What Remote Control Are People Using

rblnr

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 3, 2010
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291
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NYC/NJ
I've reprogrammed my MX880 now and it's almost there in terms of automating my HT/passthru. Need to add a delay command in a couple of places and I'll be there. Macros and everything else are fast and responsive.

As I don't care about whole house automation, I'm not sure what I'd get by spending more on a remote system. Never saw the value in Creston for the money they charge. Having said that, I wonder what 2-way control of my Classe SSP would be like. Universal remote has solutions for this which I might try.
 

rblnr

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 3, 2010
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My pleasure Steve. Will trade for a couple of hours in front of your speakers.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
I'm using an Harmony 550 ($50) and I am totally pleased with it! :)

* Luv it so much that I bought a second one just for the kick! :D

____________________________

The Harmony ONE is also a fantastic remote for less than $150 (street).

And the 900 for going through walls (RF)! :)
 

ejusted

New Member
Feb 9, 2011
42
0
0
New Jersey
I use the TSU9600.



Its really tough to program, but once you get the hang of it...........it does EVERYTHING!
Controls the blinds, lighting, HT, PC, Temp, all my components. Displays metadata, album art and controls what I am playing in my library on the remote so I don't have to turn on my display.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
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Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
Wow looks very nice with all those cool colors! Expensive?

* I had few Marantz, Philips remotes in the past, but not as nice as this.
One was $350, and the other two were on sale for $7 each (tax included) and they could control up to seven different components! No macro though, and no LCD screen either. But for only $7, they were fantastic! :) ...These were Philips remote controls (Says Philips - [Magnavox] on the remote's front face, at the bottom; no serial number. Got them from Wall-Mart).

The $350 one (Canadian dollars) was the Marantz (Philips company) RC 2000MKII. Remember that one? The remote of the Gods lol.
 

ejusted

New Member
Feb 9, 2011
42
0
0
New Jersey
Wow looks very nice with all those cool colors! Expensive?

* I had few Marantz, Philips remotes in the past, but not as nice as this.
One was $350, and the other two were on sale for $7 each (tax included) and they could control up to seven different components! No macro though, and no LCD screen either. But for only $7, they were fantastic! :) ...These were Philips remote controls (Says Philips - [Magnavox] on the remote's front face, at the bottom; no serial number. Got them from Wall-Mart).

The $350 one (Canadian dollars) was the Marantz (Philips company) RC 2000MKII. Remember that one? The remote of the Gods lol.

hehhee...yah, lotsa cool colors. I've had it for about 5 years now. I actually have a picture of myself and my girl friend on the home screen of mine. She gets a kick out of showing all her friends the remote when they come over! I haven't dealt with many universal remotes before I got this one. I just did a google search and looks like they are going for about $1000USD right now. I've seen them on ebay for $500 though. Unfortunately, they have been discontinued so they may become a collectors item now. I have not seen any other remotes that are as customizable as this one. It even controls my pc via wifi! The only thing that looks promisingso far is the ipad control. But I need to see some better apps for it before I take the plunge. :)
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Hi

iPod Touch and iPad coupled with software/hardware become powerful remoe control and of course they do more than being remote control.
I understand that for many of us, programming or using a universal remoe control is not much of a problem . I must however say that most if not all of these remote once confronted with what in effect are mundane tasks, balks quite noticeably:

Let's take an example of an HT in which one would like to perform the following:

Switch to a new input
Verify that the source is on
Bring screen to proper aspect ratio
Lower the shades (if any)
Verify that lights were on and if so lower them in a timed fashion
Press play on the source
Bring the volume to preset-level
Play an introduction
Change the interface to the control of the source , say the DVD while retaining Volume and/or channel changes
Move screen masks to allow for proper aspect ratio
Move if necessary Widescreen lens

This sequence would bring many if not all Universal remote to their knees.. Higher End systems like Crestron, AMX or even Control 4 acquit themselves of such with utter ease... Well ... the iPad or even the iTouch can perform in similar fashion with appropriate Hardware, software and the Interface can be extremely slick while not costing a lot ... More the Ipod/Pad remain entirely functional for all the other things they can do ...

Presently trying the iRule At Home product coupled with Global Cache to control an (interim) HT.. Results so far are very good ...
I am very fond of Control 4 and would recommend to anyone with substantial investment in HT. The prices are not that stiff when one realize how well it works, it is very cost effective.. Crestron and AMX remains the top dogs and can do incredible things with a price tag to match. All three by the way support the iPod Touch and iPad as well as their own Touch screens
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
24,305
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435
Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
About the RTI T4 Universal System Controller?

Or the Universal Electronics NevoS70 Universal Remote Contol?

* I still believe that the Harmony ONE (or the 900) is a much better value in Remote Controls!
{The ONE was only $99 at one point for a refurb, or $139 brand new.}

...And the Harmony 550 at only $49, what can I say!
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
15,813
37
0
Seattle, WA
As Frantz says, to do this right you want to have 2-way communication with every device having a serial port to enable that. That way, the control system can know what condition/state every piece of equipment is before telling it to do something.

Once there, every control system today enables either traditional remotes such as RTI or their own, plus any iPad/i* products (and soon Android).
 

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