The first step to recovery is to admit the problem. I am a buttonaholic. There, I said it. I need to navigate my remote in the dark by feel. The remote should be an extension of my hand, and should not require my eyes.

I'm preparing to buy a Sony RM-VL610. I think it's perfect for me: Cheap. Tons of buttons. Just the right amount of macros for my needs.

My problem: My equipment has tons of codes that are not present on the manufacturer's remotes. Important things: I don't have discrete power on/off, only a toggle. I don't have direct input selects, only "next input". It's enough to drive one bonkers.

So here's my idea: I buy my RM-VL610 and also get a dirt-cheap computer-programmable remote so I can download my discrete codes to it and use it to program the RM-VL610.

Is this feasible? practical?

What would you recommend for a dirt cheap computer-programmable remote? Is JP1 still around? I am fairly technical and would be comfortable with kludgy or difficult processes to load up my discrete codes.

Thanks!

By the way, for those of you who are also recovering buttonaholics, this will set your recovery back months.

Do any of you remember this little number from the early 1990's? This is the remote that is responsible for my problem: my first "Oh My God Look at All Those Buttons" love.

I used this style of remote for over 15 years:

Not sure I follow this. The VL610 is itself cheap, if not dirt cheap. One of its biggest virtues is the large memory for learning. But, what's the point of getting a computer programmable remote so that you can teach the Sony? Isn't that just a waste of money? A computer programmed remote will generally do a better job of shooting IR, because the signal is more accurately formed, and because e.g. components which use toggle bits in the IR signal will work correctly with a computer programmed remote, and poorly with a learned signal.

Take a look at the OneForAll URC-10820, a 10 device remote with more buttons than the Sony. It's a JP1.3 remote, so for <$20 for the remote and $30 for a USB interface cable, you can program up any discrete signal.

For many IR signals, you don't even need the computer interface-- you can just assign Extended Function Codes to buttons to do the discrete functions. That's right-- the OFA (and other remotes made by UEI) can be manually programmed on a button by button basis.

I think it makes sense to use a UEI remote to teach a higher end LCD screen remote. I'm having trouble seeing the value in using a VL610 in preference to the teaching remote-- the user interface and expense are comparable.

It's a fair point, and I appreciate your feedback. I certainly learned a few things about the OFA remotes!

I stopped by Sears yesterday to take a closer look at them, and decided that I don't like the ergonomics of the 10820 or its litle brother the 8820. The functionality is wonderful, though.

I've thought of another idea, which I am going to take over to the JP1 forum: Several years ago, I did some development related to computer IR control, and I happen to still have a homemade IR transmitter for a computer's serial port. I wonder if I could use LIRC (www.lirc.org) or another piece of software to transmit the codes needed to train a VL610....