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I have a very complex setup. In the lounge I have two Humax Freesat pvrs and two Humax Freeview+ pvrs, A Amazon Fire TV box, A CD player, A blueray player, cordless surround headhones all connected to a Yamaha AV receiver which also feeds HD to a remote kitchen TV using HD baluns. Plus a smart TV. In addition I have a IP connected Twin Tuner Freeview (VBox) server connected upstairs to my router (allows local viewing of Freeview on mobile devices and also can watch live TV and recordings anywhere in the world with decent WiFi).
Without the Harmony my better half would not have a clue how to use it.
As to response times (thanks to a Harmony Hub) it’s very fast and you don’t have to point the remote at anything as the room is blasted with ir.
If my wife want’s to watch an item she presses one button, which turns on all the kit required. Selects the appropriate inputs on amplifier and TV. The buttons automatically control the correct kit. eg Media displays the recording list from the appropriate PVR, the volume control adjusts the amplifier. Want to use another device, press one button it turns off devices not required, turns on devices not already on. You can also use a mobile phone or tablet to control the system with a free app.
Just had a count of the remote controls you need to do it manually.
It comes to 8. Strikes me those with a plethora of remotes have never tried the convenience of a really good programmeable remote. 😯
BlackGhost – 20 hours ago »
Faust – 9 hours ago »
Stephenesque – 8 hours ago »
Faust – 49 minutes ago »
The wife and I must be the only people who love the simplicity of seperate remotes.. .
Oh, I too prefer separate, dedicated remotes. Although I am trying out a Universal Remote at the moment I am using it exclusively to operate the FVP 4000T, to replace the RM-L03 which I have grown to loathe.
Although I don’t need to do so often, I shall continue to use the Samsung remote for my TV, the Sony for my DVD player and the Orbitsound remote for my soundbar.
Thank goodness there are more than two of us then.
I know what you mean about some remotes being fiddly. We have just got the BT Youview+ box which although a Humax, BT have opted for a redesigned remote. They have grouped everything around a central navigation ring which for anyone with large hands is much to small. The upshot being that when trying to access some of the more important functions on the inner circle one inevitably hits the outer ring taking you out of what you are trying to do. Most annoying and poor designThe middle ring of the remote for the mini BT youview box takes a little getting used to but the remote also works with the humax box and I find it vastly better to use than the supplied remote – it doesn’t take multiple presses to get anything done. The only drawbacks are a lack of a direct to recordings button and not having a button that replicates the “+” on the humax remote, which luckily would usually I rarely use (saying that at the moment it’s needed daily to delete a channel to get over the very much unfixed schedule bug).
I’m actually the other way – I think the Humax supplied remotes (the ones with the clicky buttons) are great. https://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/accessories/rm-i09u.html I did try to get the one I have for our 2000T to work with the Youview+ box but no luck. BT has apparently locked it down.
gomezz
One remote has to be simpler than six. No faffing about putting one down and deciding which other of the collection needs picking up.
With my Harmony Elite have it set up to turn on the TV, AV amp and HDMI switch with one button press then another button press to turn on the PVR / device I am intending to use as the source – I could at this point have it automatically go to the media list. Perhaps the only thing I agree on is that I do not like having the PVRs turned on and off automatically as I switch activities so I have turned this feature off.
I think you haven’t understood what I am saying. I don’t want multiple devices to be switched on at the same time as that is not how I use them. I want to start devices individually.
One remote really would not be as quick as me toggling HDMI inputs which are almost instant. I want to see all my recording or schedules from each PVR. Once I have them on screen I only need the TV remote to toggle the inputs from one PVR to the other whence we can then see the recording to decide what to watch. I don’t want a single remote interfering with my Sonos setup either.
I have said before I got the Harmony and sent it back to Amazon within a couple of days – hated it plus the wife was giving me real grief about it.
I hear what you are saying Graham but for the both of us having the one remote for all that sounds like hell. I did forget to add to the six remotes on the coffee table we also have four others in other rooms.
The wife hasn’t a clue how to work what we have now. However, all she is interested in is her own personal Panasonic PVR. She knows how to switch on the TV in the lounge – Sonos preset to control the audio. She then knows how to use the DLNA media app on the SMART TV to access her HWT120 in another room in the house and play her recordings in the lounge – one happy wife.
All the other equipment is left to me. I have tried to show her how to use everything but she has no interest.
My local Tesco has/had? a 4 in 1 remote at half price £8.50, but this looked like a local clearance rather than national offer.
The OP was asking about an alternative to the “poorly laid out remote” and not something to control a spacestation
Many users have complained about the lack of range of the fvp4000t supplied remote. My gripe is the lack of a dedicated ‘media’ button which a universal remote will fix, plus I hate AAA batteries. One of the biggest jokes with the supplied remote is that it’s touted as a universal, however the ‘universal’ 2 buttons doesn’t make it universal in any stretch of my imagination.
Re. the Harmony, horses for courses, but vastly over priced when not bought in a sale/offer
You can’t beat the old maxim of keep it simple.
grahamlthompson – 11 hours ago  »Â
Without the Harmony my better half would not have a clue how to use it.
As to response times (thanks to a Harmony Hub) it’s very fast and you don’t have to point the remote at anything as the room is blasted with ir.
If my wife want’s to watch an item she presses one button, which turns on all the kit required. Selects the appropriate inputs on amplifier and TV. The buttons automatically control the correct kit. eg Media displays the recording list from the appropriate PVR, the volume control adjusts the amplifier. Want to use another device, press one button it turns off devices not required, turns on devices not already on. You can also use a mobile phone or tablet to control the system with a free app.
Just had a count of the remote controls you need to do it manually.
It comes to 8. Strikes me those with a plethora of remotes have never tried the convenience of a really good programmeable remote. 😯
I totally agree – plus, if you have an Amazon Echo, you can control your devices with voice commands via IFTTT – so as I walk into my lounge, I just say “Alexa, trigger Humax” and on comes the TV, soundbar and FVP-4000T, so by the time I’ve reached my chair everything is ready to view, thanks to the Harmony Hub. And no problem with the sluggish OEM Humax remote! Not to mention that my lights and lamps go to my optimum settings for watching TV.
Bargepower – 14 hours ago »
grahamlthompson – 11 hours ago  »Â
Without the Harmony my better half would not have a clue how to use it.
As to response times (thanks to a Harmony Hub) it’s very fast and you don’t have to point the remote at anything as the room is blasted with ir.
If my wife want’s to watch an item she presses one button, which turns on all the kit required. Selects the appropriate inputs on amplifier and TV. The buttons automatically control the correct kit. eg Media displays the recording list from the appropriate PVR, the volume control adjusts the amplifier. Want to use another device, press one button it turns off devices not required, turns on devices not already on. You can also use a mobile phone or tablet to control the system with a free app.
Just had a count of the remote controls you need to do it manually.
It comes to 8. Strikes me those with a plethora of remotes have never tried the convenience of a really good programmeable remote. 😯
I totally agree – plus, if you have an Amazon Echo, you can control your devices with voice commands via IFTTT – so as I walk into my lounge, I just say “Alexa, trigger Humax” and on comes the TV, soundbar and FVP-4000T, so by the time I’ve reached my chair everything is ready to view, thanks to the Harmony Hub. And no problem with the sluggish OEM Humax remote! Not to mention that my lights and lamps go to my optimum settings for watching TV.
You must be worn out by the time you reach your chair. 😆
Bargepower – 14 hours ago »
grahamlthompson – 11 hours ago  »Â
Without the Harmony my better half would not have a clue how to use it.
As to response times (thanks to a Harmony Hub) it’s very fast and you don’t have to point the remote at anything as the room is blasted with ir.
If my wife want’s to watch an item she presses one button, which turns on all the kit required. Selects the appropriate inputs on amplifier and TV. The buttons automatically control the correct kit. eg Media displays the recording list from the appropriate PVR, the volume control adjusts the amplifier. Want to use another device, press one button it turns off devices not required, turns on devices not already on. You can also use a mobile phone or tablet to control the system with a free app.
Just had a count of the remote controls you need to do it manually.
It comes to 8. Strikes me those with a plethora of remotes have never tried the convenience of a really good programmeable remote. 😯
I totally agree – plus, if you have an Amazon Echo, you can control your devices with voice commands via IFTTT – so as I walk into my lounge, I just say “Alexa, trigger Humax” and on comes the TV, soundbar and FVP-4000T, so by the time I’ve reached my chair everything is ready to view, thanks to the Harmony Hub. And no problem with the sluggish OEM Humax remote! Not to mention that my lights and lamps go to my optimum settings for watching TV.
Does your Echo like my Echo dot keep responding to the TV
The other day it started playing back Prime Music responding to something that was said on the TV.
As you have the Hub, do you have a Harmony remote as well. If so does your remote get out of synch if you turn on using the Hub ?
Faust – 1 day ago »
gomezz
One remote has to be simpler than six. No faffing about putting one down and deciding which other of the collection needs picking up.
With my Harmony Elite have it set up to turn on the TV, AV amp and HDMI switch with one button press then another button press to turn on the PVR / device I am intending to use as the source – I could at this point have it automatically go to the media list. Perhaps the only thing I agree on is that I do not like having the PVRs turned on and off automatically as I switch activities so I have turned this feature off.
I think you haven’t understood what I am saying. I don’t want multiple devices to be switched on at the same time as that is not how I use them. I want to start devices individually
Huh? I am agreeing with you on this point.
I’m sure most people have seen this already, but for those that haven’t:
I’m waiting for a pop group to release a single with the lyrics ‘Alexa play this song again and again at full volume’
Not that it’ll bother the owner though as the previous lyric was ‘Alexa tell Tesla to drive me off a cliff’
The mind boggles, I’m glad my wife isn’t called Alexa, that would cause confusion
damian – 7 minutes ago »
I’m sure most people have seen this already, but for those that haven’t:
I’m waiting for a pop group to release a single with the lyrics ‘Alexa play this song again and again at full volume’
Not that it’ll bother the owner though as the previous lyric was ‘Alexa tell Tesla to drive me off a cliff’
The mind boggles, I’m glad my wife isn’t called Alexa, that would cause confusion
You can change the wake up name.
grahamlthompson – 1 week ago »
Bargepower – 14 hours ago »
grahamlthompson – 11 hours ago  »Â
Without the Harmony my better half would not have a clue how to use it.
As to response times (thanks to a Harmony Hub) it’s very fast and you don’t have to point the remote at anything as the room is blasted with ir.
If my wife want’s to watch an item she presses one button, which turns on all the kit required. Selects the appropriate inputs on amplifier and TV. The buttons automatically control the correct kit. eg Media displays the recording list from the appropriate PVR, the volume control adjusts the amplifier. Want to use another device, press one button it turns off devices not required, turns on devices not already on. You can also use a mobile phone or tablet to control the system with a free app.
Just had a count of the remote controls you need to do it manually.
It comes to 8. Strikes me those with a plethora of remotes have never tried the convenience of a really good programmeable remote. 😯
I totally agree – plus, if you have an Amazon Echo, you can control your devices with voice commands via IFTTT – so as I walk into my lounge, I just say “Alexa, trigger Humax” and on comes the TV, soundbar and FVP-4000T, so by the time I’ve reached my chair everything is ready to view, thanks to the Harmony Hub. And no problem with the sluggish OEM Humax remote! Not to mention that my lights and lamps go to my optimum settings for watching TV.
Does your Echo like my Echo dot keep responding to the TV
The other day it started playing back Prime Music responding to something that was said on the TV.
As you have the Hub, do you have a Harmony remote as well. If so does your remote get out of synch if you turn on using the Hub ?
The only time my Echo responded to the TV was when there was an item on about the Echo and the presenter said “Alexa”!
Yes, I have the Harmony Ultimate remote and if using the Echo to turn something on, then the hub automatically syncs the remote to the correct setting / item and you can use the remote as though you started the activity with it.
Am I right in assuming that the “info” button on the aftermarket fvp-4000t remote made by Classic won’t actually do anything on a 4000t? And same for the PIP button, and the “skip ahead/skip back” buttons?
car3107 – 49 minutes ago »
Am I right in assuming that the “info” button on the aftermarket fvp-4000t remote made by Classic won’t actually do anything on a 4000t? And same for the PIP button, and the “skip ahead/skip back” buttons?
PIP definitely won’t work. There isn’t the video hardware to display two video sources at the same time. Be interesting to find out what single button remote commands the FVP4000T actually has, I might add one to my Harmony remote to check what Logitech reckon the command set is (I don’t have the box).
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