TV Remote Control

[jumper]

Personaly, I just like to sleep on my remote:

 

[LarryFine]

The Hot-link though has a few draw backs visible right of the bat - just from looking at it...

• The eye, and ribbon cable for the emitters look proprietary.
• The cables are fixed lengths...

But I guess it is just a black box leaving the mystery intact of it's operation to the uninitiated....

Exactly. The ribbon is long enough to split it to route the emitters to a single or double stack of equipment, and doesn't allow the possibility of mis-wiring them.

 

[e57]

Exactly. The ribbon is long enough to split it to route the emitters to a single or double stack of equipment, and doesn't allow the possibility of mis-wiring them.

It also doesn't look like you can replace them if one goes bad, or add one if what is there is not enough down the line... Since most are 1/8" jacks (on 2'-6' cable), it is pretty easy to replace one on other systems, and the eye is in a termination block so the wire can be fished easily... The reciever cable on two of mine is like ~50' long (18/4 thermostat wire)... That one looks like a fixed length of 5-6 feet???

 

[LarryFine]

It also doesn't look like you can replace them if one goes bad, or add one if what is there is not enough down the line... Since most are 1/8" jacks (on 2'-6' cable), it is pretty easy to replace one on other systems, and the eye is in a termination block so the wire can be fished easily... The reciever cable on two of mine is like ~50' long (18/4 thermostat wire)... That one looks like a fixed length of 5-6 feet???

It says 7ft, which would still allow almost a 14ft spread. It is designed as a simple, foolproof, all-in-one system, and six emmiters are plenty for the typcial home system; it's enough for mine, not including the projector.

 

[mkgrady]

The answer here is yes... the repeater is separate and acts alone with any remote - just repeats whatever comes it's way.

The Hot-link though has a few draw backs visible right of the bat - just from looking at it...

• The eye, and ribbon cable for the emitters look proprietary.
• The cables are fixed lengths...

But I guess it is just a black box leaving the mystery intact of it's operation to the uninitiated....

Where as Niles and Russound, as well as a few other generic brands are compatible with each other in terms of expansion and availability...

Thanks for the feedback but this install seems right for this product. Just a cable box, dvd, and TV all within short distance of each other. I am wondering though should I connect the TV to the repeater if it is already exposed?

 

[mkgrady]

Yes to all. The repeater emitters self-stick over the IR receiver of each component, and are clear enough that the IR will also pass through them with the Hot Link powered off. The repeater does just that: it duplicates whatever IR signal the receiver picks up.

Don't underestimate the Harmony. To watch a DVD, for example, you press "watch DVD" and it transmits whatever it needs to in order to select power on/off, input, etc., for each component. It has what's known as a high WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor).

It's as easy to program as making a list of the make and model number of each component, going to the Harmony website and creating a profile, inputting the equipment list, answering a few questions, and uploading the completed programming to the remote.

Thanks for that info. I think I will recommend the Harmony 510. I was surprised to find it costs as little as 50 bucks and I might as well learn how to do these things. Maybe I'll get one for my home first so I won't look like such a rookie to the customer.

 

[George Stolz]

So talk to me, I have maybe 5 items to control in my living room and would like a simple to use all in one remote. Whats good?

Harmony, baby, and you don't even need one of the top'o'the line models.

I'm not convinced. I bought a Harmony 610 about six months ago, and it seems to work fantastic for about four days and then started to forget things. For example, when I watch a DVD I need the remote to tell the TV to turn to Channel 4, and then turn the DVD player on. Usually, I wind up turning it to Channel 4 myself, since it has forgotten.

The Help button doesn't even know to ask if it's on Channel 4, so I think I need to do what my parents did - have a kid change the channel for me. The Harmony remote I have has not caught up with Biology, yet.

 

[mkgrady]

I'm not convinced. I bought a Harmony 610 about six months ago, and it seems to work fantastic for about four days and then started to forget things. For example, when I watch a DVD I need the remote to tell the TV to turn to Channel 4, and then turn the DVD player on. Usually, I wind up turning it to Channel 4 myself, since it has forgotten.

The Help button doesn't even know to ask if it's on Channel 4, so I think I need to do what my parents did - have a kid change the channel for me. The Harmony remote I have has not caught up with Biology, yet.

That's what scares me about providing the remote and the programming.

 

[George Stolz]

That's what scares me about providing the remote and the programming.

And is exactly why I don't volunteer anything for the remote. Better to let them try on their own, than try to be a superman and provide a faulty whiz-bang solution that I can't control, to their problem.

Here's a screenshot of the programming, I haven't changed it; it claims it still knows to turn it to Channel 4, but doesn't do it. Now that I've sync'ed it with the computer, it should work again for another couple days.

 

[e57]

I'm not convinced. I bought a Harmony 610 about six months ago, and it seems to work fantastic for about four days and then started to forget things. For example, when I watch a DVD I need the remote to tell the TV to turn to Channel 4, and then turn the DVD player on. Usually, I wind up turning it to Channel 4 myself, since it has forgotten.

The Help button doesn't even know to ask if it's on Channel 4, so I think I need to do what my parents did - have a kid change the channel for me. The Harmony remote I have has not caught up with Biology, yet.

This too is also my only real problem with the harmony remotes - the "help" button can sometimes "Hurt" by screwing up a good macro. And initially the programing of all the macros is done by answering some questions on a web-site - sometimes what you want to - or need to do, is not in one of the questions - it gets missed, and you have a glitch going to point A to C when A to B to C was fine.... You can go back to the web-site and fix this if you ansewer or ask the right questions...

The alternative is to get remote with a good number of manually programable macros... Which can be a learning curve - you need to know what each button of each remote "REALLY" does and plan out paths between the functions you want... Old-school...

 

[e57]

Oh - and one thing to remember - besides its a bad idea to provide the remote - is that used failure is bound to happen... Like waiting for the remote to get through the sequenced commands of getting to channel 4... It takes time... Pushing the button and then putting the remote down can sometime block the aim of the remote to complete its action...

 

[LarryFine]

I am wondering though should I connect the TV to the repeater if it is already exposed?

I wouldn't, because any signal delay will result in multiple signals that might get misread.

 

[LarryFine]

For example, when I watch a DVD I need the remote to tell the TV to turn to Channel 4, and then turn the DVD player on. Usually, I wind up turning it to Channel 4 myself, since it has forgotten.

I'm very suprised you're not using an AV input on the TV. The tuner (RF) input provides the worst signal quality.

Component + audio or HDMI would be the best, followed by S-video + audio, then composite + audio, RF last.

 

[LarryFine]

This too is also my only real problem with the harmony remotes - the "help" button can sometimes "Hurt" by screwing up a good macro.

It shouldn't. Using the Help doesn't change any programming, it just re-syncs the actual component on/off states with what the remote thinks they should be.

The Harmony remotes used what's called "event-based" programming, meaning it knows the state of each component by remembering what signals it has sent.

 

[LarryFine]

The alternative is to get remote with a good number of manually programable macros... Which can be a learning curve - you need to know what each button of each remote "REALLY" does and plan out paths between the functions you want... Old-school...

That reminds me of the Memorex CP-8, which was one of the first macro remotes. I had to invent a few tricks because the 'on' and 'off' commands are the same on most components.

 

[iwire]

I'm very surprised you're not using an AV input on the TV. The tuner (RF) input provides the worst signal quality.

Shame on you George, a pox upon thee. :grin:

Larry you remind me of a Best Buy salesman, I had just bought a DVD player and he asked what inputs my TV had, I said AV input and the salesman made a face and actually said 'Ouch!' he suggested at least the purchase of $70 monster cables. I laughed and went home. :grin:

 

[George Stolz]

Well, I had the surround sound DVD player on HDMI before it died prematurely (which is the result of my crusade against Phillips). I think my DVD player now doesn't have an input on it that the tv will use and still produce sound, but I have long since gotten tired of fiddling with it.

The picture and sound quality isn't half bad, even with the crummy rf converter.

 

[electricmanscott]

Well, I had the surround sound DVD player on HDMI before it died prematurely (which is the result of my crusade against Phillips). I think my DVD player now doesn't have an input on it that the tv will use and still produce sound, but I have long since gotten tired of fiddling with it.

The picture and sound quality isn't half bad, even with the crummy rf converter.

That means it's only half good.

 

[LarryFine]

... I have long since gotten tired of fiddling with it.

Fly me out there, and I'll hook you up!

The picture and sound quality isn't half bad, even with the crummy rf converter.

That means it's only half good.

Ouch!

 

[e57]

It shouldn't. Using the Help doesn't change any programming, it just re-syncs the actual component on/off states with what the remote thinks they should be.

It can change the macro - by you telling it that the macro did not work - it will change an option or two... e.g. Like assuming the TV is always on channel 4 when you might change it at another time.... It would delete the number signal for 4... There are a few options given to the remote to be presented in the help mode... An alternative is to go to advanced programming and create your own macro (I had to) - but I don't know if that is available on all models...

But like I said before being too quick to put the remote down before the macro is completely sent, or if there is a delay in a component while switching mode to mode - this can completely throw a system off kilter.... One missed command.... I have a fix for this that I thought of today, but I need to talk to my laywer about the patent first... Then my marketing agent...

Anyway - George needs to get and stay on one channel rather than be switching source to source then channel at the TV. Easy way to eliminate the problem... Do it at an AV reciever or VCR, or some other central device, and use whatever that item is for tuning unless it is a cable box... Or if you can go to advanced programming and add an additional belated command to go to channel 4... If it goes the first time it will go there twice - if it doesn't you'll get to go on the second try... (you can't have that second #4 command too close or it will go to #44.... So there will need to be a pause between them...)