Universal Remote Survey (1 Viewer)

[Greg Kennedy]

I'm just starting to look at universal remotes. Price isn't really an object. I thought I'd take an informal survey to find out what other remotes people use and if you have any recommendations, please let me know.

By the way, my setup is fairly basic. Sony TV, DVD player, DSS receiver. Denon audio receiver. I expect I might have a HDTV DSS receiver w/TIVO in the future and possible a Sirius Tuner (if those even use remotes).

Thanks for your info.

gk

 

[Simon Ngan]

Greg,

I now have a Marantz RC9200 Touch Pad remote. I used to have a RC5000 but I ran out of memory. Before that, I had a Sony RM2000.

I'm a big fan of touch pad remotes and I like flexibility and design my own layout. One drawback though, with LCD remote, you need to look at the remote for buttons. This makes jumping menus on a DVD can be painful. With the RC9200, it has more hard buttons which makes things easier.

I know there are other remotes that allows you to change a few button names and they are regular remote with a lot of buttons.

You can check out remotecentral.com for reviews on different remotes.

Simon

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I recently upgraded to a Harmony SST-659, which I use to completely control seven components -- all the original remotes are put away. It's the simplest to use I've seen, so if there are other people in the house that struggle trying to operate your setup, the 659 is a great solution.

I prefer remotes with hard buttons, so the touch screen remotes from Pronto and Marantz were not options for me. The Harmony and Home Theater Master remotes do have some buttons next to an LCD screen that allow for special labelling, which handles those special functions that may be unique to a component. All the common functions, though, have pre-labelled buttons.

 

[Stephen Weller]

Check out:

http://www.remotecentral.com/

I have the RS/Kameleon 6-in-1 (15-2133). I love it and hate it at the same time!

 

[ChrisMatson]

I can't say enough good things about my Home Theater Master MX-500.
The best investment in my home theater to date.

 

[Ed_A]

I totally agree!!
I'm a button type of guy and this remote is fantastic!

 

[Derrik Draven]

Stephen - I just bought the Radio Shack version of the Kameleon remote 2 days ago.

It's already in the box to be taken back.

The only thing I have that it will control is my Proscan tv. The Outlaw Audio receiver...forget it and, the Cyberhome DVD player is a bust as well.

I must've sat there for 25 minutes; literally, trying to manually find the damn i.r. code for the receiver and/or the dvd player.

Nothing. Neither one is in it's database.

Then, to make matters worse, I sat the remote down after a frustrating 1st night with it, only to come downstairs the next morning and the damn thing is totally dead!!! Somehow it sucked 4 batteries dry...while it was doing nothing!!!

Anyhoo...with off brand products, ie Outlaw/Cyberhome, what kind of remote is there that lets you program every single button from the original remotes, onto the universal remote?

 

[Ellen]

Many Radio Shack remotes, including the Kameleon, can be programmed to operate just about any device. I have one of the old RS 15-1994 remotes that I programmed to operate my Outlaw Model 950 preamp. However my every day remote is a UEIC Cinema 7+. It is discontinued but any of the newer UEIC remotes, with several models available for under $30 at your local Wal-mart, can use the Outlaw upgrade code that I created. You might want to check out the Rob Crowe's UEIC remote site and the jp1 forums for how to get the most out of your RadioShack or OneForAll remotes.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Home Theater Master and Harmony remotes allow this. I believe the Prontos do, too.

 

[Stephen Weller]

Taking it back so soon? I guess you fall into the [rant]HATE IT[/rant] camp.

One of its "quirks" is the sensitivity of the switch that turns on the backlight. A subwoofer can trigger it. Mine still has the first set of batteries in it - 6+ weeks and counting. Time will tell.

As Ellen pointed out, it can be programmed to control [rant]anything.[/rant]

If you like the style of it, CC has a comparable 8-in-1 that (according to a UEI employee posting on the JP1 forum) is a [rant]much[/rant] better design with a [rant]much[/rant] less sensitive switch.

 

[JasonMA]

I also have the Home Theater Master MX-500 and I don't know how I could live without it. Here's a couple of links, one to another thread on remotes and one to a review of the MX-500.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=177227

http://www.remotecentral.com/mx500/index.html

 

[SteveSott]

Greg, I recently bought the Home Theatre MX-700. I find it to be everything I could want with the only exception being a color screen. I had a Sony touchscreen and it was a little bulky and is a two-handed device.
The MX-700 or 800 if you need RF instead of IR is hard buttons that are completely programmable. You can lable the ten buttons on the LCD display and have them access devices with their own menus or program them to do any combination of things you might want to do with your system. I have one button for TV on, that allows my family to watch TV through the TV speakers without turning on the entire system. The buttons on the remote are programmed to work as the cable box remote. Push another button and it turns on my receiver, selects the TV/DBS mode and uses the surround speakers for TV sound. Each device you program into your remote has complete functionallity of that device. I choose the MX-700 over the Harmony because it allows me to program my favorite channels. 50 one button favorites (10 per page). I use one page for network and sports, one for movie channels, one for digital music stations, one for the wife and another for the children.
RemoteCentral is a very good resource for reviews and information. The MX-700 is compatable with CCF files which means that all of the files that have been compiled for use with the Pronto can be used with the 700. In a few hours I was able to take raw hex code for a device I have, create a CCF file using the Pronto editor (free download) then import it to my 700. About you only restriction to the use of you 700 is your imagination. Highly recommend the MX-700.
ST

 

[RobertCharlotte]

I have the Home Theater Master MX-500 downstairs and the Chameleon 6-in-1 upstairs (I wish I had waited, the 4-in-1 would have been more than enough for me). My only complaint about either is that the 8-in-1's auto-on light is too sensitive to things like walking across the floor and too insensitive to things like being picked up.

Edit: Corrected my Chameleon references. Is there even an 8-in-1?

 

[Ray Kerr]

Add my enthusiastic vote for the MX-500 and I have to add that the IR-Clone package makes it even more versatile!

 

[Garrett Adams]

Another satisfied MX-500 and IRClone user here.

 

[Ted Lee]

MX-500 baby!!!

do a search here and see how many times that thing has been mentioned. go ahead ... i dare ya!

 

[Michael Rusher]

MX 500 hands down

 

[Chad Viro]

Any suggestions as to where i can purchase the MX-500?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I bought my Harmony SST-659 at www.surfremotecontrol.com . They are a very reputable dealer, and they also carry the MX-500.

 

[RobertCharlotte]

I bought mine here, and I must say the price has come down quite nicely, but I'm sure glad I didn't wait.