Sony RM-VL600 8-Device Universal Learning Remote
by Sony
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List Price: Our Price: $18.95 You Save: $6.04 (24%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony RM-VL600 8-Device Universal Learning Remote
Customer Review: Stellar Product. Total Game Changer.
Summary: 5 Stars
I really can't say enough about how much I love this remote.
For starters, it's our only remote now. Literally. It controls all our technology components, whose ages span almost a decade, including:
- Brand new Vizio TV
- 2001 model Philips Surround / DVD Combo (?!)
- 2005 model Panasonic VCR/DVD Combo (with odd mode select/power functions)
- Pace DVR with clunky Mediacom software
- 2003 HP Pavilion Laptop (with built-in IR receiver)
If you have a component that receives infrared input (If you're not sure, consider this: if you have to point the remote directly at the thing in order for it to register commands, that's IR. if it's a multi-room satellite box, it may be UHF, i.e. not compatible), and you have a remote for it already, buy this remote right now. It won't let you down. Even if you've lost the remote for your trusty old fuji/mitsubishi/yamaha tape deck, it's likely you can find a remote code for this thing. Just not guaranteed. Try a quick search on Sony's support page for the codes or, if you're feeling lucky, try digging around the manufacturer's site--they sometimes list remote codes of different formats for use with universal remotes.
If I had to rate the features on this remote in terms of coolest to only-slightly-less-cool, I'd do it like this:
1. Learning function. Simply put, this old dog will learn new tricks forever. That new 3D TV you're buying in five years? Yes. It will control it. Even if you have to program it one button at a time, you can set the two remotes face-to-face and knock that out in about 60 seconds. I had to do this for our weird/non-popular DVR, and there wasn't a command it couldn't master. Likewise, I taught it all the functions of the little remote that shipped with my laptop, which is a thrill for my wife when trying to control the music pumping through the sound system without hassling with keyboard/mouse/iTunes/extra remotes.
2. The price! I almost skipped over this remote because of its low price--I already have a drawer full of not-quite-functional "universal" remotes that are missing codes for something newer than their manufacture date, so I was ready to bite the bullet to end that vicious cycle. No need. 20 bucks? Really? Buy it. Now. See #1 for note on future-proofing.
3. The simplicity. It's just a remote. There's no insane array of buttons, talking prompts, touch screens, or any other vestigial technology that'll make you want to wrap this puppy in bubble-wrap. Use it to play fetch. Use it as a hammer. Shove it under the cushion. Then press "channel up" to change the channel upward. Not "TV channel" or "component channel" or "Function-1-shift-channel-shift-up." There's no secret level to unlock through a tedious combination of button pressing. It just works.
A further note on the simplicity and price factors: This remote was so affordable, and so tough that, when I decided the two buttons between the channel and volume sets ("twin view" and "sleep") were not applicable to my appliances, I scraped off their original names, and turned them (through the magic of white-out markers) into a generic "+" and "-" button set--they now control the woofer level on my amp, or the "page" on the DVR. And it still looks great!
I'm really reaching for a downside here, but I suppose it's worth noting that it's slightly larger in person than it appears here. Some may see that as a bonus, and I feel it's a good size, but do note that it's not tiny. Also, there's no backlighting. Again, a silver lining: longer battery life. Lastly, as mentioned before, there may be a few buttons that you could do without. Again, that's where white-out and a razor blade come in handy--all except the component select buttons. Unless you have a tape deck, CD changer, Satellite AND Cable, you'll probably have some unused or otherwise-used component select buttons. Good luck scratching the lettering off and re-labeling the buttons; I gave up after 10 minutes of careful rubbing. This sucker's built to last.
I love this remote. You will, too.
Customer Review: Quite possibly the perfect remote
Summary: 5 Stars
Several years ago I picked up a Sony RM-VL900. I was amazed at how versatile it was. Easy to program, it did everything, and my wife could easily understand how to use our complex home entertainment system because of it. At the time, I reviewed the remote and gave it 5 stars which it still deserves even 4 years later. To this day I have friends that swear by the other universal remotes they own, yet they always seem to have a pile of original remotes handy to cover stuff their universal remotes can't do. With the Sony, all my other remotes are put away and most haven't seen the light of day since I used them to program the Sony. There's simply no need for them anymore.
4 Years later and my VL900 is still serving me well, but the printing on the buttons has worn off making it difficult for others to use. I looked for a replacement but they don't make it anymore. I considered a high end Harmony remote at several hundred dollars, but after trying one out realized that the LCD screen actually makes them more complicated to use for novices than the Sony. In addition, one of the best features of the Sony is the shape and layout of the buttons. I can easily navigate my Sony simply by feel because of the excellent button shapes and layout. The Harmony remote has buttons that are all squished together. It looks nice but can't be navigated by feel as easily.
At first I didn't even consider the RM-VL600 because at the price. I assumed it was an inferior non-learning, non-macro remote. Luckily I took a look at it and quickly realized that not only is it very similar to the VL900, but actually sports some improvements. There are 3 extra buttons compared to the VL900, and one extra dedicated macro button.
Just like the VL900, the VL600 allows you to program macro commands into the component selection buttons for a total of 12 macro buttons. And the 600 was able to learn every command for all of my components just like the 900 did. Each button can be individually programmed to do any command you want. For some components I didn't even use the pre-programmed codes because I knew I'd be creating a very custom setup. The remote handled it without a problem.
The only drawbacks I could find with the remote are that it isn't tapered like the 900 was and the 900 was heavier which I liked. It also doesn't control RF devices. I've gotten used to the non-tapered shape and lightness off the 600 (2 batteries instead of 4). As for the RF, the cheapest remote I could find that controls both RF and IR components costs twelve times as much as this remote, so that can hardly be considered a drawback of this remote considering the price.
In summary, for a simple to fairly complex home theater setup, this is one of the best remotes you can buy. It's easy to set up despite not having a pc interface, very flexible to handle a lot of different setups, and once set up, it's easy and comfortable to use. The fact that is costs less than half as much as the extremely capable remote that it replaces is an even bigger bonus. This remote easily performs as well as or better than remotes that cost ten times as much.
Update 4/19/2010
It's been 3 years since I wrote this review and I'm still using the remote. One of the buttons has stopped working and a few others have to be pushed kinda hard to make them work. Since my system has been upgraded significantly, I decided to upgrade remotes and go with a Harmony 700. After about 2 months, the more I use the Harmony, the more I dislike it. I'm finding it difficult and time consuming to program and my wife finds it harder to use.
I just picked up another of these Sony remotes. I was able to transfer all my programming over from the old one and I'm back in business in a few minutes. I had not problem upgrading it to deal with my new components. Sometimes keeping it simple pays off. Touch screens and PC based programming sound nice, but honestly I find this remote easier to program and use than the Harmony that cost six times more.
Customer Review: Good Universal Remote Even for the Electronically Challenged
Summary: 5 Stars
Geek to Geek
I admit it. I am somewhat of a geek. I like electronics, gadgets and have even built several desktop computers from scratch. So when I say that most non-geeks could program this universal remote, I'm not joking. ;D
How Long Will It Take to Program?
For those who are tech-savvy, you should be able to program this remote in 10 minutes or less for four different devices. Allow for more time as this number goes up. For those who are not tech-savvy, give yourself about 15 to 20 minutes. The instructions on how to program this unit are a little wordy, but if the wordage in the manual intimidates you, the manual writers have taken it upon themselves to provide clear illustrations on how to operate this unit.
Personal Experience with the Sony Remote
My old Optimus VCR, Sony DVD player, and Syvania LCD TV were a snap to program. I used the included codes for programing the Sony DVD player, and used the "search" feature for the other two devices to look for the proper codes. The satellite remote took the most time to program as the search feature had a code that would only do the most basic commands on the Dish receiver...on, off, and the guide feature. What was missing was the info function. I used the "learn" program to teach the Sony remote other commands and after a few failed attempts, I had the function on the Sony remote working.
There is only a certain window of time you have to fire off the code from your existing remote for the Sony remote to read. The manual states that your device button, in this case the SAT button, will light up once the program is learned. This is either a typo or mis-written as what really happens is that the lighted button flashes more slowly once it learns the code.
I also had to program a key for the Sony DVD player because I needed a "subtitle" key on the universal remote. I selected the "tools" button to reprogram and voila, all my devices are now working with only one remote.
You Need to "Teach" the Remote for Missing Functions
One word of advice about this unit. All the codes that are included in the manual are not comprehensive by any means. This means that if you do not have the original remotes for your devices, and decide to use the codes from the list, these may not give you all of the functionality of the original remote on the Sony device. To transfer extra functions to the Sony remote, you need to have the original remote in order to teach the Sony remote to mimic extra functions. If you don't have access to the original remotes, you can search for the codes on the Internet.
Good All Around Learning Remote
Basically, this unit is one of the easiest remotes to use on the market. It doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles such as lighted displays, etc., but for your everyday device needs, this unit should be able to fulfill most of them. Sony sells refurbished units through authorized dealers at a substantial savings so you may want to look into this if you are looking for a bargain.
Note Regarding One-Star Reviews
I was curious to learn why there were a number of dissatisfied customers regarding this device when the majority of reviews were very positive. After reading through many of them, my conclusion is USER ERROR. In other words, the device was not at fault, but it was due to people not reading the manual, not following instructions, not understanding the instructions or not operating the device properly. As it is with electronic devices, not everyone will have success with them, and this device may just be beyond some people's grasp of these types of products.
Customer Review: Best $16 bucks I've spent in a while!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't review a lot of products but when I really like something I like to say so. The "Sony RM-VL600 8-Device Universal Learning Remote" is one of those products. This is the best $[...] I've spent in a while.
I am controlling my TV, cable box, CD player, XM satellite radio, and surround sound system with this remote. I was able to program it very easily by either using the codes or by having it "learn" from the other remotes.
The TV programmed using a code and it worked perfectly with the exception of a couple of buttons. I was able to have the VL600 learn from the tv remote and I programmed a picture format button (it's a plasma tv and the screen needs to be adjusted sometimes depending on what I'm watching.) I programmed the "." button to do this function, since I wasn't using it when I was in TV mode. I also had to program the "OK" and "tools" buttons to work like the one's on my TV remote. This took no effort at all!
The cable box also used a code but I used the learning feature to change the "digital/analog" button to a DVR button (I have DVR through my cable)and then I had to program the play, stop, rewind, fastforward, record and pause buttons by using the old remote. This took only a few minutes and now it works just like my cable remote. I could not have been any easier!! I did notice the there are no page up/page down buttons on the VL600 and others have complained about this. I just programmed the "." and "ent" buttons to perform those functions since I didn't need them for my cable controls.
(FYI..the "." button now has two different functions but that's ok..it does one thing when I'm in "tv" mode and another when I'm in "cable" mode.)
My CD player is a SONY and some of the functions already worked on the VL600 but I did need to add more features since I have a multiple CD storage/player but it was really easy and I could program everything I needed in minutes. The same is true for my surround. It's possible, if you have the old remote and the new VL600 to customize your buttons so it works for whatever you use it for.
As for as the XM satellite radio I have, there are no program codes for this kind of device but I was able to format the VL600 for the XM using the "learning" feature and the old remote control for the XM (I used the "VCR" button since I don't have a VCR) It took a few minutes since I had to do each control button individually but now I have a completely customized feature on the VL600.
The VL600 also has 4 macro buttons on the bottom that you can program multiple functions in one button. I programmed one so when I press it my TV, Cable and surround sound all turn ON and then they all turn OFF when I press it again.
I know that some others would find that the VL600 does not have enough buttons for all your features and I would suggest really looking at the picture of the product to see if you'll have enough. I was able to work with all the buttons to get all my features to work. I also used a label maker with small print to print labels for the buttons I changed so that I would know I what I did and others in the house can figure it out easily. Sony might consider a sheet of labels with future models.
I was not able to program my DVD player since we use my son's PS3 as our DVD player and the PS3 uses bluetooth for it's remotes so the IR would not work with it(which is a PS3 issue, not the VL600's fault). I have seen comments from others that the VL600 lacked buttons for all their DVD features but I didn't have this problem so that didn't affect my rating.
Overall, if you want an easy to program universal remote to control multiple devices at a great price, this is the one to get.
Customer Review: $200 remote a few years ago++ $20!! now
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend of mine bought a similar remote for less with a few less features. I really liked the simple yet flexible learning functions and ordered what I thought was the same one. I really like this RM-VL600 guy.
My theory on buying electronics is, buy Sony. Sony makes everything I need in the way of electronics. Buying one brand has its advantages, generally everything works well together with the other electronic items. With better and better remotes that is not as much a problem as in the past. There are certain annoyances or imperfections to many of the products they produce. On the whole Sony still receives an 'A' grade for giving us more than any other electronics manufacturer.
I have a couple of the RM-AV3100s, and these require you to read the manual extensively. 99 percent of the population does not read the manual cover to cover, and then writes bad reviews of products they haven't bothered to spend the time to read the manual. The manual for this remote is very short and to the point. I was able to program everything to about six different products from cable box to older Sony ES receivers. My RM-AV3100 could not do the volume function on an STR-DA90es, which irked me. It worked better than the original remote. This unit also has a FLAT bottom. Yes, that is important, because when you set it down on something like a couch or table, it won't flip over like other dead fish remotes. It doesn't force you to always pick it up for operation like round bottomed remotes.
A tip about programming remotes, generally using codes is a waste of time. Use the learning function, takes longer, but everything that you need will be there for you, and in the place that suits you if you don't like the preprogrammed slots. Codes always seem to miss important buttons or not all functions.
The only negative I will hand out to this remote, the learn and erase functions are a little hit and miss. After you program one component, take the time to double check the learning or erase functions that you have performed. My RM-AV3100 will tell me if I've made a mistake with some beeping noises and flashing LCD. The RM-VL600 won't tell you much with it's dumb flashing red light, so check your work. I always hit the wrong button periodically too.
Another great feature, buying it on Amazon, if it doesn't work, return it for a no hassle. Good luck with that at Joe's Electron World or Best Buy after the magical 30 days.
Once you have this set up, it will be your buddy. Buttons are layed out very well. Can be manipulated like a champ in the dark in no time. I have not replaced the batteries in the first two months either. A minor item to mention, I noticed a couple of the buttons, enter and recall, are losing some of their printing. Shouldn't happen. Hey, I use it a lot! No, I'm not returning it either.
Final point, a big one, I think I'm going to buy another one for the kitchen, at AMAZON. By the way, what's up with people writing reviews on Amazon for lousy products and service they received at some other joint. Why go there in the first place? OK, I like Costco too. Can someone please explain that to me. I don't want to hear about some refurbished junk hoisted on some unsuspecting consumer at Mom's Electronics and the subsequent sob story about no returns, AND a slammed review on Amazon for a good product.