help with remote controlling ...

[admin_exported]

hi everyone,

just connected up my 1st surround system consisting of the onkyo 606, sky+, wii, ps3, and pana 42px80.

all seems well and i have all the sources hooked up but just want to ask on some advice tweaking the whole thing:

1. the ps3 is connected to the multi channel hdmi input on the back of the onkyo, whiles the sky+ is connected via scart, and theres a hdmi output lead from the onk to the pana hdmi socket1. now everytime i switch on the tv the pana seems to start on the hdmi source (ps3) and i have to manually change it to av1 in order to watch sky, is there a way to by pass the hdmi source and have the sky+ on each time the tv is turned on?

2. i have reconfigured the onkyo remote to work as the sky+ but the coloured buttons dont seem to work, quite annoying as i have all my fav channels stored on the blue and the missus swears by the green planner. we dont fancy having to juggle with 2 remotes so if the onkyo is not capable of controlling sky can anyone recommend a third party remote which will work the lot? heard some good things about the logitech harmonys, can anyone vouch for them?

3. now that the ps3 is hooked up to the onk should i change anything on the ps3 set up menu? as for the wii, if i upgrade to componets should i connect them to the onk or directly to the pana?

any suggestions welcome, thanx in advance.

 

[Andrew Everard]

1. I think it may be something to do with the the link function on the Onkyo, which is telling the TV to default to the HDMI input whenever both TV and Onkyo are on. It's worth checking whether the receiver's RIHD system is switched on - see manual p81. If it is, try turning it off.

Or it could just be the TV is sensing an active HDMI input and defaulting to that, in which case, you need to check whether there's an HDMI auto-detect setting, and again turn that off.

2. I'm a big fan of the Logitech Harmony remotes - they can easily be programmed to give you all the control you want, including switching theTV to the correct input. Once programmed up - for which set aside a good solid weekend morning, in my experience! - you just press a button marked 'watch TV' or 'watch sky' or 'watch DVD' for example, and everything fires up and is ready to go.

I use the Harmony 885, and it's excellent.

3. Go into the sound menu, and make sure every possible sound format is selected. Then the PS3 will output them as Linear PCM to the Onkyo, which will auto-detect them and process accordingly.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the tips andrew.

would i need the 885 at the very least, or can i go for one of the lower models? not being stingy, just dont want something that will be underused.

 

[Andrew Everard]

kc2008:
thanks for the tips andrew.

would i need the 885 at the very least, or can i go for one of the lower models? not being stingy, just dont want something that will be underused.

The 555, 785 or Harmony One should also do the job.

Oh, and there's also a solution allowing you to control the PS3 with the Harmonies - as you probably know, PS3 remotes use Bluetooth, not the standard infrared.

With this unit, you plug the little receiver into one of the PS3's USB ports, and use the supplied handset as normal. Or in your case, teach the remote commands that handset uses onto the Harmony handset, and then job done!

 

[nickers1969]

Excellent stuff Andrew! I have had a 555 for many months and recently got a PS3 - i was disappointed about he fact that the remote wouldn't operate the PS3! Not any more!

Cheers