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PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 5:11 pm 
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Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:13 pm
Posts: 480
Location: IN
Ever since I upgraded to LinHES 7.x I've had nothing but problems with my custom LIRC setup using the Onkyo remote from my Receiver. Well after about a hundred drops the Onkyo remote is being held together with electrical tape and on it's last leg. I'm ready to kill two birds with one stone and make the jump to a universal remote.

It would need to control:
Myth box via a StreamZap receiver
Onkyo HT-R510 Receiver (on/off, input selection, and volume at a minimum)
Sceptre TV (on/off, input selection at a minimum)

I need something that is relatively easy to program use (aka high WAF required) and not too expensive (ideally under $50 but willing to spend more if it's worth it)

Anyone have any recommendations of remotes they are happy with that might meet my needs?

Thanks in advance!

Martian

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ABIT NF-M2 nView | Athlon 64 X2 3800+ | 2GB DDR2 800 | HDHomerun | GeForce 6150 (onboard) | WD 640 GB SATA HD | DVD-RW (sata) | StreamZap IR receiver with Logitech Harmony remote

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PostPosted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:53 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:14 am
Posts: 1343
Location: Orlando FL
I have a acoustic research xsight arrx15g and I love it. It is tweaker friendly. It is not as dumb as the harmony remotes, and it takes a little learning but the results can be awesome. I was able to fins separate on and off codes for all of my components and separate input commands for my tv. They were found under other devices codes and i was able to, with a little bit of time and effort, build some idiot proof macros. For instance my rear projection tv takes 30 seconds to boot so when i push a macro button it turns on but doesn't see which input I wqnred. After it boots I send the macro again and it catches the on command and the the input 1 command. I also programmed the remote so that no macro turns off any component I left thatfor the power button at the top of the remote. It sends a power off command to all devices. The remote is computer programmable with their website. I highly recommend the xsight series of remotes and they are cheap.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 1:51 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:07 am
Posts: 1532
Location: California
I've used several models of Logitech Harmony remotes. Their database includes "discrete" codes for many devices. ("Discrete" codes make it possible to directly select an input instead of "cycling" through the options. They can also include "power on" and "power off" commands.)

Harmony remotes have a nice concept called "activities". An example of an "activity" is "I want to watch a DVD". When you select "Watch a DVD" it automatically powers up your TV, A/V receiver and DVD player. It will also automatically set each device to the correct input. This can all be achieved on other remotes using macros and such, but Logitech did a nice job making it easy to setup.

If you don't need to control more than 5 devices than try the Harmony 650 for $49 off of Amazon. It uses AA batteries -- I suggest using rechargables. I'm not sure how long disposables will last in a 650, but in my old 676, a set of batteries typically only last 2-3 months.

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The views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 3:34 pm 
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Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:42 pm
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Location: middleton wi usa atsc
mattbatt wrote:
The remote is computer programmable with their website.
Is the website required for computer programming? I'm just wondering about down the road, if the web site closes, can you no longer computer program your remote?


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PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:32 pm 
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Location: Orlando FL
yes that bothers me too actually but the site is run by URC I don't think they are going anywhere. the harmony remotes treat you like a special needs person. it asks you questions to try and figure out what isn't working. i used one once and it drove me nuts.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:18 am 
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Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:47 am
Posts: 535
Location: Ottawa, Canada
mattbatt wrote:
the harmony remotes treat you like a special needs person. it asks you questions to try and figure out what isn't working. i used one once and it drove me nuts.

yeah it is just that simple. :) It is just assuming an IR code was missed or a power sequence was not right and attempts to fix that.

I use them all over the house and find them a treat. Some people complain that you can't just control the device directly but that is not true. You can simply press the device button and control the selected device directly like a regular multi-function remote.

The activities button keeps the KAF and WAF way up.

I have two of the RF versions (690 I think) which allows you to use it through walls and hence you can hide the myth box if you want. I also have a 680 on another set up.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:48 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:55 pm
Posts: 1381
Location: Farmington, MI USA
christ wrote:
I use them all over the house and find them a treat.
Ditto. 2 676's, one 688 and one 880. Family loves 'em and they work everything. Completely customizable, although figuring out how to do so in the Logitech app isn't always very intuitive.

christ wrote:
I have two of the RF versions (690 I think) which allows you to use it through walls and hence you can hide the myth box if you want.
I believe that's the 890?

We now use the 688 as the "deck" remote along with an ATH-AAA unit to play music outside from the Myth box in the basement. Couldn't justify the cost of the 890 for this, works really well, but the 2/3 AAA batteries for the RF transmitter only last about 1 year.


Last edited by slowtolearn on Sat Feb 18, 2012 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:05 pm 
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
slowtolearn wrote:
christ wrote:
I have two of the RF versions (690 I think) which allows you to use it through walls and hence you can hide the myth box if you want.
I believe that's the 890?

yes. you are correct!


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:08 am 
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Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:13 pm
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Location: IN
Got my Harmony 650 in last night from Amazon. Configured it as "Streamzap Remote Control" for the MythTV box since the receiver is Streamzap. Works great so far! Thanks for the suggestions guys.

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Vizio 37" LCD HDTV (1080p)


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:10 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:14 am
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Location: Orlando FL
Dang it Lost another one to team Harmony!!!

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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:26 am 
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Location: Farmington, MI USA
mattbatt wrote:
Dang it Lost another one to team Harmony!!!

I just took a quick look online at the Xsight remotes, they appear to be nice units. There are a couple of things I have always disliked about the Harmony remotes - Rubberized keys can eventually stop functioning (disassemble, cleanup, reassemble typically gets it working again for awhile), fairly fragile (a drop from the coffee table to the hardwood floor has the potential to cause enough damage that the unit may not be salvageable), and on the 880 many of the "keys" are so small that my old eyes can hardly see them, much less read the tiny print on them to know what they are.

@mattbatt - Wonder if you could answer some questions regarding the Xsight remotes?
1 - Buttons/keys - Are they solid or a rubberized compound? Appear to be solid from the images I found, but tough to tell

2 - Reliability/Ruggedness - Have you had your Xsight long? How rugged would say it is? Not that we make a habit of dropping our remotes, but stuff happens. On average we get about 4 years out of a remote (I typically purchase discontinued models off eBay for ~ $30 - 40, the 880 set us back $80)

3 - I see a lot of folks online complaining about the setup being difficult. I noticed the same complaints when the Harmony remotes started becoming more mainstream so I'm not too concerned, but have you had any issues with their site or the setup? The Harmony setup can be quite unintuitive when you first venture past the initial component entry/activity setup.

One of my 676s is starting to indicate it might be time to retire, I may have to give one of the Xsights a shot.


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:51 am 
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
mattbatt wrote:
Dang it Lost another one to team Harmony!!!

LOL. Come to the dark side mattbatt...


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 9:37 pm 
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Location: IN
I was all set to go with the Xsight but seeing as they appear to no longer be in production I question the longterm support it will receive. I decided to go with the safe bet this time - so far it's paying off. The Mrs. is happy with the Harmony and that is all that matters - Happy Wife = Happy Life!

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ABIT NF-M2 nView | Athlon 64 X2 3800+ | 2GB DDR2 800 | HDHomerun | GeForce 6150 (onboard) | WD 640 GB SATA HD | DVD-RW (sata) | StreamZap IR receiver with Logitech Harmony remote

Vizio 37" LCD HDTV (1080p)


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 12:46 am 
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Location: Orlando FL
They killed the xsight. Dang it

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