If any outlaws are familar with the Home Theater Master MX-850/800 remote control setup...

I just started programming a MX-850 for my 990. On the IR Database, I see the codes for an Outlaw 950. Should I use those, or are there other codes for the 990?

Thanks, Duke97

Gonk is generous enough to host a file I created for the 990 a while back. I made it for my mx-700 so it should work for you (I think).

http://www.prillaman.net/mx700_files/

The 950 and 990 use different codes. You should either use the Sherwood P-965 codes, Jed's MX-700 file, or my MX-700 file .

Jed & Gonk, thanks for the input. I just downloaded Gonk's 990 file and will finish set-up.

I just got my 990 today, and plan on setting it up tomorrow. Can anyone tell me if any of these posted MX-700 files have discreet codes for the 990?

Thanks,

Scott

The 990's power on and off commands are discrete ("power" is "off" and any input command doubles as "on"). I haven't used Jed's, but I think it's very similar to mine - power on and off discrete, all the inputs, and any other button that shows up on the 990's stock remote (sync, trim, and such).

I've ordered the Logitech 880, anyone have any issues w/ this? I got it from Costco.com for $199;no problem w/ returns. I'll be using it w/ the 990 and the Dish 921...

I've read good stuff about it - be interested to hear how it works for you.

Yeah! Do let us know how it works. I'm trying to decide between a 880 and one of the MX units.

Will be especially interested to hear how well the web programing really works and whether it gives a complete set of codes.

I have the Logitech 880 (and the Outlaw 990) and have been using it without problems for 3 months. It is really nice to have a remote that can turn on 3, 4 or 5 different audio/video items with the push of a single button. It's also very nice not to get a cell phone call from the wife, asking "what did I do wrong, I can't get the TV to work." when I'm MILES from home
Once programmed, it is simple enough for my 6 year old to use, whether it's for the PSTwo, DVD player, or just watching cartoons on the big screen.
A couple notes: You have to point and hold the remote toward the (audio/video rack) for a few seconds, so everything associated with the chosen command can be turned on or off. You can't just push 'watch TV' and set the remote behind a chair or it may not have enough time to turn on/off all associated hardware.
Also, when you program the remote, don't choose the 'expert' (I know everything about electronics) programming mode. Instead, choose the middle level (intermediate, I think) level. This will enable the program to ask you additional questions that will make programming the remote much more thorough, and probably successful the first time thru. ( I was able to get it in one try) In addition, Harmony has a great customer support staff that can (and will) actually walk you thru any set up problems you may encounter.
Also, the 'HELP' feature on this remote is a GREAT addition to the package. It lets the remote help you figure out why something is not working. For example, if your little child decides to turn off the TV manually (old habit), the remote won't know that it is off. So when you try to turn things on again, the TV won't light up (because the remote thinks it is still on). By pressing the HELP button, you answer a series of simple YES or NO questions, and balance is once again restored to the universe
This remote can be had for as little as $175, if you shop around, but is worth full price in my opinion.
A simple, easy to use, full function remote, for a really decent price. And no, I do not work for Harmony/Logitech.

Lonster

I posted this earlier today in an open thread in the Outlaw to Outlaw section, but perhaps it should have been here instead. I apologize for repeating myself in multiple forums, but here it is again:

If you're interested, Dell has the Harmony 880 (the fancy new color model) for about $176 shipped, with no rebates to mail. Go to http://www.hot-deals.org and scroll down to the info for the Harmony 880 from Dell.com. In the description there is coupon code to get the price down. Just paste this into the box in the shopping cart, and it is automatically applied and the total price will change to reflect this. I ordered mine last Friday and it arrived on Tuesday. I haven't set it up yet, but look forward to playing with it this weekend. Enjoy.

Jeff

Perhaps I should have given a little more background, I don't work for Dell or Logitech. I presently use an MX-500 (and have for couple of years) with my 990 (for a couple of months) and am very happy with it. I really like the MX-500 and don't NEED to try another remote. I just WANTED to play with something different. The Harmony remotes have interested me for a while, but the MX-500 just works so well. My only complaint with the MX-500 is that the "5" key should feel a little different from the rest of the keys to make it easier to find your position on the number pad.

Lonny, I'm glad to hear that yours works well and you really like it. Hopefully it'll work out the same for me.

Jeff

I recieved the 880, and don't like it. Sure, it was easy to set up (ALL components were found, even the Gefen DVI swich and Marantz DV8400), but it takes too many screen changes to get to "dolby modes" and "DTS" and "Stereo" modes. Also, these are not on the same page, maybe the page can be edited, but I don't see how.
A big concern, was with my DVR (dish 921), I used to have a dedicated button to access the recordings (DVR), and this we use all the time, to switch between live HD and recorded HD. Again, numerous pages back.
Finally, it was stated that this would simplify 16/9 4/3. Not for me. I have a 4/3 HD
CRT,1080i; and a 16/9 progector, 720p. I had hoped there would be a way to tell the Source to output properly automatically depending on the activity. Not a choice.
I don't know if I pursue this with logitec or just send it back.
How about the MX series remotes, any hope there?

The MX remotes are going to be a more manual setu process. With the MX-500, I recommend simply learning your commands straight in from the original remotes when you can, so that the button layout is what works for you. THe MX-700 allows you to download config files that others have created or modified and then tweak them to your tastes, but I still ended up doing some of my setup from scratch. The 700 allows an endless assortment of macros (which may be a good match for your needs - you could potentially have two macro buttons on the first screen of each source device that would be "CRT" and "PROJ" to send commands needed to get aspect ratio and such correct).

I haven't looked closely at the 880 to know what it allows - I'd hope to be able to move commands around on screens (I keep Dolby, DTS, and stereo together and include them somewhere on each device's setup in my MX's, for example).

It's my understanding that, on the 880, you can move commands around to be more convenient for you.
Call up their customer service. They are very helpful and actually listen to your needs.
I have a few items that I want to move to a 'first screen' too (Dolby modes, etc). I will look into this next week and see how simple it may be.
Lonny

Thanks to Jeff for the link. I ordered my 880 from Dell just now and expect to report next week on how the set-up goes.

I got my Harmony 880 setup today and so far I'm pretty happy with it. I definitely like that it keeps track of which devices are on and which are off. It took me a couple of attempts to get it setup correctly (all my fault). I had setup a "Test Drive" profile on the Harmony site previously for my Outlaw 950 and some equipment I have and a few devices that I was thinking about getting. I tried treaking this setup and I think that is where my problems came from with the 990. I eventually deleted everything and put it in again and almost everything seems to work as I expect it to do. The only problem that I'm still having is that I have my Sony DirecTV TiVO patched into Video2 on the 990 and have setup the remote to reflect this. However, whenever I turn on the system to watch TV, the 990 always starts up with Video1 as the TV input, but that is where the VCR sits. I can then use the remote to choose Video2 and from there it always returns to Video2 for TV viewing, until I turn off the system and then it defaults back to Video1 for TV when turned back on. My profile looks good, I just can't get it to work. Other than that I think that I may really like this remote. If anybody knows a fix for the wrong video input issue (not "just move the Sony to Video1") I'd appreciate hearing about it.

One thing that I did do was to customize my "Watch TiVO" activity to have the "stereo", "Dolby" and "DTS" modes on the front page. It was pretty easy to do.

-- after logging in on the website, go to "Buttons and Menus" and choose the activity for which you want to add/change what shows on the display

-- scoll down to the "Custom, Button Label" section and make you changes there.

I got rid of the the ThumbsUp and ThumbsDn buttons, which I hardly ever use, and replaced them with Stereo and Dolby buttons, and then added a DTS button. So far that's all I've done, but it worked great and was easy to do. I'll probably eventually customize things quite a bit more, but these are the basic steps to do that. I just stumbled around until I found this screen.

AudioBear, I'm glad that the link helped. The www.hot-deals.org site is someplace that I check frequently, as they sometimes have some great deals. That's where I got the coupons to get my 20" Dell flat panels from Dell for a couple hundred (each) less than what Dell had them priced on their website.

Jeff

How about soundfields? Does the 880 allow for selection of soundfield with the 990? (like dd+PL2 movie for sat, and Upsample stereo for listen to music)
How have you guys been dealing w/ that?

blaineh,

I think that what you are asking is what I was trying to say in my posting just above this. The one customization that I've done so far is to make it so that I can toggle through the various sound modes. I changed two buttons and added a third to let me do this in my "Watch TiVO" activity. The different stereo and dolby modes were already there for some of the other activities. An "activity" is basically a macro used to setup a particular function, such as watch cable, watch DVD, Listen to CD, etc. Sorry if this isn't very clear.

Jeff

Jeff
That was pretty clear, and I appriciate the info. Knowing that I can reassign buttons is great. But, the buttons (as they are on the original)are toggles, and I was hoping the macro might allow for direct control of soundfields. Meaning, select "listen to music"; now, the remote turns on the Dish reciever, tunes to a digital music station, turns on the 990, and selects stereo upsample mode. I simply listen...

Well, without discrete surround mode buttons for all of the dozen-odd different possible choices (PLII-C, PLII-M, PLIIx-C, PLIIx-M, NEO:6-C, NEO:6-M, stereo, bypass, upsample, Dolby EX, DTS ES, Dolby, DTS, 5 stereo, 7 stereo, and whatever else I've missed) I don't think the 880 can. On the other hand, when it comes to just listening to music in stereo I've long been using a simple cheat of setting up an audio input on a digital source and defaulting it to stereo. For example, CD's from my DVD player are played on the CD input in stereo. For a digital music station, you could set up a spare input (Aux or Tape or whatever) to use that digital connection (optical2, for example) and set it to stereo the first time you use it, then set up the 880 to toggle through the Disc receiver's video input (thereby setting the video source) and then to the audio input (video will remain the Disc). The 880 should be able to do that without any strain. Then again, I've been accused of being crazy on an occasion or two...

What Gonk said is pretty much what I've done. I have setup default sound fields for the various inputs in the 990 itself. When I choose the "Watch TiVO" activity, the 990 defaults to Video2 , accepts input from the Sony DirecTV TiVO unit on Optical2 and defaults it out as DPL-IIx. When I choose the "XM Radio" activity the 990 switches to AUX and the audio defaults to Stereo Upsample. I have my Yamaha DVD player setup with both an digital optical audio output, which I use for DVDs and default to DPL-IIx in the 990, and a digital coax output that I've assigned to CD in the 990 and default to Stereo Upsample. As for being able to setup individual activities that will also change the default sound field on the 990, I do not know whether or not the Harmony 880 can do that. I just quickly toggle through if I want to hear the music or video in a manner other than its default value in the 990.

I've been a big fan of the MX-500 and have recommended them and given them as gifts (and programmed them for those people), and I'm still a big fan. However, I'm really liking the Harmony remote. I think that for most people this would be a better choice as a remote for its greater simplicity in programming. I know Gonk, the MX-500 isn't difficult to program if you take a few minutes to learn the basics and logic of how it works. I've done this and feel this way. But with the half dozen or so of these that I've been involved with I've not seen anybody else actually able to get it to do what they'd really like it to do. The Harmony just seems to be easier to get setup. One of the less costly Harmony remotes would be a good alternative to the MX-500. The color 880 is really a step up, for me at least. But I still prefer the feel of the buttons on the Home Theater Master remotes.

Jeff

You could actually use one digital cable from the Yamaha for both, Jeff - assign either the optical or the coaxial to both DVD and CD (I use optical from my Yamah to DVD and CD).

Thanks Gonk. For now I don'thave a shortage of digital inputs, but I will keep this in mind if things change in the future. Hopefully some day I'll have so many pieces of equipment that I won't have enough digital inputs to accomidate them all even if I double up where possible.

Jeff