Annoyance with remote controls...

[gabester]

As mentioned previously my old Olevia set failed and I haven't had time to fix it. In fact, I've probably spent as much time moving a different 32" set around my house to match viewing desires.

But yesterday I decided it was time to put up a Polaroid mounting bracket I'd picked up, and put up a set that had been donated to me - a Panasonic 50" plasma display. Long story short, I thought I was drilling into studs but it turned to just be plaster; and I'd chosen that location because I wanted to be in the studs not plaster and it was off-center, so I decided to put the mount centered if I was going to be in the plaster anyway, and it was frustrating because I couldn't get the screws in after using the expanders.

But I finally got that part done. Then I attached the brackets to the back of the panasonic... and eyeballing things, they seemed awfully wide apart. A quick measurement and the bolt-holes for a mounting bracket on the back of the panasonic were 1 inch too far apart.

So I ended up buying an new model 4K display from the local big box; I chose the brand because it matched my bluray player and I figured I could use the remote for the BD player for turning on the TV, adjusting its volume, and switching inputs - which is about all the TV remote gets used for.

But NO, the BD remote is too old to control the new smart TV. So now I'm confronted by the tough decision - I paid a premium thinking I'd get desired functionality that would be worth it... but a key piece of that functionality is not present (reducing the number of remotes needed.)

To be fair, the new TV is really light and looks nice but I have nothing that's 4K and I don't really want it streaming 4K content (which would be the thing I would need the TV remote 4.)

I'm fairly inclined to take return it and get a much cheaper 1080p set instead and put the rest of that money back in the bank for a different gadget some time in the future. FWIW, I have a refurb Sony programmable universal remote, but it's just a matter of the time it takes to program those functions into it.

Hm... just realized I don't think this new set does Picture-in-Picture, which is something I never used on the old display but is functionality I feel modern TVs ought to have, especially if they are smart (i.e. stream content while your sporting event is on commercial break.)

[Onamuji]

Last week, I broke my Harmony 650 in half and threw it out. The thing has never worked right -- replaced it twice and tried a slightly different model with the same issues so I'm convinced that this is epidemic among Harmony remotes -- it was rebooting after just one or two key-presses and sometimes just when I picked it up and I just got fed up. Seems that those people who love Harmony remotes aren't using them for very much equipment. There's a threshold that gets hit, can program a remote for maybe 4 devices without much trouble and then you program it for device #5 and the remote goes nuts.

The best remote I've ever used (after a few hiccups on initial setup that required help from tech support in Europe) was a OneForAll URC R40 "My Favorite Remote," but the screens on the darned things fail after a couple of years and it's just about impossible to find a replacement of the same make/model anymore. Most OneForAll remotes are total garbage and their "learning" remotes never have enough memory to actually "learn" more than a couple of codes so I can't recommend the brand.

I've gone back to a collection of remotes lined up on my coffee table for the 9 devices that I use regularly from my entertainment center while looking for that "holy grail" of remote controls that can be easily programmed for all of my gear and will last a few years with daily use.

[Article Accelerator]

Onamuji wrote:
Last week, I broke my Harmony 650 in half and threw it out. The thing has never worked right -- replaced it twice and tried a slightly different model with the same issues so I'm convinced that this is epidemic among Harmony remotes -- it was rebooting after just one or two key-presses and sometimes just when I picked it up and I just got fed up. Seems that those people who love Harmony remotes aren't using them for very much equipment.

I have two Harmony 650 remotes. Both work fine but get flakey when the batteries are low. I take the appearance of flakey operation as a signal to replace the batteries. One remote controls 4 devices and 5 functions and the other controls 5 devices and 8 functions.

[datbeme]

I have 3 Harmony 700s (pretty much the same as the 650), and while they are far from perfect, I haven't experienced any of the issues you have. No rebooting or glitchiness. Slow macro sequences do require a ridiculous amount patience from users, and there several other little things I wish were different—both in programming and in use—but it's still the most reliable and easy to setup solution I've found without breaking the bank. If you want to add or replace a device, it only takes a few minutes.

Fifteen years ago, I used to customize everything with a Philips Pronto (greyscale) remote that was much more powerful even back then. But programming it took forever, and I was always finding myself wanting to tweak it, but I never had the time. "Settling" on the Harmony was a tradeoff, but it was one worth making. I certainly would never want to go back to using 5 or 6 remotes on a daily basis.

What works for me certainly may not work for you. And it sure doesn't help that devices aren't exactly becoming more uniform when it comes to interfaces and menu systems.

[gabester]

The Sony remote I'm talking about was purchased in 2008 with the aforementioned HDTV based on recommendations most likely provided here... an RM-VL600 acquired refurbished for about $16 if memory serves. It's one of those where you can "train" any button by recording to it from the other remote.

Harmony remotes and all those other ones with screens have always seemed like a bag of hurt... I just wonder why no one's made an easy accessory and app for the headphone jack of your smartphone/device.

(I know there are LOTS of them, but none have become wildly successful.)

[wave rider]

My annoyance is that I have "misplaced" the remote for the stereo. Sigh...

[testcase]

Over the years, I've bought over a half dozen "universal" remote controls. NONE of them have been remotely close to being "universal".

About a decade ago, I bought a two-piece, Panasonic Home Entertainment System. Each piece had (and needed) its' own remote control.

Several years ago, the LG, 3D Home Entertainment System I bought came with separate remotes for the TV and BluRay player. Generally, it was necessary to use BOTH remotes to watch a 3D movie. I bought an LG Sound Bar later on. Of course, that came with its' own remote.

Why, even within the same brand and vintage of hardware, are separate remote controls needed??????

:banghead: :villagers: :X

[Ombligo]

I've been using a Harmony Companion Hub for a few years now. You can use it with your smartphone, but I seldom do. I like the simplified remote that comes with it.

Download the Harmony app, Hook the hub up to your Mac (or whatever), tell it what you have and then each remote is loaded into the hub. You can easily set up macros on the app and those are loaded onto the hub as well. You can also set individual buttons to do as you wish. Using the app is much easier than most learning remotes (no holding multiple buttons until some flashes then enter a code withing a set time, etc... Just select what you want set, click save and your done. The hubs remote is RF, so line of sight isn't needed (mine is in my media closet). It works well and wasn't overly expensive.



http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/ha...on?crid=60
https://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmon...oding=UTF8&keywords=logitech%20harmony%20hub&qid=1488231380&ref_=sr_1_2&s=electronics&sr=1-2

[BernDog]

I also went through a couple 650s that did the reboot thing. I wedged some paper under the battery contacts and it kind of helped. I also now have a 700 that doesn't do it at all. It shouldn't matter, since they're mostly identical, but in my case it did.

[pdq]

My elderly FIL got sold a Harmony 700 a few years back at a big box store as a cure-all. Then he asked me to set it up.

"A few minutes" is not fair- I would say a minimum of a half hour for something simple, and all afternoon to get a more complex situation working right. On the other hand, "a bag of hurt" is not an unfair characterization, although I'm sure it's not this way for everyone.

In any case, I spent enough time with that remote and it's glitchiness over the years to put me permanently off Harmony solutions.

I keep hoping for an iPad-based solution. Apple's "Remote" program has worked well in my experience, but that's just with my ATV. There are a couple other apps out there to theoretically replace multifunction remotes, but your TV and media boxes have to be on your ethernet or WiFi network, and my TV's not there yet.

C'mon, Apple! The world is waiting for a simple solution!