Home Theater - Programmable remotes
 

Just got a new home theater system. Now I have remotes coming out the ying yang...

I have been reading up on the Logitech Harmony programmable remotes. They seem like an excellent tool.

Anyone have experience with them, or comments about them?

I can grab one here (model H659) at Costco for $129 Canadian. They're $199 at Best Buy.

Jim

i have got the same issue right now. just got the wicked sound system for one of my tv's. i ran it through my satilite/dvd/tv and it gets radion as well. the remote that came with the new system does volume, changes from video/audio source, and some very minor channel changing of the satlilite box. problem is i can not see, or call up any of the direct tv menus so it sucks. i never like those menu deals until i got a satilite.

don't even get me started on the dvd, movie night and it's remote..

i am just doomed to multiple remotes and nothing to watch..

there are a number of IR learning remotes out there, i've always liked the marantz rc500 (i think that's the number), touch screen with indiglow, and you can download different icons and such online.
kinda pricey though.

i've been using the IR learn remote that came with my marantz reciever and love it to this day, i have every single function of 7 different remotes programmed in it.
plus most remotes you can program macros wich will do a series of things......like turning on the tv for the gf by pressing one button (where it normally requires 3 different remotes).

Re: Home Theater - Programmable remotes
 

hi Jim,
my now ex-flatmate had a harmony remote and it was brillant. He picked it up on a trip to Dubai.

it plugs into your computer with a USB cable and has drivers for the setup on a cd. you program in your make and model of all your home theatre setup and you're away laughing.

we had it set up with all inputs/ outputs going thru my old kenwood receiver.
for normal tv, press the tv button and: it turned on the tv and switched to 'AV1', turned on the video player, turned on the stereo and set it to 'video 1'
for dvd, press the dvd button: turned on the tv, changed to 'AV2', turned off the video (if not off already), turned on the dvd player and turned on the stereo and changed it to 'Video 3 digital', etc, etc.

i could even program it for simple things like a button to change the stereo to 'monitor' to play my computer through it.
And then when you're all done, 'off' turned off all 4 things at once.

It had an onscreen display with help menu's, etc. man, I miss it!

The 659 is awesome. I've had it for about a year and it really takes the hassle out of A/V. My wife can even operate the system. Here is a site you can learn all about remotes:

http://www.remotecentral.com/

Go here...

remote central

I picked up the Home Theatre Master Mx-700 (around $125 CDN somewhere on the net) and have never looked back. Excellent built-in database of IR codes - it even had codes for my old, old laser disc player.

I was really checking the Marantz/Pronto units for a while and was actually price shopping the Onkyo CHAD unit before spending a bit of time on the remote central site.

Those slick units at around $750 or more are complete overkill for my needs. The MX-700 does it all for a fraction of the price.

I've used the Marantz Mk II for 5 years and loved it. I can control the weather with that thing, and store 4 macros.

JP

I bought the Sony universal remote (dont rememeber the model). $200 bucks at Best Buy. I got it to work 5 out of the 8 components I needed it to run. The other 3 (including a small plasma TV mounted in the bar) would not register in the remote. So I returned it. If anyone finds one that can run multiple TV's let me know.

Any of the programmables are up to that task...

I'm w/ Purry.
Having the built-in codes for gear is OK, but I prefer to program the remotes, and the Marantz RC500 Mk II is sweet. You spend a while pointing one remote at the other and pressing keys, but when it's done, it's done. And you can build macros, so w/ the push of one button everything comes on in order to watch TV, or watch a DVD or whatever.

JP

For those wishing to step up a notch
Destiny Networks

Now I thought I read on the Logitech site that the Harmony could do the remote to remote IR reading thing...

If only...

To have a whole house like that. Makes you think that things like "Big Brother" aren't that far off.

I have yet to find one that I like. I still have a sony that I don't use because I can't get it to work cable box (the most important component!). I think until they get some kind of uniform codes or you stick with a components that are matched, a one remote option isn't for some. Besides, after you get everything set, all you really need is to change channels and volume most of the time.