The following is an extract from the review on this site of the RM-AV2500:

"Unlike the RM-AV2100 or RM-AV3100, there’s no way to access these discrete Sony power codes for use in your own custom macros."

However, page 24 of the PDF manual for the RM-AV2500 appears to indicate that when configuring Sony devices, it IS possible to select discrete power on/off signals (should they exist) when defining macros. The illustration in the manual indicates that the same POWER button will display "On" and/or "Off" (if available) so I presume that this button is actually divided into different, touch-sensitive areas to allow the desired selection when defining macros.

I would be grateful if someone could confirm which of the above is the correct behaviour as I wish to control only Sony-branded AV equipment and this would obviously make the macros much more efficient. I appreciate that the RM-AV3100 permits access to the Sony discrete power on/off signals but it is more expensive and I do not require any of its additional features.

Thank you.

Unfortunantly, the manual is in error. And the way it used to work, on the RM-AV3000 for example, was during macro recording a single press would record the ON command and a long press would record OFF.

Thanks for your reply, Daniel.

Did you actually mean RM-AV3100 rather than RM-AV3000 as I understood access to the Sony discrete power signals was not possible in the latter and that the short and long key-presses were introduced into the later version.

It does seem strange that the manuals for both the US version of the RM-AV2500 and the European variant (RM-AV2500T) are incorrect as the relevant text and illustrations have been modified for the differences (the former has the power key labelled "POWER" whilst the latter uses the standby symbol). In both cases they state that either "ON" or "OFF" should be selected from the single power/standby key (available only when composing macros and using Sony devices). Have you experience of trying to do this?

Thank you.

You're right, that was a typo, I meant the RM-AV3100.

However this simply does NOT work on the RM-AV2500. Remember, when I write a review I also take the time to fully digest the manual and test *everything*, so that paragraph wasn't just put in for nothing! :-)

With a factory reset resulting in the default Sony preprogrammed codes, the "on" and "off" icons do not display during macro recording and, since it should be noted that they also do not display on the RM-AV3100, holding the key for an extended period does not record the "off" command (as it does on the RM-AV3100).

The absolute only time the "on" and "off" icons ever display is during the default System A and System C macros.

Now, the RM-AV2500T is slightly newer than the RM-AV2500, so I cannot speak as to any bug fixes that might have been made to its firmware.

Thanks again, Daniel for your expert advice. It is worrying that potential customers (like me) use the manuals to confirm functionality before buying!

Your confirmation has ruled-out the RM-AV2500 for me (unless someone can confirm that the RM-AV2500T does not also suffer from the same bug). Maybe I should consider a used RM-AV2100T, instead, although I like the idea of the directional hard-keys of the updated model.

Thanks again.

Remember you can always get a cheap One For All with advanced codes support to learn those functions into the 2500. Or you might want to consider something like the RM-AX4000 (can be had fairly inexpensively online).

There's been a few instances where the manuals don't strictly reflect the end product. For example the RM-AV3100's "LEARN2" mode, which is supposed to support capturing up to 4 IR codes in a row on one button (basically an automated micro macro), doesn't actually do that.