Radio Shack Remote... Any good? (1 Viewer)

[Bill Johnston]

Has anyone ever used one of those Computer programable Remotes from Radio Shack? Any good? I have a Onkyo 595, Panisonic DVD, Toshiba TV, Sharp VCR, and a Digital Cable Box...

I need to majorly make everything easier!!! If my cable company would offer S-Video on their cable box... and my VCR would be S-Video... Then that would make it easier... But, I guess in the mean time, I'll run a RCA video cable from the Panisonic into the amp so when the wife to be comes over, everything should work if she has it set to video 1 on the TV... hehe...

Bill

 

[Craig Brandstetter]

I'm sure many will mention the Pronto line, but if you don't want to spend in the hundred dollar range, need a remote to control up to 7 devices that can learn buttons from other remotes and has 2 macro buttons to make things a little easier check out the Cinema 7 + from One for All.
http://www.oneforall-int.com/comfiles/index2.html
No groovy LCD panel but it also doesn't drain the batteries very fast. I personally haven't tried the Pronto but just can't bring myself to spend more for a remote control that I did for my DVD player. Call me crazy.
-Craig

 

[Dustin B]

Yes, if you want a touch screen Pronto. If you want hard buttons, Home Theater Master MX-500. If you want cheap, OFA Cinema 6 or 7 (has to be the x800 series not the x200 series, the x200 series is just about useless), or the RatShack equivalent the 15-1994 (although I'm not sure if they are still making it).
Note however that the manual that comes with the Cinema 6 is useless. It can do a lot more than the manual tells you. Like, you aren't limited to 2 macro buttons, I personally have 6 on my Cinema 6 remote. You also don't have to limit your learn keys to the L buttons, you can learn to any button on the remote up to about 28 keys with the exception of sleep, setup and the device mode keys.
For all the info you'll need to learn about this remotes capabilities and how to exploit them follow this link.
http://www.hifi-remote.com/ofa/faq.shtml

 

[Barry BB]

With the info at http://www.hifi-remote.com the Radio Shack and One For All Cinema 7 can be programmed to control almost anything. Great inexpensive remotes. Unfortuantely Radio Shack made some changes to their new remote line (15-2104 replaced 15-1994) that makes it a little less useful and flexible than before. If you can find a discontinued RS 15-1994 (few and far between at this point) I would grab it. Otherwise the Cinema 7 is the better choice.
Also look at www.remotecentral.com for lots of info on remotes.

 

[BruceD]

Bill,
Yes I have the RS 1994 remote (7 devices 4 macro keys) and I have a cable I use to connect it to my Parallel port on my PC to upload custom configurations for all my HT devices.
The 1994 is OEM'd from the same company that makes One-For-All, but I like the Radio Shack button layout a whole lot more than the One-for-all. Yes they are getting scarce at radio shack stores, but I bought mine for $29 just 3 months ago.
You can almost put any command on any key you want.
Very flexible.
I think I spent about $5 to put the cable together, with a parallel port connector and a couple resitors and a diode from radio shack.
Here is the website that explains it all (I think you have to join as a member - no cost).
RS and One-for-all remotes
BruceD

 

[Vin]

I need to majorly make everything easier!!! If my cable company would offer S-Video on their cable box... and my VCR would be S-Video... Then that would make it easier... But, I guess in the mean time, I'll run a RCA video cable from the Panisonic into the amp so when the wife to be comes over, everything should work if she has it set to video 1 on the TV... hehe...

Bill, here's my suggestion: get yourself some composite to S-video adapters , also available for less here if you want to save some money and you don't need them today. Use one for your VCR (I use one for this purpose and it works great) and one for your cable box to convert the composite video outputs from those components to S-video.
Once you've done this you will have eliminated the need to run composite video from your receiver to your TV..... video from all of your sources will now be able to travel via S-video from your receiver to your TV and you'll no longer have to switch inputs at the TV. The wife to be will love you for it!
As far as the Radio Shack remote goes, I had the 15-1994 and loved it but I had a problem with some of the buttons not working after awhile so I'm now using it's replacement the 15-2104 which is not quite as flexible as it's predecessor but for the money, it ain't bad either!
Hope this helps.

 

[Craig Brandstetter]

I went by my local Radio Shack today and they didn't have the 15-1994 remote but a store about 20 miles away did. I reserved it and will pick it up tomorrow. My daughter slobered on my All for One Cinema 7 and now the 4 programmable buttons don't work. I'm gonna try resetting the remote to factory default tonight, but really hope it doesn't work cause I'd like to have the 15-1994 for the backlighting. I've pretty much memorized the Cinema 7 so I can use it in the dark, but the backlighting would still be nice to have.

As far as making things easier goes, the Cinema 7 and the Radio Shack 15-1994 will do the trick, but somebody (you) will have to jump through the hoops of getting it programmed for the first time. The macro buttons take a while to set up, but it's cool to push one button and have everything come on and switch to the right source instead of having to press all 15 buttons. (I counted and it takes 15 button presses before I can watch a DVD on my system when everything is off.)

-Craig