View Full Version : Tivo "Peanut" Learning remote - Why not?
Hurricane350
08-06-2006, 02:48 PM
With new manufacturers entering the HD tv market all the time and tivos remote being a little old in the remote code database, Why doesn't anybody make a "Peanut" style learning remote? It quite possibly the most comfortable remote ever made and if it had learning functions, it would be future-proof. Ok, ending rant.
ps - I have a Viewsonic 2751w so don't try to sell me on a 6151 cause it won't work with it and I have had the Philips 8in1 forever. I just want my Peanut back!
stevel
08-06-2006, 02:55 PM
TiVo has one - it will come with the Series 3 model. I don't know if they'll sell it separately, but I assume they will eventually.
Inundated
08-06-2006, 03:06 PM
TiVo has one - it will come with the Series 3 model. I don't know if they'll sell it separately, but I assume they will eventually.
Where are you seeing that the S3 remote is a learning remote?
I did a cursory search both here and via Google, and can't find any reference to that...
TiVo has one - it will come with the Series 3 model. I don't know if they'll sell it separately, but I assume they will eventually.
Me too - would love to replace my Harmony 880 with a true Tivo remote.
Don't remember where the reference that the S3 would have programmable remote, but we won't know for sure until it's announced.
stevel
08-06-2006, 05:01 PM
I heard it directly from TiVoPony at the TC-Con in June. Not everything is in Google. It's also a lighted remote.
http://static.flickr.com/48/175945154_285baa60d2.jpg
I love the design of that remote so much. If I end up without an S3 I'm certainly buying an S3 replacement remote (they better be compatible, anyway!). :D
Gunnyman
08-06-2006, 06:49 PM
Pony also said the S3 remote will run an S2.
davezatz
08-06-2006, 06:52 PM
Pony also said the S3 remote will run an S2.
Cool!
mick66
08-06-2006, 07:24 PM
Pony also said the S3 remote will run an S2.
Which means that it will also control an S1 since both the S1 and S2 use the same remote codes.
JimSpence
08-06-2006, 07:43 PM
Have you guys really looked at the designs of the Harmony remotes?
The 628 looks pretty good. BTW, I used the 6131 until it no longer would support all of my equipment.
davezatz
08-06-2006, 07:54 PM
Have you guys really looked at the designs of the Harmony remotes?
I've owned several and have been pleased with them. I just unloaded a 520 on Amazon, but use an 880 in the den.
stevel
08-06-2006, 08:18 PM
I have a Harmony 659 for a second system, but I don't like the button placement on any of them.
Have you guys really looked at the designs of the Harmony remotes?
Yes, I use a Harmony 880 now.
But if the Series 3 remote is indeed programmable, it's likely to replace the 880.
Most of the time my 880 is controlling one of 5 Tivos, so I'd rather have a real Tivo remote doing it.
If the S3 remote can be programmed to control multiple Tivos, and basic functions for a DVD and a laserdisc player, I'm going to be a very happy camper. If it can also control a Comcast DVR and a Sony DVR, that's even better!
Inundated
08-07-2006, 02:48 PM
I heard it directly from TiVoPony at the TC-Con in June. Not everything is in Google. It's also a lighted remote.
Oh, Steve, for cryin' out loud, of course I believe Pony! :D
I just didn't know where you'd heard it from. I did a search in case it had been announced/reported somewhere else.
It looks way cool.
kdmorse
08-07-2006, 02:59 PM
Additionally, it is weighted differently, and grooved on the bottom, so you can't pick it up backwards so easilly.
-Ken
thechiz
08-07-2006, 03:30 PM
From the picture, the S3 learning remote appears to only have a fairly small
number of buttons. This would likely make it hard to use if you have several
A/V devices that you want to control from only one learning remote.
It would have been nice to have a screen with user definable text
to go with, say ten user definable keys for use with each device.
(Like the Home Theater Master MX-500).
It will probably work well with simple configurations.
Once you get up to multiple alternate DVR's, A/V receiver,
DVD, DVD-RW, S-VHS etc I think you need something with a bit more
flexibility. Good MACRO's are helpful too.
Bai Shen
08-07-2006, 03:37 PM
Am I the only one who prefers the old Sony remote over the peanut?
Am I the only one who prefers the old Sony remote over the peanut?
Yes.
kdmorse
08-07-2006, 03:52 PM
From the picture, the S3 learning remote appears to only have a fairly small
number of buttons.
I don't believe the purpose of the learning functions is to enable the S3 remote to run your entire entertainment center. As you say, a Harmony, a MX, etc... would be a better remote for that.
However, there is the persistent problem of just wanting TV Power, Input Select, Volume, and Mute to work on the peanut when you're watching TV. The database for these functions is hard-coded into the peanut itself at production time, and thus people who buy BobCo's brand new TV, can never get the peanut to turn it on. A learning peanut solves that problem quite nicely.
Am I the only one who prefers the old Sony remote over the peanut?
Yes. (Someone get this man some more peanut flavored kool-aid!)
-Ken
Bai Shen
08-07-2006, 03:59 PM
Yes. (Someone get this man some more peanut flavored kool-aid!)
Well, to be truthful, I've only used the peanut a couple dozen times. Originally I had the Sony remote, and I'm currently using a 6131.
stevel
08-07-2006, 04:45 PM
Ken has it right - the learning aspect of the remote does away with the problem of the peanut not having "codes" for the latest Malaysian-brand LCD TV, or Home Theater In A Box you picked up at Wal-Mart. In this respect it comes closer to the Sony TiVo remotes which always had this feature. It is not intended as a universal remote replacement.
And I too prefer the shape and layout of the Sony remotes.
stevereis
08-08-2006, 11:46 PM
Did anyone notice that the S3 remote shown at CES (http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2006-01/tivos-series-3-lives/) that megazone photographed,
is different than the S3 remote shown at TC-con (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4256372&&#post4256372) that stevel posted above?
CES S3 remote (megazone)
No DVR 1, 2 switch
discrete buttons for 4-way controller
light gray buttons
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/wordpress/wp-content/tivoremotehd4.jpg
TC con S3 remote (stevel)
includes DVR 1, 2 switch
New 1-button 4-way controller with select button in the middle (you may have to follow the link and look at the higher res image to see this)
dark buttons
http://static.flickr.com/48/175945154_285baa60d2.jpg
Did anyone notice that the S3 remote shown at CES (http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2006-01/tivos-series-3-lives/) that megazone photographed,
is different than the S3 remote shown at TC-con (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=4256372&&#post4256372) that stevel posted above?
CES S3 remote (megazone)
No DVR 1, 2 switch
discrete buttons for 4-way controller
light gray buttons
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/wordpress/wp-content/tivoremotehd4.jpg
TC con S3 remote (stevel)
includes DVR 1, 2 switch
New 1-button 4-way controller with select button in the middle (you may have to follow the link and look at the higher res image to see this)
dark buttons
http://static.flickr.com/48/175945154_285baa60d2.jpg
Well, you did!
Actually, I'm a bit bummed out now, because the return of the 1-2 switch would seem to imply that you can only control two Tivo boxes with one remote. :(
I certainly hope that "4 way controller" with select in the center is a good feel. I think the select button below the 4 arrows works pretty fluidly as it is but I'll have to just wait and see how the new one works out. Sure looks nice. :)
stevel
08-09-2006, 10:22 AM
I liked the feel of the S3 remote I photographed. I am not at all astonished that refinements were made in the months since the early prototype shown at CES. What was shown at the TC-Con was pretty much a final version of the hardware.
stevereis
08-09-2006, 10:34 AM
Actually, I'm a bit bummed out now, because the return of the 1-2 switch would seem to imply that you can only control two Tivo boxes with one remote. :(
I was actually happy to see it because I want the ability to control the S3 and my old S2 from the same remote.
Your response indicates that either you expected it to be able to control more than 2 because it didn't have the switch. Do any of the remotes do that now? How would that work?
stevel
08-09-2006, 01:12 PM
For the remotes without the switch, there is a series of keypresses you can use to set the remote code. It's rather awkward.
Your response indicates that either you expected it to be able to control more than 2 because it didn't have the switch. Do any of the remotes do that now? How would that work?
You can do that now with some of the programmable remotes - I have 5 distinct Tivo remote address codes programmed in my Harmony.
I was hoping that the S3 remote would allow me to replace the Harmony, because most of the time I'm using Tivo controls, though it was too much of a pain to have three remotes to control my boxes.
bluesman64
08-12-2006, 02:14 AM
You can do that now with some of the programmable remotes - I have 5 distinct Tivo remote address codes programmed in my Harmony.
How do you program distinct TiVo remote address codes into a Harmony?
I just got my HR10-250 installed today. I also have, in the same room, an R-10. I use the Harmony 680 universal remote. Since both TiVos use the same remote address (0) as a default, I tried changing the addresses of both (HR10-250 set to 1, R-10 set to 2) using their respective TiVo peanuts. No problem. I then had my Harmony learn the IR signal for each key for each remote hoping that the IR learn mode would carry the remote address along with the key command. No go.
It appears that the Harmony is "hard wired" with the 0 address and I was not successful in changing the address in either "profile."
mick66
08-12-2006, 04:59 AM
Actually, I'm a bit bummed out now, because the return of the 1-2 switch would seem to imply that you can only control two Tivo boxes with one remote.
I was actually happy to see it because I want the ability to control the S3 and my old S2 from the same remote.
Your response indicates that either you expected it to be able to control more than 2 because it didn't have the switch. Do any of the remotes do that now? How would that work?
For the remotes without the switch, there is a series of keypresses you can use to set the remote code. It's rather awkward.
The peanuts with the dvr 1-2 switch can also be programmed with the same method - that's how you program the codes for the 1-2 switch to begin with. The 1-2 switch is not preconfigured to work with only the 1 and 2 code sets as many people seem to believe. Any of the 10 code sets can be programmed for use with the switch in either position.
So while a remote with the switch can control 2 tivos w/o having to reprogram it for each one, the switchless remotes can only control one Tivo - but both kinds can be easily reprogrammed at will to control multiple Tivos. The 1-2 switch does not limit that ability as jfh3 seems to think.
mick66
08-12-2006, 05:07 AM
How do you program distinct TiVo remote address codes into a Harmony?
I just got my HR10-250 installed today. I also have, in the same room, an R-10. I use the Harmony 680 universal remote. Since both TiVos use the same remote address (0) as a default, I tried changing the addresses of both (HR10-250 set to 1, R-10 set to 2) using their respective TiVo peanuts. No problem. I then had my Harmony learn the IR signal for each key for each remote hoping that the IR learn mode would carry the remote address along with the key command. No go.
It appears that the Harmony is "hard wired" with the 0 address and I was not successful in changing the address in either "profile."
I had no problem accomplishing this with my Harmony 520. At the Time I had an S1 and two S2 tivos (140 and 540). I set them all up with Harmony as 540's. I used the original remote set to the appropriate code set and the Harmony remote used three sample signals from the original remote and found the code set in Harmony's data base.
stevel
08-12-2006, 06:48 AM
You use separate remote codes through the Harmony web site. They have codes for at least 1-3 in their database. I don't recall the details of how you select it, though.
The 1-2 switch does not limit that ability as jfh3 seems to think.
When you have 5 distinct Tivos that need to be controlled, a 1-2 switch does indeed limit - you can only control 2 Tivos. I want a Tivo remote that can be used easily on more than two Tivos with distinct remote addresses.
I have three Tivo remotes with 1|2 switches:
Remote 1: addresses 2|3
Remote 2: addresses 1|5
Remote 3: addresses 4 (DTV remote)
My Harmony controls all 5.
So while a remote with the switch can control 2 tivos w/o having to reprogram it for each one
This is incorrect as well - by default, the Tivo remotes are set to remote code 0, which will control ANY Tivo. If you are going to use a 1|2 switch, you will need to set each switch position to a distinct remote code and set the corresponding Tivo to response to it.
mick66
08-13-2006, 04:41 AM
This is incorrect as well - by default, the Tivo remotes are set to remote code 0, which will control ANY Tivo. If you are going to use a 1|2 switch, you will need to set each switch position to a distinct remote code and set the corresponding Tivo to response to it.
When I said "reprogram" I meant after the initial programing hence the "re"
mick66
08-13-2006, 04:49 AM
When you have 5 distinct Tivos that need to be controlled, a 1-2 switch does indeed limit - you can only control 2 Tivos. I want a Tivo remote that can be used easily on more than two Tivos with distinct remote addresses.
I have three Tivo remotes with 1|2 switches:
Remote 1: addresses 2|3
Remote 2: addresses 1|5
Remote 3: addresses 4 (DTV remote)
My Harmony controls all 5.
Correct, but my interpretation of your initial statement was that you implied that you were disappointed that the remote had been changed to include the 1-2 switch, limiting it to controling 2 tivos as if the older version w/o the switch was somehow capable of doing more.
Actually, I'm a bit bummed out now, because the return of the 1-2 switch would seem to imply that you can only control two Tivo boxes with one remote.
mick66
08-13-2006, 04:50 AM
You use separate remote codes through the Harmony web site. They have codes for at least 1-3 in their database. I don't recall the details of how you select it, though.
Harmony has 0-9 in their database
Correct, but my interpretation of your initial statement was that you implied that you were disappointed that the remote had been changed to include the 1-2 switch, limiting it to controling 2 tivos as if the older version w/o the switch was somehow capable of doing more.
The prototype version of the S3 remote without the switch was billed as a programmable remote. With that, and the lack of the 1|2 switch that would imply only being able to control two distinct Tivos, I expected that the S3 remote could control MORE than two distinct boxes.
With the return of the 1|2 switch, it doesn't appear that the S3 remote is going to be any more programmable than the current remotes, so I STILL won't be able to use one true Tivo remote to control all my Tivos. That's why I'm disappointed.
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