What are you using to control your Home Theater / Media Room?

[AVSJeff]

What are you using to control your Home Theater / Media Room?

[AVSCraig]

What are you using to control your Home Theater / Media Room?

  

[TRainH2O]

Logitec Harmony One. It's really simple to program, edit, and cheap but the downside...........remembering to keep it pointed at my IR repeater which is about 16 feet from the seated position.

[TRainH2O]

I also bought an MX-880 (many years also) but I never really got it programmed properly. You pretty much have to be a Rocket Scientist to do so. It is RF, which is what I was going for since all my gear is in an equipment closet behind the main seating area.

[David Vaughn]

I also bought an MX-880 (many years also) but I never really got it programmed properly. You pretty much have to be a Rocket Scientist to do so. It is RF, which is what I was going for since all my gear is in an equipment closet behind the main seating area.

Tracy,

Once you learn how to do the URC programming, it's pretty intuitive. I just redid my MX-990 remote and bought some Lutron URC light switches off of eBay to control every light that connects to my media room as well as a couple of lights in the back yard. Learning curve wasn't easy, but I was able to get it all working in one afternoon and now I can do everything I want to from my couch and my lazy a$$ doesn't need to get up

If you need help programming the 880, I can lend some assistance. 

[TRainH2O]

David, I'll send you a list of my equipment, inputs, etc.............just bill me. 

We talked several years ago but I never really got it up and running properly. I had very limited success. Seems like my main issue was "if/then" setup but a good bit of my equipment has changed since then. 

[DLCPhoto]

I'm using Control4, which I have elsewhere in the house as well. It is pricier than a DIY type solution, but the complete integration of any and all systems, and the ability to easily customize things to behave as you like, is awesome.

I previously used a Harmony Hub/Remote, and it did well for many AV functions in my Theater. But once I got used to the Control4 system, there's just no comparison.

[David Vaughn]

David, I'll send you a list of my equipment, inputs, etc.............just bill me.

We talked several years ago but I never really got it up and running properly. I had very limited success. Seems like my main issue was "if/then" setup but a good bit of my equipment has changed since then.

I hate the if/then statements  Most of my equipment uses discrete codes (thankfully), but I have a secondary system that I needed to use if/then commands on and it took me forever to figure it out...I could try and copy and paste those commands for you so you can see what I did

[TRainH2O]

I'm using Control4, which I have elsewhere in the house as well. It is pricier than a DIY type solution, but the complete integration of any and all systems, and the ability to easily customize things to behave as you like, is awesome.

I previously used a Harmony Hub/Remote, and it did well for many AV functions in my Theater. But once I got used to the Control4 system, there's just no comparison.

I would love to use Control4 but I don't have a local programmer. I wish they would issue a limited use license, reasonably priced, for their software for people like me.

[SRW1000]

I have URC MX-780s to control everything, but can't recommend them anymore.

They've gone really draconian on their software, pretty much making it tough to impossible for consumers to obtain and trying to restrict the use of it to authorized dealers.  So, unless you want to pay a customer installer to set it up and keep it updated for you, it's not a viable option anymore.

It's too bad, because their remotes are really solid.

Scott

[DLCPhoto]

I would love to use Control4 but I don't have a local programmer. I wish they would issue a limited use license, reasonably priced, for their software for people like me.

If you mean that there is no Dealer available that services your area, that would present a challenge. But it is possible to work with a Remote Dealer, through whom you can buy the hardware you need, and which you could then physically install. The Remote Dealer could then log into your system and handle the programming. Many find this to be a more cost-effective way of getting into Control4.

It is a Dealer-centric business model, and I understand why that is off-putting to many DIY or technically oriented people. But it is what it is. And once the system is installed, you can buy what is called Composer Pro for a fairly nominal price, which would enable you to do customize the programming to your heart's content. You do need a Dealer to add new devices to the system, and establish the virtual connections, but all of the programming can then be tweaked as much as you would want.

If you're interested, PM me, and I'll point you in the right direction where you can get in touch with these guys.

[Paul Heroy]

Been using the Harmony remotes for many years. My main HT has an Elite which does IR/RF/IP and it's awesome. Programming is not 100% perfect but fairly easy once you figure out how the device & activities functions work together, and how to customize individual buttons. Like many I was distraught when Logitech dropped Harmony and hope they make good on their promise to continue at least supporting it and the database. I'm sure at some point it will start falling behind though. 

I use a 900 for my secondary system - basically an RF version of the One. I had a One in my main system before the Elite. I've also got a couple of NIB Elites that I snagged after Logitech made their exit, as a hedge in case one of the current one fails in some way. The 900 was bought used and is a little flakey so I might sub it out first.

I dread the day I have to teach my wife a new way of operating our main system b/c it's our combo main TV & HT setup.

[Barry]

I thought Logitech gave up on Harmony Remotes. Am I wrong?

[David Vaughn]

I thought Logitech gave up on Harmony Remotes. Am I wrong?

They did...you are 100% right

[TRainH2O]

I thought Logitech gave up on Harmony Remotes. Am I wrong?

Yes........mine are really old. Dependable, but old, kind of like me.