5 comments about Universal Remote Control MX-850 IR/RF Aeros Remote Control.

1. This is the second Universal Remote Control I have purchased. I originally bought the MX-800 and liked it so well, I decided to get another when I bought a new HDTV. The MX-850 is very similar but with a better "select" button. You have to be somewhat technicly inclined to set up and program the device. However, if you are willing to spend the time, you will find the control very powerful in what it can be programmed to do. It is very well made and has a good feel. These units were initially released before USB became the standard, so you will have to purchase a USB to RS232 convertor. They are not expensive and I have had no trouble using the conversion device. My MX-800 is also still in use for a second DVR/TV configuration. Both models use the same software.



2. If you are a professional installer or plan to hire a professional installer then this might be for you.
   
   I originally paid someone to install a home entertainment system and everything including the remote was working fine...
   
   ...until, I wanted to add a blu-ray dvd player. Getting something added to work with this remote is a major hassle. There is no online pdf available. To get the software, you have to register your remote and then wait...and wait some more until they accept your registration.
   
   The apparent strategy of the company is to make this remote installer friendly. A regular joe is helpless with this. Therefore they gain the allegiance of installers to recommend and sell this product for them. Anyway, I had a guy out today to reprogram it, figured all of this out, and now will have to have him come back later in the week. Today is a Saturday so contacting the company was not an option as they were closed.



3. I found the programming software easy to use. (Check to make sure the software ships with the unit or is downloadable.) Everything is laid out nicely and the customizability is fantastic! You'll need to buy a USB/RS-232 interface cable if your PC is a recent model that lacks a 90's-style serial port.
   
   The one big gripe I have with this remote is that it guzzles batteries like a marathon runner in the Sahara. A set of four AAA's only lasts about 3-4 weeks, plus there's no low-battery warning before it stops working. When the batteries are almost gone, it will suddenly run a power-on self-test every other time you press a button. You'll definitely want a set of rechargeables for this one.



4. I received the item within a few days. After several days of trying to get the program to download to the remote, no instructions where included, and a call to the seller, I contacted Universal directly. They told me the program was too outdated to update, so they emailed me a new program and pdf instructions. Fantastic remote. Very Easy to program. This thing can do anything. I also bought the MX 200 Sidekick today for the young one.



5. Easy to program and very responsive. We're back to a one remote household with multiple devices to control. My favorite aspect was the ability to use my PC to set up the commands which sends them to the remote. Any future changes or additions will be a breeze.

3 comments about Color Pronto Remote Control - TSU9600.

1. The wow, times 6 refers to the 6 remotes that I was happily able to put in a drawer by replacing them all with this beauty.
   
   Obviously, it's very expensive and I will tell you right now that I know that it is WAY over-kill for my modest system, but I haven't regretted getting it for one second. Also you need to know that unless you have some programming skills, then you will need someone to program it for you and that will add to the over-all cost, as well. It has zero capability of controlling your system out of the box, and must be custom programmed for all of your devices, and thats not a simple task.
   
   Here's what I have programmed it to control:
   
   Panasonic plasma TV
   Tivo HD
   Toshiba HD DVD player
   Onkyo receiver
   Sony PS3 ( using IR USB adapter from Nyko BluWave remote set )
   Roku SoundBridge ( via 802.11g wireless communication to SlimServer running on my home network ).
   
   It can also access the internet to grab things like the current time, and weather.



2. The Pronto TSU9600 is a powerful control panel that should easily replace all of your remotes, allowing you to consolidate your home theater control in one stylish, easy to use unit. However, programming this unit is not for amateurs. I have the Pronto Pro and had become fairly adept at programming it, but it took many hours to master. The 9600 is far and away more complex, and not user-friendly by anyone's definition. On the plus side, it is a beatiful piece of work, and works great once you have it programmed. If you're technology friendly, I highly recommend it.



3. Color Pronto Remote Control - TSU9600 This is a very difficult piece of equipment for the average person to program. I had to get help from a professional and it is still not completely working the way I want it to work. The unit is nice looking but I have noticed that it is best to keep it on the charger. I only purchased it for TV (several) programming. I have several TV's of the same brand and couldn't find a devise that would work each individually. This Pronto does the trick! I do not have a whole house lighting system etc. I have since found other less expensive controllers that would work.

5 comments about Philips Magnavox PM435S 4-Device Universal Remote Control.

1. This did not work out of the package and I returned it to Amazon for a refund. Have not received it yet. Bought one locally.



2. This remote worked fine when I first received it. However, about three weeks later, it would not controll my dvd and vcr. I am constantly having to reprogram it, especially for the dvd. I'm very disappointed.



3. We got this remote to replace a dead remote for a TV in our bedroom, not even for the purpose of hooking multiple devices together. We decided on this remote by the highly scientific process of going to the store, and selecting the cheapest universal remote they had available. The remote worked with the very minimal effort of finding the TV's code in the manual (which has a large selection of device codes (though in my experience, the first code for any given product usually works). Recently, we have switched tvs around and added various components to our setups and it has worked with almost every device (including a 13 year old AIWA stereo system and the Cable tuner from some company I've never heard of). It only has had some trouble with this DVD/VCR combo from Philips that we just got (which surprises me to no end). I would give it only four stars for that small caveat if it wasn't so darn cheap. For the price, the general multipurpose-ness of this device deserves the full 5 stars.



4. I bought this for a 1 year old who kept re-programming his parents' television and dvd players because he loved to play with the remote controls, so I have no idea how it functions as an actual remote because we did not put batteries in it for him to play with.
   But he loves it as a play remote! It also doubles as a drumstick sometimes.....



5. Got it, put batteries in, put in codes, and it worked. Even for my old TV. But. . .don't throw away the code list. I tossed mine and now can't find codes for my new DVD player (planning on calling Philips, don't foresee an issue.)

5 comments about Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control (Black).

1. I got the refurbished version of this from Amazon, and I did like it.
   It felt pretty good in my hand, and managed to program itself to
   control all of my 6-7 components.
   
   However, I did realize after a couple of weeks, that it would go through my
   AAA rechargeable (750mah) batteries in one week. I could not see myself
   having to recharge, and replace the batteries once per week. I can't imagine the
   cost for regular AAA batteries for this remote control for a year or two or three.
   The LCD screen is always on wasting energy, and the pretty blue lights
   for the whole remote are also a waste of energy, which I never used.



2. At first we set up the remote incorrectly but tech support is good and we got it working ourselves. It is so nice to only have one remote instead of 5.



3. Pros -
   It works well - as long as you give it the time to talk to all of your devices. I have a DVR, HD DVD player, Oppo DVD player, Sony receiver, and flatscreen TV, and electronic HDMI switch. Once it's all set up it is fine to control all devices. The internet downloading of codes is great. The learning mode was easy for those devices you need to program. I've used this for over a year and I don't remember what I had to teach it.
   
   Cons-
   First and foremost, after a year I have 2 function buttons that have just gone dead. The warranty is for a year; after a year and a couple of months a couple of the side buttons just will no longer respond.
   
   Initial setup was nearly a failure. The website couldn't communicate correctly with the device which had outdated firmware inside. That struggle took me about 2-3 hours and I'm a programmer. Some undocumented thing I did finally got the firmware updated to where it would work.
   I didn't understand why if the Logitech database had all the codes for my Sony receiver that it needed to "talk" to my Sony remote.
   
   Final thoughts -
   I was lucky to get the thing working due to software/firmware incompatibilities in the current website version of the firmware and the version the remote shipped with. I think the buttons going dead like they did is pretty unforgivable at this price. Even so, I might get another logitech device to replace this one with (which is why I'm here now writing this review.) If I were to buy this all over again I'd extend the warranty a year for $10 or make sure I had an extra year from a credit card warranty extention. When you get all the kinks worked out it works great.



4. The Harmony H-659 is very user friendly and does the job very good for my family BUT, this is my second purchase after about two years. The first one i satrted having problems with the OFF button that you would have to press it 5-6 times before it would turn off the devices and then eventually the OFF button would not work. I am hoping I get more than a couple of years out of it this time but it does works great.



5. This is an absolute hunk of junk! After wasting hours with what should have taken minutes I am sworn off of any Logitech remotes.
   
   Here is what I sought to accomplish: a single remote that controls my DirecTV DVR (channel up/down, menu, select, etc.) and my Yamaha amplifier (volume up/down, mute.)
   
   However, this was not a simple task. The Logitech software requires that you identify such processes as what devices are to be engaged to make this task happen. What tasks? I just want the power on! I don't need to change the TV's input, I don't need to turn on or off the power of other devices, I don't need to think of it as my "TV Sequence."
   
   All I wanted to do was map the functions either intelligently by assigning the IR values of each remote to the button on the Logitech, or just learn the individual IR values with the device's remote aimed at the Harmony. Neither of these options proved fruitful on this over-thought, over-wrought, hunk of junk.
   
   The software application that runs on your PC to control this device was not written by someone who has a basic understanding of the end task. All it did was get in the way.
   
   Rather than purchase the Logitech Harmony, you are better off holding a representative value of dollar bills out the window of your car to let them pass with the wind, as it will be less frustrating than attempting to program this device.
   
   Now, to "Office Space" it.

5 comments about Universal Remote MX-650 Omega Remote Control for Audio Video TV.

1. I have two prontos that I have programmed so i am aware of the fancy tricks the pronto can do but
   this remote is so easy to use and set up I use it exclusively now.
   
   The buttons work great, you can do macros, Plus it has lots of buttons
   which I prefer over finding a image on a touch screen



2. I bought this as a xmas gift for my husband. We have had a few universal programmable remotes before, none of which really worked. This one is great, no longer am I searching for the receiver, tv, tivo, and dvd remote ...this actually does all the functions of the others!!! It even can be set up to turn on and off the tv and receiver at the same time so you don't have push alot of buttons. It was well worth the money.



3. Absolutely love it! It was not hard to program and it even works with our projector. I am so glad to have one remote and not five :-)



4. Great remote.. works thru walls with the receivers can control nearly anything. Can set receivers to only receive your signal so 'interference' from other remotes in the area will not control your 'stuff'. Learning remote will even works with Bang and Olufsen Products (B&O) says this does not happen often as the very high frequency needed to control them.. you just need to go and and 'learn' the commands.
   
   easy to program, learn commands, etc.. easy to clone remotes once you do get one programmed!
   
   also .. customer assistance from universal remote is awesome.. i sent in one that stopped working and they replaced it without any drama.



5. We purchased a whole new system about 6 months ago. We have a DLP 1080i, cable, receiver, PS3 (also used for Blue Ray discs, X-Box, and Apple I-TV. For the first five months we used the remotes for all of the above seperately and there was only one person in the house who could make them all work. We purchased this Omega and had someone come out to program everything at a charge of $100. It took him 1 1/2 hours to set it all up. We couldn't be happier - it is dummy proof and takes very little instruction to use. We especially enjoy the ease of enabling zone 2 to something other than our main zone uses: example: main zone is watching cable and zone 2 is listening to music on Apple I-tv. It works very well with the I-TV. We do have to use the PS controller to fastforward, play, etc a movie - but it switches the blue ray system over to ready mode. We couldn't be more pleased, but probably saved a lot of frustration by spending the $100 to have a professional set it up.

No comments about NEW Vizio Remote Control, for Vizio Lcd/plasma Hdtv.

5 comments about Sony RM-AX1400 Eight-Device Home Theater Remote Control.

1. This product is just what I was looking for. It controls All of my components with very little programming effort. The macros are great and turn on my amplifier/tuner, LCD TV and DVD player at the touch of a button. Best of all I only paid a total of $16 for this product. This product retails from $100 or more from other retailers. What a deal!!!!



2. This remote is a great deal, but it's not perfect. As noted in other reviews, it is very customizable but the software interface is pretty clunky. The remote has a tendency to forget what state your devices are in. For example, you should be able to switch from watching a DVD to watching TV with a single button push. The idea is that it knows what components are on and what inputs they are set for so it will switch the receiver to TV, turn off the DVD player, and switch the TV input to "TV". However, the remote often forgets to switch the TV input from "VIDEO" to "TV." There is a "Sync-up" button which goes through each component and tells you to set it properly, but then it still doesn't remember that the TV is now using the input "TV" and when you switch back to the DVD player it won't flip the input to "VIDEO". This is annoying, but overall the remote is a time saver and works pretty well. For under $20 (shipped), you can't beat it.



3. I purchased this remote because I needed one to control all my products, and because it was much cheaper then other remotes that did the same thing. I guess you get what you pay for. This remote is far too hard to program I made a mistake going through the program and I can not figure out how to go back. It will NOT control 2-3-4 things with one button, and you can not delete any comands or start over again. I will dump this in the box of unused remotes I was trying to replace when I brought this, and keep looking. I definity do not recomend this product.



4. I use the remote for my tv, receiver, dvd player, even my mac. everything works incredibly well. My only problem with it is the software only runs on windows.



5. Programmability is great. It recognized codes for most of our electronics, and it was easy to have it learn specialty buttons that it did not know. We especially liked the fact that you could override any existing button by deleting the pre-programmed assignment and assigning/learning a new code. Note we haven't gotten in to the "one button to control everything" programming, but that's because we were looking just for a replacement remote for the current remotes that are starting to fail. And for that purpose, it's great, and so is the ridiculously cheap price. In fact, we're so happy with it that we just bought another one for our downstairs setup.

5 comments about Win Vista Premium Ultimate Mce Remote Control By Mediagate.

1. This is the best mediacenter remote ever, very fast works flawlessly in windows vista home premium, wonderful remote has every function anyone could expect!!



2. This RC works very well with Windows Vista and the only thing you need to do is plug the receptor in the usb, no driver instalation in seconds you can use your rc! And with a TV card the pc is better than a tv! Very nice product!!!



3. Hi I have used this item before purchasing this from Amazon.. I just want to warn you guys who wants to buy this remote from Amazon, that it really takes 5 weeks to come at your home. I placed this order on 1 feb but so far I have not received this item...so be careful if you really wants to waite this long and also if you are planing to take a 2 days or overnight service!!
   other than then that this product is pretty good...



4. The remote works great except there times when I push a button once and it clicks twice on my computer. Maybe mine has a small defect or something. Other than that I really like the remote.



5. When the original remote stopped working for my Media Center PC, this remote came to my rescue! I actually like it much better too. Very easy to setup and use, looks good, and even survived a couple major drops with no damage or problems.
   Highly recommend it!

5 comments about Terk Technologies LF-IRX Leapfrog Remote Control Extender.

1. Seems like when the electricity goes out at my house (which is apt to do), they stop working, so I have to unplug/plug from time to time. Otherwise, they work great. They have to go through about 60 feet and 3 walls of my home to control my satellite receiver.



2. The Terk tech. lf-irx remote control extender. is in my opinion a poor system if you wish to control a device with the IR recever across the room.
   
   My experience was as follows. At eight feet I got no response. at five feet I got about 10-15 percent response. When I placed the receiver on top of the Cable box and used the wire with led placed next to the ir control on the box i finally got 100 percent control. I concede that I have room to room wireless control, but I am disappointed, with the ir transmission of the wireless receiver.



3. Was hoping to get 50 feet out of these guy's. No luck. I was trying to go from downstairs to main floor, no luck. Product comes with everything needed though. If you are looking to put the 2 units very close to each other to hide your components, This is for you, if you are looking to go over 30 feet, go with the X-10 Powermid, I bought one of those and it solved all of my distance issues.



4. I have an older Terk LeapFrog at one house and wanted to install something similar at our vacation home. The older model doesn't appear to be available anymore so I figured this product would work as well (since it's made by the same company), if not better (since it's newer). I figured wrong. The old LeapFrog works immediately and everytime; the emitter doesn't even need to point at the product it's controlling, just being in the same enclosed cabinet is enough. On this newer product I can't seem to get it to work reliably unless I hold the remote 24" from the receiver. Oddly enough, after continuing to "bombard" the receiver with IR radiation from the remote it sort of "wakes up", and starts working, until you don't use the remote for a while and then it's back to square one. The vacation home is in a remote area and the only other wireless devices in the house are a 5.8GHz cordless phone, and a 802.11g router on another floor in the opposite corner of the house. I have the same wireless devices at the "older LeapFrog home" and the same 802.11g router sits next to it. The receiver and emitter in the "newer LeapFrog home" are about 3 linear feet from each other. I'm baffled that Terk could take a simple product that worked great 4 years ago, and through the marvel of engineering incompetence, make it worse.



5. Took about 5 minutes to set up. I'm flummoxed as to why anyone would have trouble setting up/using this. Plug the sending & receiving units in & attach the repeater(s). I'm using it to control the DirecTV DVR in the living room that feeds the signal in my bedroom - works flawlessly every time. Never had a problem at all. It was *extremely easy* to set up. Couldn't be happier (especially at this price point)!
   
   As an aside to everyone who is having trouble aiming their remote at the sending unit - make sure it's oriented correctly. The unit must be placed with the slim end (opposite of the end with the power attachment) exposing the red plastic for IR reception. Not very intuitive - especially since it looks similar to some indoor TV antennas which are usually oriented with the logo exposed (as in the picture for this item).

5 comments about Phlilips Prestigo SRU8010 Icon Universal Remote Control.

1. The Icon Universal Remote Control is nothing compared with Harmony Remote. In order to control one device you have to select the device first like TV, receiver, DVD or cable box. You cannot change the volume on the receiver if your watching TV without selecting the receiver button. To change channels you have to change from TV to Cable mode/key. Unlike the Harmony remote you can change the channel and volume without changing device keys.
   
   Eliminating the use of computer to program the remote makes it more difficult and longer. The Icon remote could not find the exact code for my Onkyo Receiver. You have to know the channel and its corresponding name in order to store it in the Icon Remote.
   
   The Icon remote claims that Harmony remote gets confused when each device is turned off manually. This problem is easily fixed with the help button.
   
   I regret buying this Icon remote.



2. Simple to program. No real need for manual or internet for assistance. Takes a little time to setup but worth it. Does a good job at mapping buttons to devices during wizard setup process. Custom LCD buttons are very nice. Nicely built. For the money .. nothing better. If you need a reasonably priced universal remote that is easy to program and use then look no further.



3. The Philips SRU8010 is a great univeral device that once you have programmed it you will be extremely pleased. I wish that years ago this was the device we purchased rather than the one we tossed away that was very flakey! Anyone who takes the time can easily program this remote for all their home devices and put away all the other remotes for good. If you want the quality of a high priced univeral at a lower price this is the one you will be pleased. I know that this is the right one for us and it will be for others also.



4. Philips SRU8010 Prestigo Icon Universal Remote
   Overview:
   I am writing this review on behalf of my wife. This will be the first universal remote my wife actually will use. She loves it. I have scaled Mount Everest. The unit is long (9" x 2.25"), but the length accommodates the bright, backlit screen at the top, which is the one feature she loves the most. For much more detail on the screen and button layout, you can download the user manual here:
   
   http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/en/us/consumer/cc/_language_us/_productid_SRU8010_37_US_CONSUMER
   
   (Note that the picture on the front of the manual shows black number buttons with white numbers, but our unit shipped as silver buttons with black numbers, which actually stand out more.) After you have programmed all your preferences and macros, memory is maintained while changing the 3 AA batteries--but the manual does not indicate how long memory is maintained without batteries. Here is how the setup goes.
   
   (1) Devices first. After first putting in batteries, a Setup Wizard comes on screen and easily takes you through an initial process of getting your basic devices (TV, cable box, DVD, receiver, etc.) and functions (On, Off, etc.) operational. A multitude of codes are stored in the Philips unit for almost any device and configuration (even TV/VCR combinations). Be sure to know what you want to name a device, because you cannot change the name once you have gone through the setup procedure. (Well, you could, but you would have to start from scratch, completely reinitializing that device, including loosing all manually programmed buttons and all macros particular to that device.)
   
   (2) Favorites second. Then, you set up your channel favorites. Very helpful before you get into your favorites setup would be to draw up a list of your channel numbers, the broadcast name, and the order that you would want them in. I know this takes a little time, but, believe me, the effort will pay off, because changing the order of your favorites once they have been set is most tedious. The Favorites have nice, readable icons (hence the word "Icon" in the remote's model name) in a large database covering not only the major broadcast and cable channels, but also channels of which I was not even aware. The icons show up beautifully on the bright, backlit display at the top of the remote. Once inside a particular Favorites list, pressing the small "Side Keys" next to a channel on each side of the display accesses that channel favorite. Your can have up to ten customized, namable Favorites lists, with each individual list having 36 channels stored. Wow. That's a bunch of channels and flexibility for all family members. You even have two dedicated Favorites list buttons on either side at the very top of the remote, one "His" and the other "Hers." Super! Just what the doctor ordered at our house. This Favorites feature of the remote is probably the most user friendly and nicest part of the remote.
   
   (3) Learning third. Those remote control functions that still do not work once a device has been setup can be learned (and you will always have some function on some button on an old remote that YOU want that nobody else cares about). You simply get the Philips unit ready, specifying which button on the Philips you want to program with that function, point your old remote at the bottom of the Philips unit (not the top), and punch that button on your old remote. The Philips returns a "Successful" if the IR code has been received, or lets you try again if you did not have the two remotes lined up properly. Sometimes all the main buttons you need for that device work straight out of the box using the Philips programmed code number for that device. On occasion, though, one button you need does not work. Say, for example, the Philips code number for your VCR gives you all your transport buttons (Play, Stop, Pause, Advance, Rewind), but, inexplicably, the Record button does not work. No worries. You just program the Record button manually using the learning function on the Philips unit and the Record button on your old VCR remote. Works like a charm every time. For those buttons that represent oddball features on your old remote, you just will have to remember what substitute function you put on that Philips button. When you have multiple devices and remotes, trying to remember too many "customized" buttons that do not correspond with the screen icon on the one surface of the Philips unit when constantly switching from one device to another gets to be difficult. Here I think the KISS principle may apply ("Keep it simple, stupid"), at least for me.
   
   You have two physical places to put the learned functions: (1) the "Main Keys," which is Philips's terminology for most of the buttons on the surface of the unit, including the Power button itself, and (2) the "Side Keys," which are not actually on the side of the unit itself, like the name might suggest, but the ten smaller buttons arranged vertically on the sides of the display screen, five on the left, and five on the right. Any button, Main Key or Side Key, can be one simple IR command or an entire macro.
   
   Special Features:
   This remote has many nice features that you can read about in the downloadable, pdf manual. I mention two in particular.
   
   (1) Punchthrough. A nice feature of universal remotes these days is called "punchthrough." This is lingo for being able to operate the volume on you receiver, for example, regardless what mode the remote is in, whether "Receiver," "TV," "Cable," "DVR," etc. So, if you are in TV mode watching a movie, the volume buttons on the Philips remote still control the volume of your receiver, not your TV's volume. The Philips volume buttons (and mute) "punch through" all the other devices to the receiver's volume control. Four control categories on the Philips remote can be set to "punch through" to a particular device in this manner: Volume, Channel, Play (transport functions), and Quit.
   
   (2) KidSafe. Another feature of the Philips remote that parents will appreciate is called "KidSafe." This feature uses a password-protected function to limit access to favorite groups, settings, or any forbidden menu. at least from the remote. When using the remote, the kids watch only the channels you allow, with access only to volume and mute, and cannot mess with any settings of the remote.
   
   Minor Complaints:
   (1) Codes: Be aware that inexpensive home-theater-in-a-box units (HTIB), even those from major brands, are not well represented in the device codes of the Philips unit and mostly have to be programmed manually--doable, but inconvenient. I was trying to simplify from a very expensive and complicated setup that my wife never could enjoy on her own, nor could friends visiting for the weekend, without me there to insure every little button and device was set up just right. Could not even watch the news, for goodness sake, without an act of Congress. I finally wearied of all that and capitulated to a HTIB that reduced the number of individual components and a morass of remotes. However, several important functions of my inexpensive HTIB, though a major name brand, I had to program manually on the Philips remote.
   
   (2) Buttons. The buttons on the remote are big and easy to use in the daylight. However, the "Main Keys" buttons, most of the buttons on the surface of the remote, are not backlit. I did not realize how dependent I had become on my backlit remotes. Watching a movie in a dimly lit room makes some specially coded buttons that are not the obvious Play, Stop, Menu, etc. buttons a stab in the dark that can ruin a good movie moment if you happen to hit the wrong button trying to guess. This complaint is NOT true of the beautiful, backlit display screen on the Philips remote and its "Side Keys." Also, the Mute and Last buttons are nowhere near the volume and channel buttons, a poor user-interface decision. These buttons are both small and located all the way down under the number keypad. You can "get used to the position," but why have to? This placement is completely illogical, perhaps a compromise made necessary because the volume and channel keys actually are unnecessarily big in the first place. Room could have been made for a Mute key underneath a smaller volume rocker, and ditto a Last button underneath a smaller channel rocker. This suggested placement would have been a minor change to achieve a major goal of much more user friendly from the git-go. (My wife already has asked numerous times, "Now, remind me, where is my Mute button?")
   
   Major Complaints:
   This Philips universal remote is really good, one my wife will actually use for the first time in our married lives, but getting the device up and running not always is a bed of roses. I will feel better about the remote as time distances me from the initial battle to get the unit set up fully with all necessary macros running smoothly and predictably. I would be embarrassed to admit the actual number of hours I put in getting every single glitch worked out, but I hope you will not think me a dufus. I am quite technically and gadget proficient, having owned a ton of electronic, stereo, recording, theater, and studio equipment. Hopefully, you will see more why I had trouble as I work through the following list.
   
   I realize that not every problem I had is purely the fault of the Philips remote. One problem is timing. Timing on macros is a huge consideration of which some consumers may not be fully aware. The reasons are numerous. For example, different TVs have different warm-up times, especially older DLPs and plasmas. You have to wait on the TV to warm up before the TV lets you have control through the remote. You have to estimate this pause in the sequence of working out a macro into which the TV turning on is configured. Even more complicated, in some macros the TV has to come on first. In others, the TV has to come on somewhere along the way. You might even have to experiment a good bit when to bring in the TV if you just cannot get a macro running smoothly. Another example of timing problems is the newer HDMI input. These inputs have to go through a form of electronic handshake before they establish their audio and video connections and are ready to go. Again, you have to estimate enough of a delay to give these inputs time to get on board with the rest of the routine.
   
   These type issues are not the fault of the Philips unit. You can have problems with timing with any universal remote that records macros.
   
   However, other problems clearly are the shortcomings of the Philips unit itself. Perhaps I can save you some headaches, aggravation, and time because you will have more of a heads up on this unit. The unit is really good, and can be had for a steal of a price for all the features, but you might have to pay in other ways, such as time and frustration. The following are my major complaints due to the problems I had setting up the remote or unhelpful characteristics I discovered the remote had that detracted from my ability to describe the device as truly user friendly in every way.
   
   (1) Macros: The macro implementation is the worst part of this universal remote. I found the macro function excruciatingly frustrating for several important reasons.
   
   1.1 MACROS CANNOT BE EDITED IN ANY WAY. If your entire macro runs perfectly except for the very last step, you have to start from scratch all over again. I must have done this a million times over the weekend I was setting up this remote. You cannot edit any macro once recorded, say, to increase the amount of pause a tad in one step. You cannot even change the name of a macro without re-recording the entire macro! Unbelievably, the naming function is available only while recording the macro.
   
   1.2 THE INTERNAL TIMER IS INACCURATE. On any universal remote, you can put pauses in between macro steps, and many macros for one reason or the other will need pauses. The Philips remote lets you put in pauses of supposedly 1 second increments from 1 to 9 seconds. However, the Philips timer, at least on my unit, is way off. Their "1 second" is really only about 1/3 of a second. So, if you need an actual 1 second pause, you need to program "3 seconds" on the Philips unit. Thus, their total of "9 seconds" really only gives you about 3 seconds in real time. If you want a 6 second pause, you have to put in TWO steps in your macro. The first step asks for a "9 second" pause, the maximum value the Philips allows, but that step only gives you 3 seconds in real time; the second step is a "dummy" IR command (one that does not actually activate anything from an old remote) for another "9 seconds" that gives you another 3 seconds in real time for your total 6 second pause. I am ashamed to say this timing problem took me half a day to figure out. I literally spent an entire morning trying to program macros without success with regard to some important macros that depended on timing. Be aware that various hidden timing problems might be present in your home theater setup that can frustrate your attempts to record a successful macro. If the internal timer of your Philips remote is as badly off as my unit is, you will have to calculate as best you can what the Philips "1 second" increments are in real time before wasting your time trying to record macros that need pauses of a certain length.
   
   1.3 "SUCCESSFUL" DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN SUCCESSFUL. When the Philips unit has received an IR command in programming a step in a macro, you get a screen that says "Successful." In fact, on occasion, the Philips might have received only PART of the IR burst, so the command is really bogus, but you will not know that until you have saved and tried to run the macro. The promise land can seem so close (you have completed a complicated macro, every step supposedly "successful"), yet you actually can be so far away (you run the macro, and something does not work). You might suspect a bogus step, because the macro always will break down at the same spot. This failure is really aggravating because you have to rerecord the same macro completely from scratch every time. If you happen not to remember exactly what you did, in exactly what order, with exactly what timing sequence, you are doomed to what may seem to be an endless recording loop that you just cannot finish successfully.
   
   (2) Names: YOU CANNOT CHANGE NAMES ONCE PROGRAMMED. Names of devices are called "Labels" by Philips, such as "TV," "DVD, "Receiver," etc. Neither the names (labels) of devices nor the names of macros can be edited once set. The reason for the inability to change device or macro names is a simple software programming stupidity: assigning of names is an internal step in the setup procedure for a device or in the recording feature of a macro, not a generally available edit function of the system menu. Put bluntly, you have no general edit function for names of devices or macros--an incredible oversight in software engineering. So, if in setting up a device you name that device, say, "FM," that has specially programmed buttons on the Philips remote, as well as a few special macros, and later think to change that "FM" device name to "Tuner," since the device also has other bands, such as AM, Shortwave, etc., you're completely out of luck, unless you want to start from scratch with that device, recording all over again all customized buttons and all macros.
   
   Curiously, you CAN change one set of names on the Philips unit, the names of various Favorites list. The edit function for the names of the Favorites lists is found on the main system menu, so the software engineers were not oblivious to nor incapable of writing a system-level edit function for names. Why they did not think to include an edit function for changing the names of devices and macros is an inexplicable oversight, and renders the Philips remote another step removed from a sense of being truly user friendly.
   
   You also cannot change the ORDER of your list of devices once established. So, if you want to put "Cable" first at the top of the list because that one will be the most used, but you just happened to add that device in last when you initially were setting up the remote, you're out of luck.
   
   (3) Favorites: CHANGING THE ORDER OF FAVORITES IS A PAIN. Your "Favorites" is your customized list of your favorite channels. Once the order is set, changes are possible, but extremely cumbersome. All you have is a basic "swap" feature: select one, then select the position you want that one in, which swaps the current occupier of that new position with the old position of the one you are moving. Thus, if you want to move #10 to #2, you simply are swapping the current channels that occupy #2 and #10. The only way to maintain the favorites list order is to "walk the ladder," that is, keep exchanging the channel you want to move up one position at a time until you arrive at the desired position. Much more user-friendly would have been an "insert" function (insert #10 before #2, simply pushing #2 and all following one slot down) rather than an "exchange" function (exchange #10 with #2). Very tedious.
   
   (4) Stability: THE UNIT HAS NO PHYSICAL RESET BUTTON. This absence is important, because the system did freeze on me one time in the learning mode (macros). The screen froze, and no button gave any response. Not finding a reset button anywhere on the unit, and not finding any description in the manual what to do if the system froze, I panicked. I knew I could take out the batteries and force a restart, but in doing so, I thought I was going to loose everything, all device setups, all macros, etc. Finally, determining I had no choice, I took out and immediately put back in one of the three batteries. This action returned control of the unit. To my great relief, all previous settings were preserved. I just took a while to recover from the heart attack. I now worry about a system freeze that also looses all the data. Yikes!
   
   (5) Interface. THE UNIT HAS NO EXTERNAL INTERFACE. This remote holds great promise and offers a robust feature set at a highly competitive price. This promising remote, however, has no USB port, no way to interface with the world outside. This lack of a USB port is quite sad. No port means no updates or bug fixes. Any software problems discovered never will be corrected. No port means no interface improvements. No important input from actual consumers in the field will ever be implemented. No port means no computer connectivity. Imagine being able to write macros on the computer and correct individual steps, or reorder steps, change timing, or edit device or macro names in a jiffy, or shift the order of devices or favorites just by a simple click and drag. Finally, no port means NO BACKUP OF THE DEVICE. Having already experienced a system freeze in one weekend of heavy use trying to program the macros, I now worry that this lack of backup may be a hidden Achilles Heel that will be heartbreak hotel if the device looses all its time-consuming settings suddenly.
   
   Summary:
   Pros:
   (1) Neat, uncluttered, logical layout, easy to read
   (2) Beautiful, bright, easy to read backlit display
   (3) Favorites lists, icon based, with large selection
   (4) Large database of device codes
   (5) Easily customizable
   (6) "KidSafe" feature
   (7) "Punchthrough" feature
   (8) Competitively priced, nothing with this feature set even close
   (9) Multi-user customizable (everyone has their own favorites list--great!)
   (10) One button programs can work multiple components, inputs, etc. with macros
   
   Cons:
   (1) Device codes for some HTIB units have to be finished manually
   (2) Recording successful macros with more than a few steps or pauses most difficult
   (3) Macros once recorded cannot be edited, not even names
   (4) Internal timer for macros is inaccurate
   (5) "Successful" IR input when writing macros not always successful
   (6) Changing list order is impossible (device list) or tedious (favorites)
   (7) Devices cannot be renamed
   (8) No physical reset button for system freeze
   (9) No external interface for updates (e.g., USB port)
   (10) No computer connectivity, software interface
   (11) "Main Key" buttons are not backlit
   (12) Mute and Last buttons small and poorly placed
   
   Conclusion:
   I regret the days necessary to program the unit. I regret the lack of certain editing features. I regret the lack of an external interface, both for updates or software editing, or a reset key. However, the unit finally is programmed and running smoothly and dependably on an entire home theater system. The backlit screen is beautiful and the icons easily read and user friendly. My wife is on board and a happy camper. I cannot beat the price and feature set. I am keeping the remote. If the unit freezes up or fails somewhere out there in the future (hopefully not too soon!), I will look first at Philips, hoping that they will have a new and improved model that addresses my major complaints but still at a competitive price. I would conclude four stars in general and recommend the unit, especially keeping in mind the price point, but with great reservations about achieving successful macros if they have any sophistication at all and some frustrations about missing functions, layout, etc. You at least should try out the unit and see for yourself whether this universal remote will meet your own needs, expectations, and budget.



5. A friend of mine recently purchased a Logitech Harmony One remote for 250 bucks. He raved about it but I could not afford it -- even at the recent price drop to 180. So I looked at this remote, which is the same as the X-10 Icon Remote. It is about 50 bucks which is more in my range -- so I bought it. It took less than 5 minutes to setup the remote to control my receiver, Dish DVR, DVD player, VCR, CD player, plasma TV, and X-10 controlled lights. Then it took me another 2 hours to setup "favorites" and marcos. But it works great. I set up one button that I labled "Watch TV". Hit it once and the TV comes on and switches to satellite input, satellite comes on, then receiver comes on and switches to satellite input. Hit the button again and they all turn off. I setup similar macros for DVD, VCR, etc. I even set up one button called "Frank". It turns on the receiver and the satellite and switches it to channel 6075, the Dish Network Sirius Sinatra station. What macros will I think up next?! A great product at a great price.