RC User Reviews: Sony RM-AV2100 Remote Control (7)

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User reviews for the Sony RM-AV2100 from Sony Electronics.

Ratings	Reviews	MSRP (USD)
Average: 3.86/5.00 Median: 4.17/5.00	58	$179

Sony's RM-AV2100 LCD touchscreen remote is an upgrade of their previous model with twice the memory for learning, five times the macros, a better built-in code library, greater customization and many more improvements.

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Now viewing user reviews page 7 of 9 for
the Sony RM-AV2100 remote.

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Written by Michael Ryan from Kansas.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 16 made on Monday January 15, 2001 at 12:43 PM.

Strengths:

Easy to use right out of the box.
The channel buttons have little dots on them so you can find them in the dark.
Learning capability very easy.

Weaknesses:

The beep gets anoying after a while.
No hard power button.
Backlight time does not reset after each key press.

Review:

This is a very good remote. Thirty minutes after taking it out of the box my old remotes were in the junk box. I am able to surf in darkness with out any problems due to the dots on the channel buttons. I was able to control all of my components with this remote. I would like to note however that to control all of the fine tuning functions of my reciever I will either have to pick one of the unused components and learn everything to buttons on that screen. I decided just to get the basics onto the remote though as I rarely fine tune my reciever. As an example of how well the learning feature works, It took my laserdisc remote without a second glance. Just a few button presses on both remotes and the useful buttons were on the 2100.

There are some downsides to the remote however. First the beep gets a little annoying after awhile, but that can be turned off. I would recommend that you wait until after you've completed the set up as it can be handy to hear a beep after you press each of the touch screens buttons. Second a hard power button would be nice as that is a highly used function.
And, my third complaint is a regular in these reader reviews, the backlighting timer should reset with each key press. To get around this I just changed the backlight time to 30 seconds and turn it off when I'm done. One neat feature is you can hit the LIGHT button and it will bring on the light and the last controlled component.

All in all this is a solid controller. It needs only minor modifications to be a great controller, but at a price significantly less than some of the other learning remotes out there this remote should at least garner a second look.

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Written by Andy from Illinois, USA.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 15 made on Wednesday January 3, 2001 at 11:29 AM.

Strengths:

Programmability, ease of use, versatility, extensive support for various brand names, fun to use. Macros, macros, macros.

Weaknesses:

Not very many serious weaknesses. Automatic backlighting would be nice but not necessary. Learning feature is easy and great but also easy to mess up. Touch screen buttons could be better.

Review:

I liked this even more than I thought I would! Macros can be programmed on even the item select buttons so that holding them down for a couple seconds will run even more macros than the three macro buttons that are provided allow for. A slightly larger touch screen to allow for slightly larger buttons would greatly enhance the unit - which is not small but has a nice weight and angle on the base for operation from a resting position.

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Written by Laird Popkin from New York, USA.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 6-12 months.

Review 14 made on Thursday December 28, 2000 at 10:07 PM.

Strengths:

The non-LCD buttons are quite pleasant.

Weaknesses:

Remote is terribly large, and the use of the display is limited. Too little memory to handle a complex setup that requires programming custom IR.

Review:

This remote starts out well, but has some major limitations. Before I get into that, I'll say that I replaced mine with a Marantz (AKA Pronto).

The limitations:

1. The display isn't really under your control. The buttons are pre-defined, in a grid. You can select which labels are displayed for any particular grid location, but you can't move the buttons around if you don't like Sony's layout, much less use custom graphics.

2. The buttons on the display are impossible to use in the dark since you can't see the display. And even in dim light the tiny text labels on the buttons are impossible to read without backlighting. The result -- you can't use the remote by feel, but only by looking closely at it.

3. My setup includes mainly components that weren't pre-defined devices; the remote ran out of capacity for learning new IR codes and "custom" buttons well before I had everything programmed into the system. Everything that is a change from Sony's predefined button sets for known devices consumes precious memory -- I found myself deleting buttons that I didn't often use on the first devices I set up so that I could program in additional buttons on other devices.

4. It's rather confusing to program. I am an engineer, and I eventually figured it out, but the interface is particularly unclear.

5. The display broke when my 3 year old daughter dropped the unit about two feet. Admittedly, one shouldn't treat an expensive remote the way a three year old treats things, but I was surprised...

Perhaps all of these tradeoffs were required to keep the price down. After getting frustrated with this remote, I was very happy to pay the $400 for the Marantz RC5000i, which has nearly infinite memory (for a remote) and is very easy to customize. And even the standard layouts are much more intuitive than the Sony's "grid of buttons" approach.

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Written by Dan P. from Ft. Worth, TX.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 13 made on Monday December 25, 2000 at 1:33 AM.

Strengths:

1. Extensive memory
2. Touch screen has spot on sensitivity and properly sized hot spots
3. Hard buttons for volume and channel control

Weaknesses:

1. Poor shape/wasted space
2. Channel surfing somewhat problematic
3. Touch screen a bit too wide
4. Touch screen contrast could be better

Review:

As mentioned in other reviews this is a big unit. Given the large number of buttons that can be programmed I can see why it needs to be big, yet the layout wastes too much space. Specifically, the lower left hand portion contains no buttons. The remote appears designed for the table top (or flat surface) yet most people like to have the remote in hand. I hope Sony rethinks this the next time around.

When you discount the number pad (left portion of remote) the user has 22 buttons available for programming, which is great for function hungry devices like a DVD player. I wish the unit was shaped a bit longer and less wide since the middle rows of buttons are a bit difficult to reach with both hands grasping the sides of the unit.

The touch screen 'feel' is great. Just the right amount of pressure is needed to operate a button. Additionally, the button hot spots are properly sized.

It is possible to channel surf with one hand if you program your 'favorite' botton and other frequently used buttons on the right side. Obviously, other remotes do a better job with this.

Three hard buttons are available for macros so powering up/down your devices at once is quite easy.

In the end, I'd buy the unit again despite its shortcomings. Its extensive programability is an acceptable tradeoff against its rather unwieldy size and shape.

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Written by JellyJams from SoCal, USA.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 12 made on Tuesday December 19, 2000 at 3:04 PM.

Strengths:

1. EXCELLENT price for "tech style" remote; $96, free shipping, no tax.
2. LCD Touch Screen.
3. Nice "Blue Glow" backlight--bright/dim
4. Large selection of pre-program product codes.
5. Wide signal beam.
6. Multiple programming options.
7. Will "learn" your old remotes.
8. Hard keys are raised (rubber feel)and not jammed together.
9. Good placement and size of CHANNEL, VOLUME and MUTING hard keys. CHANNEL keys have a "raised dimple" for easy identification.
10. Ribbed bottom--if you want to hold it.
11. Tiny, tiny, tiny rubber feet to keep it from sliding on a table.

Weaknesses:

1. Hard keys are not visible in no/low light because they are not lit and do not glow.
2. LCD backlight turns "off" after a preset time, even if you are still using the touch screen.
3. The common LCD screen glare.

Review:

I am a "heavy" tech person with a "light" wallet. The 2100 fits my situation perfectly. I have accumulated 30+ remotes over the years (not mentioning the ones that I round filed).

I have an all non-Sony component AV system--all now controlled by the 2100. I have programmed the 2100 to turn on my AMP/select DVD/select 5.1, turn on the DVD/select PLAY, turn on the TV/select DVD/select VOLUME MUTE, and dim the room lights (theater style); all with the press of a single COMMAND key. My Wife wouldn't let me put the microwave in the family-room for the popcorn ;-) I even programmed one key to turn the fireplace on/off. Don't "hate" the "player" in me; my Wife gave me a rebate just for this little thoughtfulness!

Programming is comparable to simular units; take your time. The Programming Guide on this web site is excellent. I printed it and use it rather than the manual. I would like to see the hard keys light or glow. I would also like to see the LCD backlight remain "on" for a timed period after the press of a key. This would not leave you in the "dark" during a non-programmed procedure.

The size is larger than probably most of your other remotes, however, I consider the 2100 a "table remote". The beam spread is wide, thus eliminating the old point-and-click syndrome.

Price per value is outstanding--I still have cash to expand my DVD collection!

PS: I didn't have the nads to perform a "drop test" <|;-}

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Written by Darran from Kent, UK.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 11 made on Tuesday December 19, 2000 at 5:51 AM.

Strengths:

Backlight
Pre-programmed for Sony gear
Touchscreen works very well

Weaknesses:

Backlight not auto-on
No support for Sony VCR video plus!
Lack of button labels

Review:

I really love it... except that, for example, Sky Digital has a remote with buttons like "moveies", "service" etc. The Sony has a very limited set of labels requiring you to assign "movies" to "pip" or something even less meaningless.

And no pre-programmed support for Video+
How I am supposed to program my VCR??

It is cheap though... compared to Pronto etc.

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Written by Ben Kaz from Montana, USA.

The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.

Review 10 made on Friday December 1, 2000 at 4:55 AM.

Strengths:

Best Bang for the Buck
Looks great
Macros and learning functions make it very versatile
Touchscreen/hard button combo works great

Weaknesses:

Screen is hard to read when not backlit
Learning curve is a little steep, but not too bad
Would be nice to see two-way communication with Sony components (megachangers, etc...)

Review:

Very nice remote - I echo all of the previous praise for this remote. Got mine for $119 shipped. If you're a low to mid range home theater enthusiast, the decision to buy this remote is a no-brainer.
Some people have mentioned that this remote's size is a weakness, I think its size is just right for a home theater. Sony didn't build this remote for you to hold in your hand and channel surf. Get a Sony RM-VL900 if that's your primary activity. This remote looks great on a coffee table and makes your setup less intimidating.
When I entertain guests, I can touch one button and power on the amp, tv, dvd player, and change inputs without missing a beat in the conversation. It certainly looks impressive - as opposed to juggling 3 remotes, or plodding through a 10 button sequence on an "all-in-one" preprogrammed remote.
I don't have to worry about my family getting frustrated or screwing up my system's settings either.
Of course other remotes can do all this and more - but at a MUCH higher price.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

note: The "annoying beep" mentioned in other reviews can easily be turned off.

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