Need HT Remote advice???

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  • maseline_98
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2005
    • 317

    Need HT Remote advice???

    I'm looking for a remote to control my HT system. It doesn't have to be anything nice(and would hope it isn't too expensive). I would also like(but not necessary) it to control my recessed lighting options(haven't installed the remote controlled dimmers yet)....I saw that Best Buy Black Friday ad and it had a Logitech Harmony 510 for $40. I guess my stipulations are that I need one that is blacklite and controls my devices(either via learning capabilities or programmed codes):

    Sony kds-60a2000
    Panny BD-55k
    Emotiva UMC-1(upcoming)
    Xbox 360(would be nice, but doesn't have to).

    I used to have a Marantz RC1400 that came with my Marantz sr-8400, but I have since sold it....I really liked it.

    I did buy a the 360 logitech remote awhile back, but did not really like it and turned it. I bought it thinking I could use it to search through iPod music quickly via the 360, but it was painfully slow and not even close to the response time as the 360 controller so I returned it and kept using the controller...
    Last edited by maseline_98; 13 November 2009, 14:42 Friday.

    Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
    Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

    _____________________________
    “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein
  • maseline_98
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2005
    • 317

    #2
    I probably should have moved this to the remote's section(which I didn't know existed until after I posted this)...

    Can the mods move this thread for me?

    Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
    Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

    _____________________________
    “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

    Comment

    • John Holmes
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Aug 2000
      • 2703

      #3
      maseline_98,

      I moved this to the proper area for ya. :T

      As for the remote, I don't have any good ideas for that. I still use B&K SR 10.1 (which I believe is a rebadged Harmony MX-700) that came with my Reference 50. It does a solid job with all but my PS3 of course.
      "I have come here, to chew bubblegum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubblegum!!!"

      Comment

      • Armbender
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2005
        • 265

        #4
        harmony one seems pretty decent for the price..ive had mine for awhile now...very durable...easy to program...
        Samsung UN60C6300 | Primare SP32 | Primare A30.7 | Oppo BDP-103 | PS Audio Quintet | AppleTV | ELAC 247 Black Edition | ELAC CC 241 Black Edition | B&W DM 600 S3 | SVS PC 13 Ultra | Straight Wire Virtuoso | Harmonic Technology Pro 9's | Black Sands Power Cords

        Comment

        • ClosetSciFiGeek
          Senior Member
          • Oct 2009
          • 247

          #5
          Found a Great Remote & RF/IR Hub for Only $59

          Picked up a Universal Remote Control RF-10 remote bundled with a small hub that accepts RF from the remote(so you can control everything from everywhere). It outputs from the small hub via up to 6 included 10 foot IR outputs that you put on the IR window on the front of your equipment. It worked all of my gear except my Samsung Blue Ray player, but I was able to painlessly use the learning features. It also has easy to program macros. Pretty cheap for all of that. It allowed my to put my components into the cabinet and out of sight(I removed the back wall for ventilation. I included a few pictures. I mounted the small hub upside down with the included screws inside my lowboy cabinet. It works great and is out of sight.
          Attached Files
          "You get what you Inspect, not what you Expect"
          -Hyman G. Rickover

          Comment

          • maseline_98
            Senior Member
            • Apr 2005
            • 317

            #6
            Okay...i think I narrowed it down to 2 remotes. Either the Logitech Harmony One or the URC r50. They both seem to be great remotes, but I need them to work seemlessly with my upcoming emotive umc-1. I think emo dropped the ball on this one because the remote that they package with it just plain out junk....I guess the codes have been released to for the logitech, but I don't know anything about the URC. Anybody have any ideas? It seems that the Harmony One(in my eyes) is a much better remote with feature sets and the ability of firmware updates, but it's more than double the price of the URC(85.00 vs 179.00).

            Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
            Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

            _____________________________
            “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

            Comment

            • ClosetSciFiGeek
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2009
              • 247

              #7
              I also have a UMC-1 truckin' from Tennessee to my house as we speak. I can tell you that UMC RF-10 was really easy to program(as a learning remote) for my current preamp(Outlaw 970). If you are willing to spend about an hour doing the programming for your UMC-1 I bet it would be good for a lot less money. I will tell you how well my RF-10(lower model to the RF-50) works out with my UMC-1. Should be getting it on Tuesday or latest Wednesday I would bet. I got the RF-10 purposely because my family managed, within a week, to destroy the LCD display on my Harmony 670($130). I am not bitter REALLY! I went with the RF-10 because it felt good in my hand and has LOTS of buttons to program.
              "You get what you Inspect, not what you Expect"
              -Hyman G. Rickover

              Comment

              • Chris D
                Moderator Emeritus
                • Dec 2000
                • 16877

                #8
                I'm biased, but for a good reason. I work exclusively with URC remotes, because they are solidly the leader in custom remote controls. They have the biggest database of control codes, and constantly update them. Their remotes are also the most full-featured and powerful with control options, so I'd go for a professional-grade URC remote.

                My $.02
                CHRIS

                Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                - Pleasantville

                Comment

                • maseline_98
                  Senior Member
                  • Apr 2005
                  • 317

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Chris D
                  I'm biased, but for a good reason. I work exclusively with URC remotes, because they are solidly the leader in custom remote controls. They have the biggest database of control codes, and constantly update them. Their remotes are also the most full-featured and powerful with control options, so I'd go for a professional-grade URC remote.

                  My $.02
                  I assume that you mean be "professional" grade one of the "mx" models.They seem to be a little out of my price range. I really would like to spend less than $150 on a remote(that's why I was swaying toward the R50 model), but don't want to buy something that isn't going to last years to come(at least 5). What models do you have in mind?

                  Does URC have the codes for the UMC-1 yet?

                  One thing that drive me nuts about my current remote is that I put the codes in for my TV and if I'm on the TV portion of the remote and use the volume, it will turn up the volume on the TV and not the receiver(which drives me nuts). Other inputs as well...I would always like the volume of the receiver to be used no matter which input i'm on....This may be just a matter of me not truly understanding the remote that I have, but it seems when you map 'codes', it maps all the functions to the remote, when actually I only need just a few.

                  Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                  Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                  _____________________________
                  “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                  Comment

                  • ClosetSciFiGeek
                    Senior Member
                    • Oct 2009
                    • 247

                    #10
                    My URC RF-10 has an option when you are setting it up to make the volume up/down always control my preamp only. Pretty cool when I have it set up to the DVR etc...
                    "You get what you Inspect, not what you Expect"
                    -Hyman G. Rickover

                    Comment

                    • Chris D
                      Moderator Emeritus
                      • Dec 2000
                      • 16877

                      #11
                      Yeah, with URC remotes, you can use the feature called "Punch Through", where regardless of what mode the remote is in to control different components, volume and mute will control just the component you designate, whether TV, receiver, or whatever. You can do the same thing with the number pad, or channel up/down, or whatever.

                      Maseline, I'll send you a PM, too.
                      CHRIS

                      Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                      - Pleasantville

                      Comment

                      • maseline_98
                        Senior Member
                        • Apr 2005
                        • 317

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Chris D
                        Yeah, with URC remotes, you can use the feature called "Punch Through", where regardless of what mode the remote is in to control different components, volume and mute will control just the component you designate, whether TV, receiver, or whatever. You can do the same thing with the number pad, or channel up/down, or whatever.

                        Maseline, I'll send you a PM, too.
                        Chris. I didn't get a PM from you. I was looking at the URC's website. Which models do you suggest? Also...could you send me a PM with pricing of said models.

                        Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                        Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                        _____________________________
                        “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                        Comment

                        • gregnash
                          Member
                          • Dec 2009
                          • 67

                          #13
                          URC remotes are great for stuff like this and their Consumer line is awesome. I am torn to between getting something like the R50s big brother the MX-450, and with Amazon being an authorized reseller you can get the control room software to program yourself.

                          If you want a bit of a challenge try looking at the JP1 remote as I have been able to program mine to do EVERYTHING I need it to do.. learning curve is a bit much but it was fun.

                          Comment

                          • maseline_98
                            Senior Member
                            • Apr 2005
                            • 317

                            #14
                            Originally posted by gregnash
                            URC remotes are great for stuff like this and their Consumer line is awesome. I am torn to between getting something like the R50s big brother the MX-450, and with Amazon being an authorized reseller you can get the control room software to program yourself.

                            If you want a bit of a challenge try looking at the JP1 remote as I have been able to program mine to do EVERYTHING I need it to do.. learning curve is a bit much but it was fun.
                            With the 'software' from amazon. Would I be able use the UMC-1 HEX Codes to get direct input selection? The problem is that the UMC-1 doesn't have these codes on their remote so they can't be learned. From what I'm reading, the r50 can't technically be upgraded(meaning, it has the codes that it has). What some people have told me was input the codes into a harmony and then just learn them from that remote. Three problems with this. 1. I don't have a harmony remote. 2. I really don't know anybody that has one. 3. If I did get it 'learned', and somehow reset the r50, I would have to repeat the process. This doesn't seem like a very viable solution...My budget is a strict $100 on a remote. I actually really won't even like to pay that. Emotiva should have just released a remote that had direct input selection(at least for 5 most commonly used: AVR, TV, DVD, CABLE, AUX1). That would have made sense. This is keeping from pulling the trigger on the UMC-1 and the r50 at the same time....

                            Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                            Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                            _____________________________
                            “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                            Comment

                            • Chris D
                              Moderator Emeritus
                              • Dec 2000
                              • 16877

                              #15
                              Huh... I'm not sure what software this is, that Amazon sells for the UMC-1 or r50. If these are hidden proprietary HEX codes, then yes, you can program them into any Harmony, Pronto, or professional URC remote, but the only way to put them on any more basic remote that I know of, would be via learning from a remote that already has the codes. Sorry I don't have better news!
                              CHRIS

                              Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                              - Pleasantville

                              Comment

                              • maseline_98
                                Senior Member
                                • Apr 2005
                                • 317

                                #16
                                Originally posted by Chris D
                                Huh... I'm not sure what software this is, that Amazon sells for the UMC-1 or r50. If these are hidden proprietary HEX codes, then yes, you can program them into any Harmony, Pronto, or professional URC remote, but the only way to put them on any more basic remote that I know of, would be via learning from a remote that already has the codes. Sorry I don't have better news!
                                All I can say is bummer.....

                                Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                                Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                                _____________________________
                                “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                                Comment

                                • dlp710
                                  Junior Member
                                  • Feb 2010
                                  • 5

                                  #17
                                  As far as remotes go I recommend a Pronto Pro. You can pick one up from ebay for under $150 and it is well worth it. I'm using one for my home theater to control all the IR devices, lighting, and even my HTPC; check it out at: ]

                                  It is not difficult to program and you'll be much happier in the long run with the flexibility of a touch screen remote. Other options are the to use a device like an IPOD touch...that may be my next move.

                                  Good Luck. If you need help let me know.

                                  Edit by moderator to remove hyperlink
                                  Last edited by ThomasW; 02 March 2010, 12:30 Tuesday.

                                  Comment

                                  • maseline_98
                                    Senior Member
                                    • Apr 2005
                                    • 317

                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by ClosetSciFiGeek
                                    I also have a UMC-1 truckin' from Tennessee to my house as we speak. I can tell you that UMC RF-10 was really easy to program(as a learning remote) for my current preamp(Outlaw 970). If you are willing to spend about an hour doing the programming for your UMC-1 I bet it would be good for a lot less money. I will tell you how well my RF-10(lower model to the RF-50) works out with my UMC-1. Should be getting it on Tuesday or latest Wednesday I would bet. I got the RF-10 purposely because my family managed, within a week, to destroy the LCD display on my Harmony 670($130). I am not bitter REALLY! I went with the RF-10 because it felt good in my hand and has LOTS of buttons to program.
                                    After much debate, I bought a URC WR7 from amazon. It seems to be everything I need(at least seems to be) and if it's not...oh well, it was $20 and I'll continue to look....

                                    ClosetSciFiGeek...were you able to get the macros(or direct access) to work with the input changes for the UMC-1?

                                    Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                                    Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                                    _____________________________
                                    “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                                    Comment

                                    • Chris D
                                      Moderator Emeritus
                                      • Dec 2000
                                      • 16877

                                      #19
                                      Cool... glad its working!
                                      CHRIS

                                      Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                                      - Pleasantville

                                      Comment

                                      • ClosetSciFiGeek
                                        Senior Member
                                        • Oct 2009
                                        • 247

                                        #20
                                        I did get the URC RF10 to work with my UMC-1.
                                        "You get what you Inspect, not what you Expect"
                                        -Hyman G. Rickover

                                        Comment

                                        • maseline_98
                                          Senior Member
                                          • Apr 2005
                                          • 317

                                          #21
                                          Well...I finally got my URC WR7:

                                          Here's a quick review for it:

                                          Things I liked:
                                          - It feels really good in your hand.
                                          - Has a nice button layout.
                                          - Incredibly bright back-lighting(brighter than I have ever seen!!!)
                                          - Easy to program(haven't tried macros yet), but the learning portion is simple. not sure who ever complained about it
                                          - seems to be a pretty sturdy remote(dropped a few times already), but doesn't feel bulky or heavy in your hand
                                          - Response seems pretty fast. I immediately noticed how much faster it is than the comcast remote(I always thought it was the comcast guide, but I guess I was wrong).

                                          Things I didn't like:
                                          - My sony kds-60a2000 was the only codes that worked for it.
                                          - The following components could not be used with the code entries(a.k.a. - had to learn commands):
                                          - HK AVR630-->this was really disappointing....
                                          - Concast Motorola cable box--> tried all comcast and motorola under sat/cablebox and under vcr\dvr settings
                                          - xbox360(I didn't really think this would work, but though I would give it a try).
                                          - Panasonic dmp-55k(I didn't actually give this a try, but I'm assuming since it's a newer player, it won't work. The HK has been out since 2004...
                                          - I didn't like the fact that there is no 'My DVR' button or 'Live' button like on the comcast remote, but I mapped the 'My DVR' button to the 'Mute' button and the 'Live' button to the 'favorites' button...Neither which I would ever use.

                                          Final Thoughts:
                                          All in all, I think it's a nice remote for anybody that doesn't need the glam of a fancy lcd remote and for $20 shipped, it's pretty hard to beat. I started to get my wife to play with it and she seems pretty confident(she just has to remember that 'My DVR' is actually the 'Mute' button. I will revise my little review here in the next couple days when I try out the macros.

                                          Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                                          Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                                          _____________________________
                                          “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                                          Comment

                                          • maseline_98
                                            Senior Member
                                            • Apr 2005
                                            • 317

                                            #22
                                            Originally posted by ClosetSciFiGeek
                                            I did get the URC RF10 to work with my UMC-1.
                                            I'm curious how you were able to get the direct access buttons to work without being able to learn them from the original remote(since they are not on there)....

                                            Sony kds-60a2000\Panasonic BD-55k\XBOX 360 Premium(20gig)Slingbox\Xbox(flashed) running XBMC
                                            Emotiva UMC-1\Emotiva XPA-5\Klipsch (2)RF-7s with DeanG xover upgrade, RC-7 with DeanG xover upgrade, (2)RS-7s\SVS 20-39PC+

                                            _____________________________
                                            “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” - Einstein

                                            Comment

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