All-in-one Remotes

[FrankieSatin]

Greetings...

Am searching for a replacement for my UR-47A Universal Remote. Basically, I want a low-cost (under $100) remote that controls X-10 through RF and various components through IR. The UR47A is great, but we have some new components, like a GO Video DVD/VCR combo, that it doesn't know from Adam. What's out there? Please advise.

Thanks,
Frankie Satin

[pkoslow]

Frankie,

Don't have any direct experience to help you, but the following site is a huge resource for remotes... I used this while researching remotes a couple of years ago and settled on the Phillips Pronto.

Remote Central

PK

[FrankieSatin]

Thanks for the info. I'll take a look...

[Scottbee]

Have you looked at the UR24A 8-in-One?

It has the X10 RF section.... and it is a learning remote. It's not perfect (memory limitations), but it's not bad.

[FrankieSatin]

Scott:

No, I haven't seen it, and in fact I can't find it at either SmartHome or X10.com; can you provide a link to some info, or at least tell me where to look? Sounds like just what I need, IF it is IR-trainable (versus inputting codes).

Thanks,

==FS==

[FrankieSatin]

Is thisit?

[Scottbee]

That looks like it. I know that I got quite a few of them from X10 a couple of years ago. They beat the heck out of the 6-in-1, that's for sure!

[Scottbee]

I was looking at the X10 page earlier today, and it looks like the UR74A-HA might be the "new" replacement for the 24.

I haven't used one of these yet.... but would love to know if it reduces some of the memory limitations associated with the UR24A.

Anybody got one??

[hanarmco]

I would take a very serious look at one of the OFA remotes that has JP1 capability. JP1 is a 6-pin connector in the battery compartment that can be interfaced to the parallel port of a PC and there is feeware to program the remote including, discrete commands, macros, and adding devices not in the built in library. There is some additional software called extenders that allow assigning just about any command to any button, concatenated macros, etc..

There are a variety of other JP1 remotes but the URC-8811 and the RS 15-2116 come to mind as the more often recommended remotes by the power users. Right now if you can still find one Radio Shack is discontinuing the 15-2104 for $10.


The OFA remotes can do the IR version of x10 (and but it takes an IR543 ~$20 at Worthingtom to transmit those commands to the powerline) but otherwise they are quite incredible for what you can do.

For more information:

www.hifi-remote.com the unofficial OFA remote site and look fo the upgradable remote information.

The bottom line for me is that I have some pretty sophisticated equipment and I only push one button. That turns on and off the right equipment, causes AV inputs to be set, and sets the volume to control the receiver, and the transport keys (numerals Play, stop etc.) to the applicable device (SAT STB for watching satellite, DVD for DVD's etc.) Very high WAF.

-Jon

[jwilson56]

I think I have a spare new Cinema 7 and JP1 kit laying around. Let me see if I can round it up.

John

[Kerry]

I'd second the suggestion from Jon Armstrong. I took his advice and purchased one of those about a year ago. It's one of my favorite (and most used) 'toys'. VERY capable and an incredible bargain.

The only drawback is it doesn't do RF. But I got the IR receiveer for X10 and this works fine for my setup. That remote never leaves that room anyway...