Any help would be much appreciated. I spent 2 hours today looking for help online and another 5 hours trying to set this bad boy up.

I purchased the RF10 because of its RF capabilities and while the RF seems to work very well and controlling each individual component is great, the macros are killing me. Every time I set it up, the frigging thing gets confused as to which components are currently on and subsequently turn them off or some of the programed functions don't even occur. Also, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to include in the macro to turn off previously used components that are no longer being used.

There is no online or software interface that I know of, and I'm dying here. I could definitely use some help.

Anyone?

Your problem is not with the RF10, it's with the lack of discrete codes (ie: separate On/Off commands) for your components. The RF10 does not have much, if anything, in its database in the way of discretes. Without discretes, you should limit what your macros do. For example, whatever function is done most often (ex: watch cable TV), set up a macro for that to turn the TV on and whatever else. Also, have a macro to turn just those devices off. Then, for other things like watching a DVD, just have the macro turn the DVD player on and switch inputs as necessary.

The other option is to turn everything on with one macro and everything off with another, using the device macros to simply switch inputs.

Thanks for the help Mike. I called Universal tech support and they confirmed what you just recommended.

I'll probably have the on button turn all components on and the off button turn all components off with all the macros switching inputs. Now I understand the appeal for Logitech remotes.

Depending on your equipment, you may be able to find discretes you can teach your RF10. Get a $10-$20 cheap universal like the radio shack 15-133 (or any other remote made by UEI), program the discretes into it via advanced codes, and teach them to your RF10. It just takes a little research on remotecentral.com and hifi-remote.com and a couple of free programs from the latter to read/generate the advanced codes to program into your UEI remote.

In any case, I find it easiest to actually have all my activity type macros turn on the devices in question and switch inputs (still need discrete on for that to work well). Then have a single master power off macro (need discrete off for that). One trick for a pseudo discrete on for many DVD players at least is to use Play instead of Power.

Luckily, all my devices (except one) have discrete codes. For the one without discretes I've programed some bits on my 15-133 to track its power state and simulate discrete on/off.

Now I understand the appeal for Logitech remotes.
and what appeal would that be:confused: URC if properly set up is far more powerful the harmony.

Depending on your equipment, you may be able to find discretes you can teach your RF10. Get a $10-$20 cheap universal like the radio shack 15-133 (or any other remote made by UEI), program the discretes into it via advanced codes, and teach them to your RF10. It just takes a little research on remotecentral.com and hif-remote.com and a couple of free programs from the latter to read/generate the advanced codes to program into your UEI remote.

In any case, I find it easiest to actually have all my activity type macros turn on the devices in question and switch inputs (still need discrete on for that to work well). Then have a single master power off macro (need discrete off for that). One trick for a pseudo discrete on for many DVD players at least is to use Play instead of Power.

Luckily, all my devices (except one) have discrete codes. For the one without discretes I've programed some bits on my 15-133 to track its power state and simulate discrete on/off.

I'm checking it out. Thanks for the tip.

and what appeal would that be:confused: URC if properly set up is far more powerful the harmony.

My previous remote was the logitech harmony 550 and it was a whole lot easier to set up via my PC. Apparently I would have to purchase a relatively expensive URC remote to get that functionality.

Also, the RF10 gets confused when switching from one component to another without powering everything off first. My harmony 550 setup process automatically took care of this without headache.

Though I like the responsiveness of the rf10 more than the logitech.

I'm checking it out. Thanks for the tip.
No problem. Correcting a typo in my post, here are the sites I'm talking about:

RemoteCentral (http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/mboard/rc-discrete/list.cgi)
Hifi-Remote (http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/index.php)

No problem. Correcting a typo in my post, here are the sites I'm talking about:

RemoteCentral (http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/mboard/rc-discrete/list.cgi)
Hifi-Remote (http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/index.php)

Once I find a discrete code for a component do I have to use a UEIC remote or is there some way to use it with my RF10?

Once I find a discrete code for a component do I have to use a UEIC remote or is there some way to use it with my RF10?

I'm pretty sure the RF10 and RF20 can only either accept a "super" code for a device that will set all of the buttons or you have to "teach" each button through another remote sending IR signals. In this case, you'd need to get that discrete code onto the UEIC remote and then you could teach it to the RF10.

I'm pretty sure the RF10 and RF20 can only either accept a "super" code for a device that will set all of the buttons or you have to "teach" each button through another remote sending IR signals. In this case, you'd need to get that discrete code onto the UEIC remote and then you could teach it to the RF10.

Thanks.

How do I get the discrete code into the UEIC remote? is it a matter of plugging in the code number after pressing the button type thing or is it more complicated?

How do I get the discrete code into the UEIC remote? is it a matter of plugging in the code number after pressing the button type thing or is it more complicated?

If you go to the hifi-remote website linked to above, you'll see there are a few ways of getting discretes into a UEIC remote. The easiest is to see if there advanced codes available for your device that include the needed discretes. Most current TVs (where discretes are needed the most) have these available.

You're correct that you would have to spend more to get the functionality of a Harmony with a URC remote. That's why I recommend Harmonys to those who want an easily PC programmable remote for under $100. When you get into the higher price ranges, Harmonys are less of a value as their programming is less flexible and their remotes are more cheaply constructed than a URC remote.

Thanks.

How do I get the discrete code into the UEIC remote? is it a matter of plugging in the code number after pressing the button type thing or is it more complicated?Yes, that's about right. The hardest part is finding the codes. However, if you don't have at least a partially working device code, then it gets more complicated, requiring some additional hardware and programming.

Here's the procedure for doing it with button presses:
1. PRESS the device, (TV, VCR, CABLE, etc.), button - RELEASE
2. PRESS and HOLD the SETUP button until the red LED flashes twice, then RELEASE.
3. PRESS 9 - 9 - 4.
4. PRESS the SETUP button and then the three or five digit advanced code, depending on your remote.
5. PRESS the button you wish to use for that function - Two Blinks.

NOTE 1: To assign an advanced code to a 'shift' key, simply press SETUP before pressing the key in step 5 above.
NOTE 2: Advanced codes cannot be programmed to the device buttons or the SETUP button.
NOTE 3: For 3 digit codes on a remote that expects 5 digits, add 2 zeros to the beginning of the code.

To simply test a code without assigning it to a button, just do step 4.


Post the model numbers of the devices in question and I can probably tell you if discretes exist and could be manually programmed into a specific UEI remote.

Yes, that's about right. The hardest part is finding the codes. However, if you don't have at least a partially working device code, then it gets more complicated, requiring some additional hardware and programming.

Here's the procedure for doing it with button presses:
1. PRESS the device, (TV, VCR, CABLE, etc.), button - RELEASE
2. PRESS and HOLD the SETUP button until the red LED flashes twice, then RELEASE.
3. PRESS 9 - 9 - 4.
4. PRESS the SETUP button and then the three or five digit advanced code, depending on your remote.
5. PRESS the button you wish to use for that function - Two Blinks.

NOTE 1: To assign an advanced code to a 'shift' key, simply press SETUP before pressing the key in step 5 above.
NOTE 2: Advanced codes cannot be programmed to the device buttons or the SETUP button.
NOTE 3: For 3 digit codes on a remote that expects 5 digits, add 2 zeros to the beginning of the code.

To simply test a code without assigning it to a button, just do step 4.


Post the model numbers of the devices in question and I can probably tell you if discretes exist and could be manually programmed into a specific UEI remote.

I appreciate your help. I have a Yamaha 5890 receiver, an Onkyo dx-c390 CD player, and a Motorola dct-6416 Cable box.

Sorry, looks like a dead end. AFAIK, only the yamaha has discrete on/off.

Sorry, looks like a dead end. AFAIK, only the yamaha has discrete on/off.

So, I'd have to program the motorola cable box and onkyo cd player to have discrete buttons. Sounds like too much trouble. Thanks for the help. I'll probably go with a single button to turn everything on and another to turn everything off.

With a DVR that does not have discretes, like the Motorola, I just leave it on all the time. The CD player can just be manually turned on when you use it (unless you use it a lot).

Excellent advice. In that case, on a radio shack 15-133 (or similar), use Audio device code 30176, 31176 or 31276 and advanced codes 00248 and 00246 for yamaha discrete on and off respectively. On older UEI remotes, drop the leading 3 from the device code and the two leading zeros from the advanced codes. It just occurred to me that your moto remote could possibly be a UEI remote, so you could do the advanced code / learning trick using it instead of buying another remote.