RCA RCU1010 Universal 9 Device Touch Screen Remote Control Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't understand everyone else's negative reviews about the learning feature of this remote. For most of my components it took a little extra time and patience, but it got there eventually. The most trouble I had was with my Apex DVD player; the remote preset code wouldn't work and I had to program each button individually. The functions were "forgotten" a few times, but I patiently kept reprogramming and now it finally seems to have stuck. Sure, if I had paid a ridiculous amount for it, this would be unacceptable, but you ALWAYS get what you pay for. I've learned that lesson time and time again.
When I tried programming a second DVD player onto Aux, it screwed up the main player's settings. I haven't tried it again since successfully getting the first to stay in there. There are 4 Audio buttons which unfortunately only offer soft keys suited for audio operation, not adaptable to DVD players. So for now I'm holding onto my lesser-used player's remote.
The pros:
Programming wasn't difficult, I don't think I even bothered reading the manual.
I like that the permanent hard keys are play, FF, rewind, as I need those for 3 of the 5 components I am operating. The prior touchscreen remote I tried (Sima) had those as soft keys, which was annoying.
The response time for the keys seems adequate.
The blue-lit screen looks very high-tech and buttons aren't too hypersensitive about hitting the wrong one.
I love the punch-through feature for the volume keys. On the Sima I had to constantly switch back to TV to change volume.
The touchscreen material makes it very easy to wipe fingerprints off. Keeps it looking newer longer.
I love the PDA look of the unit.
I love FINALLY having only one remote on the coffee table, rather than two or three.
The cons:
The biggest con I can see is the placement of the hard keys. Being at the bottom, it is impossible to use this with only one hand. Would have been better to reverse hard keys and touchscreen (or provided longer hand grip underneath hard keys).
Not able to relabel soft keys for special functions. But from what I have read, only the top-of-the-line models let you do this. Again, you get what you pay for.
Kind of silly to have a "mute" button so prominently placed in the center of the hard keys. Our family never uses it. I wish it could have been reprogrammed for an important Tivo function instead.
Backlight doesn't stay on long enough, and impossible to see screen in the dark without it. Time will tell what kind of wear this puts on the batteries.
Overall I'd say this is a great value for the price. Some people who are more demanding with higher expectations might want to look at higher end units, though.
****EDIT****: 9 months later the remote has forgotten all my codes repeatedly and now nothing will stick. It's back to operating only the TV. Guess you have to pay top dollar to have a remote that is really and truly universal. Subtract 3 of those stars.

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Manufacturer's Part # RCU1010RFThis product is Brand New.Experience the ultimate incontrol with the RCA RCU1010RF 9-device LCD touchscreen learning remote.

Designed with a built-in RFtransmitter, this remote comes preprogrammed with the most popular codes. Itoffers customizable keys and quick access keys to provide easy access to themost used commands. Perfect for any home entertainment system, it works for mostbrands of TV, VCR, DVD, Sat/cable, and audio components.

This unique universal remote control transmitscommands to your entertainment system with both IR and RF signalssimultaneously. RF transmissions allow this remote to operate up to 9 componentsin your home entertainment system without direct line of sight. RF signalstransmit up to 100 feet/30.5 meters* -- through walls, floors, ceilings, even toyour patio outdoors! The Universal Learning Remote with Touchscreen and Built-inRF Transmitter offers the ultimate in control and flexibility for your homeentertainment system. *Up to 100 feet/30.5meters, dependent upon homeconstruction. The RCU1010RF includes one universal learning remote withtouchscreen and a remote sender cone.

Features include:

Preprogrammed with the most popular codes
Fully EL backlit including hard keys
Expanded code library
This product is Brand New and comes with a 1 year warranty.

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Gemini GRCE-1 IR to RF Remote Control Converter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm sure this product works great, but it would have been nice to know that it only works with remotes that use AA batteries. You can't use it for a AAA battery remote.

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GEMINI GRCE-1, IR TO RF REMOTE CONVERTER

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Soyo Freestyler HS11 Kit Bluetooth St Headphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My video review Day 1

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Enjoy your music and movie privately without being tied to your HiFi or TV! The SOYO FreeStyler ST11 is an ear-hook type wireless stereo headphone. It is a receiver to listen to the music, a microphone to chat over the Internet, and also a hands free headset to use with Bluetooth cell phones. When you use SOYO FreeStyler ST11 to listen to your music, it can also be at standby for answering incoming phone calls , and once the call is finished, it will switch back to the music automatically. So you can use it while you are relaxing at home, strolling in the park, or running on your treadmill, never worrying about missing a phone call. Moreover, you can use the FreeStyler ST11 headphone to remote control the music playing functions of your Bluetooth device if it supports Bluetooth AVRCP. Listen and be free! Order now!

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Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)PROS:
1. Works in a nearby room or directly above/below the room with the transmitter.
2. Able to hear outside sounds, if you don't want to be completely isolated from your surroundings.
3. Nice to be able to adjust the volume by touching the shell of the right earpad, which acts as a toggle switch.
4. Comes with a short cord in case the dongle won't fit in your unit's audio jack.
CONS:
1. Sound quality is muddy. If you like rock music, you will not hear much of the cymbals or other high notes. It is fine if you listen to spoken voice. The stock earbuds with the Nano 2G are a little better than the Logitech, but with less bass. My Sony MDR-V6 closed-ear cans sound *exceptionally* good with my 2nd Gen Nano. I'll give the Logitech headphones many additional hours to break in, but I had hoped they would sound much better out of the box.
2. Headband is not adjustable and sits close to your neck. Tilting your head back, even slightly, bumps the headband. Wearing a collared shirt also causes your shirt to contact the headband. The around-the-ear part of the headband takes most of the impact. The earpads will move a little. Some collar brushing comes through to the earpads. I think exercising would not go well.
3. Comfortable on the ears for less than an hour.
4. Little if any difference in bass boost and normal.
5. Comes with 6 iPod interfaces, but the Nano interface does not work with the 2nd Gen Nano. You can still plug the dongle into the headphone jack, but without the end cap for the dongle, there is a 2mm gap.
6. It's just more than twice the width of the Nano 2G. It is also slightly offset, left-to-right when looking at the Nano + dongle from the front.
7. I generally had to try to set the connection twice before it sync'd up. Then I needed to start the player right away, because if I waited 30 seconds, it shut itself off.
I posted a couple of pictures if you click on the link at the top of the page.

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With Logitech's FreePulse Wireless headphones you can enjoy your music without being tied down or tangled up. Integrated volume controls and Bass Boost mode let you take control of your music, while advanced Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate wireless technology ensures clear, interference-free audio with up to 33 feet range. Extended life rechargeable batteries provide up to six hours of playtime. The high carbon spring-steel headband is lightweight yet rugged and the soft-touch comfort rings provide a secure fit. The FreePulse Wireless headphones are compatible with most audio players and include custom-fit iPod adapters.

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Logitech Harmony RF Wireless Extender Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Logitech Harmony RF Wireless Extender allows your RF-equipped Harmony Remote (the 890, 895 or new 1000) to control components without having an IR "line of sight" to the components. One RF Wireless Extender is included with the Harmony 890, but it is unfortunately not included with the Harmony 1000.
Make no mistake, this device is an absolute REQUIREMENT for any large room or complex setup. In my configuration, the Harmony 1000 didn't have the strength to power all of my components through IR from 20 feet distance. The RF extender solved this problem, and now I can control my entire setup even from another room.
One RF Wireless Extender can control up to 8 components within the line of sight of the unit, or within line of sight of the 8 included IR emitters. You can add multiple extenders to your configuration if you have components in different rooms or areas that could not be served by one unit. Annoyingly, even if you have more than 8 components within the reach of the unit or the emitters the Harmony software won't let you assign more than 8 devices to a single extender.
IMPORTANT: You should try to setup and verify your Harmony configuration using IR-only if possible before adding the extender, even if you have to sit near your components or have cabinet doors open. This is because the Harmony software makes you connect and disconnect both the extender (which must be unplugged from AC power) and the remote each time you make a change. Setting up the Harmony first, by itself, with IR is much easier to make changes to the configuration.
After verifying I could control my components using IR-only, I added the RF Wireless Extender to my setup. The Harmony software updated to the latest firmware, and I have had no problems configuring it using both Mac OS X and Windows clients.
Setup is very easy. If all of your components are behind a cabinet, you can simply mount this "blaster" unit inside, at least 10 inches from the front of your components. Or, you can attach the 8 included wired emitters (in 4 pairs of 2) near the IR receivers of each component. The wires for each of the 4 pairs are roughly 7 feet long, splitting into 2 emitters that must be placed within 25 inches of each other. Also good to note is that the tape is strong enough to attach to your component, but not strong enough to leave any residue should you need to remove them.
Within the Harmony setup, you then assign each component to either IR or RF Extender control. Optionally, you can assign each component to a channel (A,B,C,D,blaster) which corresponds to the 4 sets of 2 wired emitters and base, or all channels which sends all commands to all emitters. I chose to specifically assign each component to its channel, which seems to give better performance. (TIP: label your emitter wires!)
Once configured, you connect the RF Extender and the Harmony Remote to your computer to download the configuration. Then, you must plug the RF Extender into the wall, and optionally attach the IR emitter wires. The Harmony remote must initially be "paired" with the RF Extender, which is done by pressing the "Connect" button on the extender, and following the prompts on your remote.
Operation was flawless. I could control all components from around my house! And, the performance of startup was much faster, I believe because I had assigned each component to a specific channel on the extender.
In my configuration, I was pleasantly surprised to find the RF extender is fast enough to send the repeated command sequences needed to accelerate up and down through the menus in my AppleTV. Great job, Logitech!
If there was one area where Logitech could make improvements it would be the supplied documentation, which attempts to be user friendly but in the process is so oversimplified it is of little use. Since Amazon doesn't allow half-star increments, I stand by my 5-star review, documentation withstanding.
Based on the large number of problems people had when this was first released a year ago, I was expecting issues, but it would appear that the latest firmware (RF Extender v2.4, Harmony 890 v4.7) and Harmony client software (v7.0.2) have resolved all issues for both Mac OS X and Windows users.
All in all, a highly recommended product - and a great value bundled with the matching Harmony 890 (see my review there). I have since upgraded to the Harmony 1000, but kept this extender to use with it. It's a shame that Logitech doesn't include the extender with the 1000, as it really is a requirement.
I would recommend this without hesitation.

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Gain complete control of components that are hidden behind cabinets or walls. With a range of up to 100 feet, you can place your equipment out of sight, or even move it to the next room. Designed for use with the Logitech Harmony 1000 or 890 Advanced Universal Remotes, Z-Wave (RF) Technology enables remote control of audio, visual, lighting, climate, and security systems without direct line-of-sight.Use additional receivers to control multiple entertainment systems.

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Logitech ClearChat Wireless USB Headset - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This headset had me hooked and I preordered it months before I finally got it. I didn't want to review it until I put it through it's paces. Sadly it comes up short in more ways than I expected. But I'm a fair guy, so let's start with the Positive:
1) It's cordless, gets decent range ~10m in my testing.
2) The sound quality of the headset and the mic are both pretty good (i.e. no complaints in game chat).
3) Headset cushions are top notch.
4) Quality construction - they aren't breaking anytime soon.
5) I was impressed with the ease of setting them up. Plug in the USB dongle, turn them on, set games to use the new headset.
And on to the negative:
1) Granted, I have a fairly big melon, but these have a really tight fit and start to fatigue the ears after a few hours of wear.
2) The Battery life is not much over 3.5 hours in my testing. It doesn't matter what app. I found myself plugging in the power cable to continue (what's the point of cordless?!) and shutting them down even for quick breaks while idle in games.
3) No interchangeable batteries (well, I didn't take them apart to see, but then the case isn't made to be taken apart).
4) Proprietary power cable? Come on! Why this wasn't mini USB, I'll never understand.
5) The Mic only comes down on the left hand side, which I find to be an annoying engineering limitation for no particular purpose.
6) Mic is static - no way to flex it other than up or down. Though it seems to pic up my voice fairly well.
7) I didn't think this was a big deal at first, but now It might be the most annoying thing: The USB Dongle connected to the computer FLASHES green incessantly until the headset is turned on and they sync. Now, I'm a computer guy, I've a truckload of LEDs that keep the office well lit at night, but NONE of them blink and draw attention to themselves except for a few moments. This stupid thing won't stop. I have to put things in front of it to keep it from annoying me.
So, I'm disappointed in this thing. Logitech makes good gear, but engineering needs to review this one and make the following changes for version 2:
1) Use standard USB to power the headset. If you must have a charge indicator, just build it into the headset as another LED and forget the proprietary cable.
2) If you have to drop both earpieces to fit a larger head, there should be an adjustable top pad so it stays in place.
3) Make it so that the mic can flip either way, and the Left/Right speakers change accordingly.
4) Beef up the battery power and make it so it charges faster. 3 hours? Come on... even 6 hours isn't much for marathon MMORPGs or LAN Parties, and your headset came nowhere near that mark. It's not cordless if I have to keep the power cable plugged in. Suggestion: 12 Hours minimum, even if it adds to bulk a little bit. And that's actual 12 hours, not some mathematical estimate.
5. Use two different colored lights on the USB dongle instead of flashing the same one. How expensive can that be?
And for those of us that wear glasses, please make a model with convex earpieces, the concave ones put pressure at the top of the ear and they smash the earpiece of your glasses against the skull. Unpleasant. Okay, this one's more of a wish, but the others above are absolutely requisite.
There you have it. The decent sound quality, construction, and cordlessness don't come close to outweighing the technical issues. I'd give this a 2.5, but when it costs close to a hundo, the price factor says all of these things should never have been a problem. If the next version sucks the same, I'll be looking for another manufacturer (and I'm a Logitech fan).

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Enjoy rechargeable, high-performance, stereo audio for PC calling, music, and games from up to 33 feet away from your computer.

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Universal Remote Control, Multi-Brand Use, (Operates up to 4 Components, Including TV, VCR, Cable Box or Satellite Receiver, and DVD or AUX), RCU404, by RCA Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is waste money, I have wasted lot money on reversal remote and they work for a while they give out. this remote I couldn't program it to my Toshiba DVD Recorder because the code was to new. Stick with the unit remote then adding these remotes.

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Universal Remote Control, Multi-Brand Use, (Operates up to 4 Components, Including TV, VCR, Cable Box or Satellite Receiver, and DVD or AUX), RCU404, by RCA

Get 76% OFF

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