Help ! No More Remotes ! (1 Viewer)

[Tony Granatelli]

Ok Gang,
I gotta replace these damn remotes. Here's the story:
TV Remote
VCR Remote
DVD Remote
Cable Box Remote
Onkyo A/V Remote
I already have the One-For-All Home Producer 8. I am not happy with it and will use it upstairs. The only good thing about it is that I can use it to control my A/V unit located behind the wall.
If you wanted to spend $250 or less on a remote, what would you buy?
By the way, I plan to install some automatic lighting dimmers so I want the remote to control those too.
Thanks,
Tony

 

[Jerry Wright]

Tony, definitly, definitely, buy the "One For All Director 9900" You won't regret it. After downloading the owners manuals for it and the "phillips Pronto" there was noquestion in my mind which to buy, and I'm very glad I did. It's programming is so simple you practically don't need the manual. The pronto is simply all hype and bells and whistles. Then you need to interface with your computer to upgrade programming. I paid $229 plus shipping. I will look to see where I got it for that price and post again. It's even simple enough for my wife!

 

[Jerry Wright]

It was efunctional.com and it was $227.95. Download the manual at "oneforall.com" and you'll see what I mean.

Best Wishes

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

1) I worked for ONE FOR ALL (aka Universal Electronics) for two years. I would never buy one of their products unless forced at gunpoint. Their attitude towards product and customer service is embarassing, and they have always dealt with "high end ht users" like they were nutcases. I have witnessed that company, first hand, screw customers in every way you could possibly imagine.
2) Despite the popular concept that the Pronto is hard to program, once you get the hang of the software, it is nearly limitless on what you can do. Your remote goes from being simply a remote to being the key controller in your system- and you are able to write macros to make it easy to use for everyone in your house.
I have written help screens that makes it 100% simple for even my mom to get a dvd playing, even with my system which is very complex.
What's better, the pronto has a complete online user resource (www.remotecentral.com), so you don't have to worry about teaching your remote commands or worry if it will come programmed with the right codes.
I have even downloaded CCF files for SIMILAR products to what I own, and have found great remote commands my original remote didn't support.
In my opinion, if you're even mildly computer literate and have a little bit of time to spend-- the pronto is the best addition you can make to your hometheater. I recently bought one from my in-laws, about $150 refurb from J&R.
See also:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=26699
-Vince

 

[BobHaymond]

I'll certainly be looking into this in due course; I'm not quite far enough along in my construction for it yet. I did notice one on e-bay on a "Buy it now" for $179.

 

[TylerZ]

Tony,
Take a look at the Home Theater Master MX-500. You can find it at www.rrdeals.com . They have an online user resource/forum at www.remotecentral.com like Vince mentioned.
Tyler

 

[Duncan Barth]

I concur with TylerZ. The MX-500 is an excellent remote.

The pronto is also a good buy, more powerful and flexible, but at greater cost.

Be aware that peoples feelings toward touchscreen remotes tend to polarize. Some people love touchscreens, some just hate the lack of tactile feedback a button based remote gives you.

I strongly recommend you try out a pronto before buying. If you don't mind the lack of feedback with a touchscreen, then buy it. If you (like me) would rather have real buttons, get a MX-500.

 

[JasonKrol]

and I will third that the MX-500 is great!! Totally customizable and full of features. I got mine for 120 from www.surfremotecontrol.com
also, for around 280 ish I think there is the Philips Pronto Pro TSU2000 which is entirely touch screen. Looks like a Palm Pilot.
(but I like actual buttons on my remote..to use in the dark without having to turn on its backlight and look around etc. - although the MX-500 does have a really nice bright blueish backlight.)

 

[Jerry Wright]

1) I worked for ONE FOR ALL (aka Universal Electronics) for two years. I would never buy one of their products unless forced at gunpoint.

I don't think it fair to run down a product for one's personal conflict with a company. I guess it all boils down to personal preference. The URC9900 does everything the Pronto does, just faster and easier. Except make the pretty buttons and icons. But after all, I'm enjoying the screen on the TV, not the screen on the remote. I have 21 available macros with 32 keystrokes each, advanced and discreet codes are programmed in with a touch of the key magic button, not to mention the learning capabilities. All the codes are available at hifiremote.com or One for All will email them to you. They have always been very good in response for me. I'm not badmouthing the Pronto, it's a great remote. Just do the research. I find it strange, that when researching for my purchase on the many "Remote" sites, the one used remote for sale or trade the most was the Pronto. With such statements as; used one week, couldn't program, new never used.
Like Vince, I too had a bad experience, but with Phillips. We emailed back and forth 6 times over some discreet codes for their 32" DV that I own. All I got was a runaround and nasty replys. They simply would not give any codes for their television that I own because I was programming another companys' remote, even though, over the past 20 years, I've spent thousands on Phillips products. But I'm still watching their TV.
It's thanks to great forums like this one, that we're able to debate, discuss, and learn so many things about HT products before we spend our hard earned cash. So take your pick Tony. There are many great remotes out there. I was simply recommending by price, simplicity, and capabilities.

 

[Tony Granatelli]

THANKS EVERYONE !
Well, well, I'm going to shop around for the Pronto and the MX-500 and see which I like best....
I wasn't too thrilled with the One-For-All. I know I can live with a touchscreen, I've been touching things my whole life!
Thanks again to everyone. I feel I need to give back.
If anyone has high-school aged children, I will offer free SAT advice if you e-mail me at: [email protected].
If you have any complaints about STP, call someone else!
Tony

 

[Jerry Wright]

A side note Tony. The Director is a touchscreen, with the largest screen area available, and has 6 hard buttons down the right of the screen, volume, channel, mute, and backlight. And even those are learnable.

 

[Ted Lee]

another vote for the mx-500. it replaced eight of my remotes without a hitch!

macros, lighted buttons, renamable buttons, complete programmability, etc.

an excellent deal...definitely read the review at remotecentral.com.

 

[Craig Ball]

Any Opinions on the One for all "Mystique"? I can pick it up for $179.00

Craig

 

[John ODonnell]

Another vote for the MX-500! I had used a Pronto for about 2 years and just plain got tired of trying to explain the damn thing to anyone who came over my house. And trust me...I had macros setup for EVERY function. After I received the MX-500, I cam to the conclusion that I only ever bought the Pronto because I am a geek and discovered that I really do prefer a remote with more hard buttons than a touchscreen. That should be the first consideration...do you prefer a touchscreen or a "hard button" type of remote. Next, consider who will be using it. I was able to pass the MX-500 to my girlfriend and she got the hang of it in about 15 minutes. If you are the only one using the damn thing and you are technically capable (which I am sure you are), the Pronto is a nice piece of equipment!
John

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Another option if you like hard button remotes is the Marantz RC2000MKII. I'm not sure what the going price is these days, but I paid about $200 over three years ago for mine. It's completely programmable, has 32 special function keys per component that you can label, and has the usual complement of standard fixed keys (numbers, arrows, transport functions for DVD/CD/VCR, etc.).
The biggest downside is that you must teach the remote all your IR codes, since the only codes that come predefined are for Marantz equipment.

 

[MichaelGomez]

I am going to give my vote for the pronto.
I will admit that I did have a little problem understanding the software for about a day. Once you get the hang of it, there isn't anything that it can't do.
Also, computer based remotes are the way to go if you are doing home automation (x-10, etc). The ocelot (x-10 command center) recommends these remotes to control them.
As for ease of use, just make the macros idiot proof and you are in business. I have seen home screens that simply say watch movie and listen to music. When you hit that button, it takes you to all of your movie and music options. To put it bluntly, my 5 year old thinks it is the coolest thing and he works it flawlesly.
You won't ever run out of functions, there are just too many.
Final word of advise. Get the tsu-1000. The tsu-2000 is more expensive and the only difference is a larger memory (2mb instead of 1mb) and they have all the codes stored in the memory. Which is unnecessary since they are all on www.remotecentral.com. The tsu-6000 is in color which is really cool but not worth the $400 difference.
I bought mine from www.pcsellers.com for $175.
Hope that this helps!

 

[Marshall Alsup]

Hey,
I'll cast my vote for the MX-500. I just got one about a month ago, and I haven't used any of my other remotes since. It does everything you need it to do. I chose a hard button remote because I dont like the idea of having to look at my remote every time I want to use it. I would definatly check out Remote Central as mentioned ealier in the thread, its a VERY cool website.
Good Luck,
Marshall