@thismyusername Or a refurb harmony hub (or two) for $70-80 (ultimate remote if you HAVE to use an old school remote) and automate the daylights out of your theater(s) and home. Raspberry Pi, virtual wemo bridge, echo, wink or smartthing hub, Insteon hub for good measure. I have a problem. But it did make me #1 in the poll of the day! Yay I'm #1! But no sale, this is a toy.
@michaelahess whoever designed this one: is hopefully gone from logitech... I mean the dvr buttons at the top? what tha... note the new version has moved the dvr controls back to an actual useful location...
@thismyusername Yeah I got an old stupid one like that as a replacement for a failed Harmony 900, came with a hub so I'm not complaining. I use my phone as a remote. Hardly ever use the actual remote. It works well enough though. The touchscreen and limited setup functions are actually pretty well implemented.
@michaelahess I keep hoping they make a modern one with the 650/700/900 layout. Wouldn't that be sweet? High res display, hub connectivity but with the worlds best remote layout ever? :)
@thismyusername The screenless version is small enough that the placement is actually pretty good. My thumb seems to find those controls without any issue.
@thismyusername You know, I have the Harmony Ultimate One, and I actually like it despite all the hate it gets. They did one thing that has always been a pet peeve of mine toward the Harmony line, which is simplify the amount of buttons on the remote. If I wanted 10,000 buttons, I'd stick with the DVR remote that comes with Uverse.
@thismyusername I have a 900 but honestly I still prefer the layout of my old 890 in my bedroom. The screen sucks, but the buttons and NO touchscreen is actually nice. Less accidental hits when moving around.
@imbalanced It's interesting you say that. I'm actually the opposite. I don't understand why there would be such LIMITED physical buttons in some remotes. The Harmony Touch Universal doesn't even have a forward skip which everyone I know that watches TV uses a ton. You never have to use buttons that are there but you can't add buttons. I want a flexible and powerful remote, not the equivalent to something I get with a cheap tv.
@cblack Sure it does. Right above the stop button. Mine was programmed as fast forward with a short tap, then next with a long press. I changed it to 5 second skip with a tap and fast forward with a long press. Never use next myself. You can program the colored buttons to do those things as well, any button really. That's the power of Harmony remotes.
It makes a random beer appear in picture with a hand grabbing it.. This if true means this " suds " for you ..( disclaimer says beer not included though )
Yeah the Harmony might require a computer to program and be a bit of a pain in the ass to set up, but I guarantee you this one is NOT easier to program... probably harder since it can't have a rich UI like the computer program has... and I bet it can't do nearly as much either.
I've been using my Harmony One for 7 years now and even as I've added new equipment it Just Works since the code library is maintained online. Plus you can tweaka LOT of custom settings.
And when you actually USE the remote, the Harmony is a joy to behold.
If you need a remote to control your cable box and TV, then this would probably work. But then so would the one that came from your cable company. If you have serious needs, get a Harmony.
@tsfisch the wife bought a HAIER allinone from QVC (1st bad move imho) which operates on some Venusian frequency all the other (so far) allinones don't support...is this unit perhaps the grail we're seeking? Do you have docs or a link that could tell us? Because the power button on this remote is gone, and the 'sleep' button is on the way out.
@AmazingChicken I don't have the software here to confirm that exact unit (plus you didn't post the model #) but you can email Logitech support to get a definitive answer.
Remote Central has a detailed review of URC's R50 remote. It was released in 2008 and is now discontinued by URC - thus the price break. It has super bright IR LEDs that worked through 9 layers of flannel! Here's the wrap up from RC:
Final thoughts. Universal Remote Control may have finally caught up to the Joneses with an inexpensive color LCD remote control, but don’t mistake the Digital R50 as being more flash than substance like so many of those other mass market models. The R50 is unique, having been fortified with the cornerstones of URC’s earlier successful models... the “three C’s”, if you will: capable, customizable and cost-effective.
After reviewing nearly 70 remote controls and using umpteen more, I’ve yet to come across one that was perfect. It should therefore be no surprise that the R50 does have some faults. But the few things it falters at are more than offset by everything it does right: quality construction, a bright screen, control over 18 devices with plenty of functions per device, loads of usable macros, mostly quick and straightforward programming, powerful IR, more customization options than the average user is going to need... there’s a lot of versatility here to like, and it can all be accomplished without the use of a computer!
If you’ve decided that you want a greater level of control over how your remote control works, but don’t yet want to step up to the price range of a computer programmable unit, then you owe it to yourself to check out the R50. It may have taken a while for URC to release an advanced color remote for consumers, but the R50 is proof that good things come to those who wait.
@ambimb good. that makes me feel better about purchasing it...although...I don't think my rokus have IR receivers. They work via radio frequency. (no line-of-sight) Hope this thing can do RF signals too.
I used to do some work with a company that did high end home theaters in my town, and 90% of those theaters had URC remotes. They had the next model up that was RF and IR and usually had an RF receiver mounted in a cabinet with all that unsightly tech hidden away.
The UI is not as fresh as the Harmony series but the remotes and particularly the macro programming are very robust. They'd generally be set so if you hold a function button (say Bluray) for 0.5sec it would switch the receiver to BR input, the TV to BR input, and leave you with icons on screen for controlling BR playback. Then if you do the same for TV, it would switch everything to handle satellite or cable TV. Volume controls could be set to always control the receiver, and main on or off would power on or off all the components, and lower or raise projection screens as necessary.
You certainly can find less powerful remotes on the market.
@djslack It looks like you know this remote well. I haven’t used mine much yet. Do you know how to stop it from going straight to setup when I press “Main” I’m annoyed that I always have to press “exit” when I want to use the remote.
Thanks
@russ_schott it’s been a little while but I thought you had to long press main to get to setup. Are you quickly pressing it? Is the button sticking or something?
I have a TV. Connected to it by HDMI is the Blu-Ray player. Connected to that is the hard drive. I have one remote - the BR player remote. When I turn it on, it turns the TV on, selects the appropriate HDMI input, and then I can play NetFlix, Amazon Video, or junk off the hard drive. Volume on the BR remote controls volume on the TV. Other buttons on the BR remote control <- || |> -> for whatever I'm watching. Occasionally I need to grab the TV remote to switch it to HDMI 4 so I can use the Chromecast.
This leaves my free hand to stroke my wife's hair or rub her feet. Either of which actions is likely to give me greater pleasure in the long run than it would give me to eliminate my two remotes and purchase this one.
@mehvermore Nope. 2400 square feet of beautiful federal style cobblestone house complete with the Interwebs. Although we do have an acre sized pond on our property, it remains unnamed.
Were we to live next to Walden Pond in a teeny house, I would be sufficiently happy to have my wife by my side as to declare, unnecessary, a television, blu-ray player, and universal remote altogether.
The best thing about the Harmony solution is that the configuration is stored online. That makes getting a new or replacement remote a snap. Login, sync, done!
I've been a long-time harmony fan, and have the hub and smart remote (the one sans screen) and I really do like it a lot. This is a pretty good deal, but IMO this is one area where incorporating "the internet of things" really does make for a much-improved user-experience.
The Harmony 650 is still the "one to get" if you can use IR only. The caveat is the artificial device limitation of 5 or 6 things it's allowed control. Must be in the EULA for my remote.
Alas, as Bluetooth and other RF creep into my life, I'll have to upgrade eventually, but the new ones have the hub and a shitty abbreviated remote, requiring you to use your phone. Bah!
@mehvermore I use the harmony hub and base remote and almost never use my phone. In fact, I think the time I did was to sync on-the-fly config changes and maybe correct a sync issue when the TV was shut off with the cable remote by someone else in the house.
I'm a big fan of that remote solution and finding a refurb at $70-80 is a pretty good deal for it. I believe you could always upgrade to the elite remote (pictured above) but I don't see the need. The fact that it's wifi and BT capable made all the difference for me.
@mehvermore I'm currently using a Harmony 750 which I bought to replace my 650 after a button stopped working. It seems to me the only difference is the 750 has rechargeable batteries.
URC makes the BEST remotes on the market and many for private labeling by the manufacturer. Lots of codes, easy toprogram. I prefer RF radio-frequency remotes but if you are in the market for a line-of-site IR (infrared) remote then This Is a Wonderful choice!!! Great job Meh!
ARM 7 on the remote... seriously... wow... and it doesn't connect to the PC... I mean if we are really looking to remove the cords but have easy setup... why not just put a Ethernet port on them... or maybe just include wifi with a simple setup/reset wifi button... Maybe that makes it more complicated having to use a network... but maybe it bothers me more than it should...
Cool feature I dug out of the comments. "The URC R50 also has a time out kill switch that will put the remote on standby if one button is pressed continually for more than a minute. In other words, battery saving features make this remote a good alternative to remotes with rechargeable battery packs."
@StrangerDanger Which would be a Godsend for all the times my gf pushes the remote under the pillow and then sleeps on it, therefore pushing all sorts of buttons.
I already own one of these and bought 2 more. I really love the one I've had and even broke it open and replaced the SMD red LED's with blue ones. It took about 2 hours including getting the case open. The case is really hard to open. It looks awesome in blue.
My husband sent out a hydraulic link that has some sort of leakage and the customer is asking what to do about it. He wanted to know what kind of a leak is it, a drip, or is there a big puddle or what? The guy responded and I just about spit water on my monitor. This is what he wrote:
"Over a few days it runs down my drive shaft and collects on the front of my bushhog."
Anyone know if this thing will work with an Acer K330 projector? I can't find a list of supported devices & the Learn function isn't an option because my K330 remote doesn't work anymore...
@scottrizzo If they didn't sell out they may come back around as a daily deal again, but probably not before [insert winter gift-centric holiday of your choosing].
Specs
Condition: New
Warranty: 1 year URC
Estimated Delivery: 11/29 - 12/2
Shipping: $5 or free with VMP
What’s in the Box?
1x R50 Universal Remote
4x AA batteries
Pictures
Remote
Button pressing
Retail box
Ultra-fancy backlit color screen
Here’s what you get in the box
Side view
Price Comparison
$129.99 List, $66.48 at Amazon
Find a relevant price comparison? Please share it in a comment in this thread
Estimated Delivery
Monday, January 28th - Monday, February 4th
Meh
@AttyVette
No one else out there cares that remote is an adjective?
@MehnofLaMehncha I don't know, I remote into people's computers.
@MehnofLaMehncha No one remotely cares.
@MehnofLaMehncha it's also a noun these days.
Can I use it to mute my wife?
@densa
Why? I want to use it to turn my wife on.
@jml326 Haha...just don't use it to turn my wife on.
@jml326 why not both?
@DrunkCat good point. It is a universal remote.
@jml326 Just don't fast forward once you get her there.
Yeah, but can I make it control an iPhone hooked to a speaker dock?
For some reason, i just can't seem to control myself...
Meh.. This deal is bound to push someone's buttons even if remotely
@AttyVette This deal isn't even remotely funny, Meh
@Stallion there's a remote chance it might be funny :)
@AttyVette This deal isn't remotely appealing!
Will this work with a Mac?
"Watch VCR" is a highlighted activity? Are we supposed to be matching the remote to the correct comedian-decade?
@stinks does this work with my LaserDisc?
Anyone else notice that side view looks like a space ship from movie like Star Wars? I know the idea is a "remote" but "universal" idea.
If you lost an original remote can you use this? My receiver was open box without a remote...
@Alien88 In theory yes, they program to just about anything in their database.
Probably decent for the money, but I'm guessing if you are hardcore into your TV setup a Harmony brand remote will be better in the long run.
@Stallion and you can get a harmony 650 for $39 at sams club.
@thismyusername Or a refurb harmony hub (or two) for $70-80 (ultimate remote if you HAVE to use an old school remote) and automate the daylights out of your theater(s) and home. Raspberry Pi, virtual wemo bridge, echo, wink or smartthing hub, Insteon hub for good measure. I have a problem. But it did make me #1 in the poll of the day! Yay I'm #1! But no sale, this is a toy.
@michaelahess Can you come over and do all those things at my house? Kthx
@rambopandabear Yes. But i only help those who first try to help themselves. Or provide beer. Your choice.
@michaelahess whoever designed this one:
is hopefully gone from logitech... I mean the dvr buttons at the top? what tha... note the new version has moved the dvr controls back to an actual useful location...
@thismyusername Yeah I got an old stupid one like that as a replacement for a failed Harmony 900, came with a hub so I'm not complaining. I use my phone as a remote. Hardly ever use the actual remote. It works well enough though. The touchscreen and limited setup functions are actually pretty well implemented.
@michaelahess I keep hoping they make a modern one with the 650/700/900 layout. Wouldn't that be sweet? High res display, hub connectivity but with the worlds best remote layout ever? :)
@thismyusername The screenless version is small enough that the placement is actually pretty good. My thumb seems to find those controls without any issue.
@thismyusername You know, I have the Harmony Ultimate One, and I actually like it despite all the hate it gets. They did one thing that has always been a pet peeve of mine toward the Harmony line, which is simplify the amount of buttons on the remote. If I wanted 10,000 buttons, I'd stick with the DVR remote that comes with Uverse.
@thismyusername I have a 900 but honestly I still prefer the layout of my old 890 in my bedroom. The screen sucks, but the buttons and NO touchscreen is actually nice. Less accidental hits when moving around.
@imbalanced It's interesting you say that. I'm actually the opposite. I don't understand why there would be such LIMITED physical buttons in some remotes. The Harmony Touch Universal doesn't even have a forward skip which everyone I know that watches TV uses a ton. You never have to use buttons that are there but you can't add buttons. I want a flexible and powerful remote, not the equivalent to something I get with a cheap tv.
@cblack Sure it does. Right above the stop button. Mine was programmed as fast forward with a short tap, then next with a long press. I changed it to 5 second skip with a tap and fast forward with a long press. Never use next myself. You can program the colored buttons to do those things as well, any button really. That's the power of Harmony remotes.
There is a "remote" chance I'd buy one .. Meh
$32 is expensive for just 4xAA batteries...
I kid tho, amazon reviews look meh. It's a universal remote and it works.
It makes a random beer appear in picture with a hand grabbing it.. This if true means this " suds " for you ..( disclaimer says beer not included though )
No Bluetooth, won't work with my bluetooth remotes or speakers
Can I use it to remote control a Jeep Cherokee?
Will it control my Tesla?
Xmp compatible?
A PRODUCT WITH PAGINATION!!! I would have bought as many as possible before Meh forced pagination on me. I'm out.
Yeah the Harmony might require a computer to program and be a bit of a pain in the ass to set up, but I guarantee you this one is NOT easier to program... probably harder since it can't have a rich UI like the computer program has... and I bet it can't do nearly as much either.
I've been using my Harmony One for 7 years now and even as I've added new equipment it Just Works since the code library is maintained online. Plus you can tweaka LOT of custom settings.
And when you actually USE the remote, the Harmony is a joy to behold.
If you need a remote to control your cable box and TV, then this would probably work. But then so would the one that came from your cable company. If you have serious needs, get a Harmony.
@tsfisch the wife bought a HAIER allinone from QVC (1st bad move imho) which operates on some Venusian frequency all the other (so far) allinones don't support...is this unit perhaps the grail we're seeking? Do you have docs or a link that could tell us? Because the power button on this remote is gone, and the 'sleep' button is on the way out.
@AmazingChicken I don't have the software here to confirm that exact unit (plus you didn't post the model #) but you can email Logitech support to get a definitive answer.
Are all the keys backlit?
All it says in the description is that the screen is. 😒
@Kerig3 According to Amazon - the buttons are backlit, too.
@Thumperchick Thanks! 👍
I finished reading the reviews and went to click the "buy" button....but they just SOLD OUT. 😵
I'd go for a Harmony (and have, many times over the years) over any other all-in-one remote control.
Remote Central has a detailed review of URC's R50 remote. It was released in 2008 and is now discontinued by URC - thus the price break. It has super bright IR LEDs that worked through 9 layers of flannel! Here's the wrap up from RC:
But will it control Roku? The Googles indicate yes....
@ambimb good. that makes me feel better about purchasing it...although...I don't think my rokus have IR receivers. They work via radio frequency. (no line-of-sight) Hope this thing can do RF signals too.
@medz according to consumer reports, the Roku 3 has an IR receiver.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/03/roku-3-first-look-is-it-good-enough-to-make-you-upgrade/index.htm
I read in Amazon reviews for this remote that it is IR-only.
@ambimb Well that's good. Probably have to relocate the roku, though.
@medz you can also use an ir repeater if your devices are hidden from sight
I used to do some work with a company that did high end home theaters in my town, and 90% of those theaters had URC remotes. They had the next model up that was RF and IR and usually had an RF receiver mounted in a cabinet with all that unsightly tech hidden away.
The UI is not as fresh as the Harmony series but the remotes and particularly the macro programming are very robust. They'd generally be set so if you hold a function button (say Bluray) for 0.5sec it would switch the receiver to BR input, the TV to BR input, and leave you with icons on screen for controlling BR playback. Then if you do the same for TV, it would switch everything to handle satellite or cable TV. Volume controls could be set to always control the receiver, and main on or off would power on or off all the components, and lower or raise projection screens as necessary.
You certainly can find less powerful remotes on the market.
@djslack It looks like you know this remote well. I haven’t used mine much yet. Do you know how to stop it from going straight to setup when I press “Main” I’m annoyed that I always have to press “exit” when I want to use the remote.
Thanks
@russ_schott it’s been a little while but I thought you had to long press main to get to setup. Are you quickly pressing it? Is the button sticking or something?
will it control appleTV or work as a media remote for an xbox 360?
@Fuzzbox yes. Both of those have IR remotes to my knowledge.
I have a TV. Connected to it by HDMI is the Blu-Ray player. Connected to that is the hard drive. I have one remote - the BR player remote. When I turn it on, it turns the TV on, selects the appropriate HDMI input, and then I can play NetFlix, Amazon Video, or junk off the hard drive. Volume on the BR remote controls volume on the TV. Other buttons on the BR remote control <- || |> -> for whatever I'm watching. Occasionally I need to grab the TV remote to switch it to HDMI 4 so I can use the Chromecast.
This leaves my free hand to stroke my wife's hair or rub her feet. Either of which actions is likely to give me greater pleasure in the long run than it would give me to eliminate my two remotes and purchase this one.
@Marion14505 Do you live in a teeny house next to Walden Pond?
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."
@mehvermore Nope. 2400 square feet of beautiful federal style cobblestone house complete with the Interwebs. Although we do have an acre sized pond on our property, it remains unnamed.
Were we to live next to Walden Pond in a teeny house, I would be sufficiently happy to have my wife by my side as to declare, unnecessary, a television, blu-ray player, and universal remote altogether.
@Marion14505 Call it Walden Puddle.
@jersully We prefer that it remain unnamed, thus realizing its full potentiality by remaining unbounded by linguistic labels.
The best thing about the Harmony solution is that the configuration is stored online. That makes getting a new or replacement remote a snap. Login, sync, done!
I've been a long-time harmony fan, and have the hub and smart remote (the one sans screen) and I really do like it a lot. This is a pretty good deal, but IMO this is one area where incorporating "the internet of things" really does make for a much-improved user-experience.
The Harmony 650 is still the "one to get" if you can use IR only. The caveat is the artificial device limitation of 5 or 6 things it's allowed control. Must be in the EULA for my remote.
Alas, as Bluetooth and other RF creep into my life, I'll have to upgrade eventually, but the new ones have the hub and a shitty abbreviated remote, requiring you to use your phone. Bah!
@mehvermore I use the harmony hub and base remote and almost never use my phone. In fact, I think the time I did was to sync on-the-fly config changes and maybe correct a sync issue when the TV was shut off with the cable remote by someone else in the house.
I'm a big fan of that remote solution and finding a refurb at $70-80 is a pretty good deal for it. I believe you could always upgrade to the elite remote (pictured above) but I don't see the need. The fact that it's wifi and BT capable made all the difference for me.
@mehvermore I'm currently using a Harmony 750 which I bought to replace my 650 after a button stopped working. It seems to me the only difference is the 750 has rechargeable batteries.
Will this work with my Verizon Fios DVR?
@PatrickKarcher yes! I have Fios. Lots of codes included, it can learn from your existing remote and new codes available at remotecentral.com
URC makes the BEST remotes on the market and many for private labeling by the manufacturer. Lots of codes, easy toprogram.
I prefer RF radio-frequency remotes but if you are in the market for a line-of-site IR (infrared) remote then This Is a Wonderful choice!!! Great job Meh!
ARM 7 on the remote... seriously... wow... and it doesn't connect to the PC... I mean if we are really looking to remove the cords but have easy setup... why not just put a Ethernet port on them... or maybe just include wifi with a simple setup/reset wifi button... Maybe that makes it more complicated having to use a network... but maybe it bothers me more than it should...
Cool feature I dug out of the comments. "The URC R50 also has a time out kill switch that will put the remote on standby if one button is pressed continually for more than a minute. In other words, battery saving features make this remote a good alternative to remotes with rechargeable battery packs."
@StrangerDanger Which would be a Godsend for all the times my gf pushes the remote under the pillow and then sleeps on it, therefore pushing all sorts of buttons.
Anyone know for sure if it runs windows 95 and makes pancakes as promised on the little remote screen?
painstaking-titled-broccoli
Universal? Now this changes everything !
Christmas shopping begins now!
I already own one of these and bought 2 more. I really love the one I've had and even broke it open and replaced the SMD red LED's with blue ones. It took about 2 hours including getting the case open. The case is really hard to open. It looks awesome in blue.
I'm feeling adventurous. I should know better than to trust that malevolent order name generator, though. My unassuming-robust-knife images are either boring or silly, so
Does anybody care, though?
@lisaviolet @mikibell @barney @jaremelz @beachbum @hollboll @LaVikinga @Foxborn
@OldCatLady I love you LOL
@OldCatLady Oh. My.
@OldCatLady I knew you'd brighten my day.
My husband sent out a hydraulic link that has some sort of leakage and the customer is asking what to do about it. He wanted to know what kind of a leak is it, a drip, or is there a big puddle or what? The guy responded and I just about spit water on my monitor. This is what he wrote:
"Over a few days it runs down my drive shaft and collects on the front of my bushhog."
@lisaviolet I keep rereading this and snorting.
Anyone know if this thing will work with an Acer K330 projector? I can't find a list of supported devices & the Learn function isn't an option because my K330 remote doesn't work anymore...
Wow...who knew there was a whole Subculture for Universal remotes?
The thing that sold me was using the original to program the universal.
In for 1...
I'll try it out. Elaborate-homeless-sangria
the posts dont usually include the price in the title right? that could be useful for looking back after they sell out or expire.
@thomasaelliott The pricing disappears once the daily deal rolls over. However, if you're curious - mehstalker.com keeps a running list.
@Thumperchick I'd prefer to not have to go to a different website, but I have used meh stalker before.
Newer here. Can you ever order another if they didn't sell out? Was going to gift, but now I want to leep it for mehself :-)
@scottrizzo If they didn't sell out they may come back around as a daily deal again, but probably not before [insert winter gift-centric holiday of your choosing].
Welcome, btw! Hope you stick around!
@scottrizzo - Also, sometimes they come up on Morning Save, but at different price points.
https://morningsave.com/
Has anyone found a way to change the order of the soft buttons under the component? EG: Hide HDMI 2 under TV then move HDMI 3 up to HDMI2's position?
I wish I would've purchased two.
Well mine had a skunky Main button. But not to worry URC will do a flat rate exchange on another remote(one level better) for $174.
@OC_Dude if URC are not honoring their warranty properly just contact meh support with details…
easiest way to contact them is from my orders, click the “I need help with this” button under the order.
@OC_Dude Ouch! First post says one year warranty. I’d push harder.