[Closed] Keeping remotes together

All in one remote

or superglue them into a multi-sided mega-remote.

All in one remote

I got one of those. I thought, "this changes everything!"

[url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-650-Remote-Control/dp/B00IRUS6K6/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics-accessories&ie=UTF8&qid=1489400695&sr=1-4&keywords=logitech+harmony ]Logitech Harmony[/url]

Not cheap but an excellent piece of kit.

Connect everything up with HDMI. Enable HDMI-CEC. Throw away two remotes.

I see your problem. You're letting other people use the remotes. The solution is to keep them with you at all times and if anyone tries to touch [b]YOUR[/b] remotes threaten them with a fate worse than death (or no pudding). Problem solved.

"Better" but more expensive is to replace them with a single universal remote that can control all the things.

http://m.thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-universal-remote-control/

We have a Logitech Harmony and it works well once set up. Pick an activity (e.g. Watch TV) and it switches the TV, freeview box and stereo, sets to the right inputs, then the channel up/down, volume control, etc send commands to the right box.

"Not cheap" - you lost me at this point. 🙂

Presumably the all in ones don't to WIFI as well as IR? In which case I still need my firestick controller 'cos I prefer it to my phone.

Self adhesive Velcro for the less permanent solution

[img] [/img]

backed this on Kickstarter: https://neeo.com/

but it's now 2 years behind schedule. Not a huge problem as my house is still not built but annoying and wonder if it will ever appear. I did mention voice control to the creators back at the start but they didn't want to delay the program (hmm, that ship has sailed) but hopefully it should integrate nicely with Amazon's Alexa/Echo/Dot devices for that.

The problem with all-in-one remotes is that there's always something they can't do so you end up trying to find the old control again!

I just line all mine up like an infantry of electronics and it gives me a great sense of control, quite literally.

The problem with all-in-one remotes is that there's always something they can't do so you end up trying to find the old control again!

Not with the Harmony ones. They have a massive database of every piece of kit out there and you program the remote with the exact model of equipment.

All the more "unusual" functions are covered by the LCD screen which can support as many functions as you need.

Look at "One For All"

Nothing like as fancy as the Logitech Harmony but pretty cheap (around £20)

I've got one that controls six devices and I actually use it to control the TV, SKY Box, Blu Ray Player, Xbox and Surround Amp

It has a "Magic" button that sets up most devices with a single press you can also make it learn from the original remote.

I've not needed to dig out the old remotes

Presumably the all in ones don't to WIFI as well as IR? In which case I still need my firestick controller 'cos I prefer it to my phone.

Fire Stick does HDMI-CEC (aka sending commands via the HDMI port). You can use your TV's commands for up/down/left/right/select/play/pause etc and it sends them to the Fire Stick. Works fine for me.

Just buy all sony stuff and bravia sync means we never have to worry about multiple remotes
it genuinely makes my life easier

[img] [/img]

we never have to worry about multiple remotes

Just need to worry about what those obscure symbols mean on Sony remotes. 🙂

Al.

"[i]The megatron doesn't say urban freewheelers. It says sofa masturbators[/i]"

This might work

[img] [/img]

I just superglue them in front of the devices they control - problem solved - ok you have to get off your arse to use them but a bit of movement never killed anyone.

Tskalusa and SimonG, between you, you have solved my problem.

You've saved me about an hour a week for the rest of my life.

I'm actually crying with joy. 🙂

Just buy all sony stuff and bravia sync means we never have to worry about multiple remotes
it genuinely makes my life easier

Bravia Sync is just HDMI-CEC with a Sony brand name. Same with all the other brands, Regza-link, Viera-link and all the rest, it's all CEC and should all interoperate with each other as it's a standard. Giving it a fancy name is a bit of a trick to ensure brand loyalty. Er, oh, sorry.

I've had Harmony remotes for years, they're great (control lights, fan, sockets, etc) although when it becomes time to replace it I might have another look around as they're not great at integrating with other products/standards.

Actually the best thing about my Harmony is that it's RF so you don't even have to point it at (or be in the same room as) the thing(s) it's operating.

Logitech Harmony

Not cheap but an excellent piece of kit.

[s]+3[/s]

+1

Sundayjumper - Member

Al.

"The megatron doesn't say urban freewheelers. It says sofa masturbators"

Perfect for me then!

Cougar - Moderator

[i]All in one remote[/i]

I got one of those. I thought, "this changes everything!"

😀

the best thing about my Harmony is that it's RF so you don't even have to point it at (or be in the same room as) the thing(s) it's operating.

How does that work then, is there a receiver module with an IR blaster?

Yes, in fact a couple of blasters, in case you have AV equipment in a cupboard, etc.

I had a Harmony 650 but I found it kept going into some kind of new user/setup mode where it kept asking me to press certain keys before it started working again. Has this been fixed? If so I might try one again.

sounds faulty... I have had a One, then a 900, then an Ultimate (which Logitech kindly sent me after the battery in the 900 developed a problem) which barring the battery thing (which didn't actually affect it really) have been faultless.

I just use my phone.

we have the same problem at home...the dvd remote always disappears then magically reappears, the tv and sky Q remote does the same trick...most of the time theyre always stuffed inside the sofa cushions
remedy for the sky Q remote was to try encouraging the wife and kids to use the other remote instead which is bluetooth connected and can be located using the sky Q box...but no-one likes the touch pad on it

Bravia Sync is just HDMI-CEC with a Sony brand name. Same with all the other brands, Regza-link, Viera-link and all the rest, it's all CEC and should all interoperate with each other as it's a standard. Giving it a fancy name is a bit of a trick to ensure brand loyalty. Er, oh, sorry.

Why has no-one come up with a phone app for this? Phones can do every bloody thing else!

Before I do has anyone found a better solution.

Get rid of the TV?

Why has no-one come up with a phone app for this? Phones can do every bloody thing else!

Why has no-one come up with a phone app for this? Phones can do every bloody thing else!

Instead of the net bag thingymibob, when you've finished wearing these, use the left leg.

[img] http://hottopic.scene7.com/is/image/HotTopic/10286088_hi?$pdp_hero_standard$ [/img]

[i]Harmony Hub[/i] £100?! Wheres that rubber band?

Just need a phone with an IR port

Or a stand-alone IR blaster on the Wi-Fi network.
https://www.simplecontrol.com/simple-blaster/

That's the crux of it though - all your devices are expecting IR signals from remotes.

Thinking about it, something that could receive commands over Wi-Fi and inject them as CEC commands directly into a HDMI port would be a killer app, you could do away with IR at a stroke. I wonder if such a thing exists, or if I'm going to be rich? Mental note, don't tell anyone about it.

Raspberry Pi project, anyone?

http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=13819.0

[i] I wonder if such a thing exists, or if I'm going to be rich? Mental note, don't tell anyone about it.[/i]

You stealing my idea??

That's the crux of it though - all your devices are expecting IR signals from remotes.

My TV doesn't. Pretty much all smart TVs when connected to your router have phone apps to control them.

Yeah, fair point, mine does too. I guess as time goes on this will change, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Can you tell I don't have a smart TV? It does plug into the router though 🙂
Can you imagine having to fire up an app on your phone every time you want to change channels on the Sky box. That would actually be crap.

Why has no-one come up with a phone app for this? Phones can do every bloody thing else!

there is

[url= https://peel.com/ ]Peel Smart Remote[/url]

Can you imagine having to fire up an app on your phone every time you want to change channels on the Sky box. That would actually be crap.

"Having to" does not equate with "being able to." It's nice to have a choice. Who wouldn't want to be able to change channels in the living room whilst sat on the throne upstairs? Almost minutes of fun to be had there.

I have a sony app for my TV. It is still much easier to pick up the remote.

It is handy to be able to turn the TV on as I pull up outside the house though and my phone detects the TV as it logs onto the wifi.

It is handy to be able to turn the TV on as I pull up outside the house

You're joking?

How is that of any use at all? To anyone ever?

I thought Hive was pointless but that's even more of a broken pencil.

How is that of any use at all? To anyone ever?

Listen to sport on 5 live in the car, jump to watching it on the TV when you get home. Handy if your TV is slow to start up, as some smart ones are, and you miss the goal/crash/streaker

When recording sport to watch later its a bit annoying when you turn on the TV and accidentally watch a bit of it and find out who is winning or whatever. Turn on the TV, change channels and start playback and you can watch from the start without accidentally watching the end

Pretty minor, I'll admit but mildly handy

All in one controls with magic buttons can also be used to reprogram DVD region settings on players, another handy benefit.

I use bunjees. I can then pull one off from the Mrs' hand from the other side of the room just with a quick yank.

Michael Johnson?

Remote organiser. Yes, this is a thing:

[img] ?set_id=2[/img]

Although if you were a proper man you'd have them in one of these:

[img] [/img]

My TV doesn't. Pretty much all smart TVs when connected to your router have phone apps to control them.

Thanks tuskaloosa. I went with the elastic bands. There was a bit of low level grumbling from SWMBO on day one but four months down the line we are never going back! Probably 40 minutes a week of frustration that's been removed from my life for ever.

I just use my phone.

The problem I found with using a phone to control tv etc is that by the time you unlock the phone then navigate to the app it's far quicker just using the actual remote. I never found it particularly convenient.

Why has no-one come up with a phone app for this? Phones can do every bloody thing else!

And leave out the 'why nots' and give me a solution.... 😈

even if you have only one remote control its never in the place you last left it / think it is. A chain attached to the TV is the only solution.

I have a Sony smart TV and DVD player, the remote control can control both. Everything else can be nore or less controlled through the TV's interface, however I have a separate remote for the sky recorder box but this is only for watching stuff that isn't availabel through iPlayer / catchup as I have Freeview on the telly.

I have also got the remote control app - its fairly basic but is useful when the youngun wants an urgent channel change and we can't find the remote. It uses the Wi-fi and / or bluetooth to connect to the telly.

There are a lot of this Remote apps that our capable of controlling your Televisions but the question is which one is the most responsive? Most of this apps work more than advertising another app and does not perform on what it is expected to do.

Serious first world problem here and also scary the amount of money people have spent on various electronic kit and then try to come up with a solution to make them all work...surely getting up and pushing buttons works just as well?