Is it just me or is the RTI IR Library a mess? It seems like every time we are looking for codes we have to try about 10 different devices to find what we need and often the codesets are not consistent and have to be cobbled together between 2-3 different devices.

Is there no QA for this stuff? We do not seem to have this problem with other vendor's libraries.

Unfortunately this is a CI database and not a developers. All the disadvantages and advantages of that come with it. The alternattive is no codes.

And PS - there are codes in other remote companies database that do not work at all (without mention of names, but there are a few), and there is no other alternative. I would rather have a mix and match than one posssible answer that could be wrong. Also, I think the older stuff is disorganized, and if you understand compatibility it works fine.

It is a mess.

I have my own working libaray, and cull out the junk as I go.

Exactly...

I hope you are repeating the product you put in so you are not always searching for new stuff. I know we all get the occasional odd device, but you have to make the occasional IMHO...

This is why I try to clean up anything I see, make sure that most if not all of my submissions are clean and tested and provide FULL code sets. For example, the next mega list will have much of the Sharp display files edited and cleaned up.

If we contribute to the list, we should also take the responsibility to contribute worthwhile stuff. The problem with relying on the manufacturer is that (as we have all seen), most of the info is right off the native remote (because documentation for IR is ridiculous) and many discretes are not available outside of Power. We in the field tend to have or find info that the manufacturers gloss over.

The other issue I have is with learned codes. Many people in the field do not know how to learn codes properly, how to tell if they have a bad learn or how to document a model number. I am a bit finicky about mine. I have a separate library of my learned codes that sit and wait until I have generated clean versions. You do not have to take this approach but hell, at least test the codes that are learned and relearn or eliminate the bad ones.

Yet another issue... there are MANY people out there that make their living from being an "expert" in this stuff, yet they know little or nothing about the nature of IR (the beast that it is). They come here or to other places to get "free" information from people so that they do not have to think about it themselves... great idea in theory... but those people can often be the loudest complainers (not in direct reference to this thread). I give out reams of "free" information all of the time but I have to say that I am more likely to give it to those that seem like they are genuinely interested in learning about this stuff for their long term development and education. I have started to care less about those who bought their first universal and open their first few posts with... "why isn't this easier..... blah blah" or worse yet, the members who have been on REMOTE CENTRAL (where IR and control is the primary topic of discussion) for some time and are still here only to soak up resources from others and not take any constructive action themselves to figure out anything.

I am not bitter... no intent to rant... just that, if you find it a mess then my first question would be, what have you done about it lately?

Make your own library. You can pick what you want to keep from the larger databases that are available.