Universal Remotes for elaborate home theater setup

[Baboontyme 2809]

3 TVs (2 of which are identical), 1 Projector, 4 Directv boxes, audio receiver for video switching, and a FireTV on the big screen. There is a possibility that I may be cord cutting in the near future and running 4 fireTVs. 

I have been a big proponent in the past of URC and I currently use a maybe ~ 8 year old URC MX-980. It's still pretty sweet but I had to get a new audio receiver and the last time I programmed this thing I think I was on Vista or Win7 and I can't get it to work on Windows 10. Even if I could...it appears the IR database in the CCP software is very dated. And certainly not modern enough to program a smart TV device, let alone my new audio receiver. And if you know anything about URC, the software is for "dealers only" and very hard to come by. I had to download a torrent or something of CCP and figure out how to use it way back when and I'm old now and more impatient and not sure I want to go down that rabbit hole again with a new $$$ remote and having to find new software and figure it out. And don't want to pay $$$$$ for a dealer programmed remote that I can't update myself. 

So....there has to be some new technology 8+ years later. Bluetooth? I don't know. I have done a tiny bit of research but haven't really dove in yet. Back when I programmed my MX-980, you could change the IR codes on DirecTV receivers and even though I had 4 identical ones, I was controlling them independently via IR. I don't think that's the case any longer. I have 2 newer ones which operate on the same IR frequency which is a pain in the ass. And 2 older ones which I can control individually but I'm sure they'll take a shit soon. 

And then the question of the FireTV(s) - if I ditch the Dtv boxes and run 4 FireTVs or 4 Rokus or something - can I control each of those individually with a universal-type remote? 

What are my options here? 

Thanks in advance if anyone has knowledge to drop. 

[Texaus 377]

You need jesus

[Baboontyme 2809]

Jesus doesn't understand IR/RF technology. We gotta play to his strengths. 

[HornOnTheBayou 8905]

You trying to say Jesus Christ can't program a remote? 

[Baboontyme 2809]

Not this kind. No way. His hair would get in the way and he's too vain to cut it. 

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

I honestly don't know how a universal remote is going to be able to distinguish between 4 fire tv's in the same room. Maybe that's possible, but I don't know. 

[CooterBrown 18002]

I honestly don't know how a universal remote is going to be able to distinguish between 4 fire tv's in the same room. Maybe that's possible, but I don't know. 

I would think multiple of any brand of device would be a bad idea since remotes are interchangeable. They would all be controlled at once by any remote.

[VolenteHawk 495]

I use the Harmony Elite in my game room. It does not do RF to the devices (only from remote to hub), so the 4th DirecTV box could be problematic...it has 2 IR blaster ports, which would max out IR control without two of them stomping on each other. My room is 3 TVs and 3 DTV boxes, and it works for me (13 devices total). The remote itself is great and works with everything flawlessly. Setup took an hour or two, and that’s mostly getting power settings right to leave shit on when you change activities and get the DTV box IR blaster control correct, everything else works pretty much out of the box.

Edit: You’re right about the independent IR control, DTV killed that. That’s how I’d prefer to control mine, but the proper menus from online articles don’t exist anymore in the setup. There is apparently an RF extender for the remote/hub that I have that would allow independent RF control, but I have not tried it.

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by VolenteHawk

[Wally Fairway 5539]

16 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

3 TVs (2 of which are identical), 1 Projector, 4 Directv boxes, audio receiver for video switching, and a FireTV on the big screen. There is a possibility that I may be cord cutting in the near future and running 4 fireTVs.

Weird humblebrag

[Baboontyme 2809]

10 years ago maybe Wally. Now I just feel like I'm publicly admitting that I'm a degenerate absentee father. But whatever, I need a remote so I don't have to lift my arm more than once, can you help or not?

Edited March 3, 2019 by Baboontyme

[kevwun 15759]

Count up how many devices you want to control and then get whichever Harmony model will handle that many.  I have a 650 that will do 8 different devices and I like it a lot.  Probably a good idea to check with logitech support to make sure it can do what you need with the multiple direct tv receivers.  I use my mine to control my roku, so that shouldn't be a problem and it works with Fire Tv's also.

Edited March 3, 2019 by kevwun

[Hornbeliever 712]

I have harmony and set up so it even worked on Playstation (had to spend a bit of money on extra device though) .  Remote has lasted a lot of drops and held up well. I highly recommend. 

[Baboontyme 2809]

Thanks for the Harmony endorsements. I believe the common component aspect (Dtv receivers and/or FireTVs) complicate this conundrum significantly. My understanding is that you can't change IR on either. Looks like I'm looking at a base station and RF flashers for those unless someone can tell me otherwise. 

[Wally Fairway 5539]

5 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

10 years ago maybe Wally. Now I just feel like I'm publicly admitting that I'm a degenerate absentee father. But whatever, I need a remote so I don't have to lift my arm more than once, can you help or not?

Not

I'm an old fucker, and I think I'll have to go back to a tube tv with a selector dial and rabbit ears. Seriously I'm about to cut the cable and maybe the internet and just use my over the air HD antenna. I'll have over $3K to spend at the bar each year watching live sports that are on ESPN/FS1/ B1G

[VolenteHawk 495]

15 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

Thanks for the Harmony endorsements. I believe the common component aspect (Dtv receivers and/or FireTVs) complicate this conundrum significantly. My understanding is that you can't change IR on either. Looks like I'm looking at a base station and RF flashers for those unless someone can tell me otherwise. 

The Harmony Elite supports different IR for the same devices, DTV is the one that stopped doing it once all their hardware supported RF.

 

[shnsajax 3591]

Bumping this thread as Harmony has fallen to its sudden death. Any new advise on brands to support the IR/RF along with smart tv?

[shnsajax 3591]

Been looking at this to start:
https://www.sofabaton.com/x1.html

[rage-a-holic 4373]

https://www.avsforum.com/forums/remote-control-area.93/

[shnsajax 3591]

1 hour ago, rage-a-holic said:

https://www.avsforum.com/forums/remote-control-area.93/

Forgot avsforum existed, thank you!

[Bevo 13560]

It seems like universal remotes are dying - I don't get it though. There isn't a good way to handle AV systems as far as I know. In the great room we have a Samsung Smart TV and Denon receiver. That one works well except for one hang up which you guys might be able to answer. If we are using the Smart TV for streaming (Netflix, Disney, Amazon), we have to turn off the receiver. Is there a TV output that you can run back to the receiver for surround sound? I assume there is but I just haven't checked. Anyway, the system seems to get confused switching back from streaming to Dish. The back button and the home button don't necessarily bring you back to a screen where you can get back to Dish unless the receiver is off. Probably at some point we should upgrade the receiver to one that streams. That doesn't always work perfectly though in that we have a remote hard drive and the streaming system on a given receiver may or may not be able to read the format of the movie. None are as robust as VLC on a PC.

In the bedroom, I have an LG TV and a Sony Elite receiver. The LG TV remote sucks. On start-up the TV makes you choose HDMI 1. But, to do so, you must use the arrow buttons. There are no lights on the remote and the buttons are not offset in any manner. And if you choose the button above or below the correct one it removes the input screen. So, basically I have to put on glasses and turn the lights on in order to begin watching TV.

[shnsajax 3591]

6 hours ago, Bevo said:

It seems like universal remotes are dying - I don't get it though. There isn't a good way to handle AV systems as far as I know. In the great room we have a Samsung Smart TV and Denon receiver. That one works well except for one hang up which you guys might be able to answer. If we are using the Smart TV for streaming (Netflix, Disney, Amazon), we have to turn off the receiver. Is there a TV output that you can run back to the receiver for surround sound? I assume there is but I just haven't checked. Anyway, the system seems to get confused switching back from streaming to Dish. The back button and the home button don't necessarily bring you back to a screen where you can get back to Dish unless the receiver is off. Probably at some point we should upgrade the receiver to one that streams. That doesn't always work perfectly though in that we have a remote hard drive and the streaming system on a given receiver may or may not be able to read the format of the movie. None are as robust as VLC on a PC.

In the bedroom, I have an LG TV and a Sony Elite receiver. The LG TV remote sucks. On start-up the TV makes you choose HDMI 1. But, to do so, you must use the arrow buttons. There are no lights on the remote and the buttons are not offset in any manner. And if you choose the button above or below the correct one it removes the input screen. So, basically I have to put on glasses and turn the lights on in order to begin watching TV.

And I feel like the request is simple, Harmony laid out the foundation a long time ago as well. But yes, Smart TV, Receiver, 1 or 2 gaming consoles and that's it for a remote with IR/RF. I could easily be missing something I don't know about, but I haven't found that yet.

[rage-a-holic 4373]

9 hours ago, Bevo said:

In the bedroom, I have an LG TV and a Sony Elite receiver. The LG TV remote sucks. On start-up the TV makes you choose HDMI 1. But, to do so, you must use the arrow buttons. There are no lights on the remote and the buttons are not offset in any manner. And if you choose the button above or below the correct one it removes the input screen. So, basically I have to put on glasses and turn the lights on in order to begin watching TV.

Harmony still works, I use 2 of them everyday. Pick up one cheap on craigslist or ebay.

Literally every issue you described with trying to watch TV can be accomplished with one Harmony button command/macro.

[shnsajax 3591]

Just over a year later I am coming back to this thread. Anyone here try out sofabaton?

[thunderlounge 7813]

On 3/21/2023 at 5:51 AM, Bevo said:

If we are using the Smart TV for streaming (Netflix, Disney, Amazon), we have to turn off the receiver. Is there a TV output that you can run back to the receiver for surround sound? I assume there is but I just haven't checked.

Although a year late, and you’ve probably already figured it out, but you want to use the ARC (or eARC) labeled input on the tv, out to the receiver. That’s what it was made for, and the acronym os, get this, “Audio Return Channel.”

(e in eARC is for Enhanced, and is the most recent iteration of the feature.)