Opening HD300 Remote Control

[lesbell]

Has anyone successfully opened the HD300 remote control? Ours has developed a faulty Enter key, and I know how to clean the contacts on the rubberized keys and the circuit board - if I could just get in there!

I've removed the one screw from inside the battery compartment, but the rubber edging between the two halves is making it difficult to figure out how to prize open any remaining clips. In fact, it's so resistant to prizing that it feels as though there are other screws or even glue holding it together.

So, can anyone who has experience with this offer any tips, before I just smash the blasted thing and render it a cosmetic disaster?

--- Les

[pthomas745]

I had the same problem. You can pull the rubber edging off to see the issue: there are about 11 plastic clips holding the thing together, and they are tight as hell. I wound up breaking several clips off while using a screwdriver to pry the thing open. Putting it back together wasn't easy, either, but it will snap together nicely even with several clips gone. I tossed the rubber cover, since I only use this one as a backup. And I tossed the little screw, too. It was completely pointless.

[lesbell]

Originally Posted by pthomas745

You can pull the rubber edging off to see the issue: there are about 11 plastic clips holding the thing together, and they are tight as hell.

Ah, OK - thanks for that; it's what I "feared". But given the choice between a pretty but non-functioning and an ugly but working remote, I know which one I'll take.

Thanks for the tip!

[lesbell]

Just in case anyone is following this, I eventually did what I should have done in the first place - splurged the princely sum of $50 on a Logitech Harmony 650 remote. It worked pretty much out of the box - after initial online setup, the only important tweak was to make it send "Home" rather than "Power" to the HD300, so that it would start up already connected to the server.

Life is good again, and I think the family will find it easier to use, too.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by lesbell

Just in case anyone is following this, I eventually did what I should have done in the first place - splurged the princely sum of $50 on a Logitech Harmony 650 remote. It worked pretty much out of the box - after initial online setup, the only important tweak was to make it send "Home" rather than "Power" to the HD300, so that it would start up already connected to the server.

The Harmony 650 looks interesting, but I'm puzzled by one thing. The HD200/HD300 remote has three fast forward and three reverse buttons/speeds (smooth, skip, and skip #2), and we use all of them. From the looks of it, the Harmony 650 only has two fast forward and two reverse buttons. Am I seeing this correctly? If so, which "speed" do you lose out on?

I have been using Sony RM-VLZ620 remotes for a few years now, and it's got all three fast forward and reverse buttons, so I'm hesitant to migrate to a Harmony if I'm gonna lose functionality...

[tvmaster2]

a thin guitar pick, or credit card, can be used to wedge open and slide a tight seal open on some of these things without damage, as opposed to a screw driver. Guitar picks work the best for me

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

The Harmony 650 looks interesting, but I'm puzzled by one thing. The HD200/HD300 remote has three fast forward and three reverse buttons/speeds (smooth, skip, and skip #2), and we use all of them. From the looks of it, the Harmony 650 only has two fast forward and two reverse buttons. Am I seeing this correctly? If so, which "speed" do you lose out on?

I have been using Sony RM-VLZ620 remotes for a few years now, and it's got all three fast forward and reverse buttons, so I'm hesitant to migrate to a Harmony if I'm gonna lose functionality...

I have a Harmony 700 which is very similar to the 600/650 with I believe identical button layout. For exactly the reason you mentioned that is why I still use my SageTV remote for all my SageTV duties.
The Harmony works fine for everything else, especially the ability to do all the input configuring when I switch between SageTV, Cable STV, DVD, etc.
I use both the skips/backs on the SageTV remote SO often that using the SageTV remote is just so much easier. Oh, another reason is that where the skip buttons are on the Harmony aren't in as good a position, it always seem awkward to use them laying on the couc with the remote on the coffee table, which is how I use my SageTV remote.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by waynedunham

I have a Harmony 700 which is very similar to the 600/650 with I believe identical button layout. For exactly the reason you mentioned that is why I still use my SageTV remote for all my SageTV duties.
The Harmony works fine for everything else, especially the ability to do all the input configuring when I switch between SageTV, Cable STV, DVD, etc.
I use both the skips/backs on the SageTV remote SO often that using the SageTV remote is just so much easier. Oh, another reason is that where the skip buttons are on the Harmony aren't in as good a position, it always seem awkward to use them laying on the couc with the remote on the coffee table, which is how I use my SageTV remote.

Thanks Wayne. Unfortunately, that's a deal breaker for me.

[gplasky]

You can map any of the buttons to the LCD touchscreen and access the function from there on the Harmony. (Or find a hard button and remap it.)

Gerry

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Thanks Wayne. Unfortunately, that's a deal breaker for me.

Just curious, what part of that was the "deal breaker"?

I think I need to clarify the button issues I have. It isn't so much the position of the buttons, but more the ergonomics of the remote. That curved back that fits so nice in your hand doesn't make for a stable platform sitting on the coffee table. The thing wobbles all over the place when trying to press the buttons when I'm in "couch potato" mode. (my default mode BTW )

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by waynedunham

Just curious, what part of that was the "deal breaker"?

The dealbreaker is that my family uses all three fast-forward and rewind speeds that are available on the HD200/HD300 remotes. Gerry mentioned earlier that you can remap keys on the Harmony remote to get the third fast-forward/rewind speed, which would help. The question I am facing now, though, is it worth it to spend more than twice as much for a remote that will have an inferior key layout versus the remote that I am currently using?

I like the idea of being able to download the HD200/HD300 codes directly into the Harmony remotes, instead of having to manually learn each of the codes into my Sony remote. That would save me 30 minutes or so of setup work. But after that, it seems like the usability factor would decrease whenever you want to use that third speed, so I'm not real excited about trying to switch to a Harmony remote at this point...

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

The dealbreaker is that my family uses all three fast-forward and rewind speeds that are available on the HD200/HD300 remotes. Gerry mentioned earlier that you can remap keys on the Harmony remote to get the third fast-forward/rewind speed, which would help. The question I am facing now, though, is it worth it to spend more than twice as much for a remote that will have an inferior key layout versus the remote that I am currently using?

I like the idea of being able to download the HD200/HD300 codes directly into the Harmony remotes, instead of having to manually learn each of the codes into my Sony remote. That would save me 30 minutes or so of setup work. But after that, it seems like the usability factor would decrease whenever you want to use that third speed, so I'm not real excited about trying to switch to a Harmony remote at this point...

The nice thing about the Harmony remotes is you can do all that key remapping, etc right in the setup when you have the Harmony hooked up to your computer vai USB.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by waynedunham

The nice thing about the Harmony remotes is you can do all that key remapping, etc right in the setup when you have the Harmony hooked up to your computer vai USB.

If I was making a pros and cons list, that would definately go under the "pros" column, along with the activity keys.

[pthomas745]

I've used the Harmony 610/620 for years with my setup, and have programmed the fast forward and skip buttons into either the LCD screen or the "hard wired" buttons on the remotes. ( I use the skip forward features constantly watching baseball and football.) There are infinite possibilities with the keys. These are older remotes, and you can find them routinely on ebay.

What is hard sometimes is reprogramming my brain: the remote button says "Pic" but I've programmed it to be FF2, and it always takes a bit of a second for that neuron to connect.

I use the Sage HD300 remote, but I find it to be a bit cumbersome with the fast forward buttons buried in the middle of the lower keypad. And whoever put the Record button above the Skip Fwd button.....well.......

Anyway, it is possible to get the Harmony remotes to do anything you want.

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by pthomas745

8< snip >8
I use the Sage HD300 remote, but I find it to be a bit cumbersome with the fast forward buttons buried in the middle of the lower keypad. And whoever put the Record button above the Skip Fwd button.....well.......

On a recording that just pops up an annoying dialogue (remove manual recording status|remove favorite|adjust favorite options). I had to just go do this to see what happened. I use that skip1 button A LOT and can't recall the last time I hit record by accident, hence having to go see what it does.
That is one of the things I really like about the extender remote. The buttons are easily distinguishable by feel without having to look at the remote. And it is not like I have tiny, dainty fingers. They are pretty decent breakfast sausage sized.

I like that about the Harmony 600-700's too. That is one reason I never bought a Harmony when they first came out. All the buttons were all mushed together with nothing to distinguish one set of buttons from another. I like the transport controls being in their own "zone".