can anyone rate this product?

[badapple]

I was looking to buy a remote for my htpc and I ran across this one:
http://store.niveusmedia.com/s.nl/c.304836/sc.2/category.2/it.A/id.4/.f

Does anyone have this?
Would it be completely programmable with Girder?
Is it a crappy deal?

please share some wisdom

[Treetop]

LOLOLO... thats classic :wink:

This is a re-branded x10 remote (UR86A) that comes with the CM19A transceiver.

I picked up one of these a long time back when Snapstream was first developing v3.0 They discontinued selling 'em shortly thereafter. Then, another company, http://www.hometheatercomputer.net/, began selling them. Just recently, however, they had to stop selling them due to some bs between x10 and ATI (the makers of the remote wonder)... you can read all about it here... http://htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1029 (goto page 16 or above)

I love this remote, but for one reason... home automation!

works well with girder, built in support in BTV, controls lights and all of my HT gear, etc. etc. RF and IR learning remote...

Really want the low-down on this? Read this review... http://htpcnews.com/main.php?id=thr_remote_1

If this doesn't convince ya.... nothing will!

Treetop

[Grin Reaper]

hey, i have an ATI RW and i also bought that remote from the dude at homecomputertheater.net

the remote is nice in that it's IR+RF the only reason why i wanted to pay another $30 or whatever for another remote. it also does x10 devices i believe, but i have no x10 devices to test it on.


i have on problem with it though.

there's a problem that a couple of the buttons send the same command, the "ok" button and the "enter" button both send x10_ok or somethin. it's not software, it's the wy its' coded so that the signal the remote sends is the same for either button (my ATI remote, one's the menu key and the other is the "ok" in the middle of the 4-way arrows). i want to say there was one other "pair" of buttons. and they arent' even next to each other, so it's not like the button is hitting inbetween and getting both sensors.

also, it has buttons on the top for TV/PC/SAT/CBL/whatever
one problem, for some of those, only half of the buttons work. i believe it's the PC control set that won't let you use the play/stop buttons or any of that nature.. well, that blows for trying to play a video from PC to TV or whatnot.... i'd still need 2 remotes, or program something silly like 1=play, 2=stop, 3=FF, etc.

don't get me wrong, i love the fact that it's IR+RF. i have my TV and receiver that are IR... cept sad thing is, the remote doesn't want to learn the commands for my KLH receiver (college man, i'm poor, ok? but it's a nice receiver still). so i have my receiver remote, then TV remote and then a RF remote for my computer.... and that grey/silver/black/whatever x10 remote that was discontinued shortly from x10... i begin to wonder just why... as the IR+RF is excelent idea. maybe it's due to all these quirks like a just ever so slightly fubared IC and whatnot.

anyways, just a word of caution. if the IR worked on my receiver, it'd be a bit better.. but i didn't like how when i was in certain modes, it DISABLED some of the keys so that they cannot be programmed in any way to do anything... they figure "PC doesn't need a FF button, we'll disable that from being used."

i don't want to sound like i'm saying it's crap, b/c for some it might be what they need, and at a good price. but the RWII is double the range, 60ft and not 30 ft... and i can't even get the full 30, my bedroom backs up to the family room, (TV against the wall my room shares w/ the family room) and the couch about 10ft from that is as far as the range goes... so i'd rather buy a RWII whenever they sell those stand alone to the market, that'd be my suggestion... only thing is if you REALLY need IR, and you have mainstream components (though, i figured KLH isn't THAT bad of a brand), then you might get use out of it for hte money it's worth.

just FYI:

http://www.jascoproducts.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/computer_pc_remote.html?L+scstore+hksp4851ffe524e5

you only lose the mouse function of the x10 like remotes, but you get a 100 ft range... PERFECTLY... this is also the range of my wireless headphones... which makes me mad when i'm in the garage listening to music, but can't change the volume.

i found a review from another site that claimed it to be RF (i questioned that, but 100 ft IR is really far). but i dunno how the IR works on it, i'll call them up when i get a chance, but i'd call them up for yourself as well if you are itnerested... the range is VERY limiting at 30 and even 60 ft. especially if you are like me and would like to use wireless headphones and them both have the same range.