Hello,

I recently installed a Sony STR-DA3600ES multi-room receiver and I need some recommendations on a control system for it.

Layout:

One rack in my office with A/V receiver and all components. HDMI feed for living room TV (zone 1) and component/rca feed for bedroom TV (zone 2).

Complications: Although receiver is 2 zone, the components are shared for each zone and do not have discrete power functions that I have been able to find. With the exception of the Sony receiver, all components are TOADs.

Components:
Scientific Atlanta Explorer 3800HD
Seagate Theater + Media player
Pelican System Selector Pro v2
VLSystem M-Play Mini r9 - Media Center Remote
Nintendo Wii
Toshiba D-KR10U DVD Recorder
Sony STR-DA3600ES A/V Receiver

More Info:
Originally I had a Logitech Harmony 890 (not pro) to control the entire system and it actually worked quite well. I ran a single CAT5 line from my rack to my living room, cut/spliced the flashers on to the CAT5 line to flash the equipment back in my office. The RF receiver worked well in this location because it was sort of a middle point between the living room and master bedroom (my 2 zones). The nice thing about the Harmony is that it's device aware, so I created activities for Watch Cable (LR) and Watch Cable (BR) etc. So if I was watching TV in the living room and my wife wanted to watch TV in the bedroom she would select the bedroom activity and the Harmony would realize that the component was already on from a previous activity and not apply power to it again.

Problem is, the volume buttons on the Harmony stopped working so now I want something more rugged like a URC remote but nothing in their product line talks about being device aware except for their MSC-400 controller which is not only ultra expensive, I'm not sure I have the required knowledge to be able to successfully program it to work properly with my equipment and it comes with no support because I'm not a certified dealer, So I consider it a sketchy purchase.

I recently purchased a Harmony Link and programmed the same activites into it but each time you change an activity, it turns the components from the previous activity off so it doesn't work well for my multi-zone system unless I use a 2nd remote for one of the zones and don't operate the same activity.

Based on all this, does anyone have any suggestions for a mid-priced remote solution that would fit my needs?

Thank you for your time,

Mengsk