Slashdot Mirror
WSJ Reviews High End Universal Remotes
An anonymous reader writes "Walt Mossberg is at it again - this time comparing the Philips Pronto and the Harmony SST-768. These remotes have both been featured on Slashdot before."
← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)
Anyone willing to spend that amount of money on a remote should just go get a PPC or Palm and get a program like omniremote and they can program it to do their bidding just the same as the high end universal's
You don't need a high end universal remote unless you are obsessed with touchscreen remotes.
Check out www.hifi-remote.com and the jp1 programming group on groups.yahoo.com for info on how to totally program radio shack and OneforAll remotes. Macros on devices buttons, new devices,... you name it.
As I recall, there used to be software available for the HP-48SX/GX calculators that allowed it to function as an IR remote control for your *whatever*.
My desire to get this post in early does not allow me time to do a Google search, but I'm sure someone will.
Give me my freedom, and I'll take care of my own security, thank you.
These remotes might be "all that", but nothing beats this one in terms of features and ease of use.
anyone else having problems connecting to Slashdot today?
How long till someone ports MAME To these Beauties? Maybe multiplayer with IR?
These remotes are targetted at different crowds. I used to use a pronto (until it broke from one too many falls and required $150 fee to fix). The pronto makes no excuses about being created for the high end tech/theater crowd. The remote is complex, can be tedious to setup but has some awesome high end features.
Pronto's strength is in its ability to create complex macros. For example at my old apartment which had X-10 I had rwo of the following one button macros configured:
[DVD] - Switched to TV to component input. Switched received to DVD audio. Switched TVs aspect ratio. Powered up and issued a play command to the DVD. Dimmed the lights to 50% through the pc-x10 receiver.
[SLEEP] - Switched tv off. Changed cable to classical radio. Turned off lights. Turned volume on received all the way down the up two notches. Slept for 60 minutes, turned receiver off.
Now, that, is an awesome remote.
--- I do not moderate.
can i use it as a IR keyboard???
Consensus is good, but informed dictatorship is better
I would like to see a remote control that can turn down the volume of, pause, and ESPECIALLY rewind my boss. :-)
My remote control costs almost as much as my TV set.
Of course, I don't watch that much TV, so it may seem like a waste of money to me...
Just my 13-inches-worth...
RickTheWizKid
But then, /. features a lot of stuff, several times, just in case someone misses it for the first time.
I mean, like that evil bit RFC? :)
Of course, all my gear is left over from college. It's been tempting to go out and get a serious home A/V system, but living in apartments as I do I feel it's a waste on several levels: (1) I can't really *use* a high end system without being lynched by my neighbors, (2) it'd be out of date when I finally get a house and can use it, and (3) spending $5k on a decent A/V setup is $5k I don't have for a home downpayment, impacting (1) and (2).
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
I own the first generation pronto (the midnight sea foam green one, not the new silver one with the color display). It is without a doubt my favorite piece of home electronics. It solves my problem of 5 different remotes beautifully. I put it into DVD mode and press a button marked "on" and my television turns on and selects svideo input, the dvd player turns on, the receiver turns on, and selects dvd mode. One button does it all. It truly is a sight to behold.
It came with a real screen editor. I can draw buttons, assign single functions or macros to buttons, use timers. I was afraid that the editor wouldn't be up to par, but it was exactly what I wanted.
Now there's alot of people saying "use a palmpilot" but they don't know what they're talking about. The palmpilot and the like's IR transmitter simply isn't powerful enough to work as remote control. Think about it. If it says it can send files from up to a meter away, what makes you think that it's going to be able to control your television at 4 meters?
Last time I tried this was with a palm III. It only worked when I was close enough to push the TV buttons myself. Kind of defeats the purpose! I think there are some palm models that have greater range, but most don't.
You don't need a high end universal remote unless you are obsessed with touchscreen remotes.
As somebody else already mentioned, Radio Shack has a $60 touchscreen universal remote. You don't need a high-end remote just to get touchscreen, either.
i can appreciate the ability to have complex macros. but @ the same time. you really miss the ability to operate the remote by touch only [ i am sure that everyone can do this with their current remote already] even though the touch screen remotes are all backlit and can be operated in the dark they are far less natural and subesequently take more time. IMHO
Ive been looking for a remote just like the high end pronto
Color
Cheaper
Programmable by that I mean I can move everything around to my liking, not just a learning remote.
Easy for those in my household that arent to tech savvy to be able to use without being overwhelmed
The last three being the most important. ya ya i know choose 2, but there are oodles of the choose 2 variety that just dont cut it
Does anyone know of any roll yer own solutions?
I have tried the sony and it worked but it was choose 2 (cheaper, and easy to use), and I used my Ipaq 5450, but while having 3 of the 4 qualifications (programmable, easy to use and color) I found that since it is also my PDA the others in my house didnt like the fact that I had the remote with me all the time.
Any suggestions
moo.
If you're that lazy that it's cost effective to purchase such a remote, you really need to get outside. You can buy a pair of nice rollerbaldes or a small home gym for the price of that remote.
Does anyone find it interesting that Philips' allegedly smart remote has South Park on the Weather Channel and The Man Show on CSPAN?
There is no reasonable defense against an idiot with an agenda
:wq
...control your refridgerated microwave? That what I want to know.
Ed Wedig
Graphic design services
docbrown.net
Well, we are talking about controlling things remotely, so it's related.
If both of these remotes have been covered here before, why do we need a post just because Walt Mossberg decided to review them?
Radio shack (et.al.) have many universal remotes with the JP1 interface. You have to build your own cable (any day I solder is a good day) and then you can program any key to send any IR signal. It's pretty slick once you get it working. You gotta be able to edit Excel spreadsheets of the command arrays &c.&c, but in the end you can make the remote do anything.
M@
Krispy Cream is people
I have my palm Vx and it works for at LEAST 20 feet, The only thing is you have to have it pointed slightly below dthe device you are aiming at. Other then that it works great. Plus it is a great trick to play when there is a few people over and another person has the real remote and you change the buttons and everyone gets mad at them for doing it because it looks like you are playing a game or such on the palm :D
Hi have a Harmony remote and it is all that. I've had the cheapie universal remotes. I've had good, cheap universal remotes. The Harmony will make flipping the inputs around on your various components and turning them on/off for what you need to do a snap. They have an intuitive web interface that does just about anything you would want. You can always hand mangle the XML if the web interface can't do what you want. It has better range than a palm with omniremote(I've tried it). I find a complex home theater setup is difficult to use with traditional universal remotes. A universal remote with enough buttons is just too big. People don't need to remeber which component is plugged into which input. The remote knows! This remote will save you from getting phone calls asking how to switch to the DVD player or watch a videotape. I think these people are on to something!
I purchased a Zenith remote for about $100 Cdn, it features a large LCD screen (about half the top surface of the large remote), which is a multi-function touch screen.
It can control anything I've thrown at it so far, including StarChoice (actually as a *C code - very tough to find!) and my two part technics dolby digital system - which had been a real PITA - it has a separate decoder from the tuner and you needed two remotes for it (the decoder part for changing inputs, the receiver part for volume, etc.) - because it is fully programmable I was able to merge both remotes to one set on this unit and just use the buttons I needed.
Great remote, although the touchscreen went wonky one time - I was about to take it back when it started working again (I think it was batteries...) - this was six + months ago and I've had no problems since.
(been trying to find a model number, picture or link, but no luck yet sorry)
I'm doing a Linux based Multimedia PC project in the near future, and could really use an RF remote since line-of-sight could be a problem. We'd also like to avoid requiring a keyboard in order to control most of the functions of the unit. I know X10 makes an RF remote that plugs into the serial port of the PC, but I'd like to find alternatives that are known to work with LIRC. Any one have experience in this?
Soko
"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm." - Anonymous
Constantly Updated Technology means Better IR capabilities than your old Palm III
I dont know about Palm, but the new Ipaq's have Consumer Grade IR and come with Nevo a Universal Remote Program.
moo.
> These remotes have both been featured on Slashdot before.
Apparently, when the boss asked them to check the archives before posting a new article, he or she failed to mention that it should not be posted if a duplicate was found...
:)
What about my RF bose remote? Neither of the products (or any other remote AFAIK) support bose systems. I think the pronto mentioned rf functionality, but that is only with it's own base unit (for emulating rf with ir products). Does anyone know of a remote that is compatible with bose systems?
Basically it converted tones into infrared signals. Unfortunately Apple asked that they drop development.
At MacWorld Expo January 2002, they used an iPod to control a Sony TV and Home Stereo system.
Now, they have released the exact same addon for the iPaq.
Does anyone know where or how to obtain a signal conversion from tone to IR?
I know that this is the same way the Macintosh TV worked. One cound take the "IR eye" from that and plug it into ANY onboard Macintosh motherboard sound connection and then use a Sony remote control to turn the unit on and control the Apple CD player or Apple Video Player.
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
While we're at it, how about a capacitor or something to hold a remote's programming long enough to change the battery?
How about having the TV warn me when my remote's batteries are getting low?
Remote finder (this one has already been done), have the remote beep.
Why do most Universal remotes only have 3-6 devices? Why not 10 or 20, say by hitting a number button after a device button? It's certainly not for lack of memory.
Mostly I want my universal remote to always be able to get to the Menu/Programming/Timer operations. With a trainable remote this should be no problem. Why so many devices and universal remotes are incompatible at this level is beyond me.
While these Uber remotes no doubt address these last 2 points, they seem vast overkill for something that should be simple and flexible, but instead is stupid and obtuse.
Letter To Iran
While this might have been true of some models, many of the Palm OS models are pushing 30 feet or more (see OmniRemote page for details). And, as mentioned earlier, there are hardware plug ins for increasing the range, as well as the usual IR repeaters etc. that can be installed. My Visor Pro (not listed in link) is easily pushing more than 20 feet.
I'm not against the Pronto products, as they obviously have a different form factor and other advantages. But, PDA based solutions can do macros, learn codes, allow custom layouts, and have the range for those that want to use them.
Sleep is for the Weak
BlueDo sells a whole gamut of high-end remotes, including the Pronto and Harmony lines. Better yet, they also carry packages that include the JP1 cable, including a package with the highly rated Home Theater Master MX500 lCD remote, a good learning remote to program it, and a JP1 cable.
I'm still saving for this bundle which is one of the highest rated remotes on hifi-remotes.com.
I am not connected in any way with BlueDo, just been impressed by good store reviews and the great customer service I've experienced when I've made various inquiries.
My dog has eaten, batteries and all, 4 remote controls. I just bought a new Yamaha reciever and within 3 days it had been consumed. I've been finding little rubber numbers in the yard.
I have a universal remote control and it works great. But the pesky little menu options are not the universal remote and I have to switch back to the original remote for the product. I am not sure if the phillips and Harmany also have the same problem.
... and for IR stuff it works as advertised. ProntoEdit is also super cool, and very very flexible (though somewhat buggy and crashprone as of 4-5 years ago or so)..
I've since switched a bunch of my AV equipment around, and I'm too lazy to reprogram the Pronto, and I've migrated to OS X & Linux and I'm not too keen on caring about getting PE (windows-only) working.. Still, if you're looking to build a remote that can handle all your gear, with macros and 'easy-to-use' interfaces (and as many of them as you like, pretty much), Pronto is your pick.
Remote control of television/home theater setups would seem to be an area where one might profitably use voice recognition for control. Voice recognition works best when it uses a limited set of words; I suggest that a voice-recognition system for controlling a home theater system could be abstracted to a suitably limited set of commands.
:-)
The actions required to control a home theater can be broken down into these categories: 1) selecting the source, 2) controlling playback, and 3) channel tuning and volume control. Thus, you'd have this command for selecting the source:
SELECT {TV|DVD|VHS|SATELLITE|CABLE|RADIO|CD|TAPE}
Which is fairly self-evident -- say select and then the name of the device you want to use. For playback:
PLAY
PAUSE
STOP
REWIND
FAST FORWARD
Those should be clear. Then for the last bit, you'd need:
VOLUME {UP|DOWN|NUMBER}
MUTE
These last need commentary. Volume UP/DOWN will adjust the volume one notch up or down. NUMBER is a number between zero and ten, setting the volume at 0%, 10%, 20%, etc, zero being muted. MUTE is a toggle: when you say it, mutes the audio or returns it to the previous volume level, based on the current state of the volume. You could theoretically divide that into two commands MUTE and UNMUTE, but there's no real reason to do so. Then, for tuning control:
CHANNEL {UP|DOWN|NUMBER}
SURF {UP|DOWN|END}
Channel UP/DOWN bumps it up or down one channel. NUMBER requires you to say the number of the channel, eg "CHANNEL three four" will switch the channel 34. It would be nice to add support for proper numerical recognition, eg thirty four instead of three-four, though that would obviously increase the number of number-phrases for the software to recognize by quite a few.
The SURF command will switch up or down one channel every five seconds till you say "SURF END". This is to avoid having to say "CHANNEL UP" over and over and over.
Controls of the tint, brightness, and so on of the monitor are best left to actual buttons on the TV. (Or perhaps a jog-dial + OSD, like on some computer monitors). Similarly I'd use a physical on/off button rather than POWER ON|OFF.
That's a fairly limited vocabulary, meaning it could probably be implemented comparatively easily. It has some distinct advantages: no remotes to get lost, no batteries to replace, doesn't require line-of-sight to the equipment, can be operated by blind people without difficulty (yes, many of them like to listen to the TV even if they can't see it), and best of all it's an intuitive interface: we give verbal instructions all the time, and even people with zero technical knowledge can figure out how to SELECT DVD and PLAY. (Whereas my mother still cannot figure out how to play DVDs on our current four-remote system; selecting the DVD player as the source of the video seems to be beyond her, so she always gets my brother to do it.)
On the other hand, it has some disadvantages. Mute people would be totally unable to use it. Different software would be required for different languages, and possibly for different dialects depending on how great the linguistic variation between the standard version and the dialect was. Lastly, you wouldn't be able to operate it quietly (if, for example, it was late at night and you didn't want to disturb anybody who was sleeping). Probably there are also some technical challenges of which I am unaware, too.
Still . . . it'd be really neat.
I've used a Pronto as my main remote since about 1999 when I got the first model (TSU-1000).
I've used it to control my blinds, my TV, my Pre-Amp, my CD PLayers, and my TiVos.
My TSU-1000 bit the big one in the form of a cracked screen late last year when we were moving things around.
Yes, it can be a pain to program. But, there are many sites like http://www.remotecentral.com that people 'open source' their configurations so to speak. So you can cut/paste everything that they've done into yours and have your pronto up and running in a short period of time if you wish.
As a rock-in-roll Physicist once said, No matter where you go, there you are.
Marantz has been manufacturing universal remote control for a decade, they have far more experience in this market. They are also pretty easy to set up and sturdy.
"If you can't explain it to a 8 year-old, you probably didn't undertand it" Albert Einstein
Both today and yesterday, Slashdot has been very slow. It's had me fine-toothing the T1s, the firewall, the web cache and anything else to find the problem. After browsing other sites I'm convinved its just Slashdot. It almost seems like they've lost some of their http front-ends or something.
Activity-based is only going to work if your devices have different codes for on and off. Mine don't. I tried this approach with my Philips Pronto TSU-2000 and ended up getting annoyed with devices turning off when I selected an activity.
I'm very happy with my remote. It's a bit lacking in hard-buttons - it looks like the TSU-3000 in the review would redress that without having too many hard buttons. I really don't see how the reviewer could go wrong training the unit from his existing remote controls. Probably wasn't a very technicaly minded person.
It sounds to me like this a comparison of Windows and Linux, where the Philips device would be the equivalent of Linux. It's going to make some people happy, but frustrate many others.
Sorry folks, I'm not going to shell out several hundred dollars for a stinking remote. And I doubt that many readers of /. will.
If someone knows where I can see some mid-priced scanner comparative reviews, I'm all ears.
I went through the purchase of a remote last year, and finally ended up buying the remote that Crisp Solutions markets (UCommand 616)
Initially it was a 'step down' from other devices since it only had a limited set of macro keys, but it was also cheaper. After having it and playing it, I discocered there was an undocumented method that lets you apply a macro to any of the buttons throught the remote. (Which Crisp confirmed was there and have updated their maketing info to include that you can.
If you are looking for this type of item, this remote is actually a good contender.
It is really nice to have a button labelled "DVD On -> DVD" which changes the input on my amp, turns on my DVD player, turns off my cable box, and tells my TV to select the appropriate input.
This is my dream remote setup:
All of my CDs are ripped and stored on my computer. (Like many other people out there.) I run Linux and have the xmms LIRC plugin and patch that allows you to type in a three digit number and load a CD. (eg. If I want to listen to Tom Petty's Greatest Hits, I punch in "630" on a remote and hit load on my IR remote. It's an awesome jukebox setup for common CDs that I have memorized, but there is no way I want to memorize 700+ of them.
I want more! I would love to have a Palm Pilot with hacked IR hardware (... because of that pesky distance issue) that can store a complete list of my music and send the corresponding IR commands to my computer.
The thing that drives me crazy is that it's totally possible with the technology available now! Palms have database programs that far exceed what I would need, and Omni remote is far in advance of what would be required also. If I had any Palm programming experience whatsoever, I would try and hack something together.
Is there any sort of open source anything for the Palm platform that would allow this type of interfacing easily? I'm thinking Python/Perl.
Any hints?
Take a look @ crestron, not cheap, but I HIGHLY reccomend they for larger systems.
They do take some real programming experience to build apps for them however.
He got frusterated after trying 9 of 20 possible codes for his PVR? Then he quit? What a great review. Oviously the reviewer is more interested in a flashy super easy to use interface than functions. The nice high end functions of the pronto wern't even outlined. Thats sad. How can this be a review when he hadn't taken the time to figure the remote out?
I bought the Harmony SST-768 a few weeks ago. It takes some time to get everything set up, but since I got past that I'm really liking it.
The wizards on their web page can be a bit of a pain. I started making more progress when I entered 'advanced' mode and started editing some of the XML directly.
The cool thing about the remote is that it remembers the state of your components. "Watch TiVo" is my default activity. When I hit the power button on the remote, it turns on my TV and sets everything up to watch TV (DirecTV/TiVo combo box). If I switch to my "Watch DVD" activity it knows that the TV is already on, so it doesn't send the IR code to power off the TV. Video input, receiver input, picture mode, etc are all switch as requierd. Some settings are common for different activities and the remote knows to leave those alone when switching.
Previous universal remotes that I had used required that I return to a default state to run macros. I can switch between any macro (Harmony calls 'em "activities") without worrying if the TV is on the correct video input. The remote keeps track of it and changes things accordingly.
You don't have to use discrete codes to accomplish this either (although you can). I use different picture mode settings for different activities. Video games are better on my "standard" setting while TV and DVDs use the "Pro" setting. I defined a new variable in my TV section (XML) and then added a bit of code to the various activities' sections so the remote will keep track of which picture mode it's in and send the correct IR codes as needed.
I haven't gotten around to it yet, but my next step is to define a state for the volume level on my receiver. As I switch activities, the remote will then add or subtract X volume ticks depending on how I define it. Watching a DVD will equal -12, TV -08, etc.
I'm not sure if other remotes have this abilty, but it really makes it easy to have a remote than anyone can use. Scroll the wheel, select your activity, click the wheel.
What if the Hokey-Pokey really is what it's all about?
People who don't understand why someone might need something more sophisticated often insult or damn with faint praise. How sad.
Sometimes you need something more sophisticated than a pre-programmed remote and you just aren't going to get there without getting a learning unit.
By the way I use an MX-500 from bluedo
after using various small-scale universals and the neo-tech palm software (with the IR dongle). Some people like touch-screen remotes but many of us find them nearly unusable.
See you in ten minutes?
i pts/Series8 /7.htm
(OK, it's just me who likes Red Dwarf...)
http://members.lycos.co.uk/Xtended/Scr
Can anyone let me know where to find a remote that is programmable (including multiple commands executed by pressing a single button), but is very simply laid out.
My father-in-law is too old (or stubborn) to learn anything beyond a simple Channel up/down, volume up/down, and power. Fine for basic cable, but we also have a digital satellite. Here are the issues:
- The power button turns on/off the satellite tuner, but not the TV (produces a loud static screen when he turns it off, doesn't turn the TV on when the system is powered off).
- He presses a button on the channel keypad, gets a black audio-only channel, and can't get back to where he was.
- He presses the Guide or Menu buttons and can't cancel the screen.
It seems that any remote capable of controlling a satellite receiver is horrendously complex. Seriously, I want a remote with FIVE buttons, but one that I can program what they can do. Obviously, we'll keep the real remote for ourselves. Any advice?
Look at the tomato! Isn't it sad? He can't dance! Poor tomato!
me, and the phillips site just plain sucks. There is a perfect example of just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
The prono looks as if it can be a TV with it's colour LCD/etc. So now I can watch TV on my remote and use the TV as a remote I suppose, I wonder if the pronto can run Linux too! I have a funny story about one of the fancy remotes, I was staying at a guys house, and he had a remote like that, when you pressed "Watch TV" A screen would come from the ceiling and then the TV would start up (external projection). I then pointed it away from it, said turn off TV, it thought the TV was off, and then when he came back to use the TV, he went to turn it on even though it was off, so the screen went up and the TV stayed on, so it burrered up. I watched him fiddle with it, showed him what I did, and just had to point it away from the TV and press "watch tv" again to make it think the TV was on before it would work right again ........ You had to be there I guess.
I feel I am somewhat of an authority on this subject. Shortly after Christmas, I embarked on a crusade to find the perfect remote, that offered maximum flexibility and ease of use.
/All in One models ARE an unbelievable value and immensely flexible. Worth checking out if you're on a tight budget.
Over the next 2 months, I purchased and returned remote after remote, always dissapointed (until the final one.. keep reading). Here are some opinions on the various types.
Touchscreen models: Sexy, sleek, great cool factor. COMPLETELY AWKWARD TO USE once the "gee wow" factor wears off. You have to press the screen to activate it, then visually search for the button you want, then press the screen again. Zero tactile feedback. I want to be able to find the function I want without even looking at the thing.
All button models: Great for basic use, but too hard to remember what you've set special functions to, and tedious to program (when the red light blinks twice, hold down X until the red light blinks rapidly. If the light is steady and unblinking, you must then proceed to alternately pressing Y and Z while standing on your head and pointing the remote at the constellation Orion.. etc) Aside: With JP1 programming, the Radio Shack
So... where does this leave us? I wanted a remote with the customizability, clarity, and easy programming of a screen model, with the tactile feedback of a buttoned model.
Enter the Home Theatre Master MX-500. (Big picture)
This is truly a dream remote. You have wonderful ergonomic design, thoughtfully placed controls, and the real show stopper: the LCD screen and side buttons. These side buttons are used to select options from the screen, in much the same way a bank machine works. You main menu consists of 10 devices (which you can rename of course), and each of these 10 devices has 2 LCD screens (20 functions) worth of programmable, custom named functions, in addition to all the regular buttons, all of which are fully programmable. And of course the LCD screen provides a full menu driven interface to the remote's features.
Here is an extremely in-depth professional review.
Here is a long list of user reviews. (Average score is 4.82 / 5, from 113 reviews)
The only remote that can top this is from the same company, the MX-700. This remote comes with a small, fully programmable buddy remote, can set full length macros on any key, and is computer programmable. It also costs $500 USD! (The MX-500 is ~MSRP $200, I got mine for $112 online)
All my friends are jealous of this remote, I can fully operate it it absolute darkness with just one hand (either left or right), a complete stranger can figure out how to operate my entire entertainment system in 5 minutes flat, it has insane IR power.. I can bounce it from other rooms no problem, and I haven't even SEEN my other remotes since the day I got this. No other remote even comes close. If you're sick of remote clutter, you need to get one these babies. I cannot heap enough praise on this thing.
"Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
1) Any remote with a touch screen is useless because it means you have to take your eyes off of what you are doing (hopefully sipping wine or fondling something). The remote has to be organized from the outset to fit all the requirements of a home entertainment center (TV, Tivo, DVD, CD, MD/DVD-R, and amplifier). Forget the x-10 stuff for now (manual blinds and lights).
2) The only remote I know that can juggle these tasks responsibly is the Sony RM-VL900, and it has to be programmed by hand. I mapped every single button for every single device manually. The sony took down everything. It took me about an hour. The remote has the ability to record 11 macros... more than I can remember, and more than anyone can realistically use (and yes it does the complex stuff seamlessly, ie macros that use 5 or six devices simultaneously).
3) Its cheap and real easy... no cables, no obsessive "cable from computer to remote" type behavior (yes, i know this defeasts the point of putting this post on /.)
4) My remote works fine after 4 years of heavy use. Sony is still selling the same remote (quite a testament to its ergonomic layout), and I can clone my remote at any time.
"Smokey, this isn't Nam, there are rules." -Walter
I tried a button-based universal and found that I could not remember what particular key did exactly what for which device.
So I figured I'd use an Amazon gift certificate I had to try a Pronto TSU3000. ($248)
First look was a bit frustrating, but I figured out the trick.
I took every one of my remotes and taught the pronto every single IR code. For instance, on my reciever, the buttons do different things if you are in VCR, DVD, LD, CD, MA, Tuner, Aux, Phono, TV modes, so I taught every possible signal. Then I did this task for every remote I own.
Put all of these code pages in "hidden devices" so you can link to whatever entry you need.
Then I built an ACTIVITY BASED menu.
I have 2 young kids so simplicity was a must. I set up a home page with a photo of the girls on it. They push this to get to their choices. I reserve control of the Global Power ON and OFF functions because I can maintain sync, which they cannot reliably do.
Now by pressing on the photo icon of TV, DVD, or VCR, they control which media they want to watch and get a very basic set of buttons to push.
For example on TV, they have the graphical logos of Nickelodeon, Cartoon, Disney, Animal Planet and PBS Kids.
Hard buttons perform volume, channel and mute for whichever device is selected.
Other hard buttons toggle back to HOME, back to "KID TV", or to go to "DAD TV" and discrete "Power" pages. Each requires further action to alter anything so the kids rarely mess anything up if they even get out of their menu tree, which is actually far more rare than messing something up with 7-8 different remotes we used previously.
Of course, in the "DAD TV" mode, I have cascading pages built in order of frequently used functions and groups right down the line so every action possible on every remote is available and even labeled with text "help" files.
The ability to link allows you to build a basic DVD page that also lets you toggle the theatre sound mode of the reciever without changing pages.
You can build as many pages as you like and arrange them however you like and use any graphic you like as a button.
Easy or simple. However you like it.
Then I tried RF, which the TSU3000 offers. Now my HTPC can also be controlled by my Pronto. My ATI Remote Wonder is not necessary any more.
This thing can even emulate at least some RF keyboards, and almost certainly any other PC-IR device.
The Pronto Edit app (PENG) uses a USB cable and can actually "test" commands from the Pronto, sending them to the device.
There is a "simulate" mode too, so you can use the PC to preview the look and navigation before downloading to the Pronto.
I expect that eventually the "Simulate" mode will detect if a Pronto is attached to the USB so that "Simulate" will actually allow the remote control of a Pronto from a PC with PENG installed and a USB port.
The complaint about tactile feedback is understandable, but the writer must not have used the TSU3000. It has 5 assignable hard buttons on the right side, I use them for V+, V-, Mute, Ch+ and CH-.
There are also 4 hard buttons at the bottom of the screen of which 3 are programmable. (well, 2 right now as firmware won't allow the 4th to be programmed...all it does is turn on backlight without sending any command)
Then the bottom front has 4 more programmable access buttons arranged around a large 5-way thumb button.
So if you want tactile, set each device to those frequently used commands and keep your eyes on the screen.
If you want to do more sophisticated actions, the backlight lets you leave the lights off as you go through the menus.
No matter the remote, you're going to need to take your eyes off the TV to do involved tasks. You need to read the buttons. For instance, pick
I'm in the process of shifting all my AV gear and the PC into the attic to free up more space. I have one of the original Prontos, which is truly excellent if you are prepared to put in the time to build the interface - see Remote Central for more.
I am going to keep the Pronto and use a simple remote control extender like this one. I use an IRMan to control the jukebox on the PC (Monkey's Audio rips of my CDs).
If you dont want the remote controll problem just buy all you electronics from the same brand for example Sonys big reciver remotes is preprogramed for all possible Sony devices i am controlling my Sony DVD,Reciver,VCR,TV and Xbox with the same Sony remote.
Several right-ups in some of the latest AV mags gave it real good reviews! It's touch screen, with animated icons, and can learn from unkown remotes. All for $60!!
F na me=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F002%5F002%5F010%5F0 01&product%5Fid=15%2D2133#
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5
Personally, I find Sony have the nicest remote to put on your coffee table. Slim, pretty, learning, easy to set up. Mini LCD display is customisable. No combination buttons, but that's not a feature I cry over. Take a look at the RMVZ950T
You can get it here.
The "Weemote Sr" looks PERFECT! I think I'll order it today. Thanks!!!!
Look at the tomato! Isn't it sad? He can't dance! Poor tomato!
I've been using a Pronto since the first one came out in late '98. I have to say that this guy got it all wrong. He never even looked at the software for the Pronto, while he dealt extensively with the software for the Harmony. Now I think that the Harmony is fine for people with reasonable systems once you get to the level of silliness I've long since achieved with my system, only a Pronto (or something even more expensive and complicated to set up) will do. Why? The strength of the Pronto is the ability to program any button on the remote as a macro. Want a button which closes your motorized drapes? The Pronto can handle it. Want to dim the lights? The Pronto can handle it. Do you have a (possibly very) complex sequence of events necessary to set up your system to watch a DVD? The Pronto can handle it. It is truly the Turing machine of remotes. Is it complex to set up? Sure, but we're all geeks here. What's a little programming between friends? Do you want to have a complete list of all the CD's in your system? People have written programs which will read your CD database and output a configuration file you can use which will provide a button for each CD. Push the button and you get the one you want. Some of these programs will even break CD's down to the track level. You can use the Pronto to integrate the remote with your PC using Girder. I'm currently working on something like this to allow me to control my PC which allows me to change internet radio station of my home theater control server. Can you do that UEI remotes? I think not. Yes the software takes some knowledge to use. Yes it can take a certain (for the perfectionists amongst us infinite) time to program the remote. In the end you have a wonderfully easy to control system which DWIM. BTW, I just recent got a TSU 3000 and although it is a public beta (or maybe an alpha at this point) it is a very nice remote which allows you to create activities which even your most technologically challenged frieds can use to operate your system. It is quite simply the best affordable remote control you can buy. Plus it is a blast to program, a dream for the true gadgethead.
Isn't theory a great place? Everything works in theory.
The Commandments of the EE:
(9) Trifle thee not with radioactive tubes and substances lest thou
commence to glow in the dark like a lightning bug, and thy wife be
frustrated and have not further use for thee except for thy wages.
(10) Commit thou to memory all the words of the prophets which are
written down in thy Bible which is the National Electrical Code,
and giveth out with the straight dope and consoleth thee when
thou hast suffered a ream job by the chief electrician.
(11) When thou muckest about with a device in an unthinking and/or
unknowing manner, thou shalt keep one hand in thy pocket. Better
that thou shouldest keep both hands in thy pockets than
experimentally determine the electrical potential of an
innocent-seeming device.
- this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...