Can an universal remote add a function that the original remote doesn't have?

Happy Hopping

Happy Hopping

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/175990610491?hash=item28f9db9a3b:g:BzEAAOSwdAJdVCrd&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA0LUK1HNB2E8CceuvgBFXvMsmAyv6Dz0+RUsylJQaJIfVHc0g/xRnPg21b85iYNjGO3oEZaXPNSsdXsHQ/rmiu1rUmpfJCoxUyAeZyhfUCpLKXAz7VI2ExW8mvMY+Sy1EXWEG4BJrtlo4/8oPpTGMafK3rvHK2ieYbYifn6abOdjZqARqY3FYVv68LM3FV4SZyAgYzfUWrd0Zi39B7i7SYDukTetm7aXx0f2IGQbKV4OH+GcdBYziYuj37DCrpMikx3JikuHjzMt/PWQDnyQ6vkU=|tkp:Bk9SR5CnhML0Yg

so these universal remote, such as the one from Harmony, that c/w a Page up / down function, can it really add this function and interface w/ the main unit, say a Sony blu-ray player or a Panasonic UB9000 player? Because the actual remote from for e.g., Panasonic UB9000 does NOT have a Page up / down command, so how does this work exactly?

as I am looking for an universal remote that c/w a Page Up / Down function
 
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It is highly unlikely the players have page up/down functionality if the remote they came with didn't have a button for it. So the page up/down button would just do nothing, or would be programmed to do something else.
 
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Happy Hopping said:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175990610491?hash=item28f9db9a3b:g:BzEAAOSwdAJdVCrd&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA0LUK1HNB2E8CceuvgBFXvMsmAyv6Dz0+RUsylJQaJIfVHc0g/xRnPg21b85iYNjGO3oEZaXPNSsdXsHQ/rmiu1rUmpfJCoxUyAeZyhfUCpLKXAz7VI2ExW8mvMY+Sy1EXWEG4BJrtlo4/8oPpTGMafK3rvHK2ieYbYifn6abOdjZqARqY3FYVv68LM3FV4SZyAgYzfUWrd0Zi39B7i7SYDukTetm7aXx0f2IGQbKV4OH+GcdBYziYuj37DCrpMikx3JikuHjzMt/PWQDnyQ6vkU=|tkp:Bk9SR5CnhML0Yg

so these universal remote, such as the one from Harmony, that c/w a Page up / down function, can it really add this function and interface w/ the main unit, say a Sony blu-ray player or a Panasonic UB9000 player? Because the actual remote from for e.g., Panasonic UB9000 does NOT have a Page up / down command, so how does this work exactly?

as I am looking for an universal remote that c/w a Page Up / Down function
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In a word, no. You cannot add functionality that the device didn't originally have. The only addendum to that I'd give is that there are cases where a lower end model of a given product may have additional features that are locked out either by not having those features accessible via the remote or disabled in some other fashion. Technics Receivers in the 1990's were known for this. You could simply order the remote of a higher end model and utilize those features on the cheaper ones. They didn't necessarily have all the same features as the high end models or the same power output, but a surprising amount of features worked on the lower end models.
 
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A Dan_D noted, it depends.

Often, the command set the device recognizes is a superset of that supported my its remote. A basic, but common, example: most remote only have a power toggle, but the device may recognize discrete on and off commands. It's possible that your devices may recognize commands for page up/down, but I'm not sure if there's a good, easy way to find out.

Also, it's possible that maybe your remote does support this function, but it's just not obvious? Have you tried using buttons like the FF/RWD or track/chapter skip to see if they do this?
 
It definitely depends. Devices often have 1-button functions that simply no longer have buttons on newer remotes. New remotes are getting so streamlined that they often only have a handful of buttons. Yet if you try using an old LG, Samsung, Sony, etc. remote they often work fine with newer TVs. In some cases, they actually have buttons that aren't even on the new remotes...and they still work. In some cases, they lead to menus or functions that take a bunch of steps with newer remotes. With my learning universal remote I actually have several functions from older AVR and TV remotes to give me access to functions that have no direct buttons anymore.
 
BlueLineSwinger said:
A Dan_D noted, it depends.

Often, the command set the device recognizes is a superset of that supported my its remote. A basic, but common, example: most remote only have a power toggle, but the device may recognize discrete on and off commands. It's possible that your devices may recognize commands for page up/down, but I'm not sure if there's a good, easy way to find out.

Also, it's possible that maybe your remote does support this function, but it's just not obvious? Have you tried using buttons like the FF/RWD or track/chapter skip to see if they do this?
Click to expand...
I haven't buy that blu-ray player yet. So there is no way to know. I am looking to buy the Panasonic UB9000, in which they claim to be the Oppo Killer, but that blu-ray player doesn't have that Pg Up/Down command. I only use the player to play USB songs, blu-ray audio disc, etc. My USB drive is 256GB, the directory is very, very long, so I don't even know how to scroll 1 entry at a time.

The current player is Oppo 103, it does have the Pg Up / Down, so it's very useful.

The only other blu-ray player that has this command on their remote is Cambridge Audio, but as dumb as it seems, they actually does not have a USB port at the front of their unit. Go figure.

Then these Harmony brand is no longer in production, so an used one is $240 from ebay Australia, and a new one is $640 at ebay. It would be really something if I buy it, and turns out it doesn't interface w/ the main blu-ray player that it doesn't page up / down. Another brain dead management decision by Logitech.
 
I have a Logitech Harmony setup. Was pretty bummed with Logitech canned the brand. So when mine shits the bed not sure what I'll do. There is an alternative out there but I forgot the name.
 
THUMPer said:
I have a Logitech Harmony setup. Was pretty bummed with Logitech canned the brand. So when mine shits the bed not sure what I'll do. There is an alternative out there but I forgot the name.
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While definitely not as sexy as the higher end Harmony remotes, this bad boy can handle almost anything you throw at it: https://www.amazon.com/Inteset-Universal-Backlit-Learning-Streamers/dp/B00M4I1BAY
I replaced a midrange Harmony with it a few years ago and I think it actually works better for everything except multi-step macro functions.
 
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THUMPer said:
I still use WMC, so I need windows button functions somehow.
Click to expand...

Ah. Nevermind then. If you ever run into a retailer that has Harmony remotes (they do still exist in the wild), you might just buy 2-3 so you have spares.
 
not usually.
i have the xbox/wmc harmony remote, used it for a couple months and it went into the drawer never to be seen again. flipping pages and have to press multiple buttons for the same functions was fucking annoying...
 
Happy Hopping said:
I haven't buy that blu-ray player yet. So there is no way to know. I am looking to buy the Panasonic UB9000, in which they claim to be the Oppo Killer, but that blu-ray player doesn't have that Pg Up/Down command. I only use the player to play USB songs, blu-ray audio disc, etc. My USB drive is 256GB, the directory is very, very long, so I don't even know how to scroll 1 entry at a time.

The current player is Oppo 103, it does have the Pg Up / Down, so it's very useful.

The only other blu-ray player that has this command on their remote is Cambridge Audio, but as dumb as it seems, they actually does not have a USB port at the front of their unit. Go figure.

Then these Harmony brand is no longer in production, so an used one is $240 from ebay Australia, and a new one is $640 at ebay. It would be really something if I buy it, and turns out it doesn't interface w/ the main blu-ray player that it doesn't page up / down. Another brain dead management decision by Logitech.
Click to expand...

They stopped making Harmony remotes because barely anyone buys them. Smart TVs, "cable cutting", ARC, and phone apps killed the need to use multiple remotes for most people.


The #1 reason people needed multiple remotes because they had a cable/satellite box and VHS/DVD player.

Most people no longer use cable/satellite. Most people no longer use physical media.

They instead use streaming services directly through their smart TV. So they only need the TV remote.


Using a sound bar or receiver is pretty mainstream and was another reason to need another remote.

But ARC has elimited that and nearly everything supports it now.

Once you do all the setup and calibration with a receiver the remote is no longer needed because ARC allows the TV to control the receiver and everything is connected through the TV instead of to a receiver.
Playing music is easier using an app on your phone that connects to the receiver instead of the receiver's clunky interface.


Technology has improved and elminated the mainstream need for universal remotes. The use case for them is now very niche.
If there was actually a need the new solution would be a wifi connected IR blaster controlled through your phone.
 
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Happy Hopping said:
but that Inteset remote doesn't have that Page up / down button, so I might as well stick to the original
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sure it does. you program the up/down buttons that are above/below the big ok button. but id stick with the og anyways.
 
Happy Hopping said:
but that Inteset remote doesn't have that Page up / down button, so I might as well stick to the original
Click to expand...

You can literally program any button on it to be anything you want. For instance, I have the number pad set to toggle between the different inputs on my AV receiver. It's not like I'm typing in the name of a channel to switch to via YouTube TV, so I don't even need a number pad.
 
I've used programmable ones where you could "record" from a working remote, but it will understand sequences and delays and such. I think it was a Sony universal remote (?)
 
cjcox said:
I've used programmable ones where you could "record" from a working remote, but it will understand sequences and delays and such. I think it was a Sony universal remote (?)
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the one we're talking aboot does that, lots do.
 
Yeah, anything that claims to be a "learning" remote will let you program commands from other remotes. The only catch is that there are different IR protocols for different devices. Some older remotes don't work well with newer devices, if at all.
It's actually kinda funny - mine has learned a series of functions from other "learning" remotes and has a bunch of commands that haven't officially existed in a long time. Some I borrowed from a Comcast remote, too. I'm just lucky that Denon, Samsung, and LG keep using the same functions.
 
Domingo said:
You can literally program any button on it to be anything you want. For instance, I have the number pad set to toggle between the different inputs on my AV receiver. It's not like I'm typing in the name of a channel to switch to via YouTube TV, so I don't even need a number pad.
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wait a minute, how do you teach a remote or program a remote on a command that it does NOT have? This is not Star Trek: Discovery. How do you tell that remote to know to go down a page in the first place?

however, since it's Amazon, I think I can refund it if it doesn't work and it's a cheap price too
 
Happy Hopping said:
wait a minute, how do you teach a remote or program a remote on a command that it does NOT have? This is not Star Trek: Discovery. How do you tell that remote to know to go down a page in the first place?

however, since it's Amazon, I think I can refund it if it doesn't work and it's a cheap price too
Click to expand...

So, let's say that you own a Samsung TV remote and it has buttons for page up and page down. I can put any learning remote next to it, choose the buttons I want to become page up or page down, and presto - they now are. On learning remotes, the button labels are basically there as suggestions or for scenarios where you type in a code and the whole layout mirrors an LG, Samsung, Sony, etc. remote.
If your Samsung TV remote does NOT have page up/page down, then things get trickier. You can try inputting the code I mentioned above and hope that it's a function that shows up. Option 2 is to dig up another remote that might have that function. I have an older Comcast universal remote and the code sheet. It works with my (new) LG TV and it actually has 1-button menus that don't seem to be accessible any other way. I used that Comcast remote to teach my Inteset remote those same functions.
 
I've been thinking, the easiest and best way is to have 1 of those users using the UB9000, having a Harmony or Intesat remote, and see if they can program a Pg Up / Down cmd. Now, the remote is cheap, and the refund policy at amazon is good. But I would still stuck w/ a UB9000, and w/o a Pg Up / Down cmd., that'a deal breaker, I might as well stick to my current Oppo 103
 
update: fix it. turns out there is a brand that is a Oppo clone, it has the USB port at the front, univeral blu-ray and the remote has the Pg/Up and down button

http://www.avbuzz.com/audio-video/202205/pannde-pd6x/

the only problem w/ this unit is that they use a huge amt. of liquid capacitor, so this unit is subject to capacitor plague, and for the price that they charge, should use solid state capacitor
 
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