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New remote control recommendation?

576 Views 10 Replies 4 Participants Last post by mdavej, Aug 15, 2019

MilesBFree

Discussion Starter · Aug 12, 2019

Hi all,

I have a Harmony 1100 which has been pretty solid but I need to add a couple of new components to it and just found out that it does not work with more recent MacOS versions so it seems I need a new remote. So I thought I would ask the community for recommendations.
Things I am thinking I want in the new remote:

No Logitech device. I have a very expensive paperweight and not in the mood to buy another one
The touch screen seemed like a cool feature but in practice it was a bit hard to use. I can pick up a different remote blindfolded and operate it by touch. The screen on the 1100 seemed a bit imprecise, and you have to swap between screens to get some things done on the 1100.
It needs to be RF as well as IR. I have some older components that need IR and RF compatibility seemed to vary some on the 1100
I don't want a horribly complicated set up process. i.e., I don't have any complicated scenes / activities set up that would make it worth needing an engineering degree plus a computer science degree to program it (got those anyway but don't feel like doing it on my time off
Needs to have the WAF* seal of approval (*Wife Acceptance Factor). Similar to programming it, it can't need an advanced degree to operate it
One issue with the 1100 resulting in reduced WAF is that the 1100 turns things on somewhat slowly and you have to keep it pointed at the IR eye under the screen for over 5 seconds so it can complete the sequence of IR commands to turn on the projector, receiver, DVD player, sat dish, Roku, etc. This may not be much different for any remote that has to send a number of IR commands but the 1100 seems slow and to recover from an inconsistent state is a complicated process that I have to do whenever anyone else messes it up
Would prefer it to take AAA or AA batteries. I had to replace the 100's battery once and it wasn't cheap. I have an endless supply of Eneloop rechargeable batteries which last forever. This also would allow me to keep the remote n the coffee table instead of on a console table in the back of the theater where the 1100's charger is.

I know that is a pretty specific list of things but any recommendations?

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ipca204

· #2 · Aug 12, 2019

what you want does not exist. Further some of your "specifics" are rather vague.

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mdavej

· #3 · Aug 12, 2019 (Edited)

I think this plus the RF base meets all your requirements (URC MX-450)
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Control-MX-450-Programmable-Editing/dp/B001HKLA60

EDIT: I'm seeing conflicting info on whether or not this requires professional programming. So to be safe, look for an old R50 instead. Avoid newer R40 due to numerous reports of premature OLED dimming.

FWIW, I think writing off Logitech entirely because your remote only lasted a decade is a little unreasonable. There are many millions of perfectly happy Harmony customers using the Elite. I would personally go for one of those or even the simpler Companion, since you don't want a screen.

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MilesBFree

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 12, 2019

ipca204 said:
what you want does not exist. Further some of your "specifics" are rather vague.

Thanks for the feedback; here is a simplified version of the req's:

No Logitech device
No touch screen
It needs to be RF as well as IR
Non-complicated set up process
Easy for others to use
Faster response than the 1100
AAA or AA batteries
No lock-in to a cloud service to program it

I hadn't found one that has all of those so I may agree that it doesn't exist. But that's why I asked the community, in case anyone else did.

In terms of priorities, I could live with a more complicated set up, and having a proprietary battery. Also, the one recommended by mdavej has more hard buttons in addition to the touchscreen so that eases that requirement.

(Thanks mdavej, that one looks interesting! Going to do more research on it.)

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ipca204

· #5 · Aug 13, 2019 (Edited)

mdavej said:
I think this plus the RF base meets all your requirements (URC MX-450)
https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Control-MX-450-Programmable-Editing/dp/B001HKLA60

EDIT: I'm seeing conflicting info on whether or not this requires professional programming. So to be safe, look for an old R50 instead. Avoid newer R40 due to numerous reports of premature OLED dimming.

FWIW, I think writing off Logitech entirely because your remote only lasted a decade is a little unreasonable. There are many millions of perfectly happy Harmony customers using the Elite. I would personally go for one of those or even the simpler Companion, since you don't want a screen.

The 450 does not require professional programming. (source... me, I own one)
I thought he was looking for a remote that controls RF devices? maybe i misread that. The 450 won't do that, nor any consumer remote that i know of..

Also, the mx-450 is not THAT easy to program either, but their is an "archiver" (i think it's called) software that can be helpful for some aspects as well as backing up the mx-450. Sorry, it's been awhile since I used it..

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mdavej

· #6 · Aug 13, 2019

ipca204 said:
The 450 does not require professional programming. (source... me, I own one)
I thought he was looking for a remote that controls RF devices? maybe i misread that. The 450 won't do that, nor any consumer remote that i know off..

Thanks for confirming. Here's what threw me, where it says "Professional Programming Required", the opposite of what every other source says. I would have thought it was just a mistake if it hadn't come straight from URC themselves. Weird.
https://www.universalremote.com/product/mx-450/

Yeah, the RF part was a little ambiguous, since the other requirement was "no aiming", implying just a standard RF universal remote that's RF from remote to base, then IR from base to device. It didn't dawn on me that he was looking for a universal RF remote direct to RF device, which is extremely rare.

Miles, can you clarify what you mean by RF capability and list the make/model of each "RF" device you want to control?

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Wendell R. Breland

· #7 · Aug 13, 2019

mdavej said:
Thanks for confirming. Here's what threw me, where it says "Professional Programming Required", the opposite of what every other source says. I would have thought it was just a mistake if it hadn't come straight from URC themselves. Weird.

In CCP (Complete Control Program) when you select a New Device there is a drop down of devices and the MX-450 is not listed.

Glancing at the 450 manual says: The MX-450 is programmed via on-screen setup menus. Simply press and hold the MAIN button for 3 seconds to view the menus:

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MilesBFree

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 14, 2019

The MX-450 sounds like it might come close enough to fitting the bill.

IIRC RF is needed for the Dish receiver, but it has been a while... Now that I am thinking about it, the Hopper may have eliminated this need?

I also looked at using our iPhones as remotes but it looks like the more interesting options are either being phased out or Android-only. One of those has a subscription requirement so likely would become useless when the vendor decides to shut it off, much like Logitech...

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mdavej

· #9 · Aug 14, 2019 (Edited)

MilesBFree said:
IIRC RF is needed for the Dish receiver, but it has been a while... Now that I am thinking about it, the Hopper may have eliminated this need?

I also looked at using our iPhones as remotes but it looks like the more interesting options are either being phased out or Android-only. One of those has a subscription requirement so likely would become useless when the vendor decides to shut it off, much like Logitech...

Like all Dish boxes, Hopper can use IR too. I used an IR universal for years with Hopper and the older 922, 722, etc. I'm also the guy who gave Logitech all 32 sets of IR codes for older (pre-Hopper) Dish boxes (a few thousand codes in all). I don't remember if Hopper still supports all 32 addresses or not, but I know for sure the 722 did. In any case, you only need address 1, the typical set that's probably built in to the 450. If the 450 won't control your Hopper, you'll need to learn the codes from an IR remote (not the Dish remote). So don't immediately throw your old Harmony in the garbage. You may need it for teaching purposes.

theHomeRemote is a cheap (no subscription), awesome phone based remote that runs on Android, iOS and Windows Phone. But it takes a PhD in computer science to program.

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ipca204

· #10 · Aug 15, 2019

mdavej said:
Like all Dish boxes, Hopper can use IR too. I used an IR universal for years with Hopper and the older 922, 722, etc. I'm also the guy who gave Logitech all 32 sets of IR codes for older (pre-Hopper) Dish boxes (a few thousand codes in all). I don't remember if Hopper still supports all 32 addresses or not, but I know for sure the 722 did. In any case, you only need address 1, the typical set that's probably built in to the 450. If the 450 won't control your Hopper, you'll need to learn the codes from an IR remote (not the Dish remote). So don't immediately throw your old Harmony in the garbage. You may need it for teaching purposes.

theHomeRemote is a cheap (no subscription), awesome phone based remote that runs on Android, iOS and Windows Phone. But it takes a PhD in computer science to program.

To each their own, but i DESPISE using my phone or any device I have to look at to control stuff. I much prefer the Elite as once I learned the buttons by feel, I can pretty much do most everything I need with the odd touch screen command..
Lots of cheap mx-450's on ebay too! I have a bunch of the URC base stations if you want one for the cost of postage, shoot me a pm. they are just gathering dust here..

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mdavej

· #11 · Aug 15, 2019

ipca204 said:
To each their own, but i DESPISE using my phone or any device I have to look at to control stuff.

I'm with you 1000%. Just a fun way to learn IP control. Never actually use it myself. My kids use it a lot though.

And thanks for the offer. I'll keep an eye out for a remote.

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