Question Wanting To Get Parents a Simplistic Set-Up

RKD2313

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Aug 13, 2021
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In the past couple years Ive gotten my parents (Age: 60's Early 70's) a 50" Flat Screen, Polk Audio Soundbar w/ Sub, and recently convinced them to ditch Dish and get a Firestick.

The issue is, like most peoples parents whom are older, they arent the most savy with the latest tech + they start to slightly become more hard of hearing as they age. To compound these issues, the TV, Soundbar, & Firestick are all separate remotes. This is an annoyance to my dad (lol) who still uses a flip phone and can/will read texts but doesnt text back.

With all that being said, what would be the most simplistic approach? Im not opposed to just getting the TV and Soundbar back and buying them a whole new set-up.

Can remotes (Universal?) be programmed to other devices besides TV's?
Do set-ups exist where I could just buy a TV + Sound System together thats the same brand and therefore both devices are controlled by 1 remote?

Im a pretty tech savvy person, but I find myself not knowing much in terms of specifics when it comes to Home Theatre type topics.

Any help or opinions is appreciated! Thanks
 
Depends on the setup most of the time.
I did something similar for the gfs family.
4k firestick, LG TV, and LG soundbar.
4k firestick with the new remote turns on the firestick and TV at the same time. Firestick remote has volume controls which work with the TV, same brand soundbar reads the TV inputs and adjusts instead. All from one remote.
 
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RKD2313

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Logitech Harmony does did exactly this.
Control TV, cable box, stereo, etc, etc...

Unfortunately, I now see they've discontinued this...:(

There are still some on Amazon, but at a stupidly high price.

What was the reasoning on why they were discontinued? Seems like an incredibly useful device.

Depends on the setup most of the time.
I did something similar for the gfs family.
4k firestick, LG TV, and LG soundbar.
4k firestick with the new remote turns on the firestick and TV at the same time. Firestick remote has volume controls which work with the TV, same brand soundbar reads the TV inputs and adjusts instead. All from one remote.

Thanks for that info! Was the LG a package deal or did it all work because they were both LG?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
What was the reasoning on why they were discontinued? Seems like an incredibly useful device.
It is. I have one.

One click:
Turns the TV on, changes the cable box to a preset station, turns the stereo on to the proper input....

Different click:
Change the TV input to the HTPC, set volume at X

Different click:
Change the smart TV to Netflix app...

Different click:
Turn TV off, turn stereo off.


Ah well
"...and in 2019, Logitech CEO Bracken Darrell called Harmony a “small business” that was rapidly becoming irrelevant in the world of streaming video services."

https://www.techhive.com/article/57...universal-remotes-are-being-discontinued.html
 

RKD2313

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Aug 13, 2021
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It is. I have one.

One click:
Turns the TV on, changes the cable box to a preset station, turns the stereo on to the proper input....

Different click:
Change the TV input to the HTPC, set volume at X

Different click:
Change the smart TV to Netflix app...

Different click:
Turn TV off, turn stereo off.


Ah well
"...and in 2019, Logitech CEO Bracken Darrell called Harmony a “small business” that was rapidly becoming irrelevant in the world of streaming video services."

https://www.techhive.com/article/57...universal-remotes-are-being-discontinued.html
Yea, I read briefly about it. Saying the reasoning was because with the technology moving towards Smart Phones and Smart TV's it would phase out the need for universal remotes. I could see that logic at the time it was said, but still yet, it would still serve a need and purpose.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Yea, I read briefly about it. Saying the reasoning was because with the technology moving towards Smart Phones and Smart TV's it would phase out the need for universal remotes. I could see that logic at the time it was said, but still yet, it would still serve a need and purpose.
I/we use mine every single day.
Like right now....lol

But, evidently not profitable enough for Logi to continue with it.
 
Do the sound bar and TV have hdmi arc capability? If so try to utilize that. I’ve got my TCL 65 inch hooked to a Sony sound bar with sub. With hdmi arc, you can turn off the tv speakers. When I turn on the TV the sound bar turns on also, and the volume is controlled by the same remote. So I use a roku stick and it can turn on the TV, so all I do is hit the power button on it, the roku gets power from the tv USB port, so the tv turns on, the roku boots up and connects, at the same time the sound bar turns on and syncs up the audio and all is controlled via the roku remote.

If you don’t have hdmi arc, here’s my recommendation if using roku.

https://www.amazon.com/One-For-All-URC7935/dp/B07R7WNJH7/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=roku+one+remote&qid=1664029300&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjEzIiwicXNhIjoiMi43MCIsInFzcCI6IjIuNzAifQ==&sr=8-3

This reboot as you can see has a TV power button, and a separate power button. I’ve got one of these downstairs in my basement. So I have a cheap sound bar that connects by optical audio to a TV for if I want to watch football. I used the tv remote to disable the tv built in speakers. When I go to use it, one power button turns on the TV, the other power button the sound bar. Then I programmed the remote to control volume for the sound bar. I think you use the old remotes to teach it if I recall.

Note if you do that method you need a streaming box. In my downstairs I have a roku express 4K. That way you still get good picture quality but can still use this remote.

https://www.amazon.com/Roku-Express-Streaming-Wireless-Controls/dp/B0916TKFF2

Not sure on options for other platforms than roku, but I’d recommend roku for them. The interface is simple and as you can see there are options that should cover either situation.

Note I did have a Logitech harmony remote. Probably threw it out. The harmony remote after a while could be a pain. But it comes down to your preferences.
 
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