I can show you how to do it with a $100.00 remote($200.00 programmed). test it at the closest dealer with a zenith on display. Oh- you will need a HTM 700 or a pronto as a learning mule but then you could use a $20.00 One For All Wallmart special if cost was a factor. Are we all sure this is Ernie?

for zenith discreet codes look in the owners man.

Yes, it's me.

I was basically given this TV and told it was what was going in. This client is the classic one with enough money for the great control system, but who would rather just fuss with the remotes.

A button combination would have indeed worked, because while they are not gearheads, they have mastered everything they have asked for...everything we have supplied.

This time we pushed the envelope by getting them a Pioneer combo HD and DVDR. Why? She likes to tape soap operas, about six hours of them, every night, then watch them the next day. She has hundreds of tapes! I think when they get over the hurdle of figuring out how to do it with the HD, and it finally gets filled up, she will realize that she doesn't want to record any of them to DVD, just play them once or twice.

Also, I am DONE with Prontos and Marantz remotes for now. I found the NG software impossible to work with when I could not get the remote to learn a few Sony DVD codes...and it would modify them till they did not work when I copied and pasted them. Everybody says there are problems, but nobody says "here's your solution." Thus I cannot promise to program one, so I can hardly price it!

Yes, I am going to look into other remotes. At this point, the most interesting thing I have heard is modom's challenge...what the heck are you talking about?

Good luck finding another universal remote. Besides the pronto I think you would jump up to a pronto pro at about 1k. I actually like the Pronto pros. They are pretty sweet for the money.

If you really want something reliable jump to a Crestron or an AMX panel. Crestron will probably set your client back about 2-3k though(Maybe more). But at least its reliable(not the press button and pray-when you are walking a client through the operation) and with Crestron you could control a 60" Zenith plasma via RS-232 like I am doing in my next job.

I do, too. I have done a couple; one is a house with three interconnected systems, lighting control, dual plasmas in the living room with independent control of each, house speaker volume control ON THE PRONTO ( ! ).

I preferred the Marantzes hugely after programming my first 5200 for two reasons: the cursor pad is hard buttons, so one less screen is needed and that is always available, and BACK so totally simplifies going off to ancillary functions such as surround adjust. With a Marantz, one surround adjust screen is all you need, and if you change it, the whole remote is updated. With the Pronto, you need a surround adjust for each component, and you have to change each one to make one change in the screen.

However, as I have said before, the New Generation remotes put the "F" back into "NG." You would think a company would avoid a name that means "no good." I remember someone at NASA commenting on the Hubble telescope that people should avoid projects where the name rhymes with "trouble...."

Ernie,
My favorite remote is the MX700/800 because of the fairly easy programming and a simple button layout.I wouldn't really recommend the 20 dollar (ofa) method because programming is more of a hobbyist game and you would have a hard time getting consistent results.At the lower price points you could use the new URC100/200/300 or MX500 if you can learn discrete commands from a pronto or MX700 remote. I just feel our time is worth too much to have to program a remote completely by hand.If you do use a 20 to 100 dollar remote, how much time do we take to get it right?And after that, you can't even save your work.

Yahama's policy for plasmas is 48 hours to report concealed damage. I always open the sets up to, at least, check for visible damage and proper contents. And the new Yamaha had enough discreets for the 2 I put in so far. The last Fujitsu I did had input discreets too.

Ernie: Have you ever put a Zenith Plasma side by side with any other brand. IMHO Zenith has one of the worst pictures I've ever seen on plasmas. I don't know what was the customer's budget but a 61' NEC for example it is around the same price as the Zenith and the picture quality is far superior. I haven't seen the new 63' Plasmavision from Fujitsu but the older 61' was a dream; of cource for about twice the price of the Zenith.

my thoughts exactly - the zenith is junk - so to say, when compared to others.

If you can live with buttons only, the Xantech URC2 is easy for the customer to understand, and the DragonDrop software makes programming a treat. I like the software a ton better than Pronto software.

It's only a $200 remote at retail plus programming.

http://www.xantech.com/ and click on URC2P/RP.