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What is “Beam Interval”?
While reading the back of the RM-AV2500’s packaging, users may be intrigued by something called the “Long touch function”, described somewhat unhelpfully as “you can change any button keep-touching mode. And it is useful to avoid accidental operation.” Further confusing the issue is that the manual never mentions anything called “long touch”, but does refer to a new feature named (equally ambiguously) “Beam Interval” – it’s the same thing.
Basically, the RM-AV2500’s “long touch” or “beam interval” feature lets you add a hold delay to any button: before a command is transmitted, the key will have to be held for a certain length of time. For example, if you didn’t want a particular device to be switched off accidentally, you could add a 1 or 2 second hold time to the [Power] button. Users will then need to hold [Power] for 1 to 2 seconds before the key will work. By default, a 1 second hold time is added to the [Rec] button, replacing the old requirement of pressing [Rec] and [Play] at the same time. You can adjust this to a 2 second hold, or remove the hold completely and have the button operate instantly.
This feature works particularly well when selecting components. Typically I like to have power and input switching macros assigned to each device key, so when [TV] or [DVD] is selected the system automatically powers on required devices and sets appropriate inputs. However, I may not always want that macro sent, sometimes preferring to simply change operating modes on the remote without doing anything to the system. The old “opaque hand” trick needed on the RM-AV2100 to block its infrared output during a macro has finally been banished for good: simply press a device key to switch the remote, or hold it for 1 or 2 seconds (1 second being the default) to send the attached macro.
The RM-AV3000 also had a form of the “beam interval” feature, but it only worked on Component Select buttons – with the RM-AV2500 and RM-AV3100 it works on absolutely any command key.
Pointing out a good thing.
Something new to the RM-AV2500 is key aliases, where one button can reference another. Simpler automatic forms of this are often referred to as “punchthroughs”, but here any in-device button can point to any other in-device button. For example, you could copy the TV’s [Wide] button to several devices, without learning the command over and over. If you were to later buy a new TV, any changes to the original [Wide] button would automatically be reflected on aliased keys.
The RM-AV2500 does have an automated volume punchthrough feature, where the remote can control the TV’s audio for visual devices and the receiver’s audio for audio devices, or the receiver for all devices. But that feature only works with preprogrammed codes – if you had to learn the volume keys the punchthrough won’t work. Instead, use the memory-efficient key aliasing feature (not that saving memory is a necessity). As with learning codes, it’s possible to customize the target LCD square’s label during the aliasing process.
You may have noticed the mysteriously named [M1] and [M2] component selection buttons. Can’t figure out what sort of abbreviation that corresponds to? Well, the manual describes these as “Multi Component” keys, made purely out of aliases. By default [M1] is set to operate both televisions and VCRs, while [M2] controls televisions and DVD players. Changing the preset code for any of those original devices will automatically change the functions contained on [M1] or [M2]. These two devices can be further customized to include anything you deem necessary, or since they’re merely “sample” multi component keys, they can be reset to function as normal component keys.
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