Learning Capability, Ease of Use, Feel

None for the price

I got this product for this price as a result of it being "Open Box". I don't think I would have bought it otherwise because my feeling was it would turn out to be another "Dumb Remote" in my remote graveyard. But was I nicely surprised! This remote has truly reduced my number of active remotes to 1. I operate all my Audio/Video gear from this one remote. It can "Learn" about 256 commands if I am not mistaken unlike the 48 of the more expensive "One For All Remote".
Teaching this remote new commands is a breeze. I had this unit setup within 60 mns including the macros and it controls each and every componant I have. Some of you may want the touch pad feature but I find that to be a pain in the rear.(I own the 555ES) Also I don't care if it does not have an LCD readout as this further prolongs the battery life.
Also once you get used to this remote, you don't even have to look at it to operate it and thats the way I like it. I would definitely reccomend it to everyone out there looking for a "Good" remote control.

Similar Products Used:

All sorts of Remotes imaginable

Actually works!
Replaced all other remotes.

Could always use more buttons
(What remote couldn't?).
Would not accept some listed component codes.

This remote works great. Admittedly, most of my components are Sony, so it should work.

The macro feature has been great for my family. The remote will allow you to directly specify an input at the TV and input component to the receiver. For instance, you can program the DVD button to select the S-Video input at the TV, select the DVD input at the receiver, and ready the DVD to receive commands. By creating similar macros for all video input devices, you no longer have to roll through the TV/Video selections to get the correct input, and then configure each individual component to get ready to play a disc or tape. Sony's much-maligned S-Link does some of this already, but if you have any components not compatible with S-Link, the macro capability will make them all work together (like S-Link was supposed to do!)

The only problem I have found is that some non-Sony component codes that were listed on the supplied code sheet could not be fed into the remote. It would take many of them, but not all. This was easily overcome by teaching the remote the correct corresponding codes utilizing the original component remote.

So overall, satisfaction level is quite high. Simply put, it has done everything I wanted it to do.

Similar Products Used:

Remotes supplied with components.

Learning remote, ergonomics, price

none

This is an excellent remote. I have to say right off that LCD remotes are not my cup of tea. I don't like having to look at the thing to work it. Touchscreen remotes are wonderfully flexible, but you have to look at them to perform any commands and with some you have to keep track of one of those stupid stylus thingies. Heck, I have enough trouble looking after the remote itself, having a stylus just gives me one more thing to lose track of. I want a remote that has real buttons with the flexibility of a touchscreen remote. Well, for me this is it. It may not be the holy grail of remote controls for everyone, but for me it's pretty darn close. It has three control buttons that you can assign macros to. I have one set up with discrete controls to turn all of my gear on and another to turn everything off. Each of the component buttons can also have their own macro. For example, my DVD component button is programmed such that it turns on my dvd player, switches my receiver to DVD and switches my TV to S-Video. The button still works as it normally would, but when I hold it down for about two seconds it performs this macro. Super cool.
It also has an option where you can either have the remote control the volume of the TV for all video sources and the amp for all audio source or you can have it always control the volume of the amp. Since I have everything running through my receiver I prefer the latter option. This is my first learning remote, and it is far and something I can no longer live without. Most of the remotes I've owned have had pre-programmed codes for most of my equipment. Never all of it. And oftentimes the ones it had were incomplete or thing weren't assigned to the buttons I expected. With this remotes learning ability, I have every function I use programmed in for every piece of equipment I own. For example, I have a multi-disc DVD player. None of the universal remotes that I've used in the past had any way for me to skip discs. This meant I always had to have my DVD remote handy when I was listening to music, because I'm always wanting to listen to a few songs here and a few songs there. Now I have it programmed onto an unused button and it works like a champ.

This remote is the best. For 60 dollars it's the bargain of the century and I will never own a non-learning remote again. I'd give it a higher rating than 5 if I could, as it has simplified things for me immensely.

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The remotes that came with every piece of audio/video gear I own.

nice layout, powerful, excellent learning/macro functions, easy to program and use

no lcd or touchpad screen (not necessarily a weakness)

Finally I have found a remote that can totally replace every remote I have. After playing around with the RM-VL900 for about a week I can safely say that it's worth every penny.

This is the first learning remote that I've owned and once you use one you'll laugh at all the cheap remotes with only preprogrammed codes. I've gone through several such inferior remotes and still had to have my DVD and CD player remotes lying around because some necessary functions weren't available. But not with the new one. Any function that isn't preprogrammed can be learned and mapped to any button.

For example I've never found a remote that can change CD's in my 5 disc carousel. No problem, I point my CD's remote up to the Sony and map it to the arrow buttons - done. It's that simple. You can re-map the volume buttons so that while on "DVD" and press the volume up/down it'll raise the volume of your reciever. I've had cheap ones that insist on only changing the volume of the TV... annoying.

I don't use the macro functions much, but they work great. You can program a series of 16 operations to a single button. There's 3 default buttons that you can use, but if you need more you can even remap the other components "Tuner", "MD" to become macro buttons also. You can even set time delays between the sequence of operations. Often you can't change to "video mode" on a TV for about a second after turning on the power. So with this remote you can program power on the TV, delay 1 second, then go to video. I made 2 macros thus far. One is to turn on my TV, DVD, receiver, change to video mode on my TV, switch to DVD mode on my amp, and open my DVD disc tray. Another switches to cable mode on my TV, and turns off the TV, DVD, and reciever. Quite impressive to show off to people :)

I like it's layout, it's simple enough and has tactile feel so that you can operate it in the dark or without looking while you press the buttons. The TV, DVD, AMP buttons light up when you're pressing other buttons so you always know which component you're operating. All the buttons glow in the dark, but not for about an hour after the lights are out. I don't care much for the remotes with LCD screens cause they are more "toys" than anything else, this remote does everything you need without all the extra fluff.

The remote is on the large side, and is unusally heavy. It takes 4 AA batteries and has dual signal emitters - it's powerful enough that I can point it at a 90 degree angle to my TV and it still works perfectly. For a test, after I programmed all my codes, I removed all the batteries. I assumed that as with all my other remotes all my codes would be lost and I've have to redo them. Not so. I put the batteries back in and voila... they were all still there! So no fear of having to always reprogram everything when the batteries die out. I haven't used it long enough to need replacing all the batteries yet so I'm not sure how long they will last, but I don't really care because instead of having 5 remotes each with 2 AA batteries I now only have this one remote with 4 AA batteries to worry about.

This is the last remote I will ever need. It's the first Sony home audio component I've ever bought and I'm thrilled to have found it. And with all this functionality it's only $60 USD, which is less than half the price of most other learning/programmable remotes. It's a no-brainer best buy.

Similar Products Used:

only cheap non-learning universal remotes, and RCA remote, and the really crappy one that came with my Yamaha reciever

Macros, number of things that can be learned, *feel*

Menu navigation arrows just a tad on the cramped side

I love my Sony remote. Nothing it has not been able to learn yet. It learned my wireless PC keyboard (MP3 jukebox, TiVo, etc.), my PS2 DVD remote, Kenwood and JVC receivers, Toshiba and Magnavox TVs, Sony DSS and VCR. Macros make powering up easy enough for the wife to 'get her movie on' while I am away.

I love only reaching for one remote now instead of the 2 or three I used to. No other One4All has ever been able to learn everything for me, so I'm in heaven. The remote also has a very comfortable and solid feel. I only wish Sony had a non-panel, back-lit model. Oh well! Value would be a 5/5 if this remote retailed under $60.

Similar Products Used:

One For All's, about 80 model-specific remotes

Can't read/use in the dark

This unit, for about $40, is a fine purchase. Most of my brands loaded automatically. Only my Denon 3700 DVD had to be manually programmed. Instuctions are clear - well at least easy to interpret.
I was not interested in going to the Pronto type unit at $100-$300 - don't care about a touch type screen. If that floats your boat, go for it! Otherwise, this unit does it all. Program any button to do anything and everything.

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Original remotes

Able to learn every single command of my 8 remotes.

None

This remote control is incredible. There is no need to use any other remote. At first I thought the remote did not have enough buttons, but after using it for awhile, I realized that the most used buttons of any of my eight components could be programmed. Also, you are able to program some of the buttons on your remotes into other locations on this remote(for example, I programmed some of my Yamaha 995 receiver buttons into the MD location); you just have to remember where you put them; which is easy I continued use. The Sony 2100 has more than 12 macros, but the operation of the 90 is so easy and quick it renders the use of macros virtually needless.

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None

Macros. Macros. Macros.

Very solid feel. Well built.

Component select buttons don't "glow in the dark" like all the other buttons.

Had to manually program codes for Denon 1500 DVD player.

No non-skid rubber feet. Not a big deal until the cat decides to play with the remote and it slides across the coffee table.

Components controlled: Sony 27" TV. Sony VCR. Denon 1500 DVD. Denon 1602 receiver.

Having used Sony remotes before, the layout of this one was pretty easy to learn. Not too many quibbles on layout. Certainly more comfortable in the hand than the tiny Denon remotes.

The major selling point is macros. I have a relatively simple HT setup, but to the point of having 3-4 remotes. My wife loves the HT sound, but was going crazing not being able to "just watch TV".

With this remote, she can press a single button and have the TV turn on, the receiver turn on, and the receiver set itself to TV input. Press the button again and everything turns off. No fuss, no hassle. Macros make the extra $10-20 paid worth every penny. I get component-level control and she gets one-touch use. Perfect.

Highly recommended.

Similar Products Used:

Denon / Sony / Yamaha component remotes

Great learning ability and capacity; Strong IR transmission; Number of products supported

ERGONOMICS

This remote is so cool. It comes with a list of devices that the remote can be preprogrammed with - though it will not do all of your original remotes' functions. That gives me the time to play with it's learning abilities which is a very easy process.
Regarding its weaknesses about ergonomics: The size is weird and does not appeal to me. I would really prefer something rectangular that will lay very flat on a surface. Some rubber on it's backside could also improve grip on surfaces. The 'cursor' buttons with the OK button in the middle are quite crowded. There's not even something there to give the feel that you are already touching the OK button like a little bump like what they put on the CHannel buttons. There's no lighting on the component selector buttons which forces you to memorize their locations =)
Well that's all the stuff I didn't like about the remote. The primary reason that I went for this remote is to make sure I have the original remotes intact because it would be difficult to get replacements. Secondary reason is I hate seeing those remotes scattered in our A/V room. Now, I can keep the originals (without the batteries of course) and I only have to use 1 commander which is more efficient and convenient - that is after I memorize all the extra functions I programmed into the commander. A (excel) table of component, buttons and function will be handy in this situation. The macro functions come as a bonus for me and I still have to think where can I use them...
That's about it. I believe that this remote comes on top of non-LCD learning remote controls and the price-performance is tops! I just wish SONY would improve on ergonomics =P

Thanks to my friend who bought it for me from Canada!!! It is not available here in Philippines.

Similar Products Used:

some smaller learning remotes

Ease of use, adaptability to any remote control, had keys, numerous system control controls

Manual is flat-out wrong in some programming instructions.

The best bagain for the money out there. Probably the best non-LCD remote I've seen. My only complaints deal with the manuals instructions (without going much further), the problem is in the amount of time you hold the set button. Sometimes the manual says to hold it until all keys flash - this is incorrect. In some cases, the set button is held briefly. This caused unbelievable consternation while programming it. Once I discovered their error-it went smoothly. The LCD remotes really don't work for me because I watch TV and use equipment at night when I'd rather not depend on a lighted screen. The hard keys are spaced well so you can get used to exactly where every key is and use them in the dark. Another minor complaint is the strength of signal output-it could be better-paticularly in TV mode.

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Cinema 7, UC Command touch screen