Which remote to buy - RM-VL710 or VM-VL900?

Key question for me -- which remote will allow easier programmable direct selection of the video inputs on my Sony KV34HS420 TV with Video Inputs 1-7 plus TV?

Both this site's review and the manual for the RM-VL900 talk about using dual keys with Sony TVs, i.e. TV/Video + (1) to select input 1. I don't find this information in the review or manual for the RM-VL710.

I like the extra keys on the RM-VL710 and can live with 5 devices, but programmable direct selection of inputs is critical for making this easier for my wife.

Sorry if this has been covered somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

Thanks,
djmoll

You are confusing the TV/Video button with the Input button.

The TV/Video button will change the inputs in succession from V-1 to V-2 etc. The Input button, when available, will take your TV directly to the TV input, giving you a constant starting point for your macro.

According to the manuals, neither the VL-900 or the VL-710 has an Input button, so your choice of remotes is easy, just pick the 710 if you like it better.

To make your macro, simply use the Channel + button to return your TV to the TV input as a constant starting point, then insert the necessary number of TV/Video commands to take you to the desired input.

Ron,
Thanks. Possibly you are correct about my confusion . . .!! Below are two excerpts from the RM-VL900 review on this site, plus a paragraph from the manual. It certainly looks like you can "directly selecting seven television...inputs on Sony components".

The review talks about an INPUT button on the RM-VL900, but I don't see it on the keypad.

The manual talks about using the TV/VIDEO key plus a number to select an input on a Sony TV.

Do either of these methods work??? I suspect your experience may be more accurate than either the review or the manual!!

(Your suggested work around using the CHANNEL select my work on both remotes.)

Thanks for any additional clarification you or others can offer.

Djmoll

[from the review]
"Like the AV2000 and AV2100, the VL900 includes dual-button commands for directly selecting seven television or six VCR inputs on Sony components. Owners of other brands may use these double-buttons to learn different functions if they desire. "

"Dual key assignments: Some buttons can hold a dual-key sequence; for instance INPUT plus a keypad button from 0 to 6 will directly select the input on a Sony television. A similar feature is available for Sony VCRs. RECORD functions may be stored on an instant REC button, or a safer REC+PLAY combination."

[from manual, pg. 14]
About the input select of a TV
Each time the TV/Video button is pressed, the input is changed in order. It is also poissible to select directly as follows when you are connecting more than two VCRs.
TV/VIDEO + 0 : TV tuner
TV/VIDEO + 1 : VIDEO1
TV/VIDEO + 2 : VIDEO2
etc.

I don't remember seeing anything about that feature in the manual, but you can do it with the 710. I just tried it with my RM-VL710 and Mitsubishi CRT, and it worked. I wonder if this can be used as a macro step? I'll try that later.

I remember being able to do this with the RM-AV2100, but didn't read the manual for either the 710 or 900 enough to see it could be done in either one.

The problem is you cannot use this in a macro. The procedure requires you to hold down the TV/Video button and then press a numbered button, and you cannot do this in a macro. When you make the macro, if you press the TV/Video button and then press the numbered button, the macro will read this as two separate steps, not the one step performed by holding down the TV/Video button and then pressing the numbered button.

The best solution is using the channel + button to get you back to a constant starting point and then inserting the required number of TV/Video commands.

Well, I was wrong about this. =P
I realized later that pressing any button while holding TV/Video changes the input.

BTW, I tried to "teach" the 710 today from a UR74A, and that didn't work. Oh well.

Were you trying to teach x10 commands from the UR74A? If so did you switch the UR74A from RF to IR?

Yeah, I switched the UR74A to IR, and it works fine. The 710 behaves the way it should while learning (it seems to accept the commands), but it won't operate the IR543. I'm very disappointed, but I think I'm going to keep the 710 anyway.

Hello All-
I just bought the Sony RM-VL710, and also have the question on how to work towards a macro that can begin by changing my tv input to a starting point such as tv.

Mr. Aronson, could you please expand on your comment in this thread above: "The best solution is using the channel + button to get you back to a constant starting point and then inserting the required number of TV/Video commands."

I try this, but I must be missing a preliminary step or something because it doesn't work. I would be very appreciative if you could help with more detail.
Thanks

Challer, you need to return your system to a default state after use so that your activities will always have the same starting point. So for example, my TV has three inputs, so I could have an on/off macro for DVD like this:

TV – TV/Video (VCR) – TV/Video (TV) – Power
AMP – Power – 0
DVD – Power
TV – TV/Video (DVD)

That macro would work if I began with all units off and the TV on input 1 (TV) or if I began with all units on and the TV on input 2 (DVD).

Most of the recently made TV's will return to the tv input from any other input when you press any button that has to do with changing a channel, such as the channel up, channel down, or any of the numbered buttons. So, if your TV is in Video 2, for example, and you press one of these buttons, the TV should return to the TV input.

It is possible that your TV is either an older model or one of the few recent models that don't do that. It is also possible that there is another way to get back to that required constant starting point.

If it doesn't work on your TV, what is the make and model of your TV so we can check it out more.

Mr. Aronson-
I tried my tv remote: pushing a channel button or number button to return it to tv input, but it didn't work.
My tv is a Mitsubishi HDTV ready WS-55315. It's a rear projection model that was made in 2004.
Thanks very much for the help.

challer, see this thread,your mits oem remote maybe able to generate the discrete commands that your sony remote can learn.

Well - I'm deeply indebted to everyone here for the help: the discrete mode on my Mits remote worked to teach the Sony RM-VL710 perfectly. I see the threads for this date back 3+ years (reading the posts on this issue made me realize I should have searched for these).
Anyways, thanks again: not only did this site tip me off on the right remote for me to to buy, but also to figure out something that had been bothering me for a few days.

(Now if only all web sites could be as helpful like this one....).

Regards