In my CIH setup, I use the older KD-HDMI4x1 switcher to handle my vertical stretch. To get into the vertical stretch mode, you either a) rely on the fact that the switcher remembers which mode you used last for each input or b) you use your remote to scroll through the options until you get to the vertical stretch (zoom).

I'd like to start using a universal remote to handle all of my devices, but there's no single button dedicated to getting to a specific stretch mode.

The manual specifics discrete RS232 codes to get to those modes (passing a letter/number combo), but from chatting with a tech guy at Key Digital, there seems to be no way of doing this via infrared.

Has anyone figured out a clever way around this sort of thing? I was hoping for some kind of reset button on the remote that would set the menu back to a known stretch mode... but all my experiments have failed.

I don't own a universal remote yet, but I don't think I want to go the RS232 path as it adds cost and complexity to a system. (Although I'd rethink that in a second!)

One option is that if the remote I'm using has some kind of programming language that can make use of variables (or "states"), that I can actually remember what state I'm in when I last used "input 1". That way, I can set up an activity to "Watch 2.40:1 movie" and one that is "Watch 16:9" movie and the remote would remember which stretch mode I used last. Do any of these universal remotes offer such capabilities as "variables?" (Sorry, that's the programmer coming out in me.)

-Pete

Here's a quick follow-up on my own post:

I purchased a Harmony One and have integrated it into my home theater.
The Harmony One's software doesn't know a lot about the HDMI4x1. The remote's software only knows about switching the video inputs. However, it's extremely easy to teach the remote to mimic the proper button pushes to cycle through the various scaling modes.

While I have no way of hitting one button and having the scaler do exactly what it needs to do, at least now I don't have to switch remotes to simply stretch the image in prep for my anamorphic lens.

-Pete