I've heard some pretty negative comments about the 950's remote and user interface... Is it really that bad? I would be using the remote to control several other components, in addition to the 950, and I guess I just want some reassurance that it would be up to the task. For instance, is there a series of codes you can enter to control other devices, or do you have to learn each function manually?

I actually have been very pleased with the 950's remote -- I'm controlling the 950, a Panasonic DVD player, Panasonic VCR, Scientific Atlanta digital cable box, Mitsubishi TV, and Yamaha CD changer. Both my wife and I are happy with it. It is a Home Theater Master SL-9000 with the LCD display removed. It has an extensive library of device codes, can control up to seven devices in addition to the 950, has macro support, and will learn commands if they aren't in the database or you would prefer to have them on different buttons.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

I use the 950 remote to control all my other components. It replaced my Marantz RC2000 remote. While the Outlaw remote is more basic than the Marantz, it isn't terrible by any means. I wish it had a dedicated scroll buttons, for instance. As it is now, the 'Play", "Stop" "Pause" etc. are laid out like the "scroll" keys would be. Inconvenient. It is a "Learning" remote, and accepted all the commands I wanted. There are some weird UI issues, but none of them are a deal killer, in my opinion.

If the 950's remote was really a good universal remote, it would be adaptable to how *you* want it to work.

"Ergonomics" ...

What I found though, is that it's not intuitive (the Power button doesn't even turn on the 950), and that *you* have to adjust yourself to how the *remote* works. Like having to hit Aud to do any 950 commands (except volume, if you have "punch through" set up) after any time you switch sources.

But it's not a deal breaker. And after having it for a month or 6 weeks, I've gotten used to it. I still only use it for the 950 though.

Kevin has several "ergonomics" comments that are very true, but can apply to almost any universal remote (especially "hard button" remotes like those included with most pre/pros). To control the pre/pro using the included remote or any other hard button universal remote, you must switch to a different "device" -- and this sort of behavior will need to be learned by the user (it's something some of us around here may take for granted; I went through that learning curve when I got my 1050 over two years ago, and to a lesser degree when I got my Yamaha pro-logic receiver). The "power" button for the 950 is a discrete "power off" to aid in setting up macros. This is a feature that, while not immediately apparent, is actually pretty handy because pressing any device button (like CD, or DVD) will automatically send the discrete "power on" command to the 950.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

[This message has been edited by gonk (edited November 09, 2002).]

A button that says "Power" on it shouldn't have to be explained...

Most of my beefs with the 950 remote would be eliminated if the Theater Master people did one simple thing: made the source mode button operation user selectable. In other words, I wish there was a simple setting in the remote, that controlled whether or not the remote "mode" was *switched* from the Aud device to the *source* device whose (who's ?) button was just pressed. Oh well...

I figured that some of the money I saved in getting the 950 should go to getting a more than barebones remote. Moving up to the Home Theater Master MX-500 (they go for ~$110 new on Ebay) got rid of all my nagging complaints about the default remote (which isn't a bad remote, just annoying. The 950 just seems more high-end now. :-)

[This message has been edited by jlib (edited November 10, 2002).]

I just bought the Sony AV3000 remote for $89. Liked it soo much we bought a second one! A good remote really does make a difference...

Sayer