Why can I get a low cost learning remote ?

[SingSing]

I got two identical optima projects, one of the remote is missing.
I am not willing to pay $86 for a remote.

Can a member tell me where can I get a cheap learning IR remote, to just let me turn it on and off ?
So, I don't have to stand on the chair, to turn on the ceiling mount projector !

[jagabo]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=learning+...ontrol&x=0&y=0

[jagabo]

The Gyration is an RF remote. It won't work for IR devices.

[BrainStorm69]

<edit>...I think the Sony at the top of the list jagabo linked to is supposed to be pretty good.

[V Bot]

I may have to get that Sony, I currently have 4 remotes in the living room (Directv, Samsung TV, Samsung Home Theater, and Panasonic DVD Recorder). Have an old Pioneer learning remote for my Audio equipment and it is still going. Thanks for bringing up this topic.

[Squash]

V Bot,

I can recommend the Sony VL600 and its successor, the VL610, as great cheap learning remotes (I've tried several other brands). I've got both of them. The main difference in the newer model is the addition of more buttons. The VL610's a little more expensive and is probably overkill for SingSing if he just wants to use it to turn one component off and on, but they're both extremely versatile. One of their very useful features is the undocumented "micro-macro" ability which is explained in these in-depth reviews:

http://www.remotecentral.com/vl600/index.html
http://www.remotecentral.com/reviews/sony_rmvl610/index.html

I picked up a VL610 at the local Target last year. Makes it easy to try one, and if you don't like it, take it back and tell them it doesn't work with your stereo or whatever.

They're very powerful. I've got components that came with weak remotes that had to be pointed directly at them; with the Sony I can bounce around walls if I like; no reception problems. Great battery life (AA batteries); no backlighting (except the learn button), but there are tactile guides on a few of the buttons which makes it pretty easy to tell where you are if you're handling one in the dark. One bad note about the VL610: the paint starts fading off the keys after months of heavy use. This will never happen with a VL600 due to its different button composition.

I prefer them to my Harmony, which I keep around for it's online codebase, but I very rarely use it.

[jagabo]

I have an older version of the Sony RM VL600 (silver top rather than black). It is a pretty good universal/learning remote. Not as comfortable as my older RM VL900. But a few buttons on that one aren't working so well after 10 years of use. I like both of them more than my Harmony 670.

[SingSing]

I did not pickup the Sony learning remote, though I saw them on display.
The Sony are black in color and will be hard to find in my living room.

I got a Philips 5 functions learning remote. I like to shine the remotes into the Ass of this learning remote.
So far, it managed to control the projecter + DTV box, + Sony surround amp, and the DVD player. Real bonus.