Home theater remotes

[Koz]

I cut the cord a while ago and watch YouTube TV and Prime Video and I've been using the Logitech Harmony 700 for a while to control my TV, receiver, XBox One, and PS4. The Harmony is a decent remote for a while, but in a year or so buttons stop working or it takes multiple presses to get them to work. Today I got tired of that and decided to buy a new remote.

 

So while researching I notice that the price of the Logitech Harmony Hub dropped from $99 to $59 and it can be controlled with my phone or tablet. Cool.

 

I then looked at the Amazon Firestick and that looked neat, especially with the Alexa voice command built into the remote. But since I can use the XBox or PS4 to watch YouTube TV or Prime Video I didn't really need a Firestick but that voice command thing was kind of cool.

 

So the next thing I know I'm looking at the Amazon Echo. OK, I'll buy that as well. But you know what? It sure would be cool to control some lights in the house with Alexa as well and I end up buying a few Philips Hue bluetooth light bulbs as well. But not the ones that allow you to change colors. I just can't see spending $49 on a light bulb - yet.

 

It's all set up and it works well. I still have to dig deeper and do some custom "blueprints" for Alexa to carry out some commands. But overall I'm happy so far. One shortcoming is my Yamaha receiver is pre-bluetooth so I need to use the Harmony app to change the volume, but the app has swipe commands to handle that and other things.

 

Setup was fairly easy and because I was a Harmony user there was an option to import my old commands and settings to the new hub, but it did not work that seamlessly. I had to go in and make some changes.

 

In the future I may upgrade my receiver, but not too soon. My old one has great quality. But if I buy a bluetooth receiver I'd probably end up buying some bluetooth speakers as well. But I am eyeing a smart thermostat as my next purchase.

 

I'm liking this smart home idea - but I certainly won't be buying a fridge with a built in tablet and camera!

[Scott F]

I just can’t get comfortable talking to Siri or Alexa or any other device. Especially when others, outside your home have been able to hear anything that Alexa had heard.

[MN Fisher]

21 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I just can’t get comfortable talking to Siri or Alexa or any other device. Especially when others, outside your home have been able to hear anything that Alexa had heard.

I go further - hardware disconnected the camera and mic on my netbook, don't have either connected to my desktop.

[Koz]

38 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I just can’t get comfortable talking to Siri or Alexa or any other device. Especially when others, outside your home have been able to hear anything that Alexa had heard.

 

15 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I go further - hardware disconnected the camera and mic on my netbook, don't have either connected to my desktop.

 

You just have to make sure you go deep in the settings to maximize your privacy. I've developed apps and I know the power of data collection so I do what I can to mitigate any issues.

 

I'm the guy that gets dirty looks from the store cashier when I ask for their privacy policy when they ask for my email or phone number. I also complained to Sports Clips HQ when the local shop would not service me without my name and phone number. They now list people as Walk In if they refuse to give out that info.

[DanielG]

Not automated but definitely cord cutting. I use kodi for all my video entertainment (ya, I admit it with a little shame but not much). I have a VPN to hide the ip address. I also have an antenna for local stuff. Between the two I get everything, yes everything.

 

I recently automated a bunch of lights in the house. Eufy had a sale on plugs and bulbs so I have a mixture of stuff. Grouping and naming them is fun and turning them on/off and dimming them is kinda cool. I'm using the echo units for voice control. I've been thinking of changing the name of my echo to 'computer' instead of 'Alexa' so it would seem more like on the Star Trek Generations series but at this point it would be like changing the name of your kid so probably not.

 

I've also got some lights on motion detection like the bathroom and one in the bedroom so we don't have to do anything, just walk in. It goes off about 60 seconds after we leave and if it's daylight they don't turn on. With all the low power consumption LED lights now it makes it viable.

This happens when I walk into the bathroom at night. The patterns and colors change. It's sort of a nightlight about 12" in diameter. Lotsafun...

 

I agree with you about the video refrigerators and such. Amazon has a voice controlled microwave oven. Yes it starts it but heck you've got to go over there to put something in it so why not push the button too???

 

I just wish they'd concentrate on the AI algorithms more so that the units would converse more intelligently. Google is better with info and Amazon better with functionality but neither Google or Amazon are that good at it. But they could be if they wanted to.

 

As far as privacy goes. I closely watch my passwords for the bank and such but should they be listening to what I talk about in the house, I wish they wouldn't but if they did they'd find it useless.

Right now they do keep track of every place we've been online and what we purchase and such. So, if they know I set a timer for the turkey in the oven, so what?

[Log Catcher]

Thanks to all posting here for making me feel like the old dinosaur I am. I don't have a clue what any of this stuff is you are all talking about.

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

Thanks to all posting here for making me feel like the old dinosaur I am. I don't have a clue what any of this stuff is you are all talking about.

One day we'll teach you about this new technology that's been developed.

 

It's called 'fire'.

[DanielG]

8 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

Thanks to all posting here for making me feel like the old dinosaur I am. I don't have a clue what any of this stuff is you are all talking about.

I'm and old dinosaur too but I'm very much into technology.

Mentioned in the first post:

Harmony Hub - turns a smartphone into a universal remote letting you change channels and a bunch of other stuff.

Amazon Fire stick- lets you get stuff like amazon movies, Netflix, hulu, etc... a lot of entertainment providers

Amazon Echo- Can be used to voice control a bunch of stuff.

 

For me:

Kodi - is a program that runs on computer devices (I have a Mac mini connected to my tv) that lets you look at any movie or tv show past and present. Not exactly ethical but it does work and work well. So, You can look at movies made in 1938 or what is in the movies this weekend. A bit of a learning curve to set up and use but once you do it's the ultimate entertainment source.

VPN (Very Private Network) Lets you do things without anyone being able to trace it. i.e. The signal is routed to Switzerland then back to a fake location near the you.

 

Hope this helps.

[Log Catcher]

1 minute ago, DanielG said:

I'm and old dinosaur too but I'm very much into technology.

Mentioned in the first post:

Harmony Hub - turns a smartphone into a universal remote letting you change channels and a bunch of other stuff.

Amazon Fire stick- lets you get stuff like amazon movies, Netflix, hulu, etc... a lot of entertainment providers

Amazon Echo- Can be used to voice control a bunch of stuff.

 

For me:

Kodi - is a program that runs on computer devices (I have a Mac mini connected to my tv) that lets you look at any movie or tv show past and present. Not exactly ethical but it does work and work well. So, You can look at movies made in 1938 or what is in the movies this weekend. A bit of a learning curve to set up and use but once you do it's the ultimate entertainment source.

VPN (Very Private Network) Lets you do things without anyone being able to trace it. i.e. The signal is routed to Switzerland then back to a fake location near the you.

 

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info. I don't have a smart phone and I still watch tv with antennas. I don't have cable or satellite systems.

10 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

One day we'll teach you about this new technology that's been developed.

 

It's called 'fire'.

I already know about fire. It is what people in Mn. use to keep warm in July.

[DanielG]

1 minute ago, Log Catcher said:

Thanks for the info. I don't have a smart phone and I still watch tv with antennas. I don't have cable or satellite systems.

And yaknow, I gave up my smartphone upon retirement. It's wonderful not to be in constant contact with everyone. Just like the old days.... er.. a few years ago.

I too have an antenna. Most of the good stuff can be found on local stations too. I do have that system to look at all the other stuff but often I'm looking at ABC....

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

Thanks for the info. I don't have a smart phone and I still watch tv with antennas. I don't have cable or satellite systems.

We don't have cable or satellite either - even the antenna isn't hooked up. All our vid watching is via NetFlix discs.

 

Though I'm getting to be an oldster (60 last month), I've been into computers since I was 12. I have a smart-phone, but basically all I do with it is phone-calls, texting and read e-books...and the occasional solitaire game.

[OCdockskipper]

I own a home theater company, so I deal with all of this daily.  Harmony remotes & hubs are a good DIY solution, but they tend to only get you 90% there.  Custom control systems from URC or RTI, programmed by guys like me, get it to that 100% where everything is automated and all you worry about is what you want to watch.

 

There is a huge difference in folks under 35 versus over 35 as to what they want.  The under 35's like using their phone for everything, so having a control app on it fits for them.  The overs prefer a dedicated remote, preferably with hard buttons so you get tactile response as you press each button. 

 

Many under 35's are DIY when it comes to technology, but need help when it comes to work requiring labor.  They need me to run or terminate wire and to mount the TV, then they want to do the rest.  Over 35's can do anything that requires a drill or hammer, but want someone else to configure all the gear to make it work. 

 

Generational differences.

[Koz]

11 hours ago, DanielG said:

Kodi - is a program that runs on computer devices (I have a Mac mini connected to my tv) that lets you look at any movie or tv show past and present.

 I had not heard of Kodi. I'll have to check it out.

 

As for me, I'm mid 50's and not scared by technology. Heck, about 12 or 13 years ago I was in need of a new PC so I bought all of the components and built my own. Today I'm still using that same PC, although I upgraded the hard drive and added more RAM. It cost me less than half of what the top Alienware PC's cost back then (before Dell bough Alienware).

 

I have a smart phone, an iPhone to be exact. But I'm not addicted to it. The only reason I bought an iPhone, iPad, and Mac mini was that I was developing apps for a time and Apple requires the iOS version to be compiled on a Mac and the iPhone and iPad worked better for testing than using a virtual device.

 

I love modern technology, but I hate having to sacrifice privacy or having to jump through so many hoops to ensure privacy.

[DanielG]

6 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

 

 

There is a huge difference in folks under 35 versus over 35 as to what they want.  The under 35's like using their phone for everything, so having a control app on it fits for them.  The overs prefer a dedicated remote, preferably with hard buttons so you get tactile response as you press each button. 

 

Probably why I have a gaming keyboard. I love the feel of the actual switches and clickity click of the keys. Chicklet keys they have today, like on laptops without the tactile feel are not my thing. My daughters, on the other hand, love them. Their fingers barely seem to glance over the chicklets at a mile a minute.

Sometimes I think it might be the difference between my big thick fingers and their slight narrow ones.

Anyone remember IBM Selectric typewriters? The ones with the rotating ball in it? Now, that was a keyboard.

[OCdockskipper]

14 hours ago, DanielG said:

...Anyone remember IBM Selectric typewriters? The ones with the rotating ball in it? Now, that was a keyboard.

I graduated from high school in 1981, just as the idea of PC's was coming around.  My senior year, the school bought one computer in order to teach BASIC programming, but couldn't afford a printer to go with it.  One engineer-to-be student took a Selectric typewriter and figured out how to hot wire it to the computer as a printer.  That little rotating ball would be flying a mile a minute whenever we printed something.

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

I graduated from high school in 1981, just as the idea of PC's was coming around.  My senior year, the school bought one computer in order to teach BASIC programming, but couldn't afford a printer to go with it.  One engineer-to-be student took a Selectric typewriter and figured out how to hot wire it to the computer as a printer.  That little rotating ball would be flying a mile a minute whenever we printed something.

My first computer experience was in 1971-72 at the college prep school I attended for 7th grade. They had a minicomputer and 7 TTY terminals. I taught myself how to program it to do my math homework.

 

Moving to Minnesota, all across the state were old Dec terminals in High-Schools and Colleges connected to the statewide MECC/MERITS system by 110-baud dial-up modems. Took computer programming in HS (1978 graduate) and college.

Got my own PC in 1982 (Comodore-64) and have had a PC (or two or three) since.

[Koz]

8 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

I graduated from high school in 1981, just as the idea of PC's was coming around.  My senior year, the school bought one computer in order to teach BASIC programming, but couldn't afford a printer to go with it.  One engineer-to-be student took a Selectric typewriter and figured out how to hot wire it to the computer as a printer.  That little rotating ball would be flying a mile a minute whenever we printed something.

I graduated around that time as well. I remember taking a computer programming course and we ran our program by using punch cards. You'd have a giant stack of cards to process and heaven forbid if you dropped them on the floor or even had one of them out of order.

 

My first PC was an Apple II Plus with something like 28K of memory - that was HUGE back then. I remember writing a text and minimal graphics based golf game in BASIC. You would select a club type and then click a button on the controller to start a vertical bar and click it again to set the power of your swing.Then the bar would come back down and you had to click it again for your aim. Too early and you hooked and too late you sliced.

 

Fast forward 40 years and that's essentially the same type of routine used in a lot of other golf and video games.

 

 

[DanielG]

10 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

I graduated from high school in 1981, just as the idea of PC's was coming around.  My senior year, the school bought one computer in order to teach BASIC programming, but couldn't afford a printer to go with it.  One engineer-to-be student took a Selectric typewriter and figured out how to hot wire it to the computer as a printer.  That little rotating ball would be flying a mile a minute whenever we printed something.

I too did the card reader thing in college back in the mid 70's.

My first computer was a Radio Shack Model 1 in 1978. It had 16k of memory and saved a program (which you had to type in yourself) on a Radio Shack cassette tape recorder. I did a lot of basic programming with it and typed in programs from a magazine just for that computer called Micro 80. My first word processor was one you had to make yourself. Sort of stupid because a printer would cost you an arm and a leg so no one had one at the time.

Then I moved up to Apple II's then eventually a Mac in 1984 where I've been ever since... Mac's that is.

 

Fun fact: A friend and I bought first available hard drives back then, for the early Mac because the sale price for buying two was $500 each for a 40 meg drive. That's megs, not gigs.

 

It really was the wild west of technology days. Lotsafun though.

[OCdockskipper]

Another memory from that time, I recall monitors being expensive, so one enterprising mom & pop store in the area sold 13" color TV's with a composite video to coaxial adapter for 1/2 the price as an alternative.  When you were done with the computer, you could reconnect the rabbit ears and watch TV!

 

Along the lines of that fun fact in the previous post, in 2005, I had a customer who wanted a Fujitsu 60" flatscreen for his beach house (at a time when 43" TV's were considered large).  That TV cost $13,000 retail then, yet today, you can get a quality 65" 4K Smart TV for about $650, a 95% drop in price.

 

Last one, about a decade ago, Home Depot decided to get into the AV business.  They bought a huge lot of Phillips and some other brand flat screens.  Six months later, they realized not only was their inventory soon to be replaced by the next years model, the retail value of it had dropped about 10%.  Considering the thin margins on most TV's, it ended up being a bad decision and they dropped that whole AV idea quickly.