Humax and RTE

Gary Toolan

Anyone using Humax PVR with RTE piped to TV separately via coax?
If Humax is programmed to work TV controls (vol etc) how many keypresses are req'd to switch from Sat to RTE or vice versa? ie how easy for herself to use? Combo would be much simpler but now/next EPG is less than useless.....

IrishHomer

Gary Toolan wrote: »

Anyone using Humax PVR with RTE piped to TV separately via coax?
If Humax is programmed to work TV controls (vol etc) how many keypresses are req'd to switch from Sat to RTE or vice versa? ie how easy for herself to use? Combo would be much simpler but now/next EPG is less than useless.....

Well my missus cannot manage mine

Any time she picks up the humax remote she gets frustrated & angry and throws it at me as she can't get her head around "TV" controls v "Sat" controls:o (tempted to make sexist remarks but i won't)

slegs

Logitech harmony remotes. Get one and you will wonder how you lived without it.

John mac

slegs wrote: »

Logitech harmony remotes. Get one and you will wonder how you lived without it.

+1

claytonie

slegs wrote: »

Logitech harmony remotes. Get one and you will wonder how you lived without it.

Big +1 ever since got mine the missus thinks I'm the best thing since sliced bread:D

Martin_F

Gary Toolan wrote: »

Anyone using Humax PVR with RTE piped to TV separately via coax?
If Humax is programmed to work TV controls (vol etc) how many keypresses are req'd to switch from Sat to RTE or vice versa? ie how easy for herself to use? Combo would be much simpler but now/next EPG is less than useless.....

It's simply a matter of pressing the [TV] button on Humax remote - then pressing the button that selects TV as source - or pressing the 'Source' button - how many button presses will depend on the nuber of external inputs your TV is configured for. I can switch to analogue TV with 2 buttons. Switching back takes 3 or 4. If I want to switch to my DTT STB - it will switch itself if you power on the STB (AV1 - SCART) - or it would take again 3 or 4 button presses if it was already on. I find I don't watch RTE etc unless there is something specific on I know I want to watch.

Trevord

Martin F has pretty much explained it.

Its a pity. The Humax has few faults but this one aspect could have been made a lot easier (probably not something they worried too much about as its would be a non issue in Britain).

At the same time even the cheapo Freesat boxes have a single button on the remote that allow you switch back and forth between scart and analog.

Trevord

slegs wrote: »

Logitech harmony remotes. Get one and you will wonder how you lived without it.

Is the Logitech Harmony remote any better than the universal remotes you get in Aldi and Lidl ? and if so why ?

slegs

Trevord wrote: »

Is the Logitech Harmony remote any better than the universal remotes you get in Aldi and Lidl ? and if so why ?

Its a learning remote firstly which means it can control any infrared controlled device in your house. Secondly it can control multiple items at once from different buttons e.g. press power button turns everything off, volume controls TV or AMP volume but channel controls set top box.

Thirdly, it does combination activities. So for example you can have a Watch DVD button that could
1. Switch the TV input to HDMI 2 for the DVD player
2. Switch the Amp to the DVD input for Dolby Digital sound
3. Turn on the DVD player and eject the tray for you to load the disc
4. Turn on the remote controlled fire
5. Close the remote controlled curtains
6. Dim the remote controlled lights.

Fourthly, it has an LCD screen that allows you to name your activites and devices. You order them how you want so your one press buttons are easy for the family to use.

Fifthly, Logitech have an entire database of set top boxes, TV, VCR, DVD devices with all the remote control settings preloaded. You hook up by usb and program the remote the way you like. This can take a little effort but its worth it when complete. You can customise buttons that may not be actual buttons on the Logitech - Text is a good example. These appear in the LCD screen once the activity is set.

It wont get you the tea and biscuits unfortunately. I have yet to find a device I couldn't get to work the way I wanted with a Harmony.

There are a whole range of them that go from the lower end 525/555 which work off regular batteries and monochrome screens to mid range with colour screens and rechargeable batteries to high end big screen devices with touchscreens.

I have had a few and personally the 555 is my favourite. Its light and i like where the buttons are, very intuitive for anyone to use including my mother who struggles with most remote controls. You can pick the 555 for 40-50eur online.

Note that Aldi/lidl do cheap learning universal remotes which may share some of these features but for the extra money it is well worth it for the quality a harmony remote offers.

dnme

slegs wrote: »

Logitech harmony remotes. Get one and you will wonder how you lived without it.

Jeez H Christ they're expensive ! £250 odd :eek:

mossie

dnme wrote: »

Jeez H Christ they're expensive ! £250 odd :eek:

Harmony One is around €120 and is brilliant.

slegs

dnme wrote: »

Jeez H Christ they're expensive ! £250 odd :eek:

Lower end starts at 40eur

Sam Russell

Trevord wrote: »

Its a pity. The Humax has few faults but this one aspect could have been made a lot easier .

My problem with the Humax remote is that the unit does not return to a default position after a time-out. If the last use was 'TV' for example, it will return the TV back to RTE if I press '1', but if I assumed it was on 'PVR', I expected it to accept the number and leave me on the Humax. If the remote always returned to 'PVR' after 30 secs, then I would always have a standard start point.

A small defect/problem that could easily be sorted, in anotherwise great piece of kit.