Rating: 
Summary: Very good, but room for improvement
Review: Since I got the RM-AV3000 over a year ago I have not touched my old remote controls. It controls my TV, DVD, VCR, and tuner. I have also programmed it to turn on and configure my equipment for each device, so when I press the DVD button it turns on the TV, tuner, and DVD player, configures the inputs/outputs, and starts playing the disc. I could not ask for more.However, getting to that point took a little bit of effort. First, the device is not easy to program and set up. The manual is OK so this isn't a huge problem, but it still feels like you are programming a computer, not a consumer device. Second, there were compatibility issues. For example, my TV, VCR, and tuner worked right away, but my Sony DVD changer did not. Sony tech support was no help (after some very long hold times I might add) and I finally resorted to an internet chat room. There I learned that my DVD changer talks a different IR "dialect" by default and must be switched before it will work with the Commander. So eventually I got it to work, but it was frustrating that a Sony DVD changer didn't work with a Sony "universal" remote, and that Sony tech support couldn't tell my why. Also, some commands (like switching DVDs on my Sony changer) do not have dedicated buttons on the RM-AV3000. Not a problem because I used the Commander to learn from the DVD remote and assigned it an unused button, but still a minor nuisance. In short, it took a few days to get everything the way I wanted, but since that (small) headache I've been extremely happy. Hopefully future versions will be more compatible and friendly to operate, but I think a few days of head scratching was a fair trade for a year of convenience (and counting).
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Strengths: Transmitter, Learning, Ease of Use Weaknesses: Display Received the remote this morning, and after feeling mildly frustrated with a few codes that worked to a limited degree, now very happy. After suffering with my Harmon Kardon's limited range of use (assumed a narrow spread), very happy to find that the Sony can control my AV recevier from a much broader area, even when I'm turned away. Big benefit in my irregularly laid out apartment. Components: General Instruments cable box
Sony VCR
Technics CD player
Harmon Kardon AV preamp/tuner
Harmon Kardon 5 channel amp (remote)
* will add a DVd player soon The Sony and the CD player were correctly configured via the codes, but my cable box was missing some essential keys and the AV reciever control was really off - mismatched keys - it worked to a limited degree. Was going to wait a while before trying the learning aspect, but after a few minutes I had my AV reciever and cable running near perfectly. The learning aspect is excellent. The only remaining problem was to completely setup the sound surround controls (extra volume control for rear and center speakers), which was finished once I realized that I needed to remap the directional keys for the center and surround volume controls. Sony is easily configured, so I changed some of the built-in labels' names to commands on my AV remote, then taught the device the surround sound types (theater, stadium, 3-channel). As to the quibble over the display, I have issues with lighting normally, and I doubt that any remote would be compeltely satisfactory to me. That said, the display is good and is enabled with a large degree of control. A fantastic device!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Strengths: Transmitter, Learning, Ease of Use Weaknesses: Display Received the remote this morning, and after feeling mildly frustrated with a few codes that worked to a limited degree, now very happy. After suffering with my Harmon Kardon's limited range of use (assumed a narrow spread), very happy to find that the Sony can control my AV recevier from a much broader area, even when I'm turned away. Big benefit in my irregularly laid out apartment. Components: General Instruments cable box
Sony VCR
Technics CD player
Harmon Kardon AV preamp/tuner
Harmon Kardon 5 channel amp (remote)
* will add a DVd player soon The Sony and the CD player were correctly configured via the codes, but my cable box was missing some essential keys and the AV reciever control was really off - mismatched keys - it worked to a limited degree. Was going to wait a while before trying the learning aspect, but after a few minutes I had my AV reciever and cable running near perfectly. The learning aspect is excellent. The only remaining problem was to completely setup the sound surround controls (extra volume control for rear and center speakers), which was finished once I realized that I needed to remap the directional keys for the center and surround volume controls. Sony is easily configured, so I changed some of the built-in labels' names to commands on my AV remote, then taught the device the surround sound types (theater, stadium, 3-channel). As to the quibble over the display, I have issues with lighting normally, and I doubt that any remote would be compeltely satisfactory to me. That said, the display is good and is enabled with a large degree of control. A fantastic device!
Rating: 
Summary: Too Expensive
Review: The Sony 18-device learning remote is too expensive; not enough benefits to justify [its]price.
Rating:
Summary: easy to use, easy to program
Review: The Sony controller was relatively easy to program - my husband did it :} - and very easy to use for me. We are replacing our receiver and dvd with Sony products and then my hubby will program the macros so I can operate dvd, etc with one button - a joy to behold, I hope!
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe for You but NOT FOR YOUR WIFE
Review: The Sony remote controller is suitable for techno geeks only but not for your wife or not for someone who has already been intimidated by simpler remote control units. I bought this to give my wife one key configuration of her home A/V systems but it can't do it. The failure is due less to limitations in the Sony remote as to the "stupidity" of the A/V components themselves, notably the television. While the RMAV3000 is well engineered it suffers from 3 flaws that should be considered prior to purchase for less ambitious use. None of these would "fail" it. The unit's flaws start with its bulk. It is not intended for one handed use. The next 2 flaws are interrelated. The display is virtually impossible to read under all normal lighting conditions (unless normal for you means shining a spotlight onto it). You must turn on the backlight. The second readability flaw results from the back reflections from the smooth faceplate. This is annoying whether trying to read the display with or without the backlight on. Sony would be well advised to change this to a diffusing faceplate or to add an anti-reflective coating to the existing faceplate. (possibly, you could add your own diffuser. I haven't tried this so don't know what degree of improvement would occur.
The unit fails with us due to the way certain function codes such as on/off for most A/V devices and video mode for the TV set, "toggle" rather than having specific infra-red codes to activate them. Thus, when finger fumbling friends (or your wife) button push this or other controllers or the buttons on one or more of the A/V components and get your components into altered states, no single "macro" on this remote can reset your entire A/V equipment back to baseline. This is not Sony's fault because even the smartest, most programmable controller can't make up for the inherent stupidity of the equipment it's trying to control. The end result though is that I own an intelligent universal remote and still have to live with individually assuring that the on/off and video mode states of the equipment are correct. This means that, for my wife, instead of having to deal with 5 separate controllers that she doesn't understand, she has to deal with a single controller that she has to switch into 5 different control modes that she doesn't understand.
Pity!
Rating:
Summary: Inherently defective
Review: The unit's ability to learn from other devices is great and it was able to learn from and emulate all of my devices without any problems. Unfortunately, the unit suffers from an inherent design defect which causes it to randomly freeze up, requiring you to remove the batteries from the unit (reseting the clock) and reinstall them. This happened to me about once every other day when I was using it. Unfortunately, Sony's e-mail technical support wasn't very helpful in resolving the problems. Just to make sure it wasn't a bad unit, I exchanged my unit at Amazon.com, but the second one did the same thing. And I'm not the only person who had this problem. See http://www.remotecentral.com/ureview/54-4.htm for more details. Finally, the unit's display, while neat in several respects, lacks any kind of tactile feel and makes it very difficult to press the correct button without looking carefully at the unit. It also retains fingerprints like crazy, requiring you to clean the display to keep it from looking yucky. All in all, I recommend the Home Theater Master MX-500, which you can buy at Amazon.com.
Rating:
Summary: Useless - sending it back
Review: The worst sony product I ever bought. The product does not behave as manual specifies. "Learned" keys are impossible to learn correctly, and once learned incorrectly are impossible to unset. Manual is large and confusing. If you have 10 hours to read the manual only to fail and send it back, buy this. Also, the screen is impossible to read without backlit feature.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Unit - 20/20 Vision Would Help
Review: This is a nicely packaged unit which is relatively easy to program. Unlike some remotes, it is shaped so that you can rest it on your leg while sitting, and it will stay, due to the shape of the bottom of the device. It also can be placed on a flat surface and has just enough 'tilt' so it can be read easily. The only issue is that I found the display a little dificult to read due to the limited contrast. I found I had to use the backlight even in the daytime, but it still wasn't that legible.
Rating: 
Summary: Garbage
Review: This is my second unit with severe problems. The remote freezes consistently and periodically resets itself; this causes me to have to re-program my components into the system. I have written Sony Customer Service with no response. The first unit worked for just past one year and then started with the above referenced problems. The replacement unit from the Good Guys had the same problems in just over 2 months. Good Guys will not replace the second broken unit and Sony will not respond to my problems. Last night I tossed the unit in the garbage. Too bad...when it works, its great.
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