Yes, more information. How good is the tactile feedback, how easy is the display to read, how easy are the buttons to press, how well balanced is the remote, etc........ The Kameloen really deserves an in-depth review, it is so different to other remotes.

OK, here is some more info. Remember, I just have this remote for a few hours now.

I still don't know how this "motion sensor" is supposed to work. Sometimes it works very good, sometimes it does not. When it works the remote is very sensitive. Like someone already said: an active subwoofer "shockwave" could trigger the remote to activate the display.

I also noticed that the display is quite "noisy" when it is lit. It produces a "chirping" sound. OK, I admit that you only hear it when it is quiet but it could wake you up if you are sleeping next to your remote and activate it by accident (a turn in your sleep might be enough to activate it!).

The "tactile feedback" works like this: below the EL display (a "plastic-rubber alloy") are real buttons so it is not a real touchscreen. Instead, you press the display down onto the buttons underneath. I noticed that the buttons sometimes don't come back up immediately after they are pressed, they tend to stick - for a few milliseconds at least.

While you are operating the remote the "tactile feedback" feels OK, though. Do you know how it feels to operate those water-proof computer keyboards they have in hospitals? The Kameleon feels similar to that.

The display is easy to read in most, but not all, lighting situations. This morning, for example, bright daylight was shining directly on the remote (I have a roof window directly over my living-room couch). When I increased the brightness of the display from "default" to "maximum" readability was quite a bit better but still not perfect.

The buttons are quite easy to press, see above. I just noticed that when you have to hold the "MAGIC" key down until the "rabbit appears" it is not that easy to see that "rabbit" because your finger blocks the view of the icon. Thankfully, though, the IR status LED will blink as well when the "rabbit" is there so you know when you are in "MAGIC mode."

Balance is OK for my taste, I just think that the remote is a little bit too "wide" which makes it a little unconvenient to hold with one hand -- it depends on the size of your hand, of course :-). I think they should've made it a little bit "slimmer" -- more like my Bang&Olufsen BeoLink 5000. On the other hand this would have made the buttons smaller.

What I really like about the remote is that it will be easy to keep clean, especially compared to my "Topline 8" which looks very old already because it is hard to keep clean (dust is quite a problem in my room and sticks to the rubber buttons of the "Topline 8").

What's nice about the display are the little "animations." For example, if you control your VCR and press "fast forward" the remote will indicate that by a "rolling wheel" on the display. The device you are currently controlling is also indicated by an animated icon. At first, this looks nice, but it also slows you down since you have to look for the animated icon to know what device you are currently controlling. No big deal, I just noticed it.

I really like (and needed) the direct learning feature of the Kameleon where you put it into learning mode and feed it with IR signals of your existing remotes. Some keys were missing, e.g. my VCR's "Timer on/off" key, which I had to get into the Kameleon using that direct learning feature.

Like all the bigger One For All remotes the Kameleon has the "Key Magic" feature. I used it very much with my "Topline 8" but since it is nearly not documented in the manual you always have to call the service hotline to find out what you can do with that feature and what the codes are that you need. Once you know the codes it is quite convenient and you don't need the direct learning feature that much. However, it took me a while (and several calls to the service hotline) to figure out what it is good for... They should really add at least 1-2 more pages to the manual to explain what you can do with "Key Magic."

I'm still annoyed by the fact that there are no codes available for download, now I have to wait and call their service hotline to get the remote to work with my Harman/Kardon DVD player...

Is there any more you want to know?

Regards, Stefan.

Stefan,
Check out http://www.oneforall-int.com/
Go to Product Support, then Kameleon, and you should see the option Internet Download. You can then request an access code and log in straight away.
And I checked for you, and there is definitely a section for Harmon Kardon DVD players.

Hope this helps

Hi Zippy72,

Thanks for your help! I'm trying it right now. I previously tried "oneforall.de" (that's what the - German - manual says) and "oneforall.com" and both didn't have that button enabled. "oneforall-int.com" has that feature indeed. Thanks again! :-)

Regards, Stefan.

Well...

Sadly it still does not work because of some CGI error on their website. On the last step I get an error (after successfully loading the new code into the Kameleon). Now, all I need is the correct setup code for the Harman/Kardon DVD player. Otherwise I will have to use "code search" again and press the "up" button 100 times... :-(

Regards, Stefan.

Hi! Me again... Despite that error on the OFA website I got it to work using the "code search" function of the Kameleon. It seems they are putting the new uploaded codes to the top of the list of device codes so I just had to activate the "code search" and the first code worked right away :-). So now I can control my Harman/Kardon DVD player with the Kameleon.

Thanks again for your help, "Zippy72." :-)

Regards, Stefan.

P.S.: If anyone still needs more information about the Kameleon, just let me know.

Hi Stephan,
Do you have a digital camera? If so, would you be up for taking some pictures of this remote? I'd like a good frontal shot for my web site, but I'd also like a shot of the battery compartment with the cover removed.

If you are willing to open the remote, I'd also like a shot of both sides of the printed circuit board.

This is so I can figure out what we need to do to make the remote JP1 compatible.

Thanks,
Rob
http://www.hifi-remote.com

No, sadly I do not have a digital camera. I could try to organize one, though. It could take a few days.

The pictures you can find on the OFA website and others are pretty good but I guess you are more interested in some more technical details :-). Well, the Kameleon has to be opened anyhow when you want to change the batteries...

Regards, Stefan.

I don't know about the Kameleon, but a lot of remotes use a tilt sensor. Could it use the same thing?

ofafan,
Nice post. I was just kidding of course. I have been fooling with JP1 stuff since I stumbled on it some time ago and as you said, everyone has always been very willing to help.


Sadly, I just suck. If you ever need someone to turn a nice coil of solder into a dull silver blob, I'm your guy. My problem is simply experience (lack of it actually). I have NO cause to solder in my everyday life (though I enjoy the smell, go figure). My JP1 cables are built, one UGLY simple design I did and my really nice micro-perf design my brother in law did for me.

So until that next wiz-bang remote comes along that I just HAVE to have requires some soldering, I probably wouldtn't even be able to tell you were my soldering iron is. ;)

descentr

Yes, I think it is something like that although I'm not sure. When you shake the remote you hear a "little thing" rattling in there. That's all I know for certain until I open it. Why do you ask? What could be the reason that it is not working (in all cases)?

Sounds like the ProntoPro, it has a little ball bearing. If it works the same way, then that can easily explain why sometimes it works well and other times does not with a shake.

And why is that? Does the little ball get stuck somehow so that it won't react to motion anymore? It certainly sounds like a little ball in the inside of the remote. Mind you, I don't "shake" the remote to activate it, I just pick it up, and sometimes it activates the display, sometimes it doesn't and I have to press a "key" on the remote to use it... Maybe the sensor is just broken in my remote?!

My Kameleon just shipped from Radio Shack in Forth Worth, I dont know when Ill get it because of the holiday, but I should be able to post pics and a review shortly after.

-Chris

I just ordered the Radio Shack variety as well. I'll let you all know how it turns out.