hi all

this is my 1st post and would like some guidance on selecting a nevo remote , ive had a harmony 885 and found that easy to programme but didnt really like it . Im using a macbook at present with no windows so would like a bit of advice on that aswell . Which windows and emultors ? are the best to use .
The remote will have to control
screen research 2.40:1 with 16:9 masks
lumagen radience xd
cineslide 11
jvc hd1
meridian g68j
meridian g98 dh
naim 552
naim cds3
sony ps3 ?
velodyne dd18
sky hd ( hd satelite reciever)
toshiba hdax1
x box 360
pioneer 504hde plasma
velux windows
velux blinds

i would like it to do macros , which i believe are for a one button press a lot of the above do what i want them to do
ie watch a blu ray g68 goes to ps3 input/jvc hd1 turns on/ screen comes down/ radience turns on/ lens moves into position / 552 goes to av input / windows close/blinds close

i know nothing of the nevos apart from reading the web page .Can what i want be done and how difficult will the programming be and which nevo suits my needs

regards

neil

whos hoping to turn 9 remotes into 1 !!!!!!!!

The Nevos are very powerful and can do the things you describe. Keep in mind that the S70 isn't actually in circulation yet, so the Q50 is your only option right now. You should decide the basic question of whether you prefer a more touchscreen-based remote (S70) or a more button-based one (Q50). Key differences between the Q50 and S70 are their screens, the S70's wi-fi, and how they implement some of the controls you mention. I really like it's additional transport buttons of the Q50, but it would make controlling things like your windows and blinds a little more cumbersome, as its z-wave functions are not universal yet.

Another consideration is whether you plan to do all the programming yourself or have an installer do it. Using an installer, you would be limited to what's available locally, and Nevos don't appear to be as common as, say, Pronto.

thanks for the reply brodyboy , im probablys resigned to buying online and programming myself as there arn't a lot of custom installers near me , would i get the same access to online programming tools as a dealer/installer , i dont understand what you mean by the s70 is wifi . As far as i know all my kit is ir . Ive noticed you dont mention the nevo sl is it discontinued . Are they hard to programme

neil

They both use NevoStudioPro, which is a very easy, intuitive program. There's a bit of a learning curve, but I hear it's nothing like some remote programs. Also, Nevo has some online video tutorials that are very helpful to get you up and going.

Important Point: You only get access to the online programming tools by registering your software as an installer or dealer. If you register as a consumer, you don't get that stuff.

Sorry for the confusion about the S70. Of course it does have IR control, and RS232, just like all other remotes. But it also has integrated wi-fi, so you can connect to your home network and (theoretically) control network-enabled devices in in your home.

Yes, the SL is discontinued. You can still get them pretty readily on the secondary market, but nevo doesn't ship them anymore, as far as I know. The S70 is its replacement and looks very much like it. It you google Nevo S70, you can find a couple online articles about it. For my purposes, the most significant difference is the basic usage "style." The S70 is designed such that almost all your controls will be via the touchscreen, while the Q50 has dedicated transport buttons (for play, pause, etc.). I just happen to prefer the feel of buttons for that type of thing. I get used to where they are and I don't even have to look at the remote. With a touchscreen, you obviously have to look at the screen as you use it.

how many devices can they control seperatley and at once , also if your device isnt on the database can they learn it from the original remote . over here the 70 is roughly twice the price of the 50

Stay away form the SL, the WiFi is not dependable.

I just changed my mother-in-laws remote form a SL to a Q50. It is very easy to program, and so far the Z-wave far excedes the WiFi in the dependability department.

The S70 sounds great, but I like the hard buttons for: play, FF, RR, Pause, etc...

Allthough, I do not think I will be giving up my MX 3000 anytime soon.

You can control as many devices as you like. In addition to the large Nevo database, you can get a lot of component configurations here at Remote Central. You can import Pronto configurations into NevoStudioPro, which is handy since there are so many of them. And yes, for anything else, the Nevo can learn the commands from your existing remotes.

I think that price differential is about the same here. The S70 is supposed to retail for about $1200 I think, while the Q50 is $699. In reality, the Q50 can be found online for as low as ~$400, but I suggest you beware some online sellers. I would make an effort to buy from an authorized dealer, if at all possible. Nevo doesn't condone online sales by their dealers, but some dealers will sell to you if there just isn't a local dealer in your area. Maybe it's the same over there.

To learn a little more about user experiences, you might want to check out the AVS forum for Nevo remotes:
[Link: avsforum.com]

There are some European users who post there. Maybe they can give some insight into dealers, resources, etc., closer to home.

Hey neil, just checking the thread and re-read your post. A couple things jumped out at me this time. First, you say you didn't like the Harmony 885. If you can pinpoint what you didn't like about it and what you would change about it to make it your "perfect" remote, that exercise can really help you narrow the field as you shop for a new remote. Focus on those that best match your "THINGS I DON'T LIKE" and "THINGS I WISH I HAD" lists.

Further, you say you use a Mac. At this time NevoStudioPro is not officially supported on anything but Windows PCs. Search this forum (and the AVS forum linked above) for discussion of the workarounds people use and see whether it's something you even want to bother with. If you're going to do your own programming, it's very important to choose a remote whose programming software is compatibe with your computer.

To answer your Mac related question... My opinion is to get a copy of Windows XP. Your only option is to use boot camp with Nevo as emulators will not currently download your files to the Nevo. If I remember correctly, there is an issue with Windows Active Sync when attempting to use the emulators.

Windows XP/Bootcamp work perfectly for me.

Mark

sometimes with the harmony the macros didnt work properly , and i had to get off my arse and turn specific items on myself , kinda defeated the object really .

ive been offered a sl at £100 cheaper than a s70 when its released . to be honest i think id just pay the extra £100 and have the latest more upto date remote . But im truly wondering whether the q50 will suffice .

i like the idea of a touch screen for the majority of commands . Do the programmable buttons on the q50 change as the touch screen changes pages , if so how can you tell what button does what

neil

Yes, I know what you mean about the Harmonys. I tried them too, and I hated the way they "dumb down" to you and try to control everything. They're definitely easier than just about anything else you could buy, but lack the flexibility of higher-end remotes.

Every button on the Q50 is fully programmable for every single page. You could change them up all the time and try to remember all the different functions under different circumstances, but my approach is to try to create consistency. Buttons like <,>, ||, Play, etc, are pretty intuitive, and they are always in exactly the same place no matter what source device I'm using. I like that a lot. Similarly with commands like Guide or Info, etc- I always know what that means for any device and I always put it in the same place on my Q50.

Regarding SL vs S70, definitely go with the S70, if you're deciding between those. The SL uses the older software and the S70 uses NevoStudioPro. Plus, discontinued hardware always raises concerns about diminished support over time.

Don't think of it in terms of whether the Q50 would "suffice," as if it were just a lesser, cheaper option. It's a VERY powerful remote. The difference is, as I described before, that the S70 is almost exclusively touchscreen based. (I've been told that bigger screen is also a big part of the price jump....they're just expensive to make.) The Q50 isn't a lesser remote, but a different format for those who just prefer more hard buttons.

RE: Nevo S70

i have a nevo sl for the last 3 years.. i am very happy in general but the battery life is not very good and lately i have problems with the hard keys. i was thinking to buy the new NEVO S70. Does anyone know if i can control both my IR-controlled AV equipment and also my RF-controlled curtain system using the new NEVO S70? with my nevo sl i could not do that because it only sends IR codes.. Does anyone know if i will be able to program and be able to control my RF-controlled curtains using the NEVO S70?

AL so, can i still download in a NEVO S70 and use my current project that i created and use for my old Nevo SL?

Thanks

Hey Neil - I use a Mac as well. The only way to program the Q50 is via Windows and I use a BootCamp install for my Windows / Nevo Programming.
I also use parallels but the Q50/S70 do not connect to ActiveSync in Paralells - not sure why.

If you are looking for a Nevo product, try:

http:\\www.RemoteQuest.com

They sell all over the US and can program if you care for it. Otherwise, they are a top-shelf Nevo dealer, so you are protected for warranty, repairs, etc. They are on the Nevo beta team and very knowledgable about the various products, etc.

Dave is a top-notch guy and knows all of the remotes better than most.

Stay away from eBay dealers and all of that. Typically no warranty and no repair through these "fleabag" sellers. Stick with a authorized dealer and better through a "certified" dealer like Dave.

OOOohhhhh the beta team.... how hard is it to post this stuff about yourself?

Back up everybody, his head is about to explode...

Don't buy on eBay? Funny, coming from the guy who typed that...