AVS Forum banner
Cancel

Affordable control option for simple home theatre

1806 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Philnick, 
N
I have a basic home theatre with the following equipment:
Yamaha RX-V3079 AVR
Shield TV 2019
JVC X5500
Sony BDP-2200 (from memory) BluRay - rarely used
Optus Fetch TV (Aussie set top box) - rarely used

I have been using individual remotes, which I kinda like as I know exactly which device I am controlling and once up and running its usually only the Shield remote I need.
But I have done some improvements to the audio and visual and now have different setups in the AVR and Projector depending on what I am watching. My current issues are :

1 Scenes on the Yamaha AVR can't differentiate between Surround sound modes and stay on what ever it was when last on. IOW when on Scene 1 TV and set to Dolby Surround/Atmos it stays on that when I switch to Scene 2 Net Radio but I want it to be DTS Neural:X
2. Projector needs to swap between HDR and SPORTS etc
3. Most of what I watch is through the Shield and when I change sources on the Shield I have to manually change the AVR and/or Projector to match. IOW when I go from Disney+ to Spotify I want to be able to change AVR and Projector settings but since this is done by selecting an on-screen option I am not sure if universal remotes can handle that ?

So what is the best, cost effective solution ? Can these universal IR remotes switch between sources on the Shield and also change the AVR settings at the same time ?
I would prefer not to go down the Harmony option path since they are no longer being made, but will if I have to if there are no other options.

I believe I need an RS232 controller to change the Projector, and I have done a very quick google search on the more serious control boxes (like CommandFusion Solo) but they seem to be very expensive - is there a cheaper option ? I can live with having to do it manually if I have to.

Any advice or links to info etc would be much appreciated :)
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Wendell R. Breland
niterida said:
I have a basic home theatre with the following equipment:
Click to expand...
The URC MX-990 could do what you want but it is not cheap and requires programming. The software has a fairly steep learning curve and your dealer would have to supply you with a copy.

My Yamaha CX-A5100 has DTS Neural:X but there is no direct call IR code for DTS Neural:X. Same for Dolby Upmixer but there is a workaround using a macro in the remote. Also, the current URC IR database does not have the correct code for Scene 3 (NET) and none for Scene 5 to 12. Codes are available from Yamaha and Global Cache.

To control the Shield you will need a FlIRC or/and Inteset IReTV USB IR Receiver.

In our home theater we use a MX-980 to control 19 devices, also use a MRF-260 RF base station. I program the remote myself and can tell you it is not for the faint of heart. :) Most of the remotes the 980 replace:
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
N
Wendell R. Breland said:
The URC MX-990 could do what you want but it is not cheap and requires programming. The software has a fairly steep learning curve and your dealer would have to supply you with a copy.

My Yamaha CX-A5100 has DTS Neural:X but there is no direct call IR code for DTS Neural:X. Same for Dolby Upmixer but there is a workaround using a macro in the remote. Also, the current URC IR database does not have the correct code for Scene 3 (NET) and none for Scene 5 to 12. Codes are available from Yamaha and Global Cache.

To control the Shield you will need a FlIRC or/and Inteset IReTV USB IR Receiver.

In our home theater we use a MX-980 to control 19 devices, also use a MRF-260 RF base station. I program the remote myself and can tell you it is not for the faint of heart. :) Most of the remotes the 980 replace:
Click to expand...
Thanks.

I could employ a butler to change the settings and bring me drinks for less than the cost of the URC in Australia - I was hoping for closer to $100 than $1000.
Also I only have the standard Shield with no USB inputs - so it looks like I have no option for controlling this since it is bluetooth only ??

:(
Reply
Save
Like
RayGuy
Simple? Don't kid yourself. You need a learning remote with macros, and that still does not address the lack of direct codes (Harmony?) or the bluetooth issue (Shield Pro?).
Reply
Save
Like
N
Simple was about the only criteria I didn't mention ;)
I have done some more research and I think I will just have to stick with my existing remotes since it was mainly the switching of Shield apps that I wanted to set up macros for and since the Shield is BT only................... :(
Reply
Save
Like
Wendell R. Breland
niterida said:
I was hoping for closer to $100 than $1000.
Click to expand...
Then you may want to look into the Inteset INT-422-3, pretty nice remote for $26 US. It is a JP1 remote and AVS member mdavej knows a lot about JP1's, more info here.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
M
The URC-7980 might be easier to find in Oz. Here are some others, many of which are JP1-able, meaning you can program from a PC like Harmony/URC with an additional cable and free software, adding those direct/discrete codes needed for easy scene and input switching in your macros.

Universal Remotes

www.oneforall-australia.com.au www.oneforall-australia.com.au

For IR control of your Shield, just get IReTV or FLIRC IR dongle.

The projector should continue to work fine as-is. You're controlling it with an IR remote today, so a different IR remote will work the same. If you have to aim behind you today, just get a cheap IR repeater to pick up the signal in front of you and blast it back.
Reply
Save
Like
M
The shield will be the hardest if you want a simple one button click, to change every thing. There are a few Tablet style remotes, that can probably get you there with an additional hardware such as Global cache devices. All comes down to how much you want to spend and how much time learning and setting things up. I have gone back to my old Philips TSU9600 and with learning JavaScript, I was able to do every thing I needed. But a step curve if you do not know JavaScripts. As stated, shield I would use a USB IR receiver, such as the FLIRC. Works very well, you can also use a button remapped on the shield to launch apps, but you may only have one or two or three buttons you do not use from the original remote, for example, I do not use Volume up or down, so I have those launch KODI and YouTube.
Reply
Save
Like
RayGuy
niterida said:
Simple was about the only criteria I didn't mention ;)
I have done some more research and I think I will just have to stick with my existing remotes since it was mainly the switching of Shield apps that I wanted to set up macros for and since the Shield is BT only................... :(
Click to expand...
Take a look at the title of this thread. You did write the title, didn't you? 👀
Reply
Save
Like
N
My Shield is the standard 2019 model - the round tube one - and doesn't have a USB port :(
Reply
Save
Like
N
RayGuy said:
Take a look at the title of this thread. You did write the title, didn't you? 👀
Click to expand...
Yes I wrote that - stating that my home theatre setup was simple - as in just the basic AVR, PJ and a couple of sources. :D
Reply
Save
Like
RayGuy
niterida said:
Yes I wrote that - stating that my home theatre setup was simple - as in just the basic AVR, PJ and a couple of sources. :D
Click to expand...
Still denying reality, eh? :geek:
Reply
Save
Like
Philnick
@niterida Check out the thread here for the free HTWebRemote app written by a member here. It runs on any Windows PC on your LAN and can control Yamaha AVRs, JVC projectors, and the Nvidia Shields, along with many other devices (sorry, not your Sony disk player or Australian cable box). It has menus that help you create web pages with buttons that you can program with single commands or macros that span devices - as long as the devices are connected to your LAN by ethernet or wifi. Once you've created the web pages and buttons, it hosts them on your LAN, and sends your devices the commands your buttons call for.

I use it to control most of the equipment in my theater from a tabbed web page I can bring up on my phone - and I've set up a page for the Shield with buttons to launch over a dozen apps, each such button being a macro that also makes the Shield the active input to my Yamaha AVR.

My global power-on macro for the whole system tells the Shield to reboot while my projector is warming up so that when I watch Amazon's Prime Video I'll get surround sound - not the stereo PCM that Prime puts out if the Shield has idled long enough to put up its Chromecast screen saver. Control of the Shield - and I also use the 2019 tube - is via the LAN, like everything else.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
AVS Forum
A forum community dedicated to home theater owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about home audio/video, TVs, projectors, screens, receivers, speakers, projects, DIY’s, product reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Receivers, Amps, and Processors LCD Flat Panel Displays Speakers HDTV Programming Home Theater Computers
Top