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Original thread:
Post 31 made on Monday June 2, 2008 at 21:38
robster1958
Founding Member
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August 2001
16
On May 24, 2008 at 12:16, robster1958 said...
I inadvertently created a little private flame war between
custom install guys and consumer tweakers.

quick background: about six months ago, for first time
ever, i let my a/v dealer talk me into "automation" as
they like to call it. i bought the RTI T2-c, which happens
to be a great remote, imo. similar ergonomics to the
Harmony One. one huge negative for me though:

well...RTI is programmable only by dealers, because RTI
restricts the software. So that means going back to dealer
for every little change...(or living with little problems,
until i can aggregate them into a big list of problems).
Annoying. Expensive. and no fun tweaking!

Anyhow, i understand the fundamental economics of why
this exists, but i was surprised as i go to sell my RTI,
that my "downgrade" choice of Harmony ONE is denegrated.

I just ordered my Harmony ONE, so I can't comment first-hand,
but am i missing something? I don't need RF, so that's
not a problem. It seems to have ability to program delays,
repeats, etc...and has memory of on/off status of pieces.
It looks great. rechargable. only $200 or so.

I actually read that some earlier Harmony products were
so-so, and the programming software had some glitches...but
every review on the Harmony ONE is outstanding. Only
negatives being lack of RF and "high" price (not for me...my
used RTI will buy me two of these babies.) If only this
device was on the market before i spent $800 on the RTI....which
in that world of Crestons, etc is considered cheap!

I guess i am just looking for reinforcement that this
Harmony ONE will do everything i need...which is the activity
macros, and then the individual controlling of each component.
Maybe the last feature i mentioned ($200 price) is
the real reason the "pro's" don't like it? Plus no annuity
business in re-programming?

==========================================

and here we are....two weeks later. no more a private flame war, but a full wildfire.

as the one who "started it," i would like to report back with an update on my initial post.

i sold my RTI T2-c on eBay for a little over $400. buyer was a CI. buyer happy. seller happy.

i bought my Harmony One (new in box) on eBay for $180. buyer happy. seller happy.

I have done only the most rudimentary programming so far on the Harmony, all i can say so far is that it exceeds my expectations. that "help" program is great...allowing for wrong commands to be corrected in your hand.

little things...backlighting that changes to orange when in device mode. pretty cool. and btw...yes i love device mode.

more impressions to come. hope there's an easy way to import 20-30 favorite channel logos and channel #'s from that web site.

More importantly, i have figured out the source of this pissing contest:

i prefer the Harmony...as do many here....because.......IT GIVES ME CONTROL. (emphasis on the "ME")!!!

that's it!! the RTI took the control away from me. i couldn't do simple things like find remaining time on a movie. or use the xBox Live without the xBox controller.

maybe i just had a poorly set-up RTI. but my friends who are not so into control all have the CI remotes of some sort. but they don't care about swapping equipment. they don't care that when they switch to music, the screen goes up, even though thaey wanted it down. they want one touch plug and play. want a new BluRay player? better call the CI. don't bother hunting down the cheapest price.

i want control. and control of the control to make my own changes.

besides, with 1080p projectors falling in price so fast, it is absurd to me spend that kind of money on a remote. and once again, that annuity stream for the CI is a mortgage to me.


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