FEATURE REQUEST: Discrete IR codes

[Mark Lamutt]

This one is from me, and incorporates some ideas from a couple of other feature request threads.

I would like to see the following discrete IR code functionality added to the 921 operation:

Discrete ON
Discrete OFF
Discrete 1080i
Discrete 720p
Discrete 480p
Discrete 480i
Discrete 16x9
Discrete 4x3#1
Discrete 4x3#2

Thanks,

[K R Kimmel]

Some more discrete code suggestions.

Guide on (activates guide only no switch between lists)
Guide All Sub (activate guide switch to All Sub list)
Guide All Chan (activate guide switch to All Chan list)
Guide List 1 (activate guide switch to List 1)
Guide List 2 (activate guide switch to List 2)
Guide List 3 (activate guide switch to List 3)
Guide List 4 (activate guide switch to List 4)
PIP Large (activate PIP switch to large PIP window)
PIP Small (activate PIP switch to small PIP windowA)
PIP Off (turn off PIP)
HD (switch to HD mode)
SD (switch to SD mode)

basically any function where one button toggles between two or more states should have discrete code for each state.

[CompuDude]

Discrete codes would be GREAT for those of us with good universal remotes (I suspect many who are willing to drop this kind of money on a PVR, and own a system worthy of HDTV, fall into that category). My Harmony (still getting the thing programmed, but love the prospect of putting 6 remotes in a drawer somewhere!) would be much easier to deal with if there were more discrete's for my various components...

[Jim Parker]

I'll add
Discrete aspect ratio

[volfan615]

I was under the impression tha the 921 did have discrete ON and OFF codes the same as the other Dish receivers. Is this not the case? Have you tried the discrete power codes listed at remotecentral.com ?

[Mark Lamutt]

They haven't been added to the software yet.

[pculley]

A perhaps faster to implement method than the discrete codes; use a menu entry to set into a specific mode.

For example, the codes for
HD (switch to HD mode)
SD (switch to SD mode)
Aspect Normal
Aspect Zoom
Aspect Grey Bars (etc.)
could be made numbered sub-menu entries to the preferences.display menu.

In general, it would be nice to allow a numbered menu entry to any toggled remote function or selection type of menu.

The purpose is to enable stateless external control via remote control macros; not as nice as a discrete code but workable for the higher end remotes or automation systems.

Pculley

[Throwbot]

Discrete codes would be GREAT for those of us with good universal remotes (I suspect many who are willing to drop this kind of money on a PVR, and own a system worthy of HDTV, fall into that category). My Harmony (still getting the thing programmed, but love the prospect of putting 6 remotes in a drawer somewhere!) would be much easier to deal with if there were more discrete's for my various components...

Compudude , please please remember to post you opinion of your Harmony remote, as there is a lot of interest out here for controlling a 921 with a learning remote. I have some specific questions.
1. Are the E* 921 and / or 721 DVR remote codes listed and available on Harmony's web site?
2. What if any limitations have you experienced?
3. What model Harmony did you purchase?
4. Please list the equipment you are controlling?
And we need the info Pronto ( That was a feeble joke)

[CompuDude]

I don't have a 921 yet, and until I get moved and settled in, I'm not likely to get one in the immediate future. Hopefully a couple months from now I'll be able to scrape together the cash.

The Harmony I bought, the SST-659, is *great* so far with my Dish 508 PVR, however. It took a LOT of work to program it to my liking, but it wasn't difficult work, it just involved a lot of trial and error. I'm almost completely satisfied with the way it controls my 508 in conjunction with my big screen, but I have barely started getting it working with my DVD. Based on how it controls the 508, however, I'm pretty confident it will work well with the 921 as well.

The WAF (wife acceptance factor) of the Harmony is great, as well, but plan on spending about 5 minutes on instruction... don't think everyone will pick it up and use it properly out the gate.

Current setup: http://www.kalani.net/HomeTheatre.html

The picky a/v people who populate these boards (myself included) will likely HATE most of the canned control setups available for the various components, so count on a good deal of trial and error and manual learning of codes. Again, it's not rocket science, but it takes some thought and consideration, and the process is a bit cumbersome, due to the Harmony's site design, in part. As I understand it, however, the site is continually evolving, so that should get easier over time.

I'd be happy to post a more thorough review of the Harmony, but I'm pretty sure this thread isn't the appropriate venue for it. Suggestions, anyone?

[Throwbot]

I don't have a 921 yet, and until I get moved and settled in, I'm not likely to get one in the immediate future. Hopefully a couple months from now I'll be able to scrape together the cash.

The Harmony I bought, the SST-659, is *great* so far with my Dish 508 PVR, however. It took a LOT of work to program it to my liking, but it wasn't difficult work, it just involved a lot of trial and error. I'm almost completely satisfied with the way it controls my 508 in conjunction with my big screen, but I have barely started getting it working with my DVD. Based on how it controls the 508, however, I'm pretty confident it will work well with the 921 as well.

The WAF (wife acceptance factor) of the Harmony is great, as well, but plan on spending about 5 minutes on instruction... don't think everyone will pick it up and use it properly out the gate.

Current setup: http://www.kalani.net/HomeTheatre.html

The picky a/v people who populate these boards (myself included) will likely HATE most of the canned control setups available for the various components, so count on a good deal of trial and error and manual learning of codes. Again, it's not rocket science, but it takes some thought and consideration, and the process is a bit cumbersome, due to the Harmony's site design, in part. As I understand it, however, the site is continually evolving, so that should get easier over time.

I'd be happy to post a more thorough review of the Harmony, but I'm pretty sure this thread isn't the appropriate venue for it. Suggestions, anyone?
Any chance you could log in at Harmony and see if the 921 is available? They don't let you see this unless you are an owner of a remote. Also please confirm the 508 is IF/RF? Thanks, I also like the WAF angle of the remote.

[Throwbot]

Any chance you could log in at Harmony and see if the 921 is available? They don't let you see this unless you are an owner of a remote. Also please confirm the 508 is IF/RF? Thanks, I also like the WAF angle of the remote.
Man I checked out your home page, seems you have a way more WAF than I have! Looks like a bloody Sony retail outlet store

[CompuDude]

:-D

Been a Sony fan for a long time. Good stuff, tho I know there is better. HATE dealing with the hassles of mixed components, for one thing. Went non-Sony for the TV, however, and obviously Dish, so that scheme is slowly going away. Like having any remote I grab able to control other things, too, however. Also like having things match... appearance counts, for me.

Having to grab multiple remotes just to watch TV blows, however. WAF factor, matched components or not, goes way down when you need the Dish remote to turn on the signal, the TV remote to turn on the TV and select the Dish input, and the Receiver remote to turn on the receiver and select the Dish audio source.

Finally have what I hope is the last remote I'll need for some time in the Harmony, however. Not perfect, but as good as I've ever seen. One button neatly labelled "watch tv" turns on the tv, set the tv to the dish input, turns on the receiver, sets the audio source to the dish, and turns on the dish, and leaves the dish controls active on the remote. There are caveats and exceptions, but that's better than any other remote so far. "Honey, first you press 'Macro 1', and the switch to the Dish mode, and the buttons for the PVR are on screen 2..." doesn't fly. "Watch TV" works quite nicely, however. :-)

508 is IF/RF. The included remote sends both simultaneously, far as I've seen. From what I've heard the 721 remote does the same, and uses the same command language as the 921, which is how they got the 921 IR commands.

I just checked, and yes, the 921 is listed on the Harmony site. I strongly suspect, based on my experience with other people's 508 config setups, that people will want to customize it regardless, but that should still be possible with the codes available.

[Throwbot]

:-D

Been a Sony fan for a long time. Good stuff, tho I know there is better. HATE dealing with the hassles of mixed components, for one thing. Went non-Sony for the TV, however, and obviously Dish, so that scheme is slowly going away. Like having any remote I grab able to control other things, too, however. Also like having things match... appearance counts, for me.

Having to grab multiple remotes just to watch TV blows, however. WAF factor, matched components or not, goes way down when you need the Dish remote to turn on the signal, the TV remote to turn on the TV and select the Dish input, and the Receiver remote to turn on the receiver and select the Dish audio source.

Finally have what I hope is the last remote I'll need for some time in the Harmony, however. Not perfect, but as good as I've ever seen. One button neatly labelled "watch tv" turns on the tv, set the tv to the dish input, turns on the receiver, sets the audio source to the dish, and turns on the dish, and leaves the dish controls active on the remote. There are caveats and exceptions, but that's better than any other remote so far. "Honey, first you press 'Macro 1', and the switch to the Dish mode, and the buttons for the PVR are on screen 2..." doesn't fly. "Watch TV" works quite nicely, however. :-)

508 is IF/RF. The included remote sends both simultaneously, far as I've seen. From what I've heard the 721 remote does the same, and uses the same command language as the 921, which is how they got the 921 IR commands.

I just checked, and yes, the 921 is listed on the Harmony site. I strongly suspect, based on my experience with other people's 508 config setups, that people will want to customize it regardless, but that should still be possible with the codes available.

Thanks SonyDudeman appreciate your time. :righton:

[FaxMan]

Compudude , please please remember to post you opinion of your Harmony remote, as there is a lot of interest out here for controlling a 921 with a learning remote. I have some specific questions.
1. Are the E* 921 and / or 721 DVR remote codes listed and available on Harmony's web site?
2. What if any limitations have you experienced?
3. What model Harmony did you purchase?
4. Please list the equipment you are controlling?
And we need the info Pronto ( That was a feeble joke)

Throwbot,

I'm another 508 owner upgrading to 921 (hopefully next Tuesday) and will be reprogramming my Harmony 659 to control it/both. It seems that control of the 921 and 508 are fairly similar so I'm guessing it will be fairly easy and high on the WAF. I'll try to post my findings.

Based on my experiences thus far, more discreet codes would be a BIG plus.

One concern is how the 921 will react if it receives a 'power off' command while recording. Hopefully it will simply display the confirmation screen (even though the set may be off) and continue recording.

Perhaps a discrete code that says: "Power OFF- Unless Recording" or "Power OFF when Recording Completed"

=Fax

[Throwbot]

Throwbot,

I'm another 508 owner upgrading to 921 (hopefully next Tuesday) and will be reprogramming my Harmony 659 to control it/both. It seems that control of the 921 and 508 are fairly similar so I'm guessing it will be fairly easy and high on the WAF. I'll try to post my findings.

Based on my experiences thus far, more discreet codes would be a BIG plus.

One concern is how the 921 will react if it receives a 'power off' command while recording. Hopefully it will simply display the confirmation screen (even though the set may be off) and continue recording.

Perhaps a discrete code that says: "Power OFF- Unless Recording" or "Power OFF when Recording Completed"

=Fax
Look forward to your post faxman!

[Mark Lamutt]

When you press Power Off while the 921 is recording, the 921 powers off, but it continues recording to the end of the event.

[CompuDude]

When you press Power Off while the 921 is recording, the 921 powers off, but it continues recording to the end of the event.

That's nice. With the 508, when you hit power off, it (fortunately) continued recording, but displays a confirmation dialog. Of course, you don't see said confirmation dialog because the TV and everything else is off now.

The downside, of course, was addressed in the feature request that has been met with the 921. The 508 will now remain on, even though everything else is now off. (Way to go, 921! Fixed the issue! :D ) This presents two problems with the 508. First, and not *as* annoying, the 508 will stay on after recording stops, because there's no one around to shut it off anymore. Not the end of the world. Second, however, is that the 508 is now "out of state"... meaning the Harmony thinks it's off, but it's not. So next time you hit "watch TV", since there are no discrete on/off codes, the Harmony will dutifully toggle the power, thinking it's turning the 508 on, and in reality turning it off. Sometimes it's easier to manually switch off the 508 if you notice it's on, before working with the Harmony, because then all the states are as expected. Yes, the Harmony has an onscreen (on the lcd) troubleshooting "help" function, but frankly it's faster to just turn the dang thing off. ;-)

Regadless, if the 921 turns off as instructed, but finishes recording, this won't be an issue there. w00t!