Remote advice (1 Viewer)

[KSimmons]

My old cheap but trusty OFA remote has no code for my Toshiba HD-A2, so its time to start shopping. I am leaning toward the Harmony 550 for the activity buttons.

So, when I press the activity button it will turn on or off the needed/unneeded devices and switch the amp/rec to the appropriate input, right? I think that part is easy enough. But, it will also need to switch sources on the TV. The TV does not have direct access to each input like the amp does. Is there some slick way that these remotes handle this?

On the TV I have a button that scrolls thru component1, component2, HDMI and Antenna and a completely different button to switch between 4 different S-video/composite inputs and Antenna.

I could use component only and let the receiver do all the switching but I still have the VCR that is used occasionally and my kids gamecube. These are either S-video or composite and my rec will not convert them to component. So, even if I stop using HDMI(which my rec doesn't handle at all) I will still have some problems.

Not that I can buy one any time soon but is there a receiver that will convert composite and S-vid to HDMI?

Thats may be too much info but I wanted to make my situation as clear as possible. Thanks for reading.

 

[Paul Padilla]

I can recommend the Harmony 100% for exactly the reasons you are looking.

Unless you've already researched this, your TV may have discreet codes for inputs regardless of whether your original remote has separate buttons for them. The great thing is that you can go ahead to Logitech's website and set up a free account and configure the remote before you've even purchased one. Enter precisely the models of equipment you have and you will be able to find whether your TV accepts discreet code for each input. If so, you're home free. Their database of equipment IR codes is constantly updated, so you have a great chance that will solve your problem.

 

[KSimmons]

Well that test-drive makes the decision entirely too easy

Now the only question is which Harmony. The 550 would probably do everything I want with what I have now but I am considering a dishnetwork DVR. It may depend on Dishnetwork's customer retention dept. and whether or not they will give me one.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I see that you've decided on the "can't ever go wrong in buying a" Harmony remote. I too had a funky setup and the Harmony handles it with ease.

Now for this question:


I just purchased a Onkyo 605 which does exactly this to replace my newly dead 8 year old Denon. There is no scaling (i.e. it won't upscale a non-HD source to HD), but there is upconversion of all video input to either component or HDMI. It also decodes all the new HD audio formats for future proof-ness. Can be had for ~400 (I paid $399 on sale at Circuit City). Great receiver, even coming from a diehard Denon fan.

 

[Steve^S]

Been looking at the Harmonies also and wanted to test drive but am unable to do so. Downloaded the software and opened it. Second step is a test to see if the remote is connected. I cancel and next screen give option to testdrive but when I try that it still goes to the screen for testing connection. It will not let me past there. Any suggestions?
Steve

 

[KSimmons]

Sorry Steve, I can't help you on that. I have a remote registered on my PC now and can't remember how I was able to test drive. My advice is to go ahead and get one.

I bought a 670 from Amazon for ~$77 and so far I am very pleased. The problem I am currenty having is with custom controls for my multi-CD player. If I choose the CD player using the "device" button then I have access to the buttons that I manually setup. But, if I press the "listen to music" activity button I can't use my custom buttons. It has all the controls that a single-CD player would need but I can only switch to next/previous discs if I switch to that device.

Also, if anyone happens to have the same CD player as me(check the sig) and a harmony 670 remote, can you tell me how to set up for direct disk access? The original remote could do this but I have just recently lost the original.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Any button that is present in the "Device" entry can be mapped to a button in the "Activity" entry. Just click "Customize Buttons" in the activity that you want to change and you can map any button you want (including the display buttons) to any particular function on a device.