Is there a good philosophy to use when programming?

For example- Home Page has a listing of all my Activities such as,
TV, DVD, Listen to CD etc …
The macros get programmed on the home page icons-
Once I hit the TV button it turns on TV, Cable Box, and Reciever.
Lets say for some reason I navigate back to the Home page again –
Now when I click the TV option again it toggles the cable box off because there is no discreet codes to turn it on or off- only toggle - And so on and so on …
Is it more efficient to have the TV button just link to a TV page and then on the TV page have a power on and power off button to avoid this?
What are some of the “mappings” you experts in the industry use?
I am programming a Nevo Q50 Love it by the way -

I would look into a NC50 Nevo Connect and a Nevo Video Sensor.  

The Nevo Connect will give you more reliable control and allow you to connect additional sensors (such as the video sensor)   

the video sensor plugs inline on the video feed from the cable box out to the tv and lets the Nevoconnect know when the equipment is on or off.  this way you only send the power command when you need to.

If that is not an option, you could just throw a power button on the Cable TV page for the cable box.  That is what I have done when a Nevo Connect was not in the budget.

I actually have the nevo connect but I was using it only for RF -
can you tell me more about this video sensor?

I understand how it works, but do I have to alter the configuration of the Nevo? do i have to have some sort of macro that says if video present do not toggle or something to that extent?

Thanks for your help ... this sounds like a great option

yes, on your macro you will have an if/then option.

first you add the voltage sensor as a device, and assign it to a port on your nevoconnect. 

then you create an if/then/else statement. 

so for your Cable TV command, you would do :   if cable box power is off, then send "Cable Pwr" 

for an all off command, part of it would be  :  if cable box power is on, then send "Cable Pwr"

here is a file I did a while ago that has if/then statements.   I am using a voltage sensor in this setup, but it would be similar to what you need to do.

[Link: remotecentral.com]

cool,

Is a voltage sensor and a video sensor the same thing?

Disregard my last comment- I got ya-

Thanks! Great info

Thank you for the great info-

Last question I promise:
I have a Yamaha RX-2400 Receiver (video is component) in between my cable box and my Plasma TV. Can I use the video sensor in between the Yamaha and the TV - instead of in between the cable box and the Yamaha? If the Yamaha is on will that provide any signal confusion to the video sensor even if the cable box is off? Reason is just simplicity – in my current physical locations its an easier installation if I go that way.

Your other option is to build a two page configuration. ( I prefer using a NevoConnect with a sensor - either the video or voltage sensor).
The two page systems works like this:
Main Home Page has all your power on commands for all devices - so it doesn't matter which activity you choose from your main page - the power commands are sent to all equipment. Going back to choose a different activity involves a page jump to a second home page (looks the same, can be labelled the same) but all these macros do is switch inputs and page jumps.

You'll have to create a system shut down page - when if the user confirms to turn off system then power commands are sent to turn everything off then jumps to the first main home page but if they decide to leave the system on then it jumps back to the second home page.

Drew