Axiom Home Page
Posted By: dapman Universal Remote - 12/16/09 03:51 AM
I have finished upgrading my system and have been enjoying it but having all these remotes is a little much. What would you recomend for a universal remote? I know denon has the 7000ci but it is expensive, is there anything else that will do the job.

Thanks

Larry
Posted By: Hansang Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 04:52 AM
For me, it's URC MX900 with MRF350 RF extension. There's really nothing I can't do with this remote!
Posted By: HomeDad Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 06:23 AM
I have the Logitech Harmony One and really like it.
Posted By: mpyw Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 09:44 AM
Am using a cheap URC RF20 with RF extension.
Macro is a bit tricky but all basic function are there and most importantly, my wife loves it :p
Posted By: EFalardeau Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 10:55 AM
There are two major directions you may want to go:
1. pure IR remote (need to point at equipment) or
2. RF/IR remote where a repeater is used (and usually hidden) and the remote is communicating using RF so you can control from anywhere and without pointing to the devices (it becomes important if you have a lot of equipment to coordinate), but they are more expensive

Once you decide which road you want to follow, it will become much easier to select the final models.

I use a Harmony 890 with two IR repeaters and so far it has not let me down.
Posted By: Argon Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 12:55 PM
I have the Harmony 880. It does everything that I need. Just this past weekend I figured out how to rearrange the device commands to get the ones I use most often up on the first page or two. I also eliminated the ones that I never use like the XM commands. The best part is that it is 10+++ on the WAF scale.
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 04:31 PM
I'm a fan of the URC MX-nnn series. I like being able to program them on the computer and then download the exact macro sequence I want.
Posted By: Sloped Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 05:17 PM
I've had a great deal of success with both the Harmony 890 (RF repeater) and the the Harmony 880 (IR point and shoot).

Highly recommend and WAF is very very high.
Posted By: Argon Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 05:59 PM
The Harmony model is Activity Based. It is also set up on your computer. The WAF comes in that all my activities are named like "Watch DVD" or "Watch TV". Behind the scenes I have set each activity up to turn on which ever device needs to be on and use the AVR for volume control. You can also access menus for each device and you can set them up however you want as well. IF something goes wrong, there is a help button that straightens out almost any misfire. About the only way for it to misfire is if you point the remote (the 880 must be pointed at the devices for direct line of sight IR) away from the devices before it has actually issued the command. This comes into play with special instructions like "Issue Dolby PLII Command" My wife says it is the best piece of equipment that we own.
Posted By: jakewash Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 08:09 PM
 Originally Posted By: Argon
My wife says it is the best piece of equipment that we own.
Naw..... too easy ;\)
Posted By: tomtuttle Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 09:04 PM
Thanks, Rob. For some reason, I thought that all but the top model Harmony units used web-based programming or something. Since the backlight finally gave out after five+ years on my MX-700, might have to look into a Harmony.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 09:26 PM
Well, it is web based programming, but they have a front end they hook into the web stuff. Pretty easy to use, but not quite as flexible as I might like.
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 10:26 PM
+1 for the Harmony One. Have one. Love it. Would buy another.

My only complaint is a recent one; the original battery is about 18 months old and is starting to wane. It'll only go about one good afternoon's worth of music and/or DVR watching before needing to be recharged. I see that replacements are only $20-$30 online, so I'm not too upset.

Everything else about the remote still works as-new. 18 months later and all of the buttons are still as crisp and responsive as they were the day I unpacked it. No problems with the display or IR sensitivity either, even after being dropped onto the hardwood floor a couple of times.

 Originally Posted By: kcarlile
Well, it is web based programming, but they have a front end they hook into the web stuff. Pretty easy to use, but not quite as flexible as I might like.


The web programming is a bit quirky. But one benefit of it is that if you need help, you can call Logitech and their support people can set up devices and/or reprogram buttons on your remote via that web portal. With your permission, they can access your account and make changes for you. Kinda neat, if you need it.
Posted By: Ken.C Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 10:48 PM
Wow, really? If I can get them to add independant ff and rewind buttons for my DVD changer, that would be awesome. Freakin' Yamaha.
Posted By: Joe_in_SC Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 11:01 PM
Another vote for the Harmony One. I upgraded from the Harmony 880, which did everything just fine. The One adds a touch screen which my wife thinks is very cool.
Posted By: Hansang Re: Universal Remote - 12/16/09 11:23 PM
There's no doubt Harmony is easy to program. I have the 890 model. But you pay for that simplicity. For example, you can't have extensive macro's. With my MX900, I have a macro that deletes programs from my DVR. It takes 8 or nine clicks (list, navigate, select, delete, confirm, go back etc...)

With Harmony, I'm at the mercy of Logitech to provide an update. while that's true for URC as well, I can just learn the RF if I want to. That's what I did with on the MX900 for my Oppo until the update came out.

I also don't like the rechargeable batteries. The MX lasts for months before I have to replace it, so it's not a big deal for me.

If you like simplicity, get the Harmony. If you want more flexibility, get the URC line.
Posted By: Murph Re: Universal Remote - 12/17/09 03:41 PM
I have a URC300 with an RF base station. I went URC for the ability to customize macros to a deeper level but I normally recommend Harmonys to other people for their much easier setup.
Posted By: Ray3 Re: Universal Remote - 12/17/09 06:22 PM
Harmony and URC (MX Series) are the usual horses mentioned in this race.

Having used both, I MUCH prefer the URC - more flexible, more powerful (programming and macros on your PC). The downside is learning the programming and the time it takes; the upside is the end result.

The Harmony - simpler to set up and the choice to make if you aren't interested in the extensive tweaking available with the URC units.

The good news - no wrong choice between them.

As an aside, Jack (Ajax), myself and the multitudes we have sent there have had good luck with surfremotecontrol.com (ask for Mike). Ignore the prices on the website and ask for the "open box" units. Great pricing, authorized dealer and always there to answer questions. And no, no connection to the place - just satisfied customers.
Posted By: jakewash Re: Universal Remote - 12/17/09 06:40 PM
Here is another good place for info and files for programable remotes

http://www.remotecentral.com/files/index.html
Posted By: Murph Re: Universal Remote - 12/18/09 02:00 PM
Mine came from Remote Central as well. As did a lot of learning at the time.
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: Universal Remote - 12/18/09 03:37 PM
 Originally Posted By: Hansang
There's no doubt Harmony is easy to program. I have the 890 model. But you pay for that simplicity. For example, you can't have extensive macro's. With my MX900, I have a macro that deletes programs from my DVR. It takes 8 or nine clicks (list, navigate, select, delete, confirm, go back etc...)


If you say so. I have many Macros on my One. Some moderately complex ones (IMHO); turning off gear, turning on other gear, entering menus on one component to configure settings a specific way for Music vs. Movies, even changing speaker sizes or trim levels based on source component, etc. Perhaps you've discovered some command limit or there's something even more complex that you need to do. AFAIK, if it can be accomplished with a series of repeatable button presses, you can make a macro for it. They're just sequential button presses - menu, select, select, down, down, enter, up, pause 5 seconds, left, select, exit, etc. And once created, the macro can be assigned & used just like any other command.

 Originally Posted By: Hansang

With Harmony, I'm at the mercy of Logitech to provide an update. while that's true for URC as well, I can just learn the RF if I want to. That's what I did with on the MX900 for my Oppo until the update came out.


Do you mean learning IR commands? Both my One and my previous 550 could learn IR commands from any OEM remote. Be it to override one button from an existing product, or all of the IR commands for some new product that isn't even in Logitech's database. There are a few oddball IR commands that Logitech doesn't have for my gear (most notably my older AVR), and it was pretty easy to teach the software the required command. Once learned, the commands act just like any other command that Logitech had in it's database already. You can assign them in any way you wish. Even use 'em in macros. ;\)

But true, the One can't do RF learning because the One doesn't do RF. One glaring omission of the Harmony One.
Posted By: Argon Re: Universal Remote - 12/18/09 05:35 PM
Peter,
I have a Lutron remote light dimmer - I never could figure out how to incorporate a dim command with a sequence like "Watch DVD" It always did something weird even though I was telling it to leave other devices on, it would turn one or the other off inexplicably. Am I missing something obvious?.....Rob
Posted By: PeterChenoweth Re: Universal Remote - 12/18/09 07:25 PM
 Originally Posted By: Argon
Peter,
I have a Lutron remote light dimmer - I never could figure out how to incorporate a dim command with a sequence like "Watch DVD" It always did something weird even though I was telling it to leave other devices on, it would turn one or the other off inexplicably. Am I missing something obvious?.....Rob


I don't have any fancy-pants ( ;\) ) dimmers in my system, nor do I have the Harmony software in front of me and it's been at least 6/8 months since I last tinkered with it. So bear with me....

When you switch between activities, by default, the Harmony software will have coded the remote to power-down the un-needed components in your system. This could certainly have undesired consequences with your dimmers if the remote doesn't understand when it needs to (or to-not) trigger them.

You can override this behavior and modify the start/stop commands for each activity. I want to say that you go to the Activities setup and there's a "customize" feature in there, where you can change which commands are sent. I know that I do this on a few of my activities when I wanted to tinker with sound modes and what-not.

So long as the dimmers are IR-controlable, you should be able to teach the remote the proper commands. Then you'd need to tweak each activity with respect to what each should do with the dimmers. It could be a bit tricky to do, but I'd be surprised if there isn't a way to do it.

Do first make sure that the remote can actually control the dimmers. I don't know if your dimmers respond to simple more|less brightness commands, or if you send it a value, or whatever. But before trying to put the automatic dim/bright commands in activity startup/shutdown routines, just put the brightness commands in soft button(s) in some activity to see if you can manually control the dimmers. Once you know that works, and you can reliably dim|brighten them manually, then you can tinker with adding those same commands to various activity changes.

But one word of advice, even if the Lutron dimmers are listed in Logitech's database, I would try overriding them by re-teaching the software with whatever IR remotes actually came with your dimmers. I say that because with my AVR, even though the model was listed in Logitech's database, a couple of the obscure commands didn't work correctly, and so I had to override them from the original remote. After that, no problems.

Good luck. I'm sure someone else with dimmers + Harmony (there must be someone here...) can chime in with better advice. If I remember, I'll try to poke around with the software this weekend and see if I can find anything else in there that might help you with your dimmers.
Posted By: Sloped Re: Universal Remote - 12/18/09 09:08 PM
Speaking of dimmers, you can get Z-wave dimmers and if you have the 890 or now I think it's the 900, you don't need line of sight for them, it's all RF. I have this for my living room and it works like a dream.
Posted By: Micah Re: Universal Remote - 12/18/09 11:56 PM
I still haven't been able to get rid of my RC-8000 that came with my Denon 4808. It's big and bulky, so I've tried Harmony and a few others (never tried URC) for a slimmer, more stylish remote, but nothing has been able to give me all the flexability of the 8000. I've never found a command it couldn't learn, the batteries are replaceable, not rechargable, and last a good year or better before they need replacing.

And the one thing I simply could not trade was the ability to personally name each button whatever it was I wanted it named, and incorporate many different commands on one screen instead of having to flip through different screens to run different devices. For instance, when I hit 'Watch DVD', it turns on my TV, my Denon, my DVD player, switches the Denon to DVD and NEO-6, turns the TV to DVD and dims all my lights to a desired level that I've preset myself (Lutron light dimmers all around here too). Then from my DVD screen I have put in light dimmer up and down buttons, and a light on/off button right there along with my play, stop, rewind and all that jazz. So I can do all of that from that screen instead of having to switch over to the Lutron screen everytime I want to change the light settings. And I also have added a few of the different tv screen settings that I play with (full screen, wide screen), and Denon's THX and Neo-6 buttons on that screen as well since I sometimes swap between the two during some movies depending on what it is I'm watching.

Sounds lazy, but it's very handy. And like I mentioned, I can simply go in and name these buttons whatever I please instead of having to search through a bunch of generic names to give it. That in itself is worth putting up with the bulky eyesore IMO. But if the URC remotes have all of these features, I may just give one a try.
Posted By: Argon Re: Universal Remote - 12/19/09 12:35 AM
 Originally Posted By: PeterChenoweth
 Originally Posted By: Argon
Peter,
I have a Lutron remote light dimmer - I never could figure out how to incorporate a dim command with a sequence like "Watch DVD" It always did something weird even though I was telling it to leave other devices on, it would turn one or the other off inexplicably. Am I missing something obvious?.....Rob


I don't have any fancy-pants ( ;\) ) dimmers in my system, nor do I have the Harmony software in front of me and it's been at least 6/8 months since I last tinkered with it. So bear with me....

When you switch between activities, by default, the Harmony software will have coded the remote to power-down the un-needed components in your system. This could certainly have undesired consequences with your dimmers if the remote doesn't understand when it needs to (or to-not) trigger them.

You can override this behavior and modify the start/stop commands for each activity. I want to say that you go to the Activities setup and there's a "customize" feature in there, where you can change which commands are sent. I know that I do this on a few of my activities when I wanted to tinker with sound modes and what-not.

So long as the dimmers are IR-controlable, you should be able to teach the remote the proper commands. Then you'd need to tweak each activity with respect to what each should do with the dimmers. It could be a bit tricky to do, but I'd be surprised if there isn't a way to do it.

Do first make sure that the remote can actually control the dimmers. I don't know if your dimmers respond to simple more|less brightness commands, or if you send it a value, or whatever. But before trying to put the automatic dim/bright commands in activity startup/shutdown routines, just put the brightness commands in soft button(s) in some activity to see if you can manually control the dimmers. Once you know that works, and you can reliably dim|brighten them manually, then you can tinker with adding those same commands to various activity changes.

But one word of advice, even if the Lutron dimmers are listed in Logitech's database, I would try overriding them by re-teaching the software with whatever IR remotes actually came with your dimmers. I say that because with my AVR, even though the model was listed in Logitech's database, a couple of the obscure commands didn't work correctly, and so I had to override them from the original remote. After that, no problems.

Good luck. I'm sure someone else with dimmers + Harmony (there must be someone here...) can chime in with better advice. If I remember, I'll try to poke around with the software this weekend and see if I can find anything else in there that might help you with your dimmers.


I have taught the Harmony a couple of commands that were missing and it is probably laziness on my part that I have not stuck with it long enough to figure out what was going wrong. It has been probably 6-8 months since I tried and I really don't remember what went wrong anyway. As for Fancypants Dimmer It came from Lowes home improvement - not one of the whole house deals.
Posted By: Hansang Re: Universal Remote - 12/19/09 03:53 AM
Peter, I have Harmony's 890 so I don't know how the One behaves. But in the 8x0 series, you can't have a macro that has more than 7 steps. Since lot of the these DVRs require constant, click A to continue, click this to do that etc...the number of things a remote has to do can quickly add up.

Micah,
Here's how my MX900 works. It has two main hard buttons if you want to use it. WATCH and LISTEN. For me, it defaults to WATCH.

Then it has six nameable hard buttons: (Limited to 7 or 8 char though) CABLE, BLURAY, PS3, XBOX360, WII, HD DVD

The CABLE button does the followoing
1) Turns on the TV
2) Turns on the Denon
3) Turns on the cable box
4) Sets a variable for the cbl box state to ON.
5) Pauses for 5 seconds
6) Sets the input on the TV to HDMI1
7) sets the input on the Denon to component used by the settop.
8) Goes to the CABLE submenu.

Once you get to the CABLE submenu, the hard buttons (that had CABLE, HDDVD etc) now change the labels to LIST, REPLAY, LIVE, A, B, C.

The nice thing about the URC is that it has a "punch through" option for volume. It basically tells the remote to use the Denon for the volume by default. So if you go the the CABLE submenu, you don't have to tell it to use Denon's volume.

The variables are now for TOADs (devices w/o discrete on or off). Since I set the variable of CBL STATE to ON, if I hit WATCH, CABLE again, it will not power on the CBL box. Pretty handy.

The other cool thing is that I can load up a different profile at will. When I had to take my Marantz in for FW upgrades, I had another profile that would turn on the TV, use the TV's volume etc.


This image below shows the main UI of the program (for programming the remote!)
[img]http://www.box.net/shared/ilfubvrsqz[/img]


This one below shows the "sub menu" of CABLE after hitting the CABLE hard button.
[img]http://www.box.net/shared/4alsq3c182[/img]

Finally, this one shows the MACRO involved with the hardbutton "CABLE). To avoid inputs not being recognized, I have my remote send the signal multiple times.

[img]http://www.box.net/shared/0mpea41mdh[/img]

It's hard to explain it, but I really am attached to my remote! \:\)


PS: tried to embed the image, but I guess it didn't work?!?
Posted By: Zimm Re: Universal Remote - 12/19/09 06:48 PM
 Originally Posted By: Argon
Peter,
I have a Lutron remote light dimmer - I never could figure out how to incorporate a dim command with a sequence like "Watch DVD" It always did something weird even though I was telling it to leave other devices on, it would turn one or the other off inexplicably. Am I missing something obvious?.....Rob


I have done this with the Harmony 890: turns on the projector, turns down the lights, fires up the AVR - but won't turn on the amp because I was born without a remote trigger.
Posted By: terzaghi Re: Universal Remote - 12/20/09 04:17 AM
I've held outthis long, so I'm gonna hold out until they release one with blue tooth built in for the ps3 and other devices. Surely can't be too far around the corner...
Posted By: jakewash Re: Universal Remote - 12/20/09 06:19 AM
Other than the Wii, I do not know of any other HT equipment running blue tooth so it could be quite far down the road.
Posted By: Sloped Re: Universal Remote - 12/20/09 05:09 PM
Bluetooth has distance limitations on each individual device that may want to be controlled so a remote manufacture will probably use the RF extender/base as a repeater to the Bluetooth device(s) like Logitech has done for it's remotes to control the PS3. It's a better solution so they don't have to support questions like "What type of XYZ do you have and what's the model number. Oh, that only has a 30cm range where the model up has a 30 meter range." RF however is more known (still not guaranteed) but can be built device independent.

I also like the Harmony because of the Z-wave wireless they use. Each Z-wave device must be able to be a repeater. This is a requirement of the Z-wave protocol and creates an environment that can extend and self heal if a device goes off line. It's pretty elegant when you consider a light switch can become a wireless repeater for your audio equipment control.

What I'm trying to say is don't wait. Enjoy now if you can.
Posted By: michael_d Re: Universal Remote - 12/20/09 07:50 PM
Ray talked me into the URC MX series a few years back and I’ve had several. I have the MX 980 now and love it. It does have a steep learning curve though and not recommended for anyone that does not have some patience. After you figure out the programming, what you can make the thing do is amazing.

If I were in need of a remote today, I would try the new Nevo C3. It is looking to be a very attractive compromise between the MX series and the Harmony remotes. The ease of programming of the harmony, but the configurability of the MX. The best part…….. They’re inexpensive.

http://www.surfremotecontrol.com/NevoC3.htm
Posted By: pmbuko Re: Universal Remote - 12/20/09 10:58 PM
Belkin now has a bluetooth adapter for home theater receivers. El Linkerino
Posted By: jakewash Re: Universal Remote - 12/20/09 11:10 PM
Unfortunately it doesn't say whether or not it controls the rest of the system or just your music device, it sounds to me like just the ipod etc. and not the receiver itself.
Posted By: Hansang Re: Universal Remote - 12/22/09 02:23 AM
testing (didn't work)
© Axiom Message Boards