I’m curious if anyone tried to actually use Vera IR in a way similar to how advanced remotes work, i.e. click on a single button activates IR scene: turn on and set TV, receiver, cable box, etc?
When I tried it last time the process was so frustrating I put my USB UIRT to the closet for months - complex process of building ugly “virtual remote”, given that I was going just to automate IR operations and not to use my phone as a remote, was totally unacceptable user experience.
I’m still waiting for Vera to understand discreet codes in Pronto format - until then it’s not worth it, there are too many devices with a single On/Off toggle button or Input selection toggle button…
I finally got my IR learner working and tried a couple of rudimentary setups with my GC-100 blaster. It’s a lot of work to set it all up and then you’re still left with a clumsy UI to deal with. I went back to my Harmony 900 for all the A/V stuff because I use a dozen or more buttons almost continually while watching TV and movies. I never just need to push a button and have the lights dim, shades close, and watch a movie straight through. I guess I’m a more “active” movie watcher. I still use my iPhone/Vera for lights, window shades, and temp. controls, since I don’t need that same instant access to a huge variety of buttons for those functions.
It’s interesting to note that, even though most of my A/V devices toggle the power, the Harmony doesn’t turn them off when starting an “activity” if they were already turned on in another way. It’s very cool, since my earlier Harmony would toggle them and it was very frustrating to get everything on or off at the same time.
Like you guys, I’m not working on IR for A/V with Vera for the time being. I am, however, starting to work on IR control for my skylights, so I’m hoping my investment in all that IR stuff will pay off.
I am undecided as far as using IR A/V control with Vera. First it will be nearly impossible to train my wife to give up the cable company’s remote, she has sabotaged me everytime by confusing my Harmony as to which state the components are in. Also I am working toward using mac mini’s as a lite HTPC for DVR function and Plex for media streaming at each TV. I’m not completely convinced that IR would be the best solution here as there are many options to control the mac mini over wi-fi with the itouch. But if the Vera code was powerful enough to allow Macros that supported combinations of commands like RS-232/IR for TV control, IR for cable box (or possibly firewire from the Mini), and network/wi-fi for Mac Mini, etc. I realize that I may be dreaming out loud here.
Having tried 371 different ways of getting a decent HTPC that is low power and reliable, I am hoping I can find a solution in the Mac Mini and have it co-exist with Vera and all that she does. Not being an Apple fanboy at all, I’ve had to really make a leap of faith to buy the Mini. So far I can testify that Apple is so hyped up, beyond reality, because it is no better than any PC I have ever owned and it probably crashes more than any PC I have ever had, but it is low power and quiet which is why I bought it.
Mac mini is over hyped PoS. Check out Asus EEE Box or Dell INSPIRON ZINO HD, nice mini itx form factor, then use whatever media front end you like. Pesonally I love XBMC and I use that all over my house but there are many other alternatives including Windows Media Center.
I’m personally a MythTV user… The best feature-to-price ratio for an HTPC with HD capabilities and least amount of hacking is currently provided by an dual-Atom with Ion platform, capable of playing h264 1080p. Check ASRock 330Pro for $385…
The Mac Mini is not a POS, but I would not recommend it as a HTPC. I have one and running Boxee it is OK, but there are much better choices. If it had Blu-Ray, maybe, but without not so great. AppleTV has almost same functionality (again running Boxee) and is cheaper and uses less power.
Regarding using Vera as a Harmony replacement, half the beauty of the Harmony (and now Logitech) remotes is the ease of programming, including setting up different activities based on the equipment you have and the ease of customizing those activities. This will not be easy with Vera and really miss most of the benefit of the Harmony remote.
My problem with Harmony is that it isn’t powerful enough by simplifying your options, but with a quick call to Logitech they can usually remotely fix the configuration custom (and that it is IR).
I’ve considered using AppleTV boxes on each TV, but that doesn’t solve the PVR or live pause/rewind. I have seen someone running MythTV on AppleTV, but it was very slow. I enjoy Plex media center on the Mac, but I am on the fence when it come to a PVR software (EyeTV is supposed to be the best, but I am not convinced yet). Linux Media Center has been something I have played with and seems to be the only one that really “gets it” when it comes to an all-in-one HTPC, media server, DVR, Home Automation box (but it requires quite an investment of time).
Sorry for Hi-jacking the thread by the way, but I can handle the Media Center aspect no problem…it is the DVR component that is really difficult to integrate elegantly.
[quote=“shady, post:9, topic:165307”]My problem with Harmony is that it isn’t powerful enough by simplifying your options, but with a quick call to Logitech they can usually remotely fix the configuration custom (and that it is IR).
I’ve considered using AppleTV boxes on each TV, but that doesn’t solve the PVR or live pause/rewind. I have seen someone running MythTV on AppleTV, but it was very slow. I enjoy Plex media center on the Mac, but I am on the fence when it come to a PVR software (EyeTV is supposed to be the best, but I am not convinced yet). Linux Media Center has been something I have played with and seems to be the only one that really “gets it” when it comes to an all-in-one HTPC, media server, DVR, Home Automation box (but it requires quite an investment of time).
Sorry for Hi-jacking the thread by the way, but I can handle the Media Center aspect no problem…it is the DVR component that is really difficult to integrate elegantly.[/quote]
Keep it simple and get Tivo HD. Has some media player abilities (although pretty clunky), but the PVR piece works really well. If you want to watch videos from “alternative” sources pyTivo converts video formats on the fly and shows up on the Tivo as a video source, just like another Tivo would in your home, great piece of software. You can get a reconditioned Tivo HD for $199, you will not beat that, and it will work the easiest with cable providers with respect to getting cable cards to work for channel access.
I have 2, and while in the beginning it was a PITA getting them working with cable cards, there has been a big change in this area in the past 2 years and mine both work really well now, and coupled with pyTivo and Vuze on my iMac and I can watch a lot of downloaded video as well.
WRT Harmony and Customer Service, I definitely agree, they will configure your system for you, od hep with adding components if they are not readily available in the database.
I think you are right. I can’t beat that for $199 and the cost of the FIOS cable cards and I can use the mac mini for Plex (Hulu, Netflix) and Vuze.
Should I be shopping for the latest model of Tivo HD or are older models of Tivo HD still good?? I see a Tivo HD Series 3 (300 hrs) for $179 and a Tivo HD XL (150 hrs) for $377.
Thank you and happy holidays, I have been so focused on PC solutions I hadn’t given Tivo a chance yet.
edit: Also apparently there are ways of pulling content off of Tivo to get it on the ipod or on the mac for archiving (or there was for Series 2)??
Also which way to you recommend going with the Tivo Service Costs (monthly, annual, lifetime?)
Do I need separate Tivo Service for each Tivo or is it done by household (One lifetime membership covers Guide info for all my Tivos)?
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