Infrared performance.
Two LEDs are visible through the plastic shield on the front of the ZR800D, but as the “digital camera test” proved that only one is used for transmitting IR the second must be used solely for code learning. It has been some time since I tested a universal remote that had only one LED, but appearances can be deceiving as good performance has come from single emitter remotes in the past.
With the recent retirement of our Menacing Thick Fluffy Blanket (MTFB), I brought out its successor, the Menacing Thick Flannel Cloth (logically MTFC). Despite its imposing name the cloth is actually quite a bit thinner than the blanket, allowing for finer graduations between layers. From a distance of approximately 7 feet, the MTFC test involves transmitting the [Mute] command to our reference Sony receiver through ever increasing layers of fabric obstruction. So far our bevy of tests has resulted in scores ranging between 5 and 11, with an average rating of 7.6 over the 8 remotes that have been benchmarked with MTFC.
We begin at level 1 – a single layer of soft flannelly cotton. The ZR800D showed little signs of obstruction, working consistently from angles 30-35 degrees off center in any direction. Next up is level 2 – two layers. Here there was a marked reduction in off angle performance, with perhaps only 15 degrees of possible variance. Moving on to level 3 and, well, nothing happened. The receiver did not mute, even though my finger did push. I determined that positioning the remote approximately one foot closer to the receiver would result in commands getting through if aimed perfectly straight, however from the reference distance there was absolutely no reception.
The final tally of the ZR800D is an unprecedented 2.0: a score similar to many OEM remotes and generally okay for “standard” use, but the remote won’t be bouncing commands off the walls.
Using the remote.
Although the ZR800D is an 8 device remote, that specification appears to be conditional on exactly what 8 devices you intend on programming. In the case of my home theater system I was able to program 6 devices before running out of preprogrammed codes and learning memory. And while those were in fact the 6 most important devices for daily use, having to pick between being able to use my tape deck or my PS3 isn’t something that should have to be done when the product is sold as capable of much more.
During normal use, the remote constantly displays the current device name as well as its three-digit preprogrammed number on the LCD (although I’m uncertain as to why it’s important to know at all times what code number is assigned). Switching between devices is quick (especially since there are no input and power switching macros), though I did notice that switching to certain devices resulted in the clock’s “AM” or “PM” icon disappearing for varying amounts of time. The clock itself doesn’t tie into a timer feature, but does give something else to set when daylight saving time is changed.
Operational performance for the ZR800D tends to depend on how much it has been programmed. Utilizing only the built-in code database, keys are snappy with little lag and a decent (although not exceptional) maximum repeat rate. But as soon as 15 or so learned codes were added to the mix, any key that had a learned code started to suffer with a noticeable delay between hitting the key and the code transmitting, as well as a “dead period” afterwards during which no other key could be pressed. Once the number of learned commands approached 50, the remote’s overall performance could only be described as lethargic – entering three-digit channel numbers at a normal speed was nearly impossible, as the middle digit was almost invariably not transmitted. Navigating on-screen menus using the cursor pad turned into an exercise in patience and redundant button pushes.
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