"Universal" (brandname) remote RF 30 not learning correctly

BigJim · 02-25-2007, 09:53 AM

I picked this up at Fry's as it seemed to have the features I want, and the price was OK, but I'm a bit disapointed.

1. The Dealbreaker is that it doesn't seem to be "learning" correctly from my other remotes. It won't do the numbers correctly from my Toshiba TV remote, even though it was able to re-learn some of the other keys. And it won't do the 'List' button on my DirecTivo. The 2nd one is not a big deal, because it's only two button presses to get there by going to the Tivo menu first, and I could probably make it a Macro. The first one is critical because for some reason when selecting inputs and selecting the screen format for the TV, you can't use the up/down arrows to go through the list, you have to enter a number.

2. The interface is somewhat clunky. I don't see a good way to create a macro for "watch DVD" and have that visible from the main menu. I guess I could map it to like Key1, but then we have to memorize that #1 is watch DVD, #2 is watch Tivo, #3 is listed to CD, etc. Maybe I could overwrite the devices I don't use with my Macros? Or, maybe I can add another screen to the Main menu, and add my macros there, but I haven't figured out how to do that yet.

3. You can't change the devices around on the Main menu screens. 3 of my devices are on the first screen, but DVR is on the second, and there's 4 devices on the first screen I don't care about. If I could move DVR to the first screen, that would be great.

4. I've set up my On/Off Macros to power the DVD, TV and Amp, but it seems that the Macro is enabled even when I'm supposed to be in an individual device mode. So if I want to turn off the DVD player, I can't without turning off the whole system.

If I can't past issue #1, I think, I'm gonna return the thing, and order a Harmony.

BigJim · 02-25-2007, 10:21 AM

Well, I sent this list to their email tech support, we'll see what happens.

Stephen Tu · 02-26-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

1. The Dealbreaker is that it doesn't seem to be "learning" correctly from my other remotes. It won't do the numbers correctly from my Toshiba TV remote, even though it was able to re-learn some of the other keys.

- try varying the spacing between the remotes when you learn, also how long you hold down the key.
- there is bug in some of the URC remotes, the preprogramming can interfere with learning. Try clearing it out by using the AUX 155 code.

Quote:

2. The interface is somewhat clunky. I don't see a good way to create a macro for "watch DVD" and have that visible from the main menu. I

Read the "MacroPower" portion of your manual. You can configure it so that selecting a device (after hitting "main") fires a macro. You also have option of having the macro only fire if you press & hold down the device selection key.

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3. You can't change the devices around on the Main menu screens. 3 of my devices are on the first screen, but DVR is on the second, and there's 4 devices on the first screen I don't care about.

You can put DVR on first page if you want, and blank out some of the devices. For the preprogramming, just make sure you are pulling the code for the right table. E.g. you say you want to put "DVR" where "cable" is. During preprogramming, you select the device button you want to program, then you select the "from table". So just select "cable", then "DVR" for the from table, then appropriate code for the DVR. Then you can edit the LCD labels by following "customizing the LCD touch screen".

Quote:

4. I've set up my On/Off Macros to power the DVD, TV and Amp, but it seems that the Macro is enabled even when I'm supposed to be in an individual device mode. So if I want to turn off the DVD player, I can't without turning off the whole system.

That's by design, you'll have to put a separate "off" command in the LCD for your DVD for that purpose.

Quote:

If I can't past issue #1, I think, I'm gonna return the thing, and order a Harmony.

I do like the Harmony better, easier to find discrete codes & work around devices w/o discretes. But the URC should be able to handle the issues you state above.

BigJim · 02-28-2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Tu

- try varying the spacing between the remotes when you learn, also how long you hold down the key.

That's pretty much the response I got from their tech support email:
The following are a few learning tips:

1. Adjust the distances between both remotes. Normally within 2 inches, sometimes the two remotes need to be touching.
2. Adjust the angles between both remotes.
3. Assure the remotes are in a dark environment.

Meh, I don't think that's the issue at all. The learning remote acts like it got the command from the TV remote, but it just doesn't work. In fact, some of the buttons worked, but some didn't (specifically the # buttons for the TV, and the 'List' button for the DirecTivo are not working). Every time I got the positive feedback from the learning remote that it received the command, but when I perform the button, the device isn't processing it from the Learning remote.

Quote:

- there is bug in some of the URC remotes, the preprogramming can interfere with learning. Try clearing it out by using the AUX 155 code.

This sounds more promising. It's a Toshiba TV (model 51H93) if that makes any difference. Where can I learn more about the bug? I don't have the remote in front of me right now, but the first Toshiba code in the manual worked for Power, Volume, channel up/down, etc. I had to learn some of the specialty commands like Input, and Screen Mode, and I think one of the arrows was acting weird, but it was able to learn that as well, just not the #s.

Quote:

Read the "MacroPower" portion of your manual. You can configure it so that selecting a device (after hitting "main") fires a macro. You also have option of having the macro only fire if you press & hold down the device selection key.

Yes, I need to go back through the manual (my wife hid it away when cleaning the house On Saturday, and we just found it again this morning). Sounds like that will do what I need to do.

Quote:

You can put DVR on first page if you want, and blank out some of the devices. For the preprogramming, just make sure you are pulling the code for the right table. E.g. you say you want to put "DVR" where "cable" is. During preprogramming, you select the device button you want to program, then you select the "from table". So just select "cable", then "DVR" for the from table, then appropriate code for the DVR. Then you can edit the LCD labels by following "customizing the LCD touch screen".

Cool, that is a huge help. I knew I could edit the labels, but I hadn't figured out the "from table" option yet. Again, having the manual go missing didn't help.

Quote:

That's by design, you'll have to put a separate "off" command in the LCD for your DVD for that purpose.

I can live with that.
Is that true for all Macros, or only on & off? Strange design; I had to specifically set up "punch through" for the volume so no matter which device is active it always works with my Amp, but the On and Off keys always perform the Macro?

Quote:

I do like the Harmony better, easier to find discrete codes & work around devices w/o discretes. But the URC should be able to handle the issues you state above.

Sounds like I can deal with everything, except that it didn't properly learn some buttons. Oh yeah, in their tech support they suggest that I mail in both remotes, so they can transfer the commands. Yeah, like I want to go a week or so without any remote...

Stephen Tu · 02-28-2007, 03:25 PM

You can search for the AUX 155 thing in the www.remotecentral.com "universal remote control inc." forum. The other thing you will want to check is if you have a "punch-through" activated for the channel buttons, that could also be the problem. Check the manual, "punch-through" the TV device to itself to clear it.

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BigJim · 02-28-2007, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Tu

The other thing you will want to check is if you have a "punch-through" activated for the channel buttons, that could also be the problem. Check the manual, "punch-through" the TV device to itself to clear it.

That fixed it, thanx Stephen!!!

BigJim · 03-01-2007, 10:28 AM

...but it's still not 'learn'ing correctly from the DirecTivo remote. It learns some keys but doesn't seem to do it on others.

For instance, I can do FF, REW, and Pause on the hard buttons from the Main screen, but not Play. They work after selecting DVR though.

And again, it's giving me the feedback that it learned it so it's not a problem with my aiming the remotes correctly.

Stephen Tu · 03-01-2007, 04:02 PM

Quote:

For instance, I can do FF, REW, and Pause on the hard buttons from the Main screen, but not Play. They work after selecting DVR though.

In that case you could punch from the DVR to the main screen (use "off" when selecting "punch to" component).

Quote:

And again, it's giving me the feedback that it learned it so it's not a problem with my aiming the remotes correctly.

Even though it flashes "good" or whatever doesn't mean that it won't work differently when holding down the key on the teaching remote a different amount of time. It learned *something*, but maybe not enough of the code for the DVR to recognize when played back. It's important to try longer presses, shorter presses. Just because you got feedback doesn't mean it successfully learned the correct code, it just means the remote recognized & stored something that might be the code.

BigJim · 03-02-2007, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Tu

In that case you could punch from the DVR to the main screen (use "off" when selecting "punch to" component).

It didn't seem to let me "punch through" any of the hard buttons, only the 5 or 6 things from the LCD.

Quote:

Even though it flashes "good" or whatever doesn't mean that it won't work differently when holding down the key on the teaching remote a different amount of time. It learned *something*, but maybe not enough of the code for the DVR to recognize when played back. It's important to try longer presses, shorter presses. Just because you got feedback doesn't mean it successfully learned the correct code, it just means the remote recognized & stored something that might be the code.

Thanks, that makes sense. I'll play with it some more.