Admitting my shame (Harmony ONE & XSight)

Evan_s · Post by **Evan_s** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:49 pm

The Robman wrote:I was just looking at the new OFA/Audiovox "Xsight" remotes and it looks like they should match up quite nicely against the Harmony One, and the price is similar too.

Read about them here...
http://www.remotecentral.com/news/453/a ... motes.html
http://www.remotecentral.com/news/441/o ... motes.html

Here they are, side by side...

I'm waiting to see what fun you guys come up with for those remotes once you get your hands on them. One of those bad boys with an extender could be amazing.

unclemiltie · Post by **unclemiltie** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:59 pm

Evan_s wrote:
I'm waiting to see what fun you guys come up with for those remotes once you get your hands on them. One of those bad boys with an extender could be amazing.

Depends...

There are few things that the extenders do that couldn't be done with a well though out, computer connected remote couldn't do out of the box. One of the benefits that we have as extender writers is that we KNOW that the user is going to program the remote via a computer and not have to deal with all of the comlexity through a keypad.

What does an extender give you:

1: expanded memory by taking over learning and disabling it
2: things like LDKP, ToadTog, DSM, Pause, etc
3: all buttons created equal

If you start from the premise that the user will be using a computer, then doing all of this stuff is easy. In fact, you really don't even have to carry around the huge base of setup codes and protocols since you can stuff them in from the computer. This frees up a LOT of the space in the remote for other more useful functions.
(although I bet that managing the color LCD with bitmaps takes up a good bit of space!)

That said, I'm interested in getting my hands on one just to see what you can (and can't) do with it.

Evan_s · Post by **Evan_s** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:14 pm

I imagine they will have some sort of ToadTog built in. You pretty much have to do activities any time you deal with anything that doesn't have discrete inputs.

LKP is one of the main extender things that I've fallen in love with and would think may not be on the original remote.

Do harmony remotes support lkp/dkp?

greenough1 · Post by **greenough1** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:11 pm

In my latest setup, I tried to use DKP to select between regular FFWD and 30sec skip on my DVR. In the end, I just made it a LKP. Much more natural. I cannot live without LKP.

Good question about LKP/DKP on harmony remotes. Anyone?

jeff

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:54 pm

greenough1 wrote:
Good question about LKP/DKP on harmony remotes. Anyone?

jeff

Not on the Harmony ONE. I've never heard of LKP on ANY commercial remote except for some occasional "one-off" type situations (like pressing the "setup" button on JP1 remotes has a different effect whether short or long, but doesn't really send a separate signal.)

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:03 am

As for the xSight remotes, I haven't seen any available for retail yet, but I like the fact that they finally have the four color buttons that are more and more prevalent on many devices today.

If and when they become available, I might break down and get one to do a xSight vs. Harmony ONE face-off (of course also seeing if it's JP1-able - although I cannot imagine why they would provide ANOTHER interface if it will already have a USB interface!).

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:27 am

I think the Xsights are already out in Europe and will be launched here in the spring.

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 7:37 am

Where in Europe? It was announced (or was due to be announced) at a big electronics meeting in Berlin, I believe, but I haven't seen one yet.

I tried the OFA website the other day and the Europe page was down. Tried again today and entered a few different cities (and I mean big places like London, Paris, Barcelona) in the "Find Your Store" box. No retailers listed but it did offer advice to "Phone the store first to see if they have what you want".

BBC website, dated 14 December says it hadn't been released yet. Incidentally, this page also contains a link to the death (at the age of 93 in early 2007) of Robert Adler, credited with inventing the first TV remote (and who was mentioned in a previous posting here).

I did find a site offering to sell me nipple markers alongside X-sight but it turns out that this is a dye made by Kodak and used in medical imaging. I wait with baited breath (and unmarked nipples).

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 9:35 am

Of course you know that's "bated breath" and not "baited breath" (Although I suppose you could have worms on your breath, although that would be ... unusual.)

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:50 am

Here's the post from RC in Aug 2008 that announced the Xsight, saying it should be available starting October 2008:

http://www.remotecentral.com/news/441/o ... motes.html

Here's another post from RC announcing them for the US starting in Spring 2009:

http://www.remotecentral.com/news/453/a ... motes.html

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:53 pm

Capn Trips wrote:Of course you know that's "bated breath" and not "baited breath"

Freudian (better hope so).

Geoffrey Taylor wrote:Sally, having swallowed cheese,
Directs down holes the scented breeze,
Enticing thus with baited breath
Nice mice to an untimely death.

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:17 am

Here is the product info page from OFA-UK's website. And here is a link to the manual. I guess the model designation for the Xsight Touch is URC-8603.

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:45 am

Thanks for the links but they just time out. Could OFA be blocking access to these pages from the UK, or am I being paranoid and they're just updating their site at the weekend? The remotes are, however, appearing for sale now on Amazon.de (Germany) at EUR199.97. Following the link to the UK page shows some different remotes and - for some reason - a mosquito head net, but no Xsight.

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:17 am

Here's some more links:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/09/09/on ... ote-lines/
http://www.remoteshoppe.com/index.php?itemid=750
http://www.remoteshoppe.com/index.php?itemid=749
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/One-For-A ... 29075.html

Capn Trips · Post by **Capn Trips** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:09 pm

underquark wrote:Thanks for the links but they just time out. Could OFA be blocking access to these pages from the UK, or am I being paranoid and they're just updating their site at the weekend? The remotes are, however, appearing for sale now on Amazon.de (Germany) at EUR199.97. Following the link to the UK page shows some different remotes and - for some reason - a mosquito head net, but no Xsight.

Interesting. I know that I tested those links previously. Now I cannot even navigate to the page from which I GOT to those links. Good thing that I downloaded the manual and have posted it in the file section here.