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User reviews for the RCA RCU810 from RCA.
Ratings
Reviews
MSRP (USD)
Average: 3.95/5.00 Median: 4.33/5.00
97
$69
The RCU810 is a learning and preprogrammed remote control. It features control of 8 devices, 54 buttons with backlighting, an LCD screen, macro keys, plus a sleep timer & clock.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 27 made on Friday February 9, 2001 at 3:03 PM.
Strengths:
looks cool in the dark
Weaknesses:
VERY little memory No support Aiwa Tuner/Amp Should not be advertised as an "8 Device" remote
Review:
I tried programming 5 devices on this remote and achieved limited functionality on about 2 out of 20 attempts. It's behavior after programming is totally unpredictable. After one programming attempt, pressing the DVD button called up the CAB display on the LCD, and vise versa. On another, the devices were properly mapped to their respective keys but the codes I entered CHANGED after programming more devices. In some cases, the DVD button would pull up nothing at all... AFTER PROPER PROGRAMING!
Each programming attempt was done after a full, "MANF RESET" and or removal of the batteries for total mem wipe. The only way to get this thing to work at all was to program no more than 4 devices (in my case). Apart from the low-density plastic, cheap label paint, and COMPLETE LACK OF FUNCTIONALITY, this thing is great. Oh, don't even try to program the AUX, MISC, or any other function on this remote if you are prone to heart-attack.
Some may be thinking that I didn't RTFM. I memorized that verbal nightmare and as a result, will avoid all "Thomson Electronics" products in the future.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 26 made on Thursday February 8, 2001 at 5:55 PM.
Strengths:
Backlight, LCD.
Weaknesses:
Button placement, button labeling, shape, overall usability. Casing looks cheap, character labels are badly printed on the casing.
Review:
I used this unit along with two other I was considering at the time: Radio Shack 15-1994 and All-For-One Cinema 7 IQ.
The 810 is ok, but not as great as the 15-1994. By the way, many 'hidden' features of the 15-1994 are exposed at www.hifi-remote.com.
The button placement on the 810 is not as well organized as the 15-1994 and is less intuitive. For example, the device selection buttons are not clearly separated from the macro buttons and the rest of the buttons. The buttons (except for the arrow buttons) all just blend together, without any good hint of grouping, and this really makes this unit much harder to use.
The button labels are geared more toward receiver controls (center, delay, etc.) and are not so friendly for TV or DVD controls. The play/stop/pause/ff/rew arrow buttons on the bottom are placed too low on the bottom making hard to reach while trying to maintain the balance of the unit on your palm. The stop and pause buttons are also ambiguous and not easily distinguished.
The 15-1994 unit, on the other hand, has the same powerful features as the RCA 810 (minus the LCD, which is problematic anyway in the 810), but is a lot more usable and intuitive. Shape, button placement and labeling are a lot better than the 810 -- just make sure you ignore the manual and follow the instruction/tips on www.hifi-remote to fully exploit its potentials. For similar price, it also looks much better than the 810.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 25 made on Sunday January 28, 2001 at 10:12 PM.
Strengths:
Controls my Harman Kardon AVR80! Lots of buttons, almost ALL buttons learn, backlit buttons and LCD, very adequate LCDisplay (makes programming/use simple)
Weaknesses:
Channel and volume don't offer the best feel. Positioning of volume buttons a bit unothodox (side-by-side as apposed to the more usual one above the other). Only used it for one night and already getting used to these weaknesses.
Review:
This is the one for me, I realized this after two weeks of playing with RS 15-1999, Sony RM-VL900, and OFA Cinema 7. Non of which adequately controlled my H/K AVR80 Receiver (my biggest challenge). The RCU810 worked with my AVR80 using code 0908. Most essential buttons were pre-programmed and those that were not were covered with the learn function. This is where the RCA RCU810 has a huge adavntage over the Cinema and 15-1999. The RCU810 lets you "learn" on almost every key (up to 25, probably less in my case since H/K uses very long codes). My RCU810 "learned" about 10 H/K buttons, 4 for my Toshiba DVD and 2 for my Mitsubishi VCR. So far I have not run out of memory. The Sony RM-VL900 learns on almost all buttons but has too few buttons, no backlighting, no display and is $20 more! (no thanks). For all those that say some buttons are in wrong places (eg. ENTER for DVD, etc.) just use the LEARN function to program it where you want, that's what I did. Just about any missing/missplaced button can be learned wherever you want. I can't say it enough, that's the beauty of the RCU810: LEARNS ON ALSMOT EVERY KEY. (take note RS and OFA... yours are going back for a refund).
The reviewer has used this remote control for 3-6 months.
Review 24 made on Saturday January 27, 2001 at 12:17 PM.
Strengths:
Ergonomically great Backlighting Pre-programmed codes work most functions Learn to most keys VERY EASY to program
Weaknesses:
LACK OF MEMORY (only 16-35 buttons)
Review:
This is a follow up to my Oct22, 2000 review. I have since added a DVD player: Pioneer DV-C503 5 disc changer. The pre-programmed codes worked OK, but I lacked two CRITICAL functions: the "select" button, and the ability to manually change disks. As previously stated in my earlier review, I pegged the memory on my existing devices. After much analysis, I decided I could delete a redundant VCR function, so I was able to learn the "select" key from the DVD player. I also found a work-around for the manual disk-changing problem: use the "program" feature. I would note that I at first tried finding an advanced code for the RS-1994 to do "disk skip" so I could "learn it" (pardon the poor english) to the RCU810. But, no advance code would work. I also considered buying another RCU-810, dedicating one to everything minus the DVD, and the other to everything minus the VCR, but this has proven to be unnecessary. The RCU810 continues to suite my needs very well -- for now. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE RCA -- add more MEMORY to this EXCELLENT remote!!!!
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 23 made on Wednesday January 17, 2001 at 4:12 PM.
Strengths:
Backlight, learning capability, pretty good code database, LCD screen
Weaknesses:
Memory for learning, weak abilities for receivers
Review:
My gear: Echostar 4700 Sony TV Mitsubishi VCR Panasonic boombox
I finally chose this over the RS/OFA remotes, mostly due to the backlight. The backlight is great. Some complain about the contrast on the LCD, but it's only really used for programming so it didn't bother me in day-to-day use.
I picked mine up for $40 after rebate at Circuit City. Excellent for the price.
I finally quieted my wife with this remote. The Echostar 4700 handles IR and UHF together straight out of the box, so my UHF remote is now only used in the second room. The RCA covers all of my odd setup at the moment. I had to learn some menu functions since Mitsubishi VCRs are weird, even with their own remotes. And the boombox wasn't in the database, of course. Only the Page-up/down functions of the satellite needed to be learned, nothing on the TV.
This remote covered my secondary setup beautifully. I tried it with my home theater, but it's so weak for a Yamaha receiver (surround modes not supported, sleep doesn't work even though it's labelled on the remote, inputs all weird-not even all on the number keys) that I will need a remote with much more memory to run that larger system. (TV, VCR, PS2, receiver, turntable, LD, DVD)
The manual wasn't great, but none of them are. The remote is light for its size, durable, the keys have a decent feel. The keys could be shaped and sized more, but then there wouldn't be enough room.
Only real problem is the memory. I haven't taught it all the functions I would like from my boombox, I will run out of room if I try. Memory is cheap, they could easily have made it cover 100 buttons instead of 20 or whatever.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 3-6 months.
Review 22 made on Sunday January 14, 2001 at 7:51 PM.
Strengths:
Beauty, all the right buttons, brilliant backlight, LCD panel with easy-to-follow prompts, learning functionality, excellent transmitting power
Weaknesses:
None that I notice.
Review:
The remote is everything I needed in a universal. It learns, which is important, but ends up being not as important with this remote, because right out of the box, it has all the right buttons, and almost does EVERYTHING you need by default. It is easy to program, has a quality feel to it, and has made my life so much simpler in the past few months. I recommend this remote to anyone in the market. You won't regret it.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 21 made on Saturday January 13, 2001 at 11:41 PM.
Strengths:
Replay codes, learning, backlight
Weaknesses:
Limited memory, no quick skip or instant replay buttons for replay (and no functions in the code set)
Review:
Dish Network (Echostar) 4000 Dish 500 Magnavox TV Assortment of 100 CD Player, Amp, etc.
I had two big issues: (1) pre-programmed for Replay, and (2) how to get my Dish Echostar 4000 and 500 to work correctly.
Replay was great. The only problem was one someone else on this list mentioned--the lack of pre-programmed functions for the (critical) 'quick skip' and 'instant replay' buttons. No problem...learned the functions in 2 minutes.
As for the Echostar/Dish 4000...another matter altogether. Not the RCU810's problem...rather one I would have know about had I read up here earlier. For the ridiculously idiotic problem of having to modify the 4000 for IR (in addition to RF) you have to go to http://www.carltonbale.com/dish--for hardware and programming fixes.
It is true that it lacks sufficient memory, but I've got to tell you that the backlighting is frighteningly good. How do the same EE's do one so well and the other so poorly?
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