New remote control for TV/SKY

SandLake

My Samsung TV has got several different 'modes'

Freeview, EXT1, EXT 2, HDMI1, HDMI2, HDMI3

It is not possible to go straight to one of these, all I can do is cycle forward through them, the HDMI options only appear if there is something plugged into them.

When I am using my sky remote, if I accidentally press the TV button and then press a number, the TV displays that freeview channel so I then have to get the TV remote and cycle through the inputs to get to HDMI1 again.

I can easily live with it, it is just an inconvenience but is there an alternative remote control that would handle both TV and SKY?

I saw todays ibood.co.uk offer of a Philips universal remote control and thought it might do but I don't want to spend £50 in case iot isn't what I want.

Any advice?

Nilrem

Any of the Logitech Harmony remotes* will let you go directly to the correct source for whatever you're watching, and will only activate the relevant controls for that "activity" as it has a computer based setup (so you tell it you're using your Sky box, if you're using the TV's speakers or surround sound, and what input the TV uses, and it'll turn the TV, Sky box and surround on to the right inputs, then the channel control works the Sky box, and the volume the surround etc).

If you check the Phillips site for a manual you should be able to find out if the remote in that offer does something similar.
[edit]
Looking at the Philips site for the user manual for another model in the same line (a 15 in 1 remote rather than the 20 in one on ibood), it looks like you can indeed set up activities on the remote.


*I went from having to use anything up to 3 remotes at a time (TV/Amp/Blu-ray), and having 6 sat on my desk to one.

chrisw

With my Samsung tv, I've found that if I press the 'TV' button on the sky remote, the 'help' button on the sky remote cycles through the inputs as you describe. When I get to the HDMI setting I press 'ok' which gets rid of the input list. I then press 'Sky' to control the Sky box again.

If the 'help' button doesn't work, try one of the others.

Lum

Seconding the Logitech Harmony option, providing you're comfortable with plugging it into your computer to set the thing up.

You might even find (as I did with my Panasonic) that there are hidden options the TV will accept that aren't on the remote but will let you directly set up inputs.

The beauty of the Harmony, however, is it's "activities" mode. I have mine set up so that when you select the "Sky" activity, it powers on the TV, the Sky box, my amps, sets the TV to HDMI2 and then changes all the buttons on the remote to ones that control the Sky box, with the exception of the volume controls which control the amplifier. Similar things happen when you select any of the other activities I have set up.

Expect to spend some time tinkering to get it all behaving correctly, however.

SandLake

Thanks for the 'sympathetic' replies.

(chrisw) I have discovered what you describe, I had an additional sky remote that I never brought into use, probably a SkyHD remote (it is a version 8) and it does allow me to select the input which is pretty much exactly what I wanted. I had tried that with my existing Sky remote - just didn't understand why it didn't work.

Still think this could be more user friendly - but a lot happier now. Thanks for the help

Avoriaz

You could disable the TV button on your Sky remote.

Take it apart and block it from underneath.

Alternatively and quickly reversible, cut the head off a small pin and stick it through the rubber button from one side to the other so that the ends of the pin rest on the remote cover.

Either option should prevent the button working.

Johnmcl7

SandLake wrote: »

Thanks for the 'sympathetic' replies.

(chrisw) I have discovered what you describe, I had an additional sky remote that I never brought into use, probably a SkyHD remote (it is a version 8) and it does allow me to select the input which is pretty much exactly what I wanted. I had tried that with my existing Sky remote - just didn't understand why it didn't work.

Still think this could be more user friendly - but a lot happier now. Thanks for the help

If it's a Sky+/SkyHD box you have, another useful one to know is that pressing TV and either the pause or play button (can't remember which one it is) changes the aspect ration (4:3, 16:9, auto, zoom etc.). I find at times the TV is left with a strange aspect ratio which I assume is due to accidentally pressing the play/pause buttons in TV mode so it's the quickest way to get the TV back to normal.

John

almillar

You don't mention what model number it is, but some TVs do have a function to 'skip' inputs - so you still cycle through inputs, but there are fewer to go through. Have a look at your manual...

mauriphonic

Big thanks chrisw on the help button tip. I had exactly the same issue and its solved it for me! Thanks. Was a really annoying quirk of my TV