There's plenty of Universal remote love; do a search! They don't inflame the passions too much, so they don't take up a lot of forum space, but there's plenty there if you look for it.
I have a mid-range Harmony (the model # is escaping me right now - 700, I think). Yes, initially the price seems high, but I'd just bite the bullet. It's something you use EVERY TIME you use your system, so it quickly seems worth it once you have it.
I searched universal remotes, but only went back a few pages.. suppose I should've just searched remote.
Good point about the price. Kind of like the screen for a laptop or desktop. Something you might initially want to cut back on to get better specs, but in reality that's the gateway to the machine, you use it every time to want to use the pc..
Look for the Accoustic Research remotes. Cheap as compared to the logitechs and just as good.
Set up an AR ARRX15G for a friends dad last year. Wasn't too bad, but their set up was pretty slow. I like the remote, but it was laggy and froze up on occasion. Could've been a lemon though
I have a Harmony 700. It cost too much and don't even use it much.
I am not impressed with it.
that one come with the charging station? Want to let it go?
My two Xoom tablets & my EVO 4G phone are my universal remotes.
They can also remotely turn on and fully control any of my PCs, server, and home thermostat from anywhere in the world with internet access.
I'd have a set up similar to yours but i'm in a dorm room and while I have covertly set up wifi in my room, my receiver isn't networked..
URC R50. $50 on Amazon and controls everything I need it to with no fuss. Simple to program, and have had no issues with it in a year of use.
I'll give this a better look. Not too sure how ergonomic that button layout is, but it looks interesting and appears to not need a pc to be set up. Good price too
Currently I use an MX-980. I used to have an MX-900 and before that I had a Harmony. I would never go back to a Harmony and at this point the extra programming capabilities of the 980 over the 900 are such that I wouldn't go down from the 980. I am an installer and I have worked with just about every URC remote and occasionally have to work with Harmony remotes and I very much dislike working on Harmony remotes. They are wizard based and changing one simple action requires going through the entire wizard and dozens of mouse clicks. That may not be such a bad thing for the individual that sets it up and forgets it but for someone that does it every day that is a nightmare.
The MX-980 is nicely designed, reliable, and extremely flexible. Mine even plays the sound of the portal turrets "Activated" and "Shutting down".
I'll have to take your word on how nice the 980 is lol. At $400, it costs more then I paid for my 7.1, so it won't be finding a home in my college budget set up.