Howdy,

I am a long time remote control aficionado and due to an unfortunate accident I am once again in the market for a new Remote. I could really use some help putting together a list of replacement remotes to consider.

It all started because I have a cluttered endtable, I ended up putting my Home Theater Master MX-500 remote into my oversized TiVo mug that was half full of Tea. When I noticed the next day I was surprized to find that it kind of still worked. The backlight was dead, but the remote would work but randomly reboot. It worked well enough to switch from TiVo useage to DVD and back.

I have been using my Direct TiVo remote for the past few months and find that I really love the layout. I used the TiVo remote for 90% of my remote controlling, and dragged out the MX-500 to setup for DVD's. That was great until I upgrade my TV to a projector and added my main desktop computer to the mix. Now I find myself using 3-4 remotes quite often, I need a good universal remote.

I started with a Sony RM-AV2000 but I could not stand the fact that the labels for each button had limited options. I had trouble remembering what buttons performed which function. When the original Philips Pronto came out it seemed like the perfect remote. I was happy with that for a long time, till TiVo came out in fact. I was content with the touch screen of the Pronto because I used it to set everything up and then it was pretty much just changed channels and adjusted the volume. I spent countless hours working on my ccf file tweaking the layout and design. TiVo is a unique device that causes you to actively use most of it's buttons regularly during normal useage. I grew to resent having to look down at the LCD to do every little thing, particularly navigate the menu's. I started looking for a potential replacement.

I decided to buy a RTI TheaterTouch T2 remote because I wanted hard buttons and a touch screen. This worked out really well for me for a while. TiVo was still a trouble maker even with this remote. I found myself wanting "just a few" more hard buttons to make my everyday TiVo useage perfect.

That is when I discovered the HomeTheater Master MX-500 remote. It did not have PC connectivity but I thought the button layout was really nice and the LCD screen to label the "less used" obscure buttons seemed like the perfect solution. It was inexpensive compared to the T2 but I decided to order it anyway and fell in love. It handled all my needs perfectly. I used it for three to four years and was content.

After the MX-500 had it's accident I switched to using the orginal TiVo remote which I hadn't really done much. I was very impressed with the layout and how the remote feels in my hand, the peanut shape, the button placement and layout were all awesome. I could control my TV and receiver volume from it so I continued using it and didn't really look for a replacement.

My useage has changed so I am back to switching inputs and fumbling between 3-4 remotes. I love the TiVo remote but it can't really controll my system at this point. I need something that works really well as a TiVo remote replacement and has the ability to handly my projector, receiver, and DVD player. I know the MX-500 could do the job, the MX-700+ could do it and be computer configurable, which is nice. That is funcitonal and definately meets my needs, but I can't help but feel there is something better out there. Those are great remotes, but the TiVo remote still feels better. The new pronto remotes have more hard buttons, good cursor support is key for TiVo so they might be viable now. The logitech harmony remotes look good too, particularly the H680 and the upcoming H880. I don't know why but I don't care for the look of the h688, it might be fine though if I held it.

I feel somewhat lost and am having trouble figuring out what to look at. I have been too out of the loop lately so I don't even know what is available. If anyone has any suggestions or can think of any remotes I should look into, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Will
[email protected]

Well, anyone who's seen me post will know what I have to say. Harmony all the way, cheap, easy to program, nice layout, and best of all activity-based commands.

Plus it remembers what equipment is on or off, and understands input menus, so you don't have to have discretes either. With a little tweaking it can accept Pronto Hex, and do all sorts of lovely things.

People look down on it because they don't like the size of the buttons, or it's too inflexible, but I have huge meaty fingers, and have no problem with it. It's flexible enough for most applications, you can make it do a lot if you spend the time with it, but you still have a very neat setup if you only spend an hour or two setting it up.

One word of caution though, no RF support, so if you have any RF controlled devices it's not the remote for you. If it's IR all the way though, then I love the Harmony. :)

Look back to RTi. The T2+ has added hard buttons for DVR functions.

bob

Nothing against Fisher here, but I hate Harmony. It's just my opinion though. I don't like the feel of them, the lack of RF, the limitaions in programming.

I'm a big fan of the Universal Remote and the RTI stuff. RTI gives you a full plate of options and configurations, bullet proof RF and IR and great software. Universal gives you rock solid remotes and a quality backing that few companies in any industry can match. And the new UR line has even better backlighting on the remote. And you may thinik you dont want RF now, but in the near future you may want it.

I really liked the T2, I thought it had some awesome features. My T2 currently has the top two panels of the touch screen dead though. It looks like the T2+ uses the same screen, but I am sure that kind of thing would be covered by the warrentee. Adding more buttons sure seemed like the way to go with that remote, I am going to have to really think about this one now.

I have been hearing good things about the Harmony remotes as well. I originally rulled out the H659 because of where the transport controlls were located, then they went and released a bunch of new models that have better layouts. The Peanut shape of the remote is really nice. I love that about the TiVo remote. The H680 and H880 both look like they might be viable options for me too.

I don't want to rule out the MX-700, but I feel like I am more drawn to the harmany remotes...though that could just be curiousity. lol. I am going to have to really think about the RTI T2+ and the Harmony lines...thanks so much for the input, I appreciate it.

I really shouldn't rule out the MX-700 or MX-850. I did get 3-4 years of solid use out of my MX-500 and it only died because I killed it. I think I am shying away from them simply to try something new.

When I use the TiVo peanut remote, everything feels right and is located exactly where it should be. I don't have to look to use it and other than picking it up backwards occasionally, I would almost venture to say it is the perfect remote. I am secretly wishing I could modify it to work with all my other equipment, which is why I am drawn to the harmony remotes.

One thing about the harmony remotes I can't tell from the pictures is how the cursor works, it looks like it has up/down/left/right, but does it also have an enter/select in the center. It looks like you might be able to push down on the center of the cursor, but I can't really tell.

One thing is for sure, I forgot how much I love remotes and am excited to have an excuse to get a new one!

Yes, it does have a select in the centre. It also has a selection of layouts, depending on which model you buy. If you read the posts in the Harmony forum, the main bone of contention is the transport buttons - some people like them up top, some down the bottom, there's a Harmony that caters to each group. Personally I actually like the 659, it may be the 'basic' model, but it feels solid, fits in your hand nicely, and I don't mind the transport buttons being at the bottom. Plus it's dirt cheap, $100 retail? Come to daddy. :)

Carl, I don't offend easily, it's ok. I understand your reasons, but given the choice between setting up a Harmony in an hour and everything working fluidly, or spending hours with a HTM remote, and hoping everything has discretes... well I know which I prefer.

(Will, get the Harmony, you know you want to... ) ;)

the new harmony 880 should be out soon

Incidentally, Will here started off the Pronto FAQ and was the second person to ever submit a Pronto system CCF - the first being Kevin Calvano.

Will,

The last post tempering my answer considerably in conderation that I am much more of a newbie at this than you, I would still recommend the MX700 or the new MX850.

With the experience that you have in programming a remote, the MX500 in particular, the Harmony has nothing to offer in the way of functionality. The main reason that I sell the Harmony is for ease of programming and the 'help' button. You, with an understanding of remote programming and discrete codes, should be able to program one of the HTM remotes to operate your gear as easily as the Harmony, and you have the options to design your own macros to suit your own personal tastes.

The RTI would be the suggestion if you had asked for something that would control a remotely mounted system and have it bulletproof. The RF and serial capabilities of the RTI are the thing that sets it apart, but that come at quite a cost difference. If you are looking at your equipment and can competently program the remote, you will be well served by the HTM line.

I can't believe how much the site has grown, there are so many detailed reviews and files now. This is definately the place to be for researching remote controls. I forgot how cool this stuff was!

My equipment is pretty standard stuff and doesn't take much to control it. I want a few macros for switching between activities and I want to be able to save the configuration to a PC. I don't mind a programming challenge, for me it is all about the ergonomics and button layout of the remote.

I keep going back to the TiVo peanut remote, but that is the most comfortable and functional remote I have ever had the pleasure to hold in my hand. I honestly think it is a near perfect design. I would definately be using it if there were a few more buttons and it was a universal remote. I know I have to give it up but I really don't want too. I even thought about keeping it and a universal on my table but it is already too crowded.

The most difficult device to control is hands down the TiVo. It isn't hard to program, but it uses so many buttons during daily use. I want something that has enough hard buttons with a good enough layout to handle the TiVo with ease. That used to be a tall order, now it seems like most of the new crop of remotes can pull that off.

The harmony remotes are attractive because they mimic the peanut shape of the TiVo remote. I think functionality wise they would be able to cover my bases. I don't have a feel for how comfortable they are in your hand, the balance, the button reach. If you grab a remote, where do your fingers naturally land and are those the buttons you are most likely to want to use? With the TiVo remote it is pretty much right on the pause key or the cursor keys, which is nice.

The RTI remote had great build quality and felt sturdy in my hand (the T2). With the T2+'s addition of additional hard buttons I think it could be a viable remote. That said in the end I went with my MX-500 over the original T2 and I think I would choose that route this time as well.

The MX-700 looks just like my MX-500 but with PC connectivity for backing up and working on my configuration which is nice. I know this is a very functional remote, I really loved my MX-500. It is very compentent at replacing the TiVo remotes functionality. I don't know how to describe this, it is a fine remote to hold, but it just does not feel like an extension of my hand the way the TiVo peanut does. That doesn't rule it out though.

I did some soul searching and the tablet-like remotes are no good for me either, as I don't want to look at them to use it and table space is at a preimum. I generally feel the same way about touch screen remotes. If they had enough hard buttons I would feel differently. The ProntoNG comes close, I need an Up/Down/Left/Right/Select cursor, a Rewind, FastForward, Pause, Play. I would like to add a TiVo button and a Guide button to go with those. The layout of the buttons makes a difference too, just having them but having them in wierd places isn't enough.

I think I am down to deciding between a harmony remote and the MX-700 because the feel and button layout are so important to me. I have ruled out the MX-850 because I don't need the RF support right now and can upgrade if the need arises. I know the MX-700 has the power to do what I want and has a very useable button layout.

The Harmony remotes look good in the pictures, but how they feel in real life I think will be important, along with making sure they have enough juice to get my simple macro's handled. I am considering the H676/H680 and H880 remotes.

Thanks,

Will

Will,

Have you heard about the new MX-950? Based on your discussions here, I wonder if this remote might be something you would want to consider. From the pictures I have seen, it looks like it has been adapted for ease of holding and it has a lot of hard buttons, including DVD controls. It is advertised as having all the capabilities of the MX 3000, but it is not a touch-screen remote. It has a lot of hard buttons. Price is supposed to be a lot less than the MX 3000. Its release date is supposedly early May, but I have heard that it isn't even in beta yet. I am also looking for a good remote, but I don't know if I have the patience to wait for it to hit the market. Just a thought that I thought might be of interest to you.

I thought the name looked familliar,didn't he also have a website something like wild bills Pronto pages or something? If so his and a few other sites (as well as this one) was what made me decide on a Pronto.


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I have only used the 768 and 745 from harmony. Never had a problem with them, comfortable in the hand and everything. But since Logitech bought them they have become way more available on the market. Many stores that carry logitech stuff also have one or two remotes.

the 7xx have macros the 6xx do not, the 880 is rhumored not to have them. That being said all it means is that you can have a macro for any activity, but you cannot have macros on other buttons. So that when you press wacth DVD it will turn on equipment change sources..... but once in watch DVD you cannot say that play will turn down the lights and start the movie while stop will turn on the lights and stop the movie. But you can have many activities and you can put macros and buoild different activities watch movie 16:9, watch movie 4:3

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don't forget the Pronto NG has 4 cursor buttons in diamond 4 buttons around that and 4 buttons just under the screen (not to mention the other 5)

Will,

I've designed about 25 systems since December using the 850 remote. You will find the improvements over the 700/800 most welcome.

The Select button is now separate from the gui.
The backlight is actually a backlight now so you can see things better even when there's a little light in the room
I'd say the RF base is now bulletproof with rarely a troubleshoot
The important buttons' symbols and lettering can't be rubbed off over time
Gun metal, mars black color - blends in instead of standing out.

As far as handling, it feels about the same as the 500. Because it's so simple to rearrange the LCD functions, you'll eventually figure out which LCD buttons use use most and place them where the preferred hand and fingers use them.

Simple to teach the family/guests if you lay out the basics correctly. I've sent in a few designs that I figure will eventually end up in the MX files area for your reference.

I had not heard of the MX-950, thanks for pointing it out. It looks like a very interesting remote. I hope Daniel is able to get ahold of one at some point because I would love to read one of his reviews on it and see it from some different angles.

I still have the website (www.madravings.com) but don't update it that often. I mostly use it as a place to store all my bookmarks so I have access to them from anywhere. I tend to browse with multiple windows so it also serves as an easy way to open lots of sites at once.

For the harmony remotes I was considering the 680 and the 880 flavors. I ended up rulling out the 680 because I remembered that I hated having a button labled for one thing but really doing something else, that really bothered me with an old sony remote.

The 880 looks like it might be a really cool remote. I waffled about waiting for this one to come out quite a bit. In the end I decided that I did not like rechargable batteries. That is an odd stance to have, rechargable is usually a feature people want. I had that with my RTI T2 remote. I liked it at first, right up untill the first time I completely drained the battery and had to wait for it to recharge before I could control my system. I got around that with the T2 by ordering a second battery pack. I don't know if logitech will offer a spare battery pack for the 880, if it doesn't then it could be really frustrating. I only drain the batteries once in a blue moon, but it is always nice to pop in some extra batteries and continue with your life.

I was planning on going with the MX-700 until Steve pointed out a few features of the MX-850 that sound really good. Having the select button seperate from the rest of the cursor is a nice improvement. The non-rubb-off button's is also a noteable feature. My Mx-500 was opperated by feel for a number of unlabled buttons. I also read how the MX-700's color scheme and texture cause allow it to absorb hand oil's and end up discolored over time. I never cared about the backlight on the MX-500 until it stopped working, now it is definately a feature that is important to me.

I ended up ordering a MX-850 without the RF base station this afternoon. I figure I can order the RF part seperately if I uncover a need for that support. I am definately excited and think I have ended up with the right remote for me. It is comforting to get another remote in the MX serries because I know what a solid performer the MX-500 was. Thanks again for all the help. It truely helped me make this decision and I appreciate it!