Favorite universal remote...?

I *HATE* my Cambridge audio remotes - love the gear, but hate the friggin' remotes - pitiful, really.

Anyone have a favorite universal?

Love my Pronto... Fully programmable, touchscreen interface, Lots of pre-configured devices already out there. Pretty cheap these days on E-Prey.

Check out the logitech site to see if the harmony has your components listed.....but I like my harmony 890

I hate my Harmony 880!
With the Harmony it's Logitech's way or the highway.
They make a big deal about turning all your units on/off with one button.
It's designed to let your wife run the system.
But I'll turn my stuff on and off one unit at a time when I want to.
Try to modify one function and you have to go through the whole set-up.
Like I said I hate it.

I got the harmony for that exact reason. I am the on;y one who knows how to operate the HT otherwise.

Pronto and Harmony, eh? And a very mixed semi-hateful rap on the Harmony. Sell me more on the Pronto, or others!

I have a Harmony 659 that I bought for under a $100 on sale. You can't beat it for the price. Although, like Speedskater pointed out, Logitech likes to spoon feed you through the update process. I am OK with that since, once programmed (it took 15 minutes), I rarely had to go back and change anything (YMMV).

I have heard some fellow geeks rave about Home Theater Master remotes and their ability to write macros, etc. Here's a link to a review: http://www.prillaman.net/mx500_review.html. However, none of the HTM models I have seen are "activity-based", which I really need for WAF considerations.

What I really want is something like an iPronto (Phillips TSI 6400). Here's a link to a review: http://www.hometheatermag.com/accessories/1203philips/. However, at over $1K, the expense is not justifiable IMHO.

Also, deep at the bottom of my more-mad-than-scientist to-do list I have been planning on writing some software to control my system via a serial board (http://www.irblaster.info/distribution.html) and controlling this (hopefully) using a cheap 802.11 wireless touchscreen (like a Nokia 770). The whole project should come out a lot cheaper than the Phillips TSI6400.

I use my Sunfire for everything; it is THE most awesome remote I've ever had. Built like a tank. Only downside is 4 AA batteries that have to be replaced twice a year.

Rabbi, are the Sunfire remotes all the same these days? I presume not... which one do you have/which piece of yours did it come with? Thanks!

Rabbi, are the Sunfire remotes all the same these days? I presume not... which one do you have/which piece of yours did it come with? Thanks!

The old ones aren't quite as good; the new ones are the same for all equipment, just modified internally for the particular component.

Thanks, TN, so... how new is new in your opinion - for example, the TG series - might you know when exactly the remote improved signficantly? Thanks for any thoughts....

I think he is refering to the remoteIII. I have one, but it was too complicated for the roomies so I picked up a harmony 880.

I think he is refering to the remoteIII. I have one, but it was too complicated for the roomies so I picked up a harmony 880.

That's correct. It has a small 2 1/2" by 2" window at the top; the older one had a window the length of the remote. It takes some studying of the manual to learn, but it's well-laid out and works great. You can program by code or do a learning remote function and apply whatever buttons you want to control most any device.

I actually liked it, but my roommates couldn't figure it out to save their life. A little button with "Watch A Movie" next to it was just what the doctor ordered.

Thanks, TN, so... how new is new in your opinion - for example, the TG series - might you know when exactly the remote improved signficantly? Thanks for any thoughts....

There were two versions of the original remote the one with the long LCD screen. The first ones were more of a hassle adjusting center/surround ch's as you had to run through the menu to get to the volume for those ch's. The later ones have the volume control for all ch's on the main screen, no more looking for them. Also Sonic Hologram was not on the earler first version " I could be wrong so I will ck my manual".

I have two manuals for my TGP II one for the 19" and the 17" and thanks to Eddie for the 17" manual that has the Version remote that I have with a much better interface.

Would be nice to get my hands on the one Bill has and Rabbit. But happy with what I have. I use the Sunfire remote to do all the setting up than put away and use my Theater Master for every day use. Makes a nice combo.