EA Sports SRU8010/17 Remote Control

I had at least 6 remotes (computer, audio amplifier/receiver, video projector, 400 disc DVD changer, lights, AC/Heat, air purifier). All these remotes took a lot of space and it was a pain having to use several remotes just to watch TV (one for the volume, one for the channels, one for the projector, etc).

My Sony audio amplifier/receiver had came with a universal learning remote but it wasn't enough for what I wanted and I only used it to replace remotes where I mostly only use on/off. Needless to say many of my devices have non standard buttons, for example the projector has a button to adjust the Iris, and of course none of the AC/heating buttons are found on a regular remote. Because of this many functions were associated with unrelated buttons, for example lights on was configured to channel + and light off to channel – (while the actual channel +/- was done with another remote).

Because of this I wanted a learning remote with an LCD screen to setup my own custom buttons, but I thought they were all over $250 which I didn't want to spend on a remote. A few days ago I decided to check online and found this remote (also sold as the X10 IconRemote which is what I got and it is also sold under a different model number by Philips). After looking at its user manual online I found that it did everything I wanted and was only $50 so I immediately bought it.

Setting up this remote is very easy, it starts by asking you if you know the brand of the device you want to control and then asks you to press Power several times until your device turns on, this makes it very easy to find the proper code/model. Once your device has turned on you can then test several other buttons to make sure it works properly, since sometimes the power button will work but not other functions.

You can also setup your favorite channels and select from a wide range of channel logos, even most Canadian channel logos were in the remote. This allows you to switch to your favorite channels with their logo on the LCD screen.

For those buttons that still don't work or for devices not listed in the remote's memory, it can learn the signals from almost any other remote, this allows it to also be able to control future devices that don't yet exist. This works by entering learn mode where you can select whether you want to setup one of the main keys or one of the side keys next to the LCD screen. If you're programming a standard button that's already physically on the remote such as "Play", then you select main keys and press Play, otherwise you select side keys and decide which of the buttons next to the LCD you want to configure. Then you press the corresponding button on the original remote while pointing it towards the bottom of the universal remote until the display reads "Success". If you selected one of the LCD side keys you can then give it its own custom name. For example, for my AC/Heat I configured custom buttons labeled "Heat 18" to "Heat 21" and "Cool 18" to "Cool 21" as well as a "Fan Only" button. This allows me to set the heating, cooling or fan and my most often selected temperatures with just one button (much simpler than the original remote).

You can also create macros which are series of commands that the remote send automatically, you must record the sequence by learning the commands from other remotes and then the universal remote can play the sequence back with a single button.

I did have one issue with my computer's remote which does not send standard IR signals and many important buttons would not learn. Luckily, I did have another remote for the computer that had came with my TV Tuner card which I had never used. I installed this one and configured it on the computer, and the universal remote was able to learn that remote's signals, so in the end I was able to replace my 6 remotes with this single universal learning remote. This has saved a lot of space on my table which was full of remotes.

I highly recommend this universal remote, you get a lot for your money.