All in one remote

flintsigs · 26-10-2009, 11:25 AM

Morning guys and gals, simple query really, my LG TV remote died yesterday and gave me the perfect oppurtunity to buy an all in one remote but im not sure where to start.
I have 4 devices to control. TV, SKY HD, PS3, DVD and in the future possibly a dedicated BLU Ray and AV RX.
Ive heard good things about the Harmony One but need advice on weather this is a good choice considering my setup. Is it easy to setup and use (i have a better half) and if not a harmony what other good choices are out there.

Regards

Jamie · 26-10-2009, 2:19 PM

Although not my own personal preference I have no hesitation in recommending A Harmony. It will handle all source selection and power of your devices automatically and is relatively simple to setup and use.

Personally I prefer the ultimate customisation and flexibility of a Pronto but these are almost a hobby in their own right to setup and defenitely not a plug and play solution.

LucS · 26-10-2009, 9:26 PM

Just a suggestion if you don't need all the whistles and bells. I got a Lenco RC-8 years ago (maybe new model in the meantime) for maybe 25 Pounds and I use it for my set-top box, TV, CD player, VCR, amp. Works perfectly and was self-learning.

flintsigs · 27-10-2009, 9:56 AM

does the harmony one control the sky HD efficiently, if it does that job well then im almost sold on it.

many thanks so far

Broadsword · 27-10-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flintsigs

does the harmony one control the sky HD efficiently, if it does that job well then im almost sold on it.

many thanks so far

I have had a harmony for around 4 years now. I have 3, one for the living room one for the bedroom and one for a dedicated projector room.

In the living room I have SkyHD, BD player, amplifier, HDMI switch, media player, digital photo frame, IR lights, XBox 360, DVD recorder and a wife. The other rooms are similarly gadget packed too, all with a sky box.

In those 4 years, I have never ever needed to pick up one of the original remote controls. In fact these days, any new remotes that come with new kit doesn't even get unwrapped half the time. Neither has the wife.

It takes a few weeks to get your head round the quirks and the setup but once you have I guarantee it will become one of the best gadgets you ever purchased.

As for SkyHD, the coloured buttons do sit nice on the touch screen, not 100% ideal but it works very well.

flintsigs · 27-10-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broadsword

I have had a harmony for around 4 years now. I have 3, one for the living room one for the bedroom and one for a dedicated projector room.

In the living room I have SkyHD, BD player, amplifier, HDMI switch, media player, digital photo frame, IR lights, XBox 360, DVD recorder and a wife. The other rooms are similarly gadget packed too, all with a sky box.

In those 4 years, I have never ever needed to pick up one of the original remote controls. In fact these days, any new remotes that come with new kit doesn't even get unwrapped half the time. Neither has the wife.

It takes a few weeks to get your head round the quirks and the setup but once you have I guarantee it will become one of the best gadgets you ever purchased.

As for SkyHD, the coloured buttons do sit nice on the touch screen, not 100% ideal but it works very well.

thats a great response thanks, so am i right in saying the harmony one does not have specific coloured buttons, ala the sky remote. What is the best work around for this problem, bear in mind ive never used a universal remote. can you map everysingle one of the buttons from each remote onto the harmony. Is it then a choice of selecting which remote you want it to replicate each time you want to use it.

Broadsword · 27-10-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flintsigs

thats a great response thanks, so am i right in saying the harmony one does not have specific coloured buttons, ala the sky remote. What is the best work around for this problem, bear in mind ive never used a universal remote. can you map everysingle one of the buttons from each remote onto the harmony. Is it then a choice of selecting which remote you want it to replicate each time you want to use it.

Oh no, its much much much more clever than that.

It remembers what is on and what is off. So say all your kit is in standby and your remote is fully set up and configured and you want to watch sky, press the touchscreen button which says "watch sky". The harmony knows your kit is in standby and so it turns on your tv, sky box and amplifier, it then switches your TV to the correct input and your amplifier to the correct input.

Say you then want to watch a blu ray? Hit watch bluray and the remote turns off sky, turns on the blu ray player, switches the amplifier to the Bluray input and switches the TV input to the correct input (if needed).

It does not attempt to turn the TV on again as it already knows its on.

When the remote is on watch sky, the buttons are mapped for the devices within that activity, so in the main the sky buttons, however the volume buttons are mapped to the amp. You have full control over what buttons you place where however.

It really is very clever, and intuitive once you get your head round it. However the number one rule is that you cannot ever use the original remotes or the buttons on the device itself to control your kit. If you do then the harmony gets out of synch and starts to misbehave., Its an all or nothing solution.

As for the coloured buttons, they show up on the touch screen, as a coloured button with the word on it. So a green circle with green on it for green and so on.

scottie55 · 27-10-2009, 12:45 PM

Yep - what Broadsword said.

But, my family just refuse point blank to use my "toy" - that is, my Harmony. They insist on using a oneforall which they can "understand". Go figure!

By careful use of discrete commands and even more careful programming of the Harmony, you can, just about, get a Harmony to co-exist with active use of another remote. Not ideal, I know.

I use a Harmony 525. It will do more or less the One does, just more cheaply - and, like the 555, it has the hard colour buttons. Worth considering.

Les

flintsigs · 27-10-2009, 2:15 PM

thanks for the informative responses. would you say that the harmony one is easy to use from a family perspective. i am quite tech savvy but my wife is a little "old school". i dont want to be getting ear ache everytime she cant turn the sky over to watch the soaps

also where is the best high street vendor to buy from, i want to see it in flesh before parting with my hard earned.

Regards

**logiciel** · 27-10-2009, 2:58 PM

SWMBO should like selecting channels with pretty coloured Favourites icons.

Broadsword · 27-10-2009, 3:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottie55

Yep - what Broadsword said.

But, my family just refuse point blank to use my "toy" - that is, my Harmony. They insist on using a oneforall which they can "understand". Go figure!

By careful use of discrete commands and even more careful programming of the Harmony, you can, just about, get a Harmony to co-exist with active use of another remote. Not ideal, I know.

I use a Harmony 525. It will do more or less the One does, just more cheaply - and, like the 555, it has the hard colour buttons. Worth considering.

Les

The 525 doesn't have a great layout though does it, well not compared to the ONE?

I think that's your problem.

With regards ease of use, my wife has used this for 4 years without any problem. The key rules for getting SWMBO to use a harmony:

- Hide the other remotes so she has to use the harmony.
- Drum into her that the remote has to be pointed at the TV until the green light goes out or the screen says that she can put it down
- Make sure it is setup properly and is 100% bug free.
- Explain the help button and what it does when things go wrong

Apart from that, there's nothing to it.

Also regarding the quality and seeing it before buying, its a snazzy piece of kit, think "apple" type design.

Some people don't seem to get on with it but IMO its mostly those who don't or won't put the time and effort into setting it up properly.

**logiciel** · 27-10-2009, 7:43 PM

The initial setup for your four devices shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
After that you can take any amount of time to fine tune it, and I like to call the process fun rather than effort.

scottie55 · 28-10-2009, 7:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broadsword

The 525 doesn't have a great layout though does it, well not compared to the ONE?Ahh

Ahh but ... beauty is in the eye of the beholder!.

especially where the little red, green, yellow and blue buttons are concerned!

Seriously, though, I like the 525 layout.

**logiciel** · 28-10-2009, 8:59 PM

But do you like the little rubbery buttons themselves?

scottie55 · 28-10-2009, 9:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logiciel

But do you like the little rubbery buttons themselves?

Yep - very tactile. Am I strange?

Broadsword · 28-10-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottie55

Ahh but ... beauty is in the eye of the beholder!.

especially where the little red, green, yellow and blue buttons are concerned!

Seriously, though, I like the 525 layout.

Of course, but you wife doesn't. The thing with the one is that its the same as the sky remote, and for those remotes its not the same as, its better than.

**logiciel** · 28-10-2009, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottie55

Yep - very tactile. Am I strange?

No, but you must have small fingers, like mine!

About the One being like the Sky only better - quite right, especially with my notorious modifications.

Broadsword · 29-10-2009, 7:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logiciel

No, but you must have small fingers, like mine!

About the One being like the Sky only better - quite right, especially with my notorious modifications.

Don't tempt them, I couldn't cope if sky did an official remote with random non coloured coloured buttons littered everywhere.

**logiciel** · 29-10-2009, 12:55 PM

avmaestro · 29-10-2009, 1:59 PM

i'd reccommend the Universal Remote Control's Digital R50, i've spoken to many people/end users/installers who say the R50 is better then the Harmony's to set up and use.

GreenBars · 03-11-2009, 1:21 PM

I just finished setting up my R50 at the weekend, upgrading from a URC-200. It really is a excellent remote. Like all URC products it does take a while to set it up but I like the total control you have over the process rather than that employed by Harmony remotes. Don't get me wrong though, I do like Harmony remotes but if you're like me and want to set the remote up exactly the way you want it to be, an R50 is an excellent choice.