m looking for a single remote to use with my Vizio TV and Samsung DVD/sound system. Heres the problem. With the TV, there a buttons to click for each input, easy enough, but for the DVD player/ sound system, the inputs are a scroll type deal. Like to get to Digital In, you scrolls through AUX1, AUX2, AM/FM radio, DVD, then Digital In. Will any remote let me just hit one key and go to the right input? My uncle has a remote where you hit "Watch TV" or "Watch DVD" and the TV, sound system, DVD player all turn on if needed and go to the right input. I would like this too. Is it possible with my sound system? thanks

the $20 universal remote probably won't do but something starting at the harmony line up will do just fine. it will either have a discreet code for direct input control or will just cycle through like your regular remote. if it has discrete codes which are direct codes for each input then you are good to go.

A cheap ($20-$30) universal which can do learning, macros and advanced codes will work fine, but will require a little more research and programming effort than a harmony. No remote will do what you are asking without any programming. UEI remotes (radio shack, one-for-all, many cable/sat oem remotes) typically have these capabilities. You can often program advanced codes for discrete input selections and discrete on/off, and put macros like "watch tv", etc. on nearly any key. I run my 8 device system, including my lights, with a $10 remote for which I've programmed dozens of activities (macros) which heavily utilize discrete codes. So it is possible to do what you are asking with some cheap remotes, depending on the effort you are willing to put in.

Your Vizio remote may even have these capabilities, depending on the model.

Here are some discrete codes for UEI remotes like the radio shack 15-133, 134, 135 and 100 which may work with your equipment, depending on the model and it's device code. Many Vizio's don't have discrete codes, so YMMV. In that case you may have to use multiple input button presses in your macros to change inputs. See the How To link in my sig for programming instructions.

Vizio:
TV 00110
AV 00105
COMPONENT 00231
HDMI 00174
RGB 00253

Samsung Home Theater:
PowerToggle 00185
Input:AUX+DiscreteON 00121
Input: DVD+DiscreteOn 00249
Input:Tuner/Band+DiscreteOn 00057
d-open/close+DiscreteON 00149
EnterInArrows(selectsMenuItem) 00184
d-Menu(EnterToSelectItem) 00118
d-Title 00182
d-ReturnFromMenu 00244
d-open/close+DiscreteON 00149
d-Play/Pause toggle 00187
d-Stop 00059
>>TuneFreq+/dSpeedUpFWD 00219
<<TuneFreq-/dSpeedUpREV 00091
>>| Next track/TunePreset+ 00123
|<< Prev Track/TunePreset- 00251
d-SlowPlayToggle( |> ) 00152
d-StepFrames 00024
d-GoToTrack# 00181
d-RepeatToggle 00250
d-Repeat A<->B 00218
ProgramPlay/TunePresets 00088
d-ClearProgram 00122
d-DisplayToggle 00214
d-RemainTimeToggle 00053
d-SubtitleToggle 00054
d-ZoomToggle 00186
d-AngleToggle 00022
SleepToggle 00217
d-Audio Mono/Stereo 00246
Mode DSP/DPLII toggle 00180
Effect DSP/DPLII toggle 00052
ProLogicII menu 00084
DynRangeCompression 00058
ProgressiveScanLKP 00153
DVDSetup/ProgScan-Adjust 00150

Program the discrete codes you need onto buttons, then create macros to perform the steps you want, including your newly programmed buttons. I'd put the discrete codes and macros on shifted keys (explained in the How To instructions).

Awesome, I wouldnt mind spending some time getting a cheap remote to work. So, does every system have ta code for each input? Is it safe to say that I can (If I put the time into finding how) that I will be able to hit one button and get the right input, despite not having this ability with the stock remote?

So you guys have any recommendations. Cheaper is better. It really only needs to be able to turn the TV and Sound on and go to the TV watching inputs, be able to turn the TV and sound on and go to the DVD watching inputs, and finally turn the TV and sound on and go to the right inputs for my computer. Well, they turn it all off. Any recommendations. Its only controlling two things really. TV and DVD/sound. Thanks

shorty,

See my updated post above. Also, post the model numbers of your equipment, including the Vizio remote.

Thanks

I have a Samsung HT-X50 DVD/Sound system
Vizio 32in VX32L
And the vizio remote is whatever came with it. Im not sure about its model number. There isnt one written on it. It a fairly basic remote. Only controls the Vizio TV.

Given those model numbers, the codes I posted should work. Not sure about the actual device codes. You'll have to determine those when you get a remote. Sounds like your vizio remote isn't a universal. The bad news is there's no discrete on/off for your vizio and no discrete off for your samsung, AFAIK. So you'd have to build or buy a computer interface cable for one of the remotes I suggested and do some fairly complex programming to track device states. At this point you're probably better spending the extra money on a harmony like your uncle's, unless you can live without discrete on/off.

Thanks for all your help.

Will like a Harmony 550 work? By descrete on/off, do you mean like a code that will turn it on or off specifically and not just the opposite state it is at now? Will the 550 solve this problem? Thanks

Thanks for all your help.

Will like a Harmony 550 work? By descrete on/off, do you mean like a code that will turn it on or off specifically and not just the opposite state it is at now? Will the 550 solve this problem? Thanks

Correct. I think harmony solves it by keeping track of whether your devices are on or off and sends the appropriate toggle, but I don't know that much about them. Time for a harmony user to weigh in here with some expert advice.

Any Experts???

so like i was saying earlier get a harmony. it is probably the cheapest of the non $20 go through a bunch of craziness just to get the code you want remote.

mdavej is not quite right about discrete codes although he is stating the alternative.

discrete codes are discrete or direct codes for specific functions. ie. instead of a toggle for on/off there will be a specific code for on and a different specific code for off.

what dave is referring to is how remotes try to simulate discrete codes when the manufacturer does not put out discrete codes for a product. in this case the remote may track actual toggle states in order to learn and understand when the device is say on or off.

i have not tested it with the 550 but generally the harmony line will monitor toggle states (more than just last time was off so this time must be on) pretty effectively. i only integrate the 890 and 1000 line and both of them are actively monitoring toggle states.

here's the link to the official thread for the 550 http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1058414
take some time and read through it to get the details. hopefully it will tell you exactly what you need to know.

so like i was saying earlier get a harmony. it is probably the cheapest of the non $20 go through a bunch of craziness just to get the code you want remote.

It's certainly the cheapest solution, but more than likely the easiest to get going as well. URC makes the MX-810, and Philips makes the TSU-9200, that function and program in the same manner as the Harmony line up.

discrete codes are discrete or direct codes for specific functions. ie. instead of a toggle for on/off there will be a specific code for on and a different specific code for off.

Sorry...don't mean to bust your balls, but the highlighted part was funny :)

what dave is referring to is how remotes try to simulate discrete codes when the manufacturer does not put out discrete codes for a product. in this case the remote may track actual toggle states in order to learn and understand when the device is say on or off.

i have not tested it with the 550 but generally the harmony line will monitor toggle states (more than just last time was off so this time must be on) pretty effectively. i only integrate the 890 and 1000 line and both of them are actively monitoring toggle states.

Actually Dave nailed it, and it's exactly how the Harmony line up handles the same problem. All they do is track the last command sent to the device in question, and use that info to determine whether or not the toggle needs to be sent again. It's looks different to the layman because you don't see the programming behind it. The programming wizard does all the work for you. However almost any PC programmable remotes can perform the same function. If one is willing to put the effort in. That's why Harmonys are great for the masses...real lack of effort needed.:p

...almost any PC programmable remotes can perform the same function. If one is willing to put the effort in. That's why Harmonys are great for the masses...real lack of effort needed.:p

You got that right. Although the logic is simple, it still makes my head hurt a little. To program a toad toggle on a JP1 remote, you set a bit when you want to turn the device on and reset it when you want to turn the device off. You also examine the state of the bit before you send a power toggle. If the bit is off when you command the device on, then you send the power toggle. If it's already on, you do nothing. Likewise, when you command the device off, if the bit is on, then you send the power toggle. If the bit is already off, you do nothing. I'd bet the very same thing goes on inside the harmony for toads, but you don't have to worry about the programming details.

Getting back to the OP's original question, I'd say something like the harmony 550 is probably the best option now that they're down to $50 many places. If it ever gets down to $40, I may even pull the trigger on one myself to see what all the fuss is about. Even at that, it's still the price of 4 JP1 remotes, which is hard for a cheapskate like me to justify, unless it also makes popcorn :D