Universal Remote Control

[imported_sling]

Ok, so my dog got a little friendly with the remote that goes to my dvd/surround sound system. Now I have Cox cable and their dvr comes with a remote that has 3 slots for other items, in the standard "universal remote" style. I programmed my surroundsound on the AUX slot, and it works, kinda. I can basically turn it up and down. That's it. Which is fine for TV watching, but I can't cycle discs, or change modes to dvd/cd/tuner/aux or anything like that.

So my question is this: Are there any universal remotes that will do the advanced dvd/audio functions or am I at the mercy of panasonic on getting a new remote for mine? What about the outrageously expensive Harmony remotes from Logitech? If I have to spend $199 to get a remote to work, I think I'll just get up and change it manually. If you know of one that will work for this that is reasonably priced, by all means, post a model number or something.

Sometimes I hate dogs.


UPDATE:

My dog chewed up my dvr remote last night.

I now have no choice but to get a new remote, and kick the ****** out of my dog.

 

[SaturnX]

Well I won a Harmony 680 from a contest, and frankly it's incredible. Having used one, I would definitely buy one. Fantastic devices.

 

[everman]

Get a harmony, well worth it.

 

[imported_sling]

really? I mean, it does everything the factory remote will do? I might have to get one of the lower end ones, but there's still no way I'm coughing up $199 for one.

I need one that will do everything that the old remote would do, select discs, etc.

I also need one that is dog proof.

 

[OdiN]

Your hand should work well. It can control all your equipment just by pushing the buttons on it!

 

[SLCentral]

Harmony. All the models work pretty much exactly the same. I own the 880 and love it.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: OdiN
Your hand should work well. It can control all your equipment just by pushing the buttons on it!

Actually, what's really annoying is that on a lot of stuff, you DON'T have access to *EVERYTHING* from the front panel controls.

 

[Goosemaster]

The wife. Just make sure to feed her regularly and treat her respect.

edit: the real submissive ones will wear a skimpy bunny and dance while they adjsut the volume on your Bose 1-2-3 system

 

[mrrman]

Originally posted by: everman
Get a harmony, well worth it.

I have the 688 , love it

 

[imported_sling]

well....I guess I'll check some prices on the harmony stuff, I know some of them are reasonable. Logitech's website just has msrp and it's realy high, I think the cheapest one was like $100.

 

[DrPizza]

I had a programmable universal remote with a touch screen from radio shack... it was awesome... In addition to just about everything you could think of having on a universal remote, if there was something that the remote couldn't do, you simply aimed the device's remote at the universal remote, and had the universal remote record the signal... then you were good to go.

 

[kalster]

I just got this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006...351?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=172282 , its pretty good, for the money and does all the stuff I need, nothing fancy as the harmony but does everything i want

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: OdiN
Your hand should work well. It can control all your equipment just by pushing the buttons on it!

Actually, what's really annoying is that on a lot of stuff, you DON'T have access to *EVERYTHING* from the front panel controls.

Well I guess you should stop buying crap then.

 

[nsafreak]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: OdiN
Your hand should work well. It can control all your equipment just by pushing the buttons on it!

Actually, what's really annoying is that on a lot of stuff, you DON'T have access to *EVERYTHING* from the front panel controls.

Well I guess you should stop buying crap then.

Um there are a fair number of fairly decent products that don't have access to every feature (or at least easy access) that the piece of equipment has. My Harman Kardon AVR-230 receiver is one such item as would be my Sharp MD-R3 CD changer/ Minidisc deck. Would you call those pieces of equipment "crap"?

 

[Pardus]

just don't get one in the BEYOND dept at Bed & Bath

 

[imported_sling]

Originally posted by: ActiveX
just don't get one in the BEYOND dept at Bed & Bath

rofl

I think I'll get whatever the cheapest one that can learn stuff from the old remote.

The old one is well chewed, but it does stll seem to work, though she ate the battery cover and part of the outside shell. Who knew mini schnauzers liked plastic?

 

[Fritzo]

Logitech's Harmony remotes are what you want.

 

[jdini76]

Originally posted by: everman
Get a harmony, well worth it.

agreed. It even controls my Maytag window air conditioner.

 

[Linflas]

I have the Harmony 880 and functionally it is great but the ergonomics are not so great.

 

[imported_sling]

****** DOG! My wife left the dvr remote on the couch where the dog could get to it, and she chewed it more than she did the surround sound remote.

I'll be back later....I've got a hole to dig.

 

[rstove02]

Got my Harmony 688 from Newegg for $130 shipped. That particular model was revamped version of the earlier 6xx line to be more DVR friendly.

Practically all the Harmony remotes are the same at the core. The only differences tend to by styling, button placement, LCD color and size, rechargable battery system (high end ones come with rechargeable batter and charging dock for remote), and support of radio freq in addition to infra-red (on the very high end).

Gone though several universal remotes before I tried a Harmony and this is the first universal remote that could do everything the original manufacturer remotes do.