RE: {Disarmed} Harmony to replace Pronto - Thoughts please.

["Dean Barrett" <dean@xxxxxxxxx>]

Or a hardly used Nevo SL @ =A3250.00 if you are interested :)




Dean.



-----Original Message-----
From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
rb_ziggy
Sent: 21 January 2008 22:37
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: {Disarmed} [ukha_d] Harmony to replace Pronto - Thoughts
please.

Now I'm in two minds!=20=20

The pronto setup I've got is pretty sophisticated as it uses this room
base=
d
menu scheme (i.e. activity in a room) which everyone likes.  I'd hate to go
backwards on this.=20=20

I like the sound of Harmony's ease of setup but not potential reliability /
lack of custom macros.=20=20

SoPronto RU990 at =A3465 or Harmony 895 at =A3160ish.=20=20

Hmm!


--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Paul Gale" <groups2@...> wrote:
>
> On the other hand - I've not had any of those problems using my
Harmony 895 to control my amp, DVD, sky boxes, plasma, lighting etc etc. I
did use generic Philips IR codes for anything special (which I taught the
Harmony from a pronto!!!) with HomeVision responding to these (like
lightin=
g
and curtain control etc).
>=20
> IME, as has been mentioned, the Harmony is far less flexible but is
significantly quicker to program than a Pronto etc. I've had a couple of
older Pronto's for years and never had the time or inclination to fully
finish programming them - there was far too much to do. Getting the Harmony
was one of those revelation moments where finally, everything (at least in
the AV room) just worked. That's my experience anyway.
>=20
> Paul.
>=20
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On=20
> > Behalf Of Phil Harris
> > Sent: 21 January 2008 07:28
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: RE: {Disarmed} [ukha_d] Harmony to replace Pronto -=20
> > Thoughts please.
> >=20
> > Just had to reply to this one ... it's one which has annoyed
me=20
> > myself quite recently as I had to do some testing at work with=20
> > various IR remotes and used my own Pronto / iPronto remotes as
well=20
> > as some Harmony / Philips RC9800i remotes.
> >=20
> > For testing they were fine but I then decided to try the
RC9800i=20
> > where I'm currently living on the Sky / DVD / AV Processor /
SliMP3=20
> > / Plasma combination in the lounge. I have my iPronto in there
at=20
> > the
moment and
> > it
> > works perfectly with all input switching handled nicely and=20
> > accurately but I'll be moving out soon (all being well) and so I
was=20
> > looking for something to replace the iPronto with when I leave.
> >=20
> > I tried the RC9800i and the Harmony and Jesus H Christ I have to
say=20
> > that I hate them with a passion ... I find them inflexible,=20
> > unreliable and basically too annoying to use. Neither would
reliably=20
> > switch the
plasma
> > nor
> > the AV processor to the correct inputs, neither had codesets for
all=20
> > the kit that I was using (I ended up learning codes from my
iPronto)=20
> > and generally it just reaffirmed to me that I want to stick with
my=20
> > proper programmable remotes which may take more time and effort
to=20
> > set up but at least repay that effort by working!
> >=20
> > Phil
> >=20
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On
> > Behalf
> > > Of Neil Spellings
> > > Sent: 20 January 2008 22:49
> > > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > > Subject: Re: {Disarmed} [ukha_d] Harmony to replace Pronto -
Thoughts
> > > please.
> > >
> > > rb_ziggy wrote:
> > >
> > > > So, to the questions:
> > >
> > > I have an 895, so my answers are based on that...(plus I've
never
> > owned
> > > a Pronto, so can't compare...)
> > >
> > > > - Can I do room based menus again?
> > >
> > > Not sure exactly what you mean by this - do you mean
different
> > remotes
> > > control different rooms?
> > >
> > > > - Can I completely configure hard buttons (eg vol on
the av
amp, tv
> > > > for say pip, ch up/down for sky) for use on the 'same
screen'?
> > >
> > > Every hard button is configurable apart from the Device,=20
> > > Activities, Power and Help buttons
> > >
> > > For each Activity, you configure which piece of equipment
should=20
> > > control the volume, channel etc
> > >
> > > > - Can it control X10 IR and perhaps CBus?
> > >
> > > It could certainly send IR codes to an X10 receiver, however
I'm=20
> > > not sure whether the Activity-based screens would allow
sufficient
> > control.
> > >
> > > I've got my Harmony controlling my Idratek-controlled
lights, but=20
> > > it took quite alot of fiddling to customise the activity
screens=20
> > > using
> > IR
> > > codes from an unused remote (which Idratek then learns
and=20
> > > responds
> > to
> > > accordingly)
> > >
> > > I think the Harmony scene-based control only works on
ZWave=20
> > > devices
> > and
> > > not X10/IR
> > >
> > > > - Is there anything else I should also know (pros /
cons)
about the
> > > > Harmonies?
> > >
> > > Pros
> > >
> > > The way it tracks whether your devices are on or off is
pretty=20
> > > good
> > and
> > > works quite well.
> > > The Help feature also sorts  things out when things dont go
as
> > planned
> > > or a device misses is on/off command and gets out of sync.
> > >
> > > I've found email support to be pretty good
> > >
> > > Very SHMBO friendly and I don't hear many complaints
> > >
> > > Build quality is good and its sturdy - its taken quite a few
falls
> > off
> > > the sofa arm onto a hard wooden floor with no apparent
damage so
far!
> > >
> > > Good (online) database of devices and IR Codes
> > >
> > >
> > > Cons
> > >
> > > The main grip I have is that there is no native Macro
support. You=20
> > > can't just create a new series of commands and tie them to a
particular key
> > -
> > > you have to base everything around activities, and then you
start=20
> > > getting tied up having devices involved you don't really
want in
> > there.
> > >
> > > Lighting scenes are ZWave only
> > >
> > >
> > > Cheers
> > >
> > >
> > > Neil
> > >
> > >
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