Remote Control

[james23p]

Today I finally setup my remote and I was pleasantly surprised. It controlled all my devices and provided 90% of their functionality. Very cool now I have a backup and a very large remote.

Jim

 

[J515OP]

Glad to know it is working again. I believe the 1.5 update broke some remote stuff.

 

[mburwen]

Today I finally setup my remote and I was pleasantly surprised. It controlled all my devices and provided 90% of their functionality. Very cool now I have a backup and a very large remote.

Jim

You must have very simple devices. I've found that it controls only a small fraction of the device functions for most devices, and for many devices the buttons do not even correspond to the device even though the device is listed in the database. Some screens have buttons on them that have nothing to do with the device. I talked at length with a Vizio tech support person, and he told me that the application is "not intended to be comprehensive." I think it is really a shame that Vizio wouldn't make the effort to do this app right. With a big screen, built-in IR radiator, and $200 price, they could kill the Logitech Harmony and a lot of other expensive touch-screen remotes.

 

[james23p]

I have standard stuff:

Direct TV DVR(I have 2) it controls all the menues and DVR functions. I haven't tried to use the active function(weather, sports etc) on the DVR.
Phillips BlueRay Player it controls all the menues and functions.
LG TV it controls from what I can tell all the menues and functions.
Vizio TV seems to control all the menues and functions
Onkyo HT Surround Sounds and it seems to control most of the functions except the automatic sound/room balancer but you can do it manually thru the menues.

So from what I can tell it does all the main functions and menues. Not sure as far as simple devices mine seem to be standard devices and my Onkyo is pretty advanced. I'm curious what functions you have that you find missing?

Jim

 

[HilltopStudios]

Not sure as far as simple devices mine seem to be standard devices and my Onkyo is pretty advanced. I'm curious what functions you have that you find missing?

My music room has 3 Sony 300 disc CD players. The remote app has the model listed but only lets me access 2 of the units with play, stop, next track, previous track along with power. 900 CDs ready to play but there is no button change discs. The stock Sony remote will let me access all 3 units with full control. I also have 2 Sony and one Panasonic 5 disc DVD changers. Once again none of these models (which are all listed on the Vizio app) allows me to make a disc change. My Toshiba TV has 7 inputs but the app does not have a button to switch between the inputs. The only real time I have found this remote feature useful is to annoy other people in the doctor's office waiting room by turning the TV off or changing the channel.

 

[james23p]

On my tv I use the menu button and it let's me select any of my inputs(8) and any number of other custom functions.

As far as your cd units can't help there I only have a single 5 disk blueray player and I can switch between any of the five. The remote on my equipment works great.

As far as the dr's office that is to funny!

Jim

 

[mburwen]

I have standard stuff:

Direct TV DVR(I have 2) it controls all the menues and DVR functions. I haven't tried to use the active function(weather, sports etc) on the DVR.
Phillips BlueRay Player it controls all the menues and functions.
LG TV it controls from what I can tell all the menues and functions.
Vizio TV seems to control all the menues and functions
Onkyo HT Surround Sounds and it seems to control most of the functions except the automatic sound/room balancer but you can do it manually thru the menues.

So from what I can tell it does all the main functions and menues. Not sure as far as simple devices mine seem to be standard devices and my Onkyo is pretty advanced. I'm curious what functions you have that you find missing?

Jim

I have a Misubishi 65" TV. Since I have a Yamaha receiver that does all the I/O switching, the VTAB is OK for the TV since all I need to do is turn the power on and off.

The Yamaha Receiver has a zillion controls, only a small fraction of them show up on the VTAB. There are not even enough controls to switch all the inputs, let alone take advantage of the receiver's sound processing capabilities.

I have a 300 CD Sony jukebox. The VTAB screen will not permit me to select a specific disc, and so that screen is useless.

I have a Samsung Blu-ray/DVD player. The screen I get is missing many of the Samsung controls. Obviously, the screen is configured for a different brand, even though Samsung is the world's largest supplier of Blu-ray/DVD players.

I have an ir543 that controls X10 lighting and appliances, but the screen that comes up on the VTAB has no relationship at all to the controls needed to operate this device.

I was astonished to find that all of my devices are listed in the database. I assume Vizio buys the database from URC or UEI which is why it is so complete. However, why the screens do not reflect the controls of the devices in the database is a mystery. There should be a screen or set of screens for each device. Without having all controls available, creating action sequence macros is impossible except for trivial tasks.

The color, size and resolution of the screen on the VTAB is head and shoulders better than the screens on most of the dedicated touch-screen remote controls that sell for a lot more than the VTAB. The app would be fabulous if it were accompanied by an editor (run on a PC or Mac) that allows the user to create custom screens with custom buttons, make complex macros and assign discrete codes.

 

[drum4ever]

The color, size and resolution of the screen on the VTAB is head and shoulders better than the screens on most of the dedicated touch-screen remote controls that sell for a lot more than the VTAB. The app would be fabulous if it were accompanied by an editor (run on a PC or Mac) that allows the user to create custom screens with custom buttons, make complex macros and assign discrete codes.

I totally agree on the need for off tablet editing capability. I used to have a pocket PC with an IR remote app and designed screen layouts for it. Not difficult and far more comfortable to use. I realize learning is out because of one way IR but this screen editing would be simple for them to implement.

 

[mburwen]

I totally agree on the need for off tablet editing capability. I used to have a pocket PC with an IR remote app and designed screen layouts for it. Not difficult and far more comfortable to use. I realize learning is out because of one way IR but this screen editing would be simple for them to implement.

Everyone who feels the way we do should write Vizio and request that capability. If enough of us do that, maybe we will get some action. There should not be much need for learning. The device database is terrific. If the editor allowed for insertion of discrete codes, that would help too. Remote Central publishes practically all the discrete codes. They could be copied and pasted into the editor.

 

[FanNo301]

Mine works well with my wall in the media room, my bedroom, my car, my Mother's wall, and her Doctor's office. Not everything works perfectly, but I like it! Sometimes the maker's model is not there, but usually one comes close.

 

[dhouston]

I totally agree on the need for off tablet editing capability. I used to have a pocket PC with an IR remote app and designed screen layouts for it. Not difficult and far more comfortable to use. I realize learning is out because of one way IR but this screen editing would be simple for them to implement.

There are CCF codes for nearly every remote ever made on Remote Central. If we could edit screens and import CCF codes, it would be as good as $1000 remotes from Phillips and UEI. I've created hardware and written software to do this many years ago - it's really simple and I'm sure Vizio has people who could do it.

 

[tspin818]

I love using the remote when I travel. I have created quite a list of airports that I travel through on the remote. I hate having to sit and listen to the reporters from CNN go on and on about the same stories over and over. I just mute the tv, and turn on the closed captioning for whoever wants to watch it. No one ever realizes that it is me who is doing it, I once had a 10 minute duel with one of the gate personnell who kept unmuting it and I would then mute it again. She finally gave up!

 

[J515OP]

I love using the remote when I travel. I have created quite a list of airports that I travel through on the remote. I hate having to sit and listen to the reporters from CNN go on and on about the same stories over and over. I just mute the tv, and turn on the closed captioning for whoever wants to watch it. No one ever realizes that it is me who is doing it, I once had a 10 minute duel with one of the gate personnell who kept unmuting it and I would then mute it again. She finally gave up!

Best use of the remote I have heard yet!

 

[Kemper]

Hey guys, it's a FREE remote. I don't think you will find that on an Ipad. Anyone know of any other tablet with an remote? Vizio can not list a hundred buttons for every audio and cd, dvd, etc made. It works and it works well and is easy to set up. Of course, I don't have 5,000 cd or dvd's to play, I just use it for a TV and DVD and cable box remote. All work perfectly.

 

[Kemper]

I love using the remote when I travel. I have created quite a list of airports that I travel through on the remote. I hate having to sit and listen to the reporters from CNN go on and on about the same stories over and over. I just mute the tv, and turn on the closed captioning for whoever wants to watch it. No one ever realizes that it is me who is doing it, I once had a 10 minute duel with one of the gate personnell who kept unmuting it and I would then mute it again. She finally gave up!

God I love you! Get that damn CNN, Clinton News Network, OFF! Can not wait to try it.