Good universal remote? (1 Viewer)

[Qui-Gon John]

HELP! I am so confused. I read through this thread and a few others on universal remotes and not sure what to get. While I could probably just pick something and it would do most or all of my needs, I really want to make the right choice for me.

I am looking for a good Universal Remote to control:

Pioneer 58" RPTV SD-582-HD5
Pioneer 656A DVD Player
JVC VCR HR-S3800U
Americast Digital Cable box

A couple of things of interest:

1. Most of my viewing on the RPTV is done through INPUT 1, although we also use a karaoke machine connected in INPUT 4, and very occasionally use TV (to view analog cable while recording a different show on digital cable).

2. I like to change modes from FULL, Natural Wide, Cinema Wide and ZOOM, (aspect ratios), depending on what is on the screen.

3. I would like being able to program the top 20 ?? channels with a name, while on my Americast, as someone mentioned in one post.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Alan Wise]

Two weeks ago I purchased the Harmony ST-659 universal remote.
So far I am completely satisfied with it.
When someone presses "Watch TV" it turns on my Sony 57" HDRPTV (to the correct video mode), my Yamaha RX-V640 receiver, and my Comcast/Motorola HD Cable box. When we press "Watch a Movie" it performs the same needed tasks, "Listen to Music" is also organized and excecuted flawlessly.
The RS-232 cable and set-up disk were easy to set up on my home computer and use.
I can plug the remote into my computer and download my Comcast cable line-up and then view it on the LCD screen while watching TV.
In my honest opinion, a remote does not come any better than this.
I have children and also adult HT neophytes using this with no problem what so ever. The WAF is very high.
The suggested retail price is $ 199.99 (Circuit City, Best Buy, etc...) but you can buy it online for around $ 114.00.
If you want more info, go to remotecentral.com and compare it's reviews to others. That's what I did.

Good Luck!
Al. Wise

 

[Tim K]

I am a big fan of the Pronto Neo. You can get them for under $100 and they are worth twice that. They are almost completely touch screen with only a few hard buttons, but the screen is 100% customizeable. There are tons of custom interfaces on remotecentral.com including my own. The best part about the pronto family of remotes is ease of use. The MX-500, while an excellent remote, lacks the ability to be totally customized. With my Neo, ANYONE can walk into my HT and control the equipment thanks to all of the macros I constructed. If you don't mind having a touchscreen remote, I don't think there is a better remote out there for under $100.

As for discrete codes, I picked up a oneforall remote for under $20 and use that to teach the Neo discrete codes. Also, most discrete codes can be found in people's configurations on remotecentral.

 

[BrianAe]

The onkyo remote (at least the one I have isn't bad) it does have a couple big flaws though. For one, it doesn't keep volume on receiver while you switch controls for everything else.

 

[Qui-Gon John]

For my system, I would need the remote to keep VOLUME on the TV, no matter which other device I am controlling. Would the MX-500 do this? Is that hard to setup?

 

[Ted Lee]

john co - what you're referring to is called a "punch through" feature. it allows your volume to control your tv, regardless of what component you're operating. usually the punch-through is to the receiver's volume control ... but i think it will do the same for a tv volume.

 

[MikeSRC]

but i think it will do the same for a tv volume

Yes, it will. You can punch through from any component to another.

 

[Ted Lee]

hey mike .. i just placed an order with you. make sure you screw up and send me a mx-800 instead...

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Ted, in my HT, I don't use a receiver, just the speakers in the TV, (and I don't use my system for music either), that is why I'd need the volume punch-through to the TV.

Mike, you own/run surfremotecontrol.com cool!

Somewhere I thought I read that you can set the delay for the backlight on the MX-500 from some low number all the way up to like 90 seconds. Is this true or did I just imagine it, (or mix up info about some other remote)?

I'm really leaning towards the MX-500 with the IRCLONE-MX. Do you ever offer any special deals to fellow HTFers?

 

[MikeSRC]

Somewhere I thought I read that you can set the delay for the backlight on the MX-500 from some low number all the way up to like 90 seconds. Is this true or did I just imagine it, (or mix up info about some other remote)?

Yes, you can set it to stay on for up to 99 seconds (if you own a lot of stock in a battery company).

 

[Eric Shafer]

I was wondering if you lose all your "learned" information if you have to replace the batteries?

or possibly is there a backup battery in the remote so that
you don't lose all your info?

by "learned" I mean: if you taught the remote a feature by aiming it at the old remote and transferring the code that way.

 

[Ted Lee]

almost all of the current universal remotes will retain their settings ... even if the battery is removed.

 

[vegas_karl]

My MX-500 arrived yesterday. $65.00 through Amazon. Has everything I will need for my system but it looks like I will be spending more time in learn mode and editing the LCD labels than I originally thought. But at least the capability is all there. There are also plenty of factory reconditioned Logitec Harmony 880's on eBay that carry like new one year warranties in the range of $100.00. Special batteries and the need to keep the remote in its charging base when not in use were 2 negatives that pointed to the MX-500 as my choice.

 

[Robert_J]

I've had both of my 880's for over a year and I haven't had to change the batteries yet. Sooner or later, yes but they still hold a charge like the day I bought them. As for keeping the remote on the base, you don't need to. Charge it overnight about once every 5 or 6 days and you are OK.

-Robert

 

[keithVANhorn]

Looks like I'm a little too late reading this.... I would have recommended the URC MX-850. Computer programmed, and MUCH better than the MX-500. It's just the MX-500 has it's quirks and I dislike programming them or just making updates. YMMV

 

[David-Wright]

I just got the Logitech 720. Progamming was a snap. I am very happy and posted a more detailed review here:

Cheap Dave's Home Theater: Review: Logitech Universal Remote

 

[nikemike]

The Logitech Harmony remotes are impressive. I am using the Harmony 360 model as I use my Xbox for media streaming/gaming.

 

[weaponrsunfire]

Hey everybody,
I got a program for my old Palm TungstenE it is called NoviiRemote Deluxe. I use it to operate all my Equipment. It has macro as well. It has a huge codebase. but if you can not find there codebase list for your particular component, you can easily program it in a few minutes.

Joe