Being the upgradaholic and gadget freak that I am, was able to locate a 15-2107. It is a pretty cool toy and definitely worth the $30. I played around with it last night and here are my initial impressions:
Pro's
- Fairly simple to operate and code
- Good selection of preset codes. Was surprised to find my old GE DVD player worked fine. Also, my 13 year old 31" Hitachi TV was better than I expected, though not perfect. This set has always presented a problem to universal remotes due to its features (dual tuners for true PIP, antenna and input switching, etc.). However, very surprised that my 11 year old Sony VCR was not included.
- The indigiglo display is mondo cool
- A real IR blaster - unbelievable range. Unquestionably, the best I have ever seen in a remote.
Con's
- Large awkward bulky shape. This ain't no dainty contoured remote. Definitely requires two hands to operate.
- The combination of some of the preassigned mode keys ("DVD/VCR") are stupid and cannot be changed.
- Uses four AAA batteries...these are a pain. Given the size of this beast, don't know why AA weren't used which I always have a spare supply.
- Only four mode keys are displayed at a time, meaning that you have to press a "Mode Shift" key for the other four to appear.
- I was able to completely lock this thing up when I first started playing with it. Cannot recall the sequence of keystrokes/events but had to remove the batteries from the remote to restore use. Hasn't happened again but so could have just been a fluke. Did not have anything programmed yet so do not know if it lost the settings.
I also had more time to work with the Sony RM-VL1000 which I referenced in a previous post.
Pro's
- Very powerful and flexible. Can program more macros, timers, and commands than I would ever need. The ability to key in unique text labels for the dot matrix display and then learn/assign specific commands is impressive. Between the preset codes and the ability to learn, I don't believe there are any meaningful limitations on what this remote can do. I am thinking it may actually allow the replacement of all the other remotes.
- Supports 12 devices
- Good selection of preset codes though does not seem to be as complete as the RS 15-2107. For example, the preset code for the Hitachi would do the basic volume and channel functions but not support any of the PIP, antenna or input select functions. However, I was able to key in labels and learn the commands.
- Very nice quality of build. Buttons have good tactile feel. Good balance.
- Very convenient if you use primarily Sony components (what would you expect) as most of the devices are preset to Sony codes.
Con's
- Moderately steep learning curve. Usual trade-off...with power/flexibility comes complexity. You don't want to lose the manual.
- The ergonomics are a mixed bag:
(1) It fits nicely in one hand and is well balanced for single hand operation. However, the component select key is at the top of the remote, meaning that if you want to change device modes, you must either use the other hand or shift the remote in your hand to access the key. The same complaint goes for the power key.
(2) The dot matrix display is rather dim and none of the hard keys light up.
(3) The selection keys on the upper right hand side were not well thought out and are not parallel with the corresponding label. This is really dumb.
(4) The entering of the customized labels is an arduous task that requires you to scroll through a long list of characters and symbols to assign each text character on the dot matrix display. Good news is you only have to do it once, but it is a nuisance.
(5) On the plus side, the remote is "intelligent " enough to default to the TV volume key when a video component (DVD, VCR, etc) is selected and likewise will default to the receiver volume key when an audio component (CD, tape,etc) is selected. Thus, saving you the effort of switching back to the receiver (or TV) to adjust volume when using one of the related components. This can be overridden if desired, too.
The net of this long winded post is that the RS 15-2107 is an excellent buy even with its warts. It may not have all the flexibility a power user would want require but what it does...it seems to do very well. And don't discount the "geek factor"...it is cool toy. I will probably use it in my family room which is a real hodge podge of gear.
I also stand by my recommendation of the Sony RM-VL1000 which can be found at Compgeeks, as well. It is definitely the more powerful of the two remotes but will require more time to learn and setup. The reward is that it should be able to truly replace several remotes. This will probably do duty in my bedroom which is almost completely Sony.