Universal remotes?

[JackTheTripper]

So I had been thinking about a new remote for my living room since we got an apple TV recently and now had 2 remotes lying around. Also our remote in the bedroom was dying so I would just move my cheap Best Buy remote that was just OK from the living room to the bedroom. Based on his thread I asked for the Harmony 1 for x-mas and "Santa" brought it. I set it up a few days later. This took about an hour with installing software. Updates. Trial and error. Then the next day I found I had missed something and adjusted it. And then the day after I messed with it some more. Then the next morning I had to fix it when something stopped working. And then later that day...

"WTF is wrong with that thing?!?!?!?!" my wife finally asked.

Seriously I couldn't get this thing to work. I'd set it up and it would work for about a day, then suddenly it wouldn't turn something on or change inputs for some reason. Or it would become unpaired with the apple TV.

So we decided to just buy another cheap-O remote from best buy for $11.99. Here's my description from earlier in this thread...

I bought some off-brand remote from Best Buy about 7 years ago. Near the bottom it says Universal Remote Control URC-A6. It's nothing fancy but has just worked. Been through TV, Cable box, DVD and Amp changes and always been able to reprogram it easily. (after looking up the directions online.)

Again, it's nothing fancy but the 2 benefits I've found are...

1) Easy to program
2) Can program individual buttons even after using a code
3) Has "punch through" for volume and input buttons (Volume works the same across all modes)
4) My, and probably most important, wife can use it

So it arrived last night. After flipping through the manual for 1:27 minutes I had programed the TV, Cable and DVD in the bedroom in less than 1 minute. The only thing that didn't work was the skip forward 30 seconds and skip back 15 seconds. Read manual for 1:45. Hit buttons for 0:43. Done. Next, make the volume control the TV at all times no matter what device you're controlling. Manual for 0:53. Hit buttons for 0:24. Done. Same with the input to switch from cable to DVD.

It also has a learning feature so I went out to the living room and taught it how to control the apple TV. That took about 2:37 minutes. (I knew I could do this but just wanted a new gadget for x-mas.)

Sometimes KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) is best. I think I might buy half a dozen more and just keep them around for when one dies. Who knows when they may stop making this thing.

Here's the remote at BB if anyone is interested...
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Univers...1&skuId=9889402&st=universal remote&cp=1&lp=6

Anyone wanna buy a barley used Harmony One remote?

 

[stan23]

A basic universal remote works well if you have a simple setup and nothing fancy like all your components going through an HDMI receiver or the like.

 

[R3DS!X]

You guys are suggesting options that are way too technal for Ant.

Here's a universal remote he can handle:

That looks like a woman. No way he could handle one of those.

 

[Hoho]

The Harmony One has been working for me great.

This...

I've been using the Logitech Harmony remotes for years now, and it's pretty good... easy to program via web... I have the old Harmony 880... they've got a bunch of newer ones now...

Mine controls a TV, cable box, an Apple TV.... as well as my TiVo, although I don't use my TiVo any more these days...

 

[JackTheTripper]

So I had been thinking about a new remote for my living room since we got an apple TV recently and now had 2 remotes lying around. Also our remote in the bedroom was dying so I would just move my cheap Best Buy remote that was just OK from the living room to the bedroom. Based on his thread I asked for the Harmony 1 for x-mas and "Santa" brought it. I set it up a few days later. This took about an hour with installing software. Updates. Trial and error. Then the next day I found I had missed something and adjusted it. And then the day after I messed with it some more. Then the next morning I had to fix it when something stopped working. And then later that day...

"WTF is wrong with that thing?!?!?!?!" my wife finally asked.

Seriously I couldn't get this thing to work. I'd set it up and it would work for about a day, then suddenly it wouldn't turn something on or change inputs for some reason. Or it would become unpaired with the apple TV.

So we decided to just buy another cheap-O remote from best buy for $11.99. Here's my description from earlier in this thread...



So it arrived last night. After flipping through the manual for 1:27 minutes I had programed the TV, Cable and DVD in the bedroom in less than 1 minute. The only thing that didn't work was the skip forward 30 seconds and skip back 15 seconds. Read manual for 1:45. Hit buttons for 0:43. Done. Next, make the volume control the TV at all times no matter what device you're controlling. Manual for 0:53. Hit buttons for 0:24. Done. Same with the input to switch from cable to DVD.

It also has a learning feature so I went out to the living room and taught it how to control the apple TV. That took about 2:37 minutes. (I knew I could do this but just wanted a new gadget for x-mas.)

Sometimes KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) is best. I think I might buy half a dozen more and just keep them around for when one dies. Who knows when they may stop making this thing.

Here's the remote at BB if anyone is interested...
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Univers...1&skuId=9889402&st=universal remote&cp=1&lp=6

Anyone wanna buy a barley used Harmony One remote?

So my wife tried to return this remote and they are saying the serial number doesn't match and they don't want to refund the money. I guess they think we're trying to return a different remote.

I'm mostly posting this cause I sent a link to this thread to show I'm not trying to scam them. What a pain.