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    Invelos Forums->General: General Home Theater Discussion Page: 1  Previous   Next
Essential accessories
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Sweden Posts: 4,688
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I have two essential accessories in my home theater; my iPad (with iOS Profiler) and my Logitech Harmony Companion remote. I guess there's not much to say about the iPad, but I would like to say something about the Logitech remote.

I have tried universal remotes before, and I never liked them. This one is different from the standard cheaper universal remotes. It's intelligent. The main difference is that it defines "Activities" like "Watch TV", "Watch a movie", "Listen to music" or whatever you can think of. There is an app for smartphones (Apple or Android) and for iPad. You need the app to set up the system. After that you can use the app, but the remote is much nicer.

The thing with Activities is that one press of a button sets up everything. So when I press "Watch a movie", it powers on my Bluray player, my AV amp and my TV. It selects the correct inputs on the amp and TV. And it configures the remote. So now the play/pause buttons control the player, the volume buttons control the amp, the red button controls the zoom on the TV, for example. It's so convenient.

Now if I want to watch TV, I click "Watch TV" and it turns off my player and amp, turns on my cable box, and switched my TV to the correct input. It reconfigures the remote so that the volume buttons control the TV volume, the play/pause buttons control the cable box, etc. It's truly one remote to control them all. My precious... 
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributordee1959jay
Registered: March 19, 2007
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Netherlands Posts: 6,018
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Yes, these are great. Been using them for years.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Sweden Posts: 4,688
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Yeah, it wasn't until my TV remote started to malfunction that I began looking for alternatives. If I had known how good the Harmony was I would have taken this step a long time ago!

The only drawback is that I get so used to be able to pause with the remote that I forget that I can't pause Netflix with it.
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorPistol Pete
Registered: March 19, 2007
Finland Posts: 259
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My only essential accessory for my home theater is my iPad with iOS DVD Profiler and with DemoPad’s CentroControl App working as a universal remote. With it I control my Samsung TV and Blu-ray, Humax HDPVR, Yamaha Sound Projector, Sanyo Home Theater Projector and Xbox One S Game Console.

With DemoDesigner PC software you can create a custom user interface which allows you to control all your equipment in a way that is best for you. You can use the supplied graphics files or your own images to get a layout of your liking. I have used my own images to create TV channel buttons for my TV channels. My setup also works with one press of a button to set up everything. It is a Wi-Fi to IR command setup, so I don’t have to point my devices with my remote.  Oops, I don’t use any remotes, only my iPad to control everything. 

With DemoPad you can also control for example your lighting, heating and gate automation among other things. If anybody is interested, more info can be found here.

Below are some pics of my custom interface.









Markku
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
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United States Posts: 6,463
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Wow, amazing product suite. Puts a/v Dashboard to shame. But then there is price ... a/v Dashboard is dirt cheap, and all the automation is directly usable inside DVD Profiler. Oh yeah! 

Guess as long as I'm breathing, I'll still keep doing my thing.
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 Last edited: by mediadogg
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorGSyren
Profiling since 2001
Registered: March 14, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
Sweden Posts: 4,688
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DemoPad looks seriously cool, Pete!

There is one thing, though. No matter how cool any iPad app is, when it comes to sheer convenience none of them can compete with a small, well designed remote control, in my opinion.

That's not to say that iPad apps cannot offer features that outweigh handling convenience, for many people. But I just love how Logitech managed to make a perfectly formed remote that can do pretty much everything that I need with such ease.
My freeware tools for DVD Profiler users.
Gunnar
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorPistol Pete
Registered: March 19, 2007
Finland Posts: 259
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Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
But then there is price ...


I don’t consider my system expensive. I only had to pay for the third party Wi-Fi to IR controller (Global Cache’s Itach WF2IR), which I bought 4 years ago and paid about 150 € for it. In U.S. you can get it today for about $ 90. DemoPad’s cloud account is free for one project and the DemoDesign PC software and the CentroControl App for iPad are both also free.  Actually I consider my invest cheap, but this is of course relative. 
Markku
DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile Registrantmediadogg
Aim high. Ride the wind.
Registered: March 18, 2007
Reputation: Highest Rating
United States Posts: 6,463
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Quoting Pistol Pete:
Quote:
Quoting mediadogg:
Quote:
But then there is price ...


I don’t consider my system expensive. I only had to pay for the third party Wi-Fi to IR controller (Global Cache’s Itach WF2IR), which I bought 4 years ago and paid about 150 € for it. In U.S. you can get it today for about $ 90. DemoPad’s cloud account is free for one project and the DemoDesign PC software and the CentroControl App for iPad are both also free.  Actually I consider my invest cheap, but this is of course relative. 

Truly amazing. Wonder how they are able to do that ...
Thanks for your support.
Free Plugins available here.
Advanced plugins available here.
Hey, new product!!! BDPFrog.
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