Remote Review - Harmony 890
11/11/2006 09:28:00 AM
As I've mentioned before (and again in last night's post), I ordered a new universal remote some time ago so I could send commands to the components I intend to hide in the trunk that I'm converting for that very purpose. While I don't have pictures of the trunk yet (I'll resume work this morning as soon as I'm done posting), Dana and I have both spent a good amount of time using the remote in the last few weeks, so I thought I'd put up a quick review for your consumption.
The configuration software, while clunky, gets the job done. Basically, you take a note of every part of your entertainment system (TV manufacturer and model number, amp, cd, dvd, etc) and tell the software what you have. It automatically builds "Activities" for you (like "Watch TV", "Listen to radio", etc), and you tell it how each of those functions should work. For example, when I entered everything, it automatically put together a "Watch TiVo" activity. So now, instead of turning on the TV and the amp and making sure everything's on the right input as separate steps, I just hit the "Watch TiVo" button and it all comes on and is configured correctly. This is really pretty nice, as I misplaced the remote for my amp some time ago, leaving me to turn in on/adjust the settings manually for years.
But the remote can be too smart for its own good at times as well. We have the computer hooked up to the stereo so we can listen to iTunes, but the software wouldn't let me add a "Digital Music" task since it didn't think I had any hardware that could play music. As a workaround, I just faked it out and told it we had some random digital music device - no harm, no foul. No doubt it's sending commands to the phantom device, but I don't care anymore because I don't have to get up, turn on the amp, switch the input and turn off the surround, then undo all that (manually) when I'm done. And even better, neither does Dana. (if you couldn't guess, that particular configuration is a little more complicated than most). I know, I know: poor me, I have to actually stand up to turn the amp on. Really not a big deal - until everything is hidden in the trunk, that is, when it would be a supreme PITA.
Onwards.
I mentioned yesterday that the first remote we got was defective. That's both true and a bit of a stretch. The remote worked - in IR mode. Which is fine, if you have a line-of-sight to all the components. But I bought this remote because of the RF repeater it has.[geek mode off]
Basically, most remote controls use IR (Infra-red) light to send commands to your TV, for example. Have you ever had someone stand in front of the TV while you try to change the channel, and it doesn't work? That's because, as most people know, you need to point the remote at the TV for it to work. Light can't travel through your spouse's ass, so you need to get them to move it before you can change the channel.
RF (radio frequency) works more like a cordless phone. You can be anywhere (within reason) and still successfully transmit a signal. This particular remote has two modes - IR and RF - and you can configure the modes interchangeably for each individual device. So when all my components are in the trunk I'll tell the remote to control them with RF, but since the TV will be ON the trunk (and thus, visible) it will be controlled as normal with IR.
"But Mark," one might ask, "how do you control your stereo with RF if it came with an IR remote? Can it use both?" No, you bonehead, it can't. I'll explain.
The remote came with an RF Repeater. Basically, this little thing receives the RF signal the remote sends it, then translates it into IR signals for the various components. So the remote doesn't need a line-of-sight for the RF repeater (to be hidden in the trunk with the other components), but the RF repeater DOES need a line-of-sight to the other components (since it talks to them in IR). Conveniently, the RF repeater came with a bunch of IR blasters attached to long wires that attach directly to each component's IR receiver.
So, hit a button on the remote, it talks to the RF repeater. The RF repeater translates those commands to IR signals and controls each component thusly. Like magic!
[talk down to your reader mode off]
The first remote we got worked fine, but the RF was hosed (either in the remote itself or the repeater), so they sent me a replacement. I haven't yet used it AS a repeater, but I couldn't even connect to the thing last time, so I'm excited it seems to be working this time around.
Unfortunately, I no longer have an excuse to put off my work on the trunk anymore (the sanding is quite tedious, I must say), so it's time for me to get back to it.
I think I covered pretty much everything. There are some niggling issues with the remote (it won't send two quick fast-forward bursts to TiVo for the double-fast-forward action we love, there's a slight delay) but nothing that I see as a deal-breaker. I guess we'll see if that holds up when we're using it in repeater mode. Also, they keypad layout could be better (again, specifically for the TiVo functions) but the remote makes up for little problems like that with its intuition. If I want to switch from watching TiVo to listening to the satellite radio, the remote is smart enough to know that it shouldn't turn off the amp, it should turn off the TV, and it should change the channel (we get XM radio via DirecTV).
Basically, my experience with the remote is leaps and bounds better than the hassle Scott and I went through to get my dad's Pronto Pro working - that thing is a real dud. Not to mention the facts that I hate the touch-screen interface. But that's just me.
Later!
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3 Comments:
I just picked up the 880, pretty much the same remote, just no RF (no need since all my equipment is above board, though it would be fun to be able to control it from anywhere in the house). I'm still trying to think of what his name will be. Right now, I'm thinking maybe Carl.
posted at 5:52 PM
Is your longest post yet a remote review?! :)
Sounds like a nice unit! I'm about to go get a MCE remote so that I can use that to program my universal (then, promptly return it) ;)
Is MCE an option on that remote? (out of curiosity)
posted at 8:10 PM
Pablo:
A) I would imagine so.
B) I think they have a Harmony specifically geared towards the whole MCE thing.
posted at 9:06 AM
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