# what universal remote are you using?



## panthers1521 (Feb 2, 2014)

Hey what universal remote are you using or do you find works best with TiVo Roamio? I am using a Harmony 650 which works pretty well. I would use the standard remote but i use a sound bar and to turn the sound bar on separately everyday would get annoying plus i need to keep it simple for the wife. I just want to see if there are better options out there. Thank you.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

You know you can program the TV power button to turn on both the TV and the sound bar? That's why all the TV codes start with 0 and all the receiver codes start with 1. It can hold both.

I use a Slide Pro most if the time, but have a Harmony 680 I still use for other devices.


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## takeshi (Jul 22, 2010)

^ This. Plus, define "better". My MX-980 works better for me but may not for the next and is probably overkill if all you need is to control your soundbar. Don't overlook prior threads on universal remotes. They may not be Roamio-specific but can be useful resources.


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## gt5059b (Jan 12, 2003)

I got a Logitech Harmony Ultimate for Xmas. Probably one of the best upgrades I've ever had. It's a life saver; when you have 4-6 devices to control and line of sight is an issue. I was very surprised at how easy it is to set it up with their online software.


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## TonyBlunt (Jan 28, 2014)

Using iRule on cheap Android tablet and an iPhone - totally customisable for all my devices. Probably will also get an iPad and put it on that too.


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## squiddohio (Dec 21, 2001)

From various places around the house I use MX-850, MX-890 and MX-980. The MX-890, by Universal Remote Controls, is surely one of the best remotes available, but using such a sophisticated (and expensive) device to turn on and off a sound bar is like using a chain saw to cut butter. However, if your system includes games, DVD players, and other switching devices which benefit from macro execution, it is the best way to go. It can even control the lights and the shades in the room if you want. It will not serve tea at 4, however.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

Dan203 said:


> You know you can program the TV power button to turn on both the TV and the sound bar? That's why all the TV codes start with 0 and all the receiver codes start with 1. It can hold both.


On the Roamio regular remote? I thought you would need the Slide Pro to do that.

We have a Harmony 700 but we don't use it anymore except turning the system on/off, and occasionally if we need to switch to the Xbox/PS3... 99% of the time I just use the peanut. We used to have more devices that needed complicated setups (we went through the 880, the One, and now the 700), but over the years our setup has gotten simplified.

I'd love it if you can program the regular peanut to power on the TV and receiver!


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## KevinG (Sep 3, 2003)

laria said:


> I'd love it if you can program the regular peanut to power on the TV and receiver!


You can. And it works.

Here's the link:

http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/294


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

KevinG said:


> You can. And it works.
> 
> Here's the link:
> 
> http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/294


I guess I am not really seeing how to do power to both the TV and the receiver from those instructions.

I already have it set up to control the receiver's volume, but have never bothered to do the TV power button because those instructions did not say how to also power on the receiver.


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## CrispyCritter (Feb 28, 2001)

laria said:


> I guess I am not really seeing how to do power to both the TV and the receiver from those instructions.
> 
> I already have it set up to control the receiver's volume, but have never bothered to do the TV power button because those instructions did not say how to also power on the receiver.


Yes, the instructions do not say how to do it. That's been an often complained about problem for many years. TiVo should fix this.

You can do it, but I've forgotten whether you just put in the AV code, or whether you follow the same instructions as you do for the learning remotes - I think it's the latter. See http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/278/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvc2lkL29LQWJZYU1s
or search for the page titled "Using the Learning Feature of TiVo Learning Remotes"


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

CrispyCritter said:


> You can do it, but I've forgotten whether you just put in the AV code, or whether you follow the same instructions as you do for the learning remotes - I think it's the latter. See http://support.tivo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/278/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvc2lkL29LQWJZYU1s
> or search for the page titled "Using the Learning Feature of TiVo Learning Remotes"


Huh, ok... I will try that tonight! :up:


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## KevinG (Sep 3, 2003)

Yes, as I recall, the codes start with a different digit...

That tells the remote that you don't want to replace the other code, just add to it.

Doing it via the tivo menus actually takes you through the entire process for both codes.


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## MARKPIE (Nov 24, 2013)

KevinG said:


> Doing it via the tivo menus actually takes you through the entire process for both codes.


My problem is the Peanut / Tivo codes offered this way won't operate my sound bar, neither will the manual code search so I'm gonna try the slide pro once they're back in stock.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

laria said:


> I guess I am not really seeing how to do power to both the TV and the receiver from those instructions.
> 
> I already have it set up to control the receiver's volume, but have never bothered to do the TV power button because those instructions did not say how to also power on the receiver.


You hold TiVo and Power until the light stays on, enter the TV code, then repeat and enter the AV code. The TV codes all start with 0 and the AV codes all start with 1 so they do not overwrite each other.

You only need a learning remote if you have a TV or AV receiver that is not supported by the default codes or if you need to control 3 devices. (the learning remotes have 3 slots per button instead of 2)


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

Yes, the main hangup is the TiVo peanut WON'T power an A/V receiver on/off...it'll control the volume but it's useless without powering the receiver on and off. I will try the "learning" process tonite, but my bet is that it won't work...

EDIT -- And, of course, I've been proven wrong. I used the process posted by CrispyCritter in post #10 and it worked great. I just hit 1 before pushing the TV power button, then pointed my Denon receiver's remote at my peanut remote, and it learned the power command fine. Now when I hit the TV power button on the peanut, it turns on both my Panny plasma and my Denon receiver. Of course, I'll hardly ever use it since I have a Harmony One....


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

KevinG said:


> Doing it via the tivo menus actually takes you through the entire process for both codes.


I tried this first, but it doesn't. It only does the TV, same as the online instructions. Which is why I never thought you could do more than one.

Once I had found the TV code though, I just redid the same TiVo+Power and receiver code and it worked fine.

Can't believe they don't actually tell you this anywhere!


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

They use to on the Remote setup page. But when they added the options for Advance and Pairing they shortened the descriptions.


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## KevinG (Sep 3, 2003)

Dan203 said:


> They use to on the Remote setup page. But when they added the options for Advance and Pairing they shortened the descriptions.


Ah, that explains it. It's been quite some time since I've had to do it...didn't realize they changed it in the meantime.


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## Al-Mann (Aug 24, 2007)

I use Control4 for my remote.
I think it works best for everything.


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## zubinh (Jun 7, 2004)

Harmony 900 does it all - and even has thumbs up and thumbs down icons. Also controls my Roku and Playstation 3


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

zubinh said:


> Harmony 900 does it all - and even has thumbs up and thumbs down icons. Also controls my Roku and Playstation 3


It's just a slightly modified Harmony One...only difference I see are the color hard buttons


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## ShoutingMan (Jan 6, 2008)

Harmony One

I use the iPad Tivo app for programming the Tivo, doing searches, or when I need to enter text for things like Pandora setup.


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