I am in the market to buy a universal remote that has a lot of features and the touch screeen is a nice feature. I have been drawn into the Sony Remote Commander's specifically the 3100 or 4000. Anyone here have one of these and can give me their thoughts?

Or does anyone here have a universal with a touch screen that they would recommend? I am looking to purcahse this on eBay

Thanks in advance for the advice


Joe

 

Ive heard the Logitech's can't be beat.



That said, I had a spare palm pilot running a remote program with a touch screen, FWIW, a normal style TV remote can't be beat. Touch screens don't work by feel, and all it is is something else to break.

If anything a hybrid style remote like that logitech is best.

What kind of setup do you have? Lights, curtains, etc?

Mike

 

^^^ I love mine, though it's Not a touchscreen, I think Philips makes a touchscreen vvvv

 

Logitech Harmony Remotes FTW!

I'd pick up the 550 unless you have every gadget in your house on remote. It's the bottom end but it pretty much covers everything.

 

I have had the Sony one and I got rid of it after a month. The touchscreen looks cool and it worked good, but it was a real pain to use. you have to look down everytime you are trying to do anything - I would rather have a regular remote anyday.

 

why is the logitech so much better than the sony? I have a Sony TV, pioneer surround sound system, pioneer dvd player, cable box. I just wanted something cool like that to control everything since I have like 4 remotes, the TV remote, cable box, dvd player and amp remote, but its too much and I would rather have a all in one. I heard logitech is nice but I like the silver look, all my equipment is matching all silver look, tv and surround system. even the box is a silver look to it.

thanks

 

I had one of those Sony remotes for years... UPGRADED to the Harmony 880 and have zero regrets.

The Sony is now in some landfill somewhere.

 

I am using a Sony RM-VL 600 for $25.

control 8 devices and 12 macro.

Very easy to use and comfortable to hold.

And it is silver in color.

http://www.remotecentral.com/vl600/index.html

 

I have the Sony remote commander and have had it for several years now. Its really easy to program and easy to use, BUT, you have to use it with two hands, which can be a drag for a number of reasons.

Plus, if you have Tivo, you're not going to want to use it for Tivo. I use the Tivo remote for TV watching, and the RC for everything else.

I like the looks of the Harmony though, that would be my suggestion...

 

I love my Harmony, I've been disappointed with every Sony remote I've ever owned.

 

The answer to that, I think, is in programming the remote. Harmony has better software (IMHO) and is really easy to use.

 

The 880 has a gray body and silver buttons.

If you must have a silver body then get the Harmony 890, it's silver and has RF support.

 

but the 890 is like double the price of the 880...

 

love my 880

 

it's $100 more.

and i'm not justifying it. i own an 880.

he's the one putting the "silver color" as a top priority

gunmetal is good enough for me.

 

yeah, I almost bought the 890 myself just because they had on Costco.com... but someone HERE convinced me that I didn't need to spend the extra $$ on the 890 cuz I didn't need the RF feature... and to just get the 880... once again thanks to AZ for helpful information

 

Would any of 'em work with a mediacenter computer?? j/w

 

if your MC has an IR receiver, yep.

 

Suite, thanks. It dose.

 

I've had a Harmony 676 for 2 years and just got a 880 to replace it and move the 676 up to the MBR. Piece of cake to reprogram the old and program the new. The 880 is very nice but it does take some time to learn the new buttons. Once you do...you'll wonder why you did not upgrade sooner!

Check out Amazon for them....very cheap prices!

 

I am not a fan of Harmony remotes. I have found their software to be very buggy, and the remotes are easily broken. I used to install up to a dozen a week. I now work with Universal Remote Control, most specifically, the MX-700 and the MX-850. Both will do everything the Harmony's do with a much more fluid reaction to a button press with the macros. The IR signal is also much stronger and the remotes themselves are much more durable. You do have to program the remote yourself from scratch. I prefer this now however. Not being dependant on Harmony's web interface is a major plus as well.

 

I couldn't disagree more. I update my remote via the Harmony software/site on probably a weekly basis and have yet to encounter a single problem or bug. While I'm sure some minor bugs exist, nothing warranting the label of "very buggy".

As for the durability, the Harmony, IMO, is as durable as any typical plastic remote. I've no carpeting in my living room and the Harmony is dropped at least several times a day between myself, my fiance, and my dog sending it flying across the room. While it wouldn't have surprised me if it had broken, I'm happy to report that it has not. *knock on wood*.

The IR signal is decent, and is blasted in a wide range.

The biggest benefit to the Harmony is that you don't have to program everything manually, but you can! It's essentially plug and play, yet it allows you to customize IR-specific options most remotes wouldn't.

The Harmony is probably the most satisfying device in my Home Theater. There's barely another device in the room that performs so flawlessly with such minimal input.


All that aside Harmony vs MX-850?

vs

Nuff said.

 

I have experienced the exact opposite, both on a personal and professional level. I have dealt with both on a large scale, and really have come to dislike the Harmony's. They serve their purpose for the average joe that either does not know how or doesn't care to program the remote themselves. I find the MX Editor to be easier then Harmony's, as well as much much faster. I have also had to replace numerous Harmony's, from kids or dogs destroying them, to 2 foot drops, to the remote just plain stop working. To date I have not had a single MX that needed to be replaced. Maybe cause of the scale difference, I am seeing more problems then you have. I am not saying that all Harmony's will result in the issues I have seen, but I have most definitely seen a much greater amount of problems with them then the MX remotes (which is actually none to date)

 

Never even heard of the MX remotes until now - my Harmony 550 is working great though and it's easy to find in the sub $100 range. So damn easy to program too. The only issue I have is that the backlight seems to activate of it's own accord.