Universal/Programmable Remotes?

PaddyFagan

Hi Folks,

I know this is slightly O/T, but you're the most likely people to be able to help.

I'm looking to replace my collection of remotes (TV, Sky decoder, VCR, DVD/Home Cinema) with a single remote control. I bought a Sony Universal after the guy in the (Sony) shop assured me it would work with my Sony Home Cinema, but it didn't! So I returned it and got my money back.

So so far as I can ascertain, I have two options:
1) An All-4-one remote which claims to support Home Cinema like this
2) A programmable remote as in a Philips Pronto like Pronto Neo RU930

I know that there is a big price difference (approx. 60 verus 200 Euro) and a corresponding difference in functionality, but my basic requirement is a single remote which allows me to change the channels & use the EPG on the digibox, volume on the Home Cinema and play a Video/DVD which having to remember a host of key press combinations. (Or rummage around the coffe table looking for the right remote!)

Has anyone used one of the above, or anything from either range?
Has has anyone got a similar setup and a different remote which does the job?

Many Thanks in advance,

Paddy.

John mac

That Phillips looks cool.
I have a Pioneer remote that controls everything. DVD TV video amp sat cd and dv camcorder.
You have to remember the keys that you have programed but after a few weeks it all becomes second nature.
I also use a program on my pda that is much like the phillips but the battries get used up to quick for it to be practical

watty

The cheap (€9 to €60) "universal" remotes have a builtin library.
Often there are one or two functions on wrong buttons or not operated at all. Some devices aren't in library of codes so you can't use them at all.

They are good for ordinary gear and if the origanl remote is lost or broken. The "one for all" and "philips" brands are best. Try a €25 to €30 Philips one, telling shop you will buy the €250 learnig remote if it doesn't work your gear.

Expensive "universal LEARNING" remotes can "record" any arbitary command from an existing remote and assign it to any button

Even the Learning remote won't control everything, because not just the codes are different but "protocol" to send code and even the way the IR liight is turned on and off.


Most IR is 35KHz to 45Khz pulses
The pulses (Carrier) are either modulated with serial data or a Pulse width or pulse position at few hundred Hz (hundred to thousand times slower)

Some IR doesnt use a "carrier", just pulses.

Universal remotes work best with 38KHz carrier type and serial data (Philips, Japan and Sony protocols). A Few will do Pulse/ Width protocols such as Plessey, Salora and old Cable TV controllers etc.

PaddyFagan

Thanks Watty,

My TV & Video are Philips, the Home Cinema is a Sony and the Sky box is a Panasonic. So the Philips universal remote sounds like a plan.

I might hit the Philips shop over the weekend and see what they have.

Thanks again,

Paddy.

redflag

I use a one for all Kamelon universal remote. It is very good and emulates any remote control you may have. It is simple to use ,even I can operate it. Costs around €100.00. Only snag is the tackey blue light it emits and it may harder on batteries than other remotes.

JDxtra

I had a Sony Universal remote control with macros (very handy!) and a 'learning' function.

Everything was working perfect, I had all my macros set up and everything. Then I got a new Philips TV - and the Sony remote could not 'learn' the infared signals. D'oh!! Now I am back to 4 seperate remotes...

digitaldr

I'm on my third universal remote!

The first one was a 8-Way E-Pilot Remote Control - £40 from www.maplin.co.uk
LCD touchscreen and supposedly learning - couldn't learn the SKY infrared codes though so I took it back and got a refund.

Next I got an all for one digital which couldn't cope with my cyberhome DVD player so I gave it to a friend.

Finally I got an allforone Mosaic - see the excellent http://www.remotecentral.com/director/index.html (it's hard to believe anyone could be that interested in remotes!) for a very detailed review (it's called the director in the US). It's a bit of a brick but is very flexable - supports codes, learning, macros, button renaming, internet upgrading etc. For instance, I've got an all devices on/off button on all device screens and a VCR record button on the SKY screen. Best of all it was only £60+£5 pp sterling from www.richersounds.com who have quite an extensive and good value range of remotes (I just phoned their Belfast shop to order it as the Dublin branch went bust). The only snag so far is that it can't seem to learn the code for the services button on the SKY remote but this may be fixable with an internet uprade.

I guess the Phillips Pronto would be better but it's a lot more expensive.

Krusty_Clown

Damn you, digitaldr...

now I have to go and buy one of these, on my already badly burnt credit card..

Had been thinking of buying one for a while, but the price was a little excessive.. Now, I've no escuse...

:mad:

thrillseeker

I've got a phillips pronto.

You'll need a PC with a serial port to program it.
The big problem with the pronto is that it can't "learn" the sky digital remote commands.
I had to download a demo pronto configuration from the internet. I think someone had used a remote similar to the pronto (marantz maybe) to learn the sky commands.

Apart from this small problem the pronto is excellent although pricey.