Yes, attempting a new remote will be challenging but after hours of scouring the net I have decided to try out a (little used so virtually new) Logitech Harmony one. It was on sale for around $USD60 so I thought there was nothing much to lose, except perhaps my sanity.
Seems most of the newer remotes have eliminated the keypad, something unattractive to me for several reasons, one being that the skip buttons on the VU+ use them. And Logitech have the codes for this PVR in their database so its control will hopefully be better.
But I've no illusions that setting it up will be simple. I've had a fair share of frustration with the 850 but would stick with it if only it handled that Vu+ properly. I have more 850s in the house to control other systems with the idea that my wife would find it easier if only faced with the one remote type everywhere. But, as with many best laid plans, it hasn't worked out well and she frequently gets confused and uses a wrong button so messes up the sequencing. I've done several swaps to maintain a good working 850 remote in the main system but, one by one, they are wearing out. My last repair attempt killed the backlight in one.
Sigh, life at 81 gets challenging sometimes!
An audio nut for over 60 years & now a video nut too :-)
