How many remotes?

[Exit]

I was wondering how many remotes audioholics have? Has everyone got down to one remote (what kind?) or are a lot of us still using more than one? I was down to one for a time but changed equipment and now I am back up to 6 (TV, DVD, VHS, Satelite, Receiver, HDMI Switch) and possibly PS3. I find I use quite a few receiver buttons which are peculiar to that remote and that is one factor holding me back from consolidation.

[cbraver]

I think I'm one of the few that hates universal remotes. Especially macro-based ones. I have DVD, TV, cable, and pre-amp remotes.

A closed-loop Crestron setup would be nice one day, but, my system isn't big enough to need that just yet. And a lot of equipment doesn't have feedback capabilities yet.

[desertdragon]

I just use one now, I use the Harmony 880 and I like it a lot.

It is very simple to set up and use. If you upgraded your gear or added new gears. You just hook it up to your PC and down load the codes for the new gears and you are set.

[Halon451]

I use a standard Universal remote with macro-capability, and learning function. The only time I have to pick up another remote is when I want to tweak some settings on my system from the couch. :) I'm with cbraver on the lust for a good Crestron or AMX system one day, but right now it wouldn't be worth it for my system needs.

[Highbar]

Just the Harmony 880. Have it set up for both the living room and the bedroom, can't get any easier then that.

As for having buttons that are specific to one remote, I find that with the software I can program buttons on the 880 to features that are deeper in menus that I use, ie: the sub level. I have more access with this remote then the ones that come with the equipment.

T

[j_garcia]

I have one that controls everything but the PS3, though I expect to remedy that soon :) I have the TV remote, since we watch TV without the receiver (though functions are programmed into the universal too), the PS3 remote and everything else is controlled by the universal, so 3 total. In total, I have 7 devices in the living room to control. In the bedroom, only two components both controlled by one universal.

[NickN]

I am using the Harmony 520. It keeps the buttons that you need on the LCD screen so there is never any need for me to go back to the remote that came with the equipment.

[rnatalli]

I use only one, the Harmony 550.

[ParadigmDawg]

I use two, a Harmony 659 and a PS3. As soon as someone makes a universal that will control BT, I will go back to one.

[MDS]

I use only one, the MX-350.

[MUDSHARK]

Family room has the universal that came with the Marantz sr7002, Den has Harmony 659, and my son has a Harmony 670 in his room.

[bandphan]

use a mx3000 for living room, a 950 for the bedroom, and keypads for kids room(with mx900), garage, bathroom and outside.

[chadnliz]

I have Processor remote, CD Remote, VCR Remote, DVD Remote, Pre amp Remote, Xbox Remote, Projector Remote, I have a Logitec Harmony 1000 but hate it, and a Sony AVS 3500 System remote I use alot. anybody want a Harmony 1000?, I think it sucks.

[AUtiger]

I have the 1 that came with the Sony TV that my wife still uses but I use the URC RF30 and only need the equip remote (rarely to tweak something), as I've programmed nearly everything into the RF 30.

[aberkowitz]

Just got a good deal on the Harmony One for the living room and loving it! Moved the 670 into the bedroom.

[tomd51]

One remote to rule them all... ;)

I've been using a Universal Remote Control URC-300 for the past year and it's been pretty solid, lots of macros to perform multiple all-at-once functions. Had some difficulty w/the learing option (apparently common on the URC-300), so I just grabbed a URC RF-30 about a month ago.

The RF-30 does everything the URC-300 did and has absolutely no learning flaws. The big bonus it has I use is the RF functionality as I have my equipment behind a theater curtain w/out line-of-sight access. The RF-30 in conjunction w/a $30 RF expander (PowerBlaster) (used to be $100) allows you to control up to six hardwired IR flashers so if you have trouble w/the expander sending the IR properly to your devices, you can connect the flashers directly to the devices themselves. This type of functionality typically costs much more, fortunately you can get the remote and the PowerBlaster both for less than $100.

While the URC remotes aren't typically as good looking as the Harmonys, they're ease of use and functionality is excellent... -TD

[Lightning Steve]

Lets see theres the TV-TV/Sat-DVD-A/V-ceiling fan/light 5 remotes, bedroom TV-TV/Sat-DVD-ceiling fan/light 4 remotes, Truck, door locks-head unit 2 remotes. Just wish I could get a remote for the coffee maker!!

[Hi Ho]

If I didn't have a master remote I would have to use nine different remotes. :eek:

I have a URC MX-900 with the MRF-350 RF base station and I love it. I can do virtually anything with it and the macros are rock solid and completely fool proof.

I think I'm one of the few that hates universal remotes. Especially macro-based ones.
Why? :confused:

Push one button - every command is carried out (power, inputs, sound settings, anything) - everything works perfectly every time (assuming an RF control system is implemented which is the only way I would do it).

[ivseenbetter]

Just one remote. Harmony seems to get the job done for most people.

[BMXTRIX]

Let's see... I've got to control the blinds, lights, plasma, projector, motorized screen, fireplace, dvd player, dvd changer, cable DVR 1, cable DVR 2, PS3, HD DVD, XM, FM, digital music server, switcher, receiver, amplifiers...

I have Crestron - and I actually use two remotes in the family room - a 10" wi-fi panel and a handheld remote. The handheld is flawless, as is the 10" but when it falls on the floor it doesn't make me cringe.

The Master Bedroom has a handheld Crestron (MX-850 clone) and the kids playroom has a 10" touchpanel.

About a dozen other rooms have 12 button keypads.

All about Crestron for sure!

[Jacksmyname]

Main system:
TV, receiver, cable box, CD player, HD-DVD player, universal player, lights over the fireplace, and a VCR (:D)
Second system:
TV, receiver, cable box, CD player, HD-DVD player, and a VCR (:D)
Bedroom system:
Receiver, CD player.
Yep, got a few remotes here.
Was using harmony 880's for the main and second systems. I just got a Harmony One for the main. It's so good I'll be adding another for the second.
The bedroom system will get one of the 880's.

[ParadigmDawg]

You offering a free remote...yep...send it my way...

Why the heck do you have a red chicklet?I have Processor remote, CD Remote, VCR Remote, DVD Remote, Pre amp Remote, Xbox Remote, Projector Remote, I have a Logitec Harmony 1000 but hate it, and a Sony AVS 3500 System remote I use alot. anybody want a Harmony 1000?, I think it sucks.

[Davemcc]

anybody want a Harmony 1000?, I think it sucks.

I had the 1000 for a while and I didn't like it either. Too much scrolling through pages of menu items to find anything. PITA.

I have a 659 now and it's much better. I still keep a couple of other remotes handy because my wife might be holding the 659 when I want to switch channels. I keep the Escient remote that's programmed with most TV/receiver functions and the sat. remote near my seat and she hogs the 659. I also keep the PS3 remote handy. I also keep the other remotes handy but out of sight in case I need a tweak that requires the manufacturers remote.

The bedroom system is whacked. I got another 659 on sale, only to find that my sat. box is primarily RF controlled, rendering the 659 useless on that device.

[Matt34]

Theater room- Harmony 880

Bedroom- 659

Living room- 520(don't care for this one and probably will be replaced with the Harmony One)

[ParadigmDawg]

The 659 seems like a simple and effective little remote, I like it.

[Buckeye_Nut]

I think I'm one of the few that hates universal remotes. Especially macro-based ones. I have DVD, TV, cable, and pre-amp remotes.

A closed-loop Crestron setup would be nice one day, but, my system isn't big enough to need that just yet. And a lot of equipment doesn't have feedback capabilities yet.

You're not alone! I've had a few and never liked the universal remotes either. In my experience, there were always minor functions the univ remote wouldn't perform, and it bugged the crap out of me. I prefer to use the remote that came with the component.

I have my remote situation fairly streamlined and never use more than two at any one time. I use my TV remote to change TV inputs, to turn the TV & av-receiver on/off and to control the receiver volume. No audio runs to my TV, so the receiver handles 100% audio duty. If I'm watching a blu-ray, I use the remote that came with the player. The same goes for the remote that goes with my Direct-TV HD-DVR....

Nice and basic....and I can easily control anything I need in the dark by feel.

[Rico]

Only one now - Philips Prestigo 9600.
But I do keep all other ones (5) in range in case I need something 'special'.

[mustang_steve]

Philips Pronto....end-all-be-all of rmote controls. Get one, it's a force so strong it makes crackberrys look like pet rocks.

The more I work on the GUI, the more amazing it becomes. One buton power, one button mode selection (sets input on the tv, sets input on the reciever, even selects special settings on reciever and DVD player)...the list goes on and on.

[Joe Schmoe]

One remote for the stereo. Three for the HT, but it is only the one for the DVD player that I actually use 99.9% of the time.

[patnshan]

I use a harmony 670. I do like it, but keep all the others at hand when needed. Some of the more specific functions require scrolling through menus on the harmony, making it easier to grab the original remote in certain situations. Examples are to adjust the projector, control OSD on the receiver, etc. It is great for playback, turning everything on and off at once, volume control, basically most of the daily things you would do with it.

Pat

[patnshan]

Philips Pronto....end-all-be-all of rmote controls.

Not quite, unless it does bluetooth and can control the PS3;)

I do think those are very nice remotes, just catching your statement about end all be all:D

Pat

[Chuckie01]

home theatre - 4 remotes in there
bedroom - 4 remotes as well

maybe it is time to consolidate.

[MDS]

A lot of people are saying that they use the original remote for specific functions. To me that is totally unnecessary because I have every single function from every device, including setup functions, programmed into the universal.

It's true that I have to cycle through multiple pages to get to the lesser used functions but I try to arrange things so that the oft used functions are on the first page of the LCD screen. To me that is the point - the most used functions are easily accessible and the lesser used functions take a few presses of the 'page' button to get to the screen that has them. That is still easier than grabbing another physical remote. Naturallly I keep the original remotes but once the universal is programmed, they go in a drawer or shelf on the AV stand, never to be touched again.

[tomd51]

A lot of people are saying that they use the original remote for specific functions. To me that is totally unnecessary because I have every single function from every device, including setup functions, programmed into the universal.

It's true that I have to cycle through multiple pages to get to the lesser used functions but I try to arrange things so that the oft used functions are on the first page of the LCD screen. To me that is the point - the most used functions are easily accessible and the lesser used functions take a few presses of the 'page' button to get to the screen that has them. That is still easier than grabbing another physical remote. Naturallly I keep the original remotes but once the universal is programmed, they go in a drawer or shelf on the AV stand, never to be touched again.
Ditto. The whole idea behind the universal remote is simplification and reduction of remotes. I've got my main devices and macros set up on the first page (TV, Pre/Pro, DVD), then all other devices on lower level pages. If macros are configured correctly, you'll hardly ever need to access the secondary pages directly.

I will rarely need the original remotes anymore, but I do keep them available if need be... -TD

[Exit]

Do any of the remotes operate both IR and RF? My satelite is RF. I know the PS3 is bluetooth, but I have not bought that yet. Thanks for the information.

[tomd51]

Any of the URC RF series remotes (RF10, RF20, RF30) send RF signals. I believe the Harmony 890 does as well... -TD

[MDS]

Many remotes have RF capabilities but they cannot learn nor send RF to a device that natively expects commands over RF.

RF remotes work by sending the command to an RF basestation and the basestation retransmits the equivalent command using IR. If the sat dish expects commands over RF there is no universal remote that can talk to it.

[Exit]

Oh It is still cool to see that a lot of people have gotten down to one remote and others keep more. I might upgrade to an IR satelite box in the future.

[tomd51]

Are you referring to the Dish Network 811? If that's the case, it uses IR and UHF, not RF. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any universal devices that can transmit via UHF.

Leave it to Dish to utilize UHF instead of something much more common like RF... :confused: -TD

[audioman00]

since I got the media center PC, I only have ONE !!!! YAY!!!




:cool:

[Hi Ho]

Are you referring to the Dish Network 811? If that's the case, it uses IR and UHF, not RF. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any universal devices that can transmit via UHF.

Leave it to Dish to utilize UHF instead of something much more common like RF... -TD
It doesn't matter if it uses RF or UFH. A universal remote with RF still could not directly control it via radio frequencies. The FCC doesn't allow this. The remote can communicate only with it's base station which sends IR signals to the components.

[tomd51]

Thanks for the clarification on this, I thought that's what you were saying earlier but this makes sense.

So if the receiver/pre-pro manufacturer were responsible for making the remote itself, they could implement RF, correct? -TD

[MDS]

So if the receiver/pre-pro manufacturer were responsible for making the remote itself, they could implement RF, correct? -TD

Correct and some older receivers ('70s) used RF frequencies for their remote. I don't think it's very common these days.

[bandphan]

hughs was using some rf remotes, until 03, what a pain for intergration.

[Lawman82]

I just purchase a universal remote to get rid of my three in the den, I just have been able to program it yet, got it on a closeout sale, no manual, so if anyone is using a ARR-1540 form Acoustic Research, please let me know.

[selkec]

I use the Harmony 676 to control all my equipment. It works really good with my sony dvd player that holds 400 dvds. It actually allows me to do more than the remote that came with the sony player. It even stores all the movies in it so with the touch of a button it will play that movie and put all equipment on the right settings.