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Universal remotes

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i would honestly have to ask you what is it for?

Is there a computer being connected to it as well?

If your going to have a PC connected to it, i use gyration's media center remote.
Its a remote / gyro mouse in 1 package.

http://www.amazon.com/Gyration-GYR41.../dp/B0018DH696

412EYKjroTL._SL500_AA280_.jpg


I have my cable box, Computer, TV, and B-R player connected to it.
 
Harmony One.

I bought one for the main room, and I bought a Cheap 670 for the bedroom...Now I wish I bought another Harmony One for the bedroom...
 
Well, it looks like I'm alone. To support my argument, just search "Harmony" in this forum. It's a custom installer forum...you know, the guys that do installs that go into the hundred's of thousands. At least from their viewpoint (and mine) Harmony is the Bose of remotes. Simple to setup, but performance can't really compete.

That said, I do have a Harmony 520 for a secondary setup, and it does the job for what it is. I just think there are better alternatives out there.
 
I have a Harmony One and love it, but at the same time i acknowledge all the lesser models do basically the same thing minus the touch screen. Even a $50 one from Harmony should work fine. Just wont have any frills so to speak.
 
SLCentral said:
Well, it looks like I'm alone. To support my argument, just search "Harmony" in this forum. It's a custom installer forum...you know, the guys that do installs that go into the hundred's of thousands. At least from their viewpoint (and mine) Harmony is the Bose of remotes. Simple to setup, but performance can't really compete.

That said, I do have a Harmony 520 for a secondary setup, and it does the job for what it is. I just think there are better alternatives out there.
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If it does the job then what is wrong with it? Is it because it is not as expensive? Is there an iRemote im not aware of? 😛
 
Linflas said:
I have a Harmony 880 and while I love the concept and the way it works I now use it for little other than turning my equipment on/off. I have had it for 4 years now and it has not aged well. The buttons require an extreme amount of force to work and the charger has always been a joke. In addition the design of the thing makes it really difficult to use it one handed.
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Do you have tiny hands? I can use mine without issue in terms of both size and buttons. I also think the charging cradle is great...though I have read some peoples' 880 cradle don't work well.

Perhaps the Harmony One's cradle was improved.
 
Gooberlx2 said:
Do you have tiny hands? I can use mine without issue in terms of both size and buttons. I also think the charging cradle is great...though I have read some peoples' 880 cradle don't work well.

Perhaps the Harmony One's cradle was improved.
Click to expand...

No I have normal sized hands but the slick plastic case combined with the buttons being tiny and flush with the surface of the remote make the number keys extremely difficult to use one handed. As for the charger, they may have improved the design but just do a search for 880 and charger and you will find it is a common complaint.

Harmony 880 Charger Problem - fixed yet?
 
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Nothing but Harmonys here. I have a Harmony One downstairs in then den and a refurbished Harmony Xbox 360 controller upstairs in the bedroom.
 
Have a Universal Remote Control MX-700 programmable. Plugs into a PC and has a programming module that works very nicely. nice big LCD with configurable backlight. You can program complex macros, and I have a number of them.

I have a macro that turns on my projector, my DVD player (and the tray comes out), turns on my AV receiver and sets it correctly, all by long-pressing the DVD button.

I have a really cool macro I programmed labeled Later. If I'm tired or whatever I press it and my DVD player shuts off, projector turns off, AV receiver turns off. When I want, I press the macro labeled Resume and everything turns on. I then press Play and the movie resumes.

I have all my remote controlled devices programmed into this baby. It wasn't real cheap but it's fun and awesome, feels great in my hand. I considered the Harmony's but the deciding factor was the fact that with the lights off I couldn't tell which end was which, at least not easily, which is really stupid IMO. I also dislike the position of the FF and REW buttons on the Harmony when I was considering my universal purchase. They were near the bottom and difficult to access. Many people complained about that.

When in my media room I use no other remote. They all sit in a drawer. I have two sets of NiMH batteries for the MX-700, keep a charged set in a drawer for when the used set craps out.
 
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Muse said:
Have a Universal Remote Control MX-700 programmable. Plugs into a PC and has a programming module that works very nicely. nice big LCD with configurable backlight. You can program complex macros, and I have a number of them.

I have a macro that turns on my projector, my DVD player (and the tray comes out), turns on my AV receiver and sets it correctly, all by long-pressing the DVD button.

I have a really cool macro I programmed labeled Later. If I'm tired or whatever I press it and my DVD player shuts off, projector turns off, AV receiver turns off. When I want, I press the macro labeled Resume and everything turns on. I then press Play and the movie resumes.

I have all my remote controlled devices programmed into this baby. It wasn't real cheap but it's fun and awesome, feels great in my hand. I considered the Harmony's but the deciding factor was the fact that with the lights off I couldn't tell which end was which, at least not easily, which is really stupid IMO.
Click to expand...

Harmony also plugs into the PC so you can configure it. With the harmony, as soon as you move it, the lcd lights up so you can tell what orientation it is in. They call the macro's "activities" on the harmony remotes that do similar stuff.
 
I'm going to ask Santa for the Harmony One for Christmas. I've done a bit of research and this remote seems to fit the bill for what I am looking for in a universal remote.
 
I wish they had a mil spec. 3 device remote with all the functions of a cable box remote. Even though they're free, having to drive to the Comcast office every three months because the volume control craps out is getting old. Someone in my family has excessively strong thumb muscles, but no one will fess up to it.
 
I also dislike the Harmony series. They have a nice feel to them but they are so limited it is unbelievable. You cannot program your own custom sequences/macros. I had the grayscale Pronto Neo and loved everything about it, except the feel in my hand. You could customize EVERYTHING. Yes, it could take awhile but when I was done everything worked just the way I wanted it. I have like 5 of the logitech ones and they do nothing but collect dust.
 
yinan said:
I also dislike the Harmony series. They have a nice feel to them but they are so limited it is unbelievable. You cannot program your own custom sequences/macros. I had the grayscale Pronto Neo and loved everything about it, except the feel in my hand. You could customize EVERYTHING. Yes, it could take awhile but when I was done everything worked just the way I wanted it. I have like 5 of the logitech ones and they do nothing but collect dust.
Click to expand...
Never had a Harmony but would like to pick up a second MX-700. I could download everything into it in a minute from my desktop.
 
yinan said:
I also dislike the Harmony series. They have a nice feel to them but they are so limited it is unbelievable. You cannot program your own custom sequences/macros. I had the grayscale Pronto Neo and loved everything about it, except the feel in my hand. You could customize EVERYTHING. Yes, it could take awhile but when I was done everything worked just the way I wanted it. I have like 5 of the logitech ones and they do nothing but collect dust.
Click to expand...

What do you use the custom sequences/macros for? Harmony remotes will let you customize sequences for switching to a certain device. I used to have mine send the Menu signal to the HTPC to open my media software whenever I would hit the Watch TV button. I (and probably most people) have never had a need for macros other than when turning devices on and off or switching between them.

I've been using my Harmony 688 for 3 years, and I absolutely love it. I've thought about upgrading to the 880 or One several times, but the 688 does everything I need it to. I'll probably upgrade when it either croaks, or I need to use it in my computer room (if I were to upgrade my current HT system and move it to my computer room).
 
My old man has one of the 880 hoarmony remotes. I was over his house last night and he was have issue getting the remote to change the input on his new sony home theater system thing. it would switch the tv and everything else, just couldn't get the audio to change the input from tv to audio input, and vice versa. I tried it a few times, programming it. Eventually just remapped the function button off the original remote. that seemed to clear up the issue. evidently the default that the software had was incorrect.
The little bit I did going thru the harmony software seemed pretty neat and simple to use.
 
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