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USB Remote Control
c13v3rm0nk3y writes "The Easy Zapper from Harmony is a universal A/V remote with a twist. Created to battle the complexities of operating home theatre systems, the Harmony operates a bit like a mobile telephone. There are few buttons to get you into trouble. The idea is that a single gesture is necessary to "watch a DVD", or "listen to music". It also acts as a TV Guide, as it can learn your local programming, and even tweak those choices based on a "zap" from the user. The interesting thing is that the unit itself has no remote "smarts". It learns eveything it has to by downloading code (va USB) and visiting the Harmony website. Support for Windows only right now, but there are plans for Mac OS, Linux, Playstation and XBox support. Very cool toy. The potential ability for this company to collect a lot of data on "typical" viewing habits is a bit scary. RemoteCentral.com has a review."
I suspect Sony will require FireWire for it to work with its products...
I wonder what the Interface Hall of Shame would make of this one.
It's a real world model designed to function as a poorly designed virtual model, or so it seems. There doesn't seem to be any real advantage to hitting three or four buttons to do something when I can just hit {VCR}{1}{2}{ENTER} to do the same thing on any other universal. If you REALLY want this functionality, perhap you should use your Palm Pilot instead?
Never confuse volume with power.
For example, when you are watching a video and the phone rings, simply press Mute. The Harmony will not only mute the sound, but will also pause the video.
..
Did I SAY I wanted to pause the video?
I'm sure this is configurable, but I really don't think this device is useful. Two years ago, my wife bought me one of those cool lcd-screen remotes (The Marantz), and while it's pretty cool to be able to set it up so one button will dim the lights, kick on the behind-the-tv light (ease the eye strain), turn the TV to input 2, kick on the DVD player and the Receiver -- I found that after a few months I started using my normal remotes again. It was just too much work to keep this configured correctly.
Now, for my wife who has no clue what inputs things should be on - this is okay. But most of my good remotes (with many buttons - which I like, and with tactile feedback - which I like even more) have the ability to learn the capabilities of a few other remote's functions - so my receiver's remote can control my TV.. I just set up a few of these remotes that I use most often to control a couple other devices that are associated with them, and I'm very happy.
My Marantz now sits in a closet.
There's an active discussion of these remotes at the JP1 Yahoo Group.
Sorry, but this is another remote with poor design in my opinion.
The best remote I have seen was on the VideoGuide system. A central joystick, an independent rocker panel around the joystick, a button above the rocker panel and a button below it, with an index finger button on the underside (protected from accidental pressing by the sculpting of the remote.)
This should work with a set-top box with an ethernet, usb-b and as available jeni and upnp interfaces. Consumer devices with these interfaces would plug in, solving the "what state is the device in?" question. Additionally, the consumer devices would provide a software faceplate interface that the remote base station would use to provide an on-screen interface for the user to control.
If this were integrated into a A/V Reciever, the reciever could figure out what device was plugged into what port on the reciever and handle just about all of the setup for you. Otherwise you would have to tell the set-top box how your system was wired together.
Then again, that's just my opinion, your ideal is probably different.
-Rusty
You never know...