The following page was printed from RemoteCentral.com:
User reviews for the Sony RM-VL700 from Sony Electronics.
Ratings
Reviews
MSRP (USD)
Average: 4.12/5.00 Median: 4.50/5.00
22
$39
The Sony RM-VL700 is an economical remote control that features control of 5 devices. Its comprehensive learning capability can accept codes up to 500kHz and 250-bits in length on all user keys.
I am very pleased with the RM-VL700, particularly with its street price around 25 bucks. The concept of being able to program any key from any original remote regardless of the device mode you're in is very nice. This remote even learned the often quirky Harman Kardon and X10 signals with ease. Overall well crafted and designed. Battery life appears to be superior. Highly recommended as a true all-purpose inexpensive remote.
The reviewer has used this remote control for more than two years.
Review 20 made on Tuesday November 23, 2004 at 8:53 PM.
Strengths:
Great price for full learning capabilites.
Weaknesses:
Button failure.
Review:
This was perfect for what I wanted when I got it,and for a very good price. A fair bit of work to set it up with alot of manual learning, but fine with that.
Main complaint is that after about a year and a half, some buttons started to go. Mainly the power button, which comes in handy. But some other buttons started to lose their ability as well. It gets annoying trying to program various functions to fewer and fewer buttons.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 19 made on Friday December 5, 2003 at 4:00 PM.
Strengths:
Inexpensive, easy to use, plenty of functionality for the average user.
Weaknesses:
The instruction guide is poorly written.
Review:
I was fed up with having to switch between 5 different remotes to control my A/V system. When I decided to get a universal, I figured: 1) it would cost about $100 to get one that worked adequately, and 2) it would fall short on controlling something I had. I picked this up for less than $40 and it controlls every button on every system I want it to. With the learning function and some creativity, I'm able to use this remote for my TV, Digital Cable Box, VCR, DVD, AMP, Tuner, and two CD players. Yes, that's seven items on a five component remote. The TV and Cable are always used together so thats on one, so the CD players share the Cab/Sat component not used. Sharing this somewhat limits what what I can have it do, but it's enough to use them as I ordinarily do. I haven't had any luck with the micro-macro thing yet, but I'll keep trying. I'm completely satisfied with this product.
Quality:
Features:
Value:
Written by peter oomen from groningen, the netherlands.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 18 made on Thursday September 25, 2003 at 5:11 AM.
Strengths:
does what it is supposed to do!
Weaknesses:
the channel up/down and the sound buttons are to low positioned for my liking (big hands)
no macroing
Review:
After using this product with my equipment, which are all "exotic" units like a btc 5113 keyboard (ir) it can even emulate the mouse!!!!, a weird dvd player (cyberhome) and an external tuner (for a computer monitor since I dont use a tv) this RC controls them all... excellent!
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 17 made on Wednesday September 24, 2003 at 2:14 PM.
Strengths:
SUPERB -- soft and comfortable -- BUTTONS! Very good layout. Simple in both learning and operation. Has not caused any troubles at learning all the signals I've tried.
Weaknesses:
No constant information as to what it's currently set to operate (but that would require a led shining at all times and using up batteries excessively, so I take back the claim ;), the dedicated codes for Samsung worked poorly with my devices (but with the learning function--who cares?), there are no macros (but I knew about it and never had a macro-featured remote, so I don't cry over that). Overall -- NONE :)
Review:
Now, for me this is ONE HELL OF A GREAT REMOTE! Let me tell you why. I suffer from muscular atrophy. Not only do I not walk and stuff, but I also have a fairly (and that's by my standards ;) limited force in my hands and fingers. Normal standards of ergonomy often do not apply to me, but in my very limited experience of operating remote controls for TV-set's and such I didn't come across big hurdles. (Truth be told, we stuck with Sony and all in all it was only one 21" set bought in very early 90's, one 25" set from mid 90's, a VCR from late 90's, and a juke-box multi componet of 2001; but I also used remotes when visiting friends.) All changed when I came to buy a new TV set and a vcr this year. Soon I was to find that some of the market offer had remotes that would be virtually unoperateable to me because of the required button press force! I was reduced to adding the comfort of the remote to my list of criteria -- I did not know anything about universal remotes -- and asking the salespeople to let me try the buttons. As I had not much time and possibility to check everything I was soon quite decided to go for Sony again. At the last moment, however, other reasons pushed me towards Samsung. And my fears materialized -- many functions of the combo VCR+DVD and of the TV were out of reach and the general ease of use was greatly compromised. By then I knew of the UR's, and went for a lookout. Alas, when choosing among the simpler, more reasonably priced learning remotes (since everything I was after was good buttons and flexibility of their distribution on the keyboard), my problem reappeared! The trend of today, apparently, is to make much tougher buttons than some 10 years ago. All this long-winded lead-up is meant to set this conclusion: THIS REMOTE WAS THE ONLY ONE (granted: of the meagre choice I had) WHOSE KEYPRESS WAS A PLEASURE. I'm so very glad somebody still produces things I can handle I'm half ashamed I have "betrayed" Sony.
My situation is, obviously, quite unique. But if you are a person to whom a pleasant feel of the buttons, soft press combined with brilliant feedback, and overall ergonomy matters -- I STRONGLY recommend this one!
Leaving the buttons (finally? ;) -- the remote has not disappointed me in any way whatsover. My first step was, naturally, to use codes, and at that I was for a moment taken aback, because the TV-set reacted to the commands hesitatingly: one could never be sure of the reaction and the delay was irksome; the volume needed multiple presses (just like was earlier noted in one of other reviews). But when I started learning the keys, all worries disappeared! (Among others, the volume increases/decreases continuously, no problem.) The learning procedure is very simple and reliable -- I have not once encountered a signal that would cause problems. Funny you have to erase the old learned function before learning a new one, but that's no hurdle. There are not seemingly many keys, but since practically all are programmable it is quite a few, and what concerns me I needed not leave _anything_ important away. Being a first-time user of an UR I'm still learning to keep track of what device the zapper is currently switched to, and sometimes wish there was a constant indicator, but the lighting of component selection key of a device at the press of any of the control buttons is good enough once you get some practice. I could use macros for my VCR's dumb-conceived index search activation, so VL900 might be a better option, but it was not in stock where I looked, and I doubt I'd be willing to spend the extra money. The VL700 was already rather pricey by local standards... but it is one hell worth it, I repeat!
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 16 made on Sunday May 18, 2003 at 6:25 PM.
Strengths:
Easy to use; Feels good in the hand. "teaching" it other remotes was easy. (Egomanics: READ THE MANUAL!) Device buttons light up on any button press.
Weaknesses:
Could use more buttons. Holding a key down does not repeat the function. (i.e. volume must be pressed many times to go from 50 to 25.)
Review:
This remote solved my headaches! My TV is second-hand (Signature 2000), so I had found an old Zenith universal to replace the missing one. This TV has a strange "feature". On power up, the channel number is displayed on the screen with a VERY large number, and won't go away untill you press the "TV/VCR" button on the remote. (What's up with that?!!). Any how, The Zenith remote would not support any of my other devices, Nor would the codes for my DBS remote give me the TV/VCR button. (AARRGH!).
So after juggling remotes for a year, I came across the Sony RM-VL900.
I learned the hard way the the "L" in the model number means "Learning".
The only one I could find locally was the VL 700, which works great.
It took me about five minutes to get the hang of teaching all the buttons, but it has a great feature: when you're under a particular device, you can set each button while in that mode.
I taught the volume buttons to use my Sherwood 6108 (Great buy, good unit!) receiver, so no matter what I'm watching, I can mute & Vol up & down.
I had to be creative with the DVD and RCVR emulations, using the 4 keys below the device buttons for Input Selects (RCVR) and the Channel +/- for the >>| & |<< (DVD).
I'm going to print some small text on my printer and tape it below the buttons so my wife will know how to use it.
I paid $40.00 at sears. So a pretty good value; espicially since it fixed my oddball TV problem!
NOTE: I just bought this thing today, so I have no say in long-term use...
Return to the user reviews index...
