Universal Remotes

[admin_exported]

Daft question but how can you tell whether a Universal remote covers all of the elements of your kit before purchasing?

 

[Cofnchtr]

HI,

Ask either the salesperson in the shop or email the manufacturer or check their www site.

If the salesperson isn't keen to open the packet, ask him why he hasn't got full knowledge of the product he's selling...

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Buy the Harmony 525 or 555 - it will have everything covered (not PS3 for bluetooth reasons).

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry for jumping in folks, does the 555 also work with sky boxes?

Cheers

Alan

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

My Harmony 525 works for SKY.

 

[professorhat]

My friend has the 555 and Sky HD and it works fine with that. I have the 555 and it's a great remote - bit tricky to get it do everything you want sometimes but you can get there with persistence. Once you're there though, it's fabulous.

 

[Anonymous]

And does anyone know if the 555 works with a V+ box as well?

 

[professorhat]

If it's not in the online database (but I'm sure it will be), it has a learning function which works very well so there's no reason why this would not work as long as you have the original remote.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feed back, gotta get me card out again!!

 

[Anonymous]

I have the Logitech Harmony One and it works with the V+ box.

The quirkiest thing I got the Harmony One to work with is my Lutron Rania dimmer switches. The Logitech baby sets scenes, dims, switches on and off - the Lutron remote does not do as much or as well.

I guess the 555 is pretty much the same animal, but I'd safely say that the Harmony One is about the best 100 squid I've spent this year.

 

[professorhat]

What put me off the Harmony One was lack of coloured buttons (i.e. red, green, yellow and blue). Since both my TV and my PVR use these extensively, they're a must for me. However, if you don't need them, then it's obviously not important.

 

[kena]

Depends what you want to pay and how much flexibility you need. The Philips Pronto range are amazing for giving you the freedom to do what you want via its programming capability. But remotecentral.com has lots of downloadable files which you can edit/custom on your PC which can take out a lot of the work

 

[kena]

F.Y.I

IR2BT.COM and PS3toothfairy.com offer solutions to the PS3 issue, not used either so can't advise maybe a google search would reveal their sutability ease of use.

 

[Anonymous]

The coloured buttons (i.e. red, green, yellow and blue) are on the touchscreen on the Harmony One. I use them a fair bit for watching TV and controlling the PVR (V+ box). Seeing as you use the touchscreen a lot it isn't a problem.

 

[Anonymous]

professorhat:If it's not in the online database (but I'm sure it will be), it has a learning function which works very well so there's no reason why this would not work as long as you have the original remote.

So, Prof am I right in thinking that as long as you have the original remote, the 555 will learn the relevant functions if the particular model is not included in the database?

Do you know if there is much difference (apart from the price and a colour screen) between the 555 and the 885?

Thanks

 

[professorhat]

Yes that's right, the online database is huge though so I don't think there are many things which aren't included.
I'm not 100% sure on the differences between the 885 and the 555, all I remember is when I was looking, there was no feature that stood out enough for me to consider paying the extra.