Great for kids and Mrs. wbarrett. Mine is set up to do 6 things at the touch of a icon:

1. Watch TV
2. Watch DVD
3. Watch AzBox Sat
4. Watch Manhattan Sat
5. Watch AppleTV
6. Listen to Sirius XM

Another cool thing is if you break the remote (or step on it in the dark) there is a one button on the app to program the replacement with ZERO reprogramming.

===
Bill

 

[olliec420]

I wouldn't recommend the low end Logitech remotes. Been there done that.

logitech = garbage, URC MX810 here personally, MX980 programming is too hard

 

[yaz96]

People who think Logitech is garbage usually can't figure them out.

Harmony One is an awesome remote. You haven't used one if you think a $15 remote is better.

 

[mdavej]

There is some misinformation in the last few posts.

I think the garbage comment comes from the fact that Logitech aren't nearly as durable or programmable as URC. In spite of this, Logitech is very popular because of it's lower price and that it's so easy to use and to program. But it's not for advanced users and will wear out in a few years.

I understand the comment about the $15 remote, but it's way off base. I've used many remotes in my time, including many harmonys, and for the money, none come anywhere close to JP1. My $15 remote has the following capabilities that harmony lacks:

• Unlimited devices (via multiplexing)
• Unlimited macro steps (versus 5 for logitech)
• Conditional branching and flags
• Subroutines and recursion (even self recursion)
• Fast macros (I mean incredibly fast)
• Ability to build custom protocols
• Import pronto hex
• IR signal analysis tools
• Offline backups
• Graphically drag and drop functions to button (similar to myharmony.com but better)
• Assign 5 functions per button (normal press, double press, long press, shifted and double-shifted)
• Unlimited free support

Finally, my JP1 remotes are still working fine after 10 years, but I've never had a harmony last more than 2 or 3 years before buttons start failing.

 

[wbarrett]

Here is a post I put on another forum... I'll cross-post it here to just show what is possible with a programmable remote (this is not a $15 universal with macro capabilities). Personally, I am not into my Ford is better than your Chevy so I am just offering this up to show what is possible. I have to say I have not tried the URC ones but I have had Sony's and Philips and One For All and RCAs. Harmony One just happens to work well for me even though it will set you back 10x what a universal remote will.




=== === === === === === === === === === === ===

If I did not have a simple one touch solution for watching all my options there is no way my wife would stand for having to learn 8 remotes and the proper sequences to switch everything around.


Here is what my system looks like:

Everything in green in my diagram above is controlled by the Harmony One. I did not include the G-Box remote as I found it took more key presses to switch Harmony One screens than it was worth to occasionally have to bump my C-band dish a click or two to fine tune a particular channel so I still use that separate remote.


Here is what the remote looks like as programmed for my system above:

The color LCD screen is fully programmable. You switch between the screens using the left and right arrows on either side of the screen. The remote is smart enough to know where you left off last time you used it so if everything is off, pressing a "Watch TV" turns on the devices needed and switches to the right ports. If you are watching a DVD and want to go to watch off-air TV, it knows TV is already on and does not send a power toggle for example.

I have six "Activities" that uses the eight devices in green in my system diagram. Those six activities cover all we need to do on my system:
1. Watch TV
2. Watch DVD
3. Listen to Sirius-XM
4. Watch AppleTV
5. Watch AzBox Sat
6. Watch Manhattan Sat

So when you press the activity icon, the sequence of turning on and off and switching ports and so on is fully automated. When the sequence is done, the remote is left in the mode to control the appropriate device (e.g., "Watch TV" leaves it to control my Panasonic Plasma... "Watch AppleTV" leaves it to control the AppleTV box)

The remote sits in a charger when not used. When you pick it up or move it, it automaticaly turns on. To turn everything off when you are done watching, you just press the OFF button on the upper left. The only thing not to do is try to turn everything back on with that OFF button. Since most of these devices use a power toggle command rather than separate ON and OFF commands, you can get everything in a weird state of on and off. If that happens, we just manually turn off everything and use the Acitivity icons to turn stuff on properly.

Now I will say this is not one of the el-cheapo Logitech universal remotes but it is the easiest programmable remote I have ever used (and I have been through a bunch).

===
Bill

 

[olliec420]

There is some misinformation in the last few posts.

I think the garbage comment comes from the fact that Logitech aren't nearly as durable or programmable as URC. In spite of this, Logitech is very popular because of it's lower price and that it's so easy to use and to program. But it's not for advanced users and will wear out in a few years.

Exactly, they break right after the warranty is out. Logitechs only good thing is the cloud based storage so you dont have to keep track of a file. URC is no questions more expensive but i think that is why theyre so much more durable and feel more durable. Dont like eithers proprietary batteries tho.