ONE FOR ALL URC-6960 6 Device Universal Remote | List Price: $79.95
Discount Price: $32.85
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Brand: One For All
Binding: Electronics
Features: - Operates TV, PVR/DVR, DVD, VCR, CAB/SAT, AUDIO
- Power Macro and 4 user defined macro keys
- Learns codes from existing remotes
- Advanced DVD controls - Subtitle, Skip Fwd/Back and channel controls for DVD combos
- Reveal hidden screens to view high density layouts
Nearly Perfect [Posted on 2008-01-27]
Over the years I've blown through numerous universal controllers. After a year or so of owning a XBox 360 I wanted a new remote that had learning capabilities so I could ditch the clunky 360 remote. I watch a lot of video from flash drives on my 360 and the gamepad and remote annoyed me to no end (being the only other remote I had to use). I have my TV, 360, audio system and DVD player in my room.
Let me start with a couple of important pieces of information I didn't find out until I opened it:
-The brightness is adjustable. There are, I believe 5 levels, and I use the middle brightness level with no problems in a well lit environment.
-While the remote was able to "learn" commands from other remotes flawlessly, there is a universal limit on how many it can retain. The manual says between 17-25. I got pretty close to 25 on mine before it wouldn't let me learn more.
-Battery drain isn't as bad as most make it sound.
Alright, first off, this remote just looks cool. It's essentially a back-lit template that lights up only the buttons you can use, but it looks amazing in action. The top buttons select your device, and it pulses on and off while you're using the other keys. Also, some keys are hidden until you press a button, for instance; my audio system has multiple speaker modes. Press the "surround sound" button on the remote and the speaker buttons appear, allowing you to tweak them. The functions are laid out intuitively, and only the buttons you need are almost always available. There are a few buttons I need to press the "scroll" button to get to, but it's not something I have to use all the time. The scroll button changes button displays and functions to provide more, less-used controls for the device.
The remote is super-easy to program. Hold down "setup", and the number keys change to a "program menu" of sorts, giving you control of all the options. I actually programmed my TV without even opening the instruction manual. I DID open the instructions though, because I needed to know how to use the macro, home theater, and punch-through features. Punch-through allows you to use keysets (like the volume controls, or the video play/stop/rewind controls) from one device when another device is active. For instance, I set my volume keyset to punch-through all other devices, so I can control my audio system's volume no matter what device is currently selected. Macro buttons (there are 4) allow you to program up to 15 keypresses and store them on one of the buttons. All you have to do is push that one button and it will copy your keypresses. This is really convinent when switching from watching TV to watching a DVD. You program the "input button" press for your TV, change the audio system's input and turn on the DVD player with the press of only one button.
Even better is the "home theater" feature. You can program the power button to turn on all your devices at once, and you can program all the remote's keysets to control different devices in home theater mode; all on the same mode. You don't have to switch between the DVD player (for stop/start/skip functions) and audio system (volume, speaker settings) when watching a movie. All the buttons control the right devices.
The remote can be set to light up when it senses movement. It is extremely sensitive though, and a lot of reviewers on the web have conflicting opinions. The biggest complaint is that this feature makes the remote eat the batteries. I turned this feature on the day I got it (since I'm using rechargeable batteries, battery life doesn't really matter to me) because I didn't want to have to press the remote to "turn it on" just to use a function. I got it on the 16th of January and as of now (27th of January) the batteries are still going strong. I also imagine I use it more than others. In addition to it turning on when the bass from my subwoofer vocalizes an explosion from a movie I'm watching, or from a beat from music I'm listening to, I also tend to shake it to keep it turned on because I love looking at the keys. Anyway, the batteries have lasted about 10 days, no signs of having to be changed (the top section will blink 5 times after a keypress when batteries are low) and I rather like the remote lighting up when I pick it up. But this feature is disabled by default, and is very easy to toggle on and off.
The only negative (but it's a pretty big negative to me) is the limit on learned keys. My previous $10 remote allowed unlimited learned keys, but this one only allows "17-25". I started programming my 360's remote and it wouldn't let me finish, so I had to start over and program more carefully, sacrificing (non-critical, thank God) key functions just so I could program extra keys on other devices. This is the reason I don't give this remote 5 stars. I just can't wrap my head around why you can't program more than 25 learned keys. Every other learning remote I've used allowed unlimited learned keys. Considering the great quality of the rest of the remote and it's features, this took me by surprise. The "Xbox" and "Microsoft" device codes don't work on the 360, and I bought a new remote specifically to program the 360 into a universal remote.
If the rest of the remote's features weren't so good, I would've returned it promptly after discovering this. But overall, especially considering the super price point, this is a great remote with a lot of useful, and easy to use features. I'm even going to get one for my father for his birthday. Unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars on a top-tier remote (and really, a lot of 'em aren't that good) this is certainly the remote I'd recommend to anyone looking.
Bright at night dim in day [Posted on 2008-01-28]
This remote works great easy to program and set up to devices but if you watch alot of tv during the day it is hard to see and at night it is bright and it takes some getting used to haveing no buttons only a touch screen but other than that it works great on my hd plazma, my theater,combo dvd vhs,and dish reciever,and has a power button all will turn on and off if you program it to,all in all works great but the lighted pad I dont like and if you program it to turn on as soon as you pick it up it will come on during any vibration,if you set it to turn on with touching the pad only which saves on battery life you will surely touch a place on the pad that will cause the remote to change something if you are not careful so I am really not happy with the touch screen.
nice control, good support [Posted on 2008-02-06]
I recently purchased the URC-6960 via Amazon. Shipping
was quick, and the device generally works as described.
I found that the "setup" key is difficult to reliably press, but overall it was was easy to setup the URC to control my TV and VHS deck.
[...]
I wish I could adjust the sensitivity level for the motion sensing "turn on" feature. Since I couldn't, I turned the motion sensing off to prolong the battery life.
I feel that if one doesn't want the multiple-hundred dollar super remote controls (e.g., Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote Control),
then this is a good one to consider and at a nice price.
Does almost everything, at a bargin price [Posted on 2008-03-04]
I resisted getting a universal remote for some time because of the confusingly-large number of keys sported by most, while at the same time I expected a universal to have all the keys found on each device's original remote. The Kameleon solves the first problem by displaying only those keys appropriate for the device in use. The second objection went away when I realized you do not have to duplicate every key for every device, only those you actually use routinely -- leaving the original remote for one-time or occasional things like setting up a DVD player.
Kameleon cleverly avoids key clutter by hiding an array of lighted buttons beneath a translucent blue membrane. When the user selects a device by pressing its symbol, only the keys used by that device are visible, making it easier to find the keys you need. For example, transport controls (play, pause, etc) are visible for CD, DVD and VCR, but not for TV.
A sound punch through feature can link the volume buttons to the receiver no matter which source device is in use. This can be selectively unlocked for a given device, so that CD, DVD or VCR volume is controlled by the receiver, but the TV, for example, has its own volume control. This can be very useful in a home theater setup.
The remote comes with setup codes for most common AV devices, including my Philips plasma TV, Sony VCR and Philips CD player, but no codes for my NAD reciever or OPPO DVD player. I used the learning function to program keys for the receiver's power, volume and mute, plus all the DVD player's main functions. The number of learning keys is limited to about 17-25 (it varies) -- more than enough for my needs, but be aware that learning keys are not unlimited. I had to do some fiddling because part of my equipment is not mainstream, but most people should find their devices are already in the remote's codebase.
The greatest shortcoming is the almost useless auto-on feature, which activates the remote when you pick it up. It is so sensitive that merely walking around the room can trigger it, activating the lighted screen even when not in use. There seems to be no setting to reduce sensitivity, such as there is for brightness and screen on-time. The remote is shipped with this feature turned off, and even the instruction manual says it will greatly reduce battery life if activated -- leave it off.
One minor nit to pick is the color of the lighted screen. Pictures of the Kameleon show bright white symbols on a deep blue background, this is actually just an overlay that comes in the blister back. The lighted keys are blue-green, and the unlighted background is closer to black in dim light. It's OK, it's just not as cool as the pictures.
Other reviewers have complained about short battery life. I suspect the auto-on feature may be to blame for this, because with that feature turned off, I am still on the first set of batteries after two months of use.
Pros:
Easy to use, displays only those keys used by the selected device
Sound punch-through
Very flexible and versatile
Large codebase, plus learning keys and four macro keys
Cons:
Overly sensitive auto-on feature
Membrane keys instead of a true touch screen
More learning keys would be useful
The Kameleon 6960 universal remote works well, replacing four remotes on my chair-side table. It does a good job of bridging the gap between simple multidevice remotes and those costing hundreds of dollars. For a street price of about $35, it gives me most of what I want in a universal. I would have given it five stars if the auto-on feature worked better. Overall, I like the Kameleon very much.
Very useful [Posted on 2008-03-26]
I purchased it from AMAZON, and I'm very impressed with this remote. Works very well for my needs and has a robust layout.
Worth the money.
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