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

["noel_pilot" <HA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One option would be to buy a cheap harmony around =A335 for a test,
wouldnt have a screen with buttons necessarily but would let you test
the config?!
N


--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "rb_ziggy" <rb.lists@...> wrote:
>
> Now I'm in two minds!=20=20
>=20
> The pronto setup I've got is pretty sophisticated as it uses this room
> based menu scheme (i.e. activity in a room) which everyone likes.  I'd
> hate to go backwards on this.=20=20
>=20
> I like the sound of Harmony's ease of setup but not potential
> reliability / lack of custom macros.=20=20
>=20
> SoPronto RU990 at =A3465 or Harmony 895 at =A3160ish.=20=20
>=20
> Hmm!
>=20
>=20
> --- 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 lighting 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
Behalf
> > > Of Phil Harris
> > > Sent: 21 January 2008 07:28
> > > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > > Subject: RE: {Disarmed} [ukha_d] Harmony to replace Pronto -
Thoughts
> > > please.
> > >=20
> > > Just had to reply to this one ... it's one which has annoyed
me
myself
> > > quite
> > > recently as I had to do some testing at work with various IR
remotes
> > > and
> > > used my own Pronto / iPronto remotes as well as some Harmony
/
Philips
> > > RC9800i remotes.
> > >=20
> > > For testing they were fine but I then decided to try the
RC9800i
where
> > > I'm
> > > currently living on the Sky / DVD / AV Processor / SliMP3 /
Plasma
> > > combination in the lounge. I have my iPronto in there at the
> moment and
> > > it
> > > works perfectly with all input switching handled nicely and
accurately
> > > but
> > > I'll be moving out soon (all being well) and so I was
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
> > > that I
> > > hate them with a passion ... I find them inflexible,
unreliable and
> > > basically too annoying to use. Neither would reliably switch
the
> plasma
> > > nor
> > > the AV processor to the correct inputs, neither had codesets
for all
> > > the kit
> > > that I was using (I ended up learning codes from my iPronto)
and
> > > generally
> > > it just reaffirmed to me that I want to stick with my proper
> > > programmable
> > > remotes which may take more time and effort to 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,
Activities,
> > > > Power and Help buttons
> > > >
> > > > For each Activity, you configure which piece of
equipment should
> > > > 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 not
> > > > sure whether the Activity-based screens would allow
sufficient
> > > control.
> > > >
> > > > I've got my Harmony controlling my Idratek-controlled
lights,
but it
> > > > took quite alot of fiddling to customise the activity
screens
using
> > > IR
> > > > codes from an unused remote (which Idratek then learns
and
responds
> > > to
> > > > accordingly)
> > > >
> > > > I think the Harmony scene-based control only works on
ZWave
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
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
> > > > 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
> > > > getting tied up having devices involved you don't
really want in
> > > there.
> > > >
> > > > Lighting scenes are ZWave only
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Cheers
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Neil
> > > >
> > > >
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