10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Reasonably priced, and it actually works.
Date of Review: Feb 9, 2004
The Bottom Line: It's hard to believe that this amount of functionality can be had for such a low price. It's not without its quirks, but it's well worth it.
Note: this review is for the "Philips Magnovox 8-Function Universal Learning Remote with TiVo and Replay Compatibility," model PMDVR8, not the PMDVD6. Epinions doesn't list the PMDVR8, only the PMDVD6, so I'm listing my review here. Hopefully the Epinions editors won't mind.
I have four remotes: TV, VCR, DVD, and TiVo. Some of the remotes overlap, so I can control some basic functions of other devices with some of the remotes (e.g. the TiVo remote can adjust the TV's volume, input source, and so on) -- but I usually needed to have at least two of them in reach, which I hated.
I've tried other universal remotes before without much success. Most universal remotes don't come close to actually being a replacement for the OEM remote: a subtitle button for my DVD player, a button for the GuidePlus menu on my TV and so on. The high-end universal remotes with LCD panels were too expensive and didn't look all that user-friendly, despite the price. The PMDVR8 caught my attention because it advertised TiVo compatibility. I purchased it, thinking that I'd just return it if it turned out to be a flop.
Nope. The PMDVR8 is a great universal remote. I usually don't take the time too write reviews, but I appreciate the PMDVR8 enough to do so.
Initially I was a bit overwhelmed by all the buttons and tiny little labels but I learned one or two things at a time over the course of a few days. It supports TiVo as advertised, and now I can pretty much keep my old quartet of remotes in a drawer.
The "learning" function really makes this remote stand out. Basically if there's something you can do on your old remote, you can program the PMDVR8 to do it. This happens when the PMDVR8 doesn't have a button that matches one from your old remote: for instance, my VCR has a button that rewinds the tape back to the last index point. You can get the same functionality out of the PMDVR8 by reprogramming one of its unused buttons. This works by lining up the two remotes head-to-head, picking an unused button on the PMDVR8 to reprogram, and pushing the desired button on your old remote.
It also has a macro function which is also useful. At first I thought otherwise, but I realized that there are a few multi-step procedures I do from time to time which can be programmed as a macro. For instance, switching my TV's sound output to my stereo used to be a tiresome 8-step process, but now that I've programmed it as a macro I just have to push two buttons. Unfortunately it can only store three macros.
Another nicety is the internal battery that will store all your settings while replacing the main AA batteries. It's also rugged -- I've accidentally knocked it from my bed to the hard wood floor several times without any problems. It can also control other devices, like stereo components and such, but I have not tried that out yet.
Some shortcomings of the PMDVR8: one is a problem common to almost all universal remotes -- oftentimes you will not know what mode you're in. To switch modes you have to press the device button at the top: if you're in DVD mode, of course the TiVo Central button won't work. You have to train yourself to always press the device button when switching devices. This sounds pretty elementary but in real life it's very easy to forget. For instance, to watch a videotape you might press TV, Power, and Play -- but you've because you didn't press VCR before Play, nothing will happen. Or you'll try to go to TiVo Central while in TV mode and get the TV's setup menu. Or you'll be watching a DVD but switch over to the TV mode to get picture-in-picture, and forget that you switched modes.
Also, some people might find the PMDVR8 to be a little intimidating at first. There are a lot of buttons, and a lot of little text labels. It looks complicated because it is complicated -- it does a lot of things and understandably, it's very difficult to come up with simple user interface for a device like this. But if you own and operate four or more audiovisual components, that would already imply some degree of technical ability on your part, right? My advice is to take it slow; you'll get used to it soon enough.
The "Enter" button at the center of the bottom 4-way button cluster is really tiny. I almost didn't buy it because I thought it would be a real problem. I thought I would inevitably mash one of the arrow buttons trying to get to it, but it wound up not being a problem (I usually use my thumbnail). Still, I can see that it might be a problem for others.
Another nitpick is that I wish that it was a little heavier. It's very light and fits comfortably in your hand, but doesn't have a reassuring heft to it. I also wish that the buttons would light up; with just the glow of the TV screen, it can be difficult to locate the button you want in the dark.
