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hahahaha This coming from someone who only works on Harmony remotes. The problem with Harmony remotes is that the remote programs itself. You go in and tell it what equipment you have. That is not programming a remote! If you have a remote that works properly and is setup correctly, you don't need a help button because the macros just WORK. Look into picking up Universal Remote and get trained on how real remotes work and see how much control you can really have. From my experience with multiple universal brands, Harmony is not only the least reliable (yes they're built like dog shit) but the worst in terms of control is the least flexible. I recommend the URC line because it's a very sturdy remote (doesn't have the 20% failure rate Harmony does nationwide) and can do anything you want while being pretty damn easy to program. I can program a URC probably faster than you can program a Harmony. If you don't like that option, look into AMX or Philips for the Pronto line, just to name a few. They also are great remotes but dear god are they a PITA to program. Once done, they're awesome but as an installer, it's more time consuming and time = money. I say you need to get trained on programming because you don't have any sort of programming background otherwise you wouldn't carry Harmony.
As for your "my dog walked in front" comment... how big is your dog and how low is your equipment from the floor? I run my URC all IR and it flashes the signal plenty hot that even if a HUMAN walks in front, the code still hits. Plus with delays set into my macros (something you can't do with Harmony unless they changed it here REAL recent), codes don't get missed and scrambled between each other. Your equipment has response times and it varies from piece to piece and room to room! Hell, program a BD player and not give it any delay between the power on button to the play or open/close button. Now let's say you're still worried about it, you can go RF and eliminate ANY margin for error. Sure some new Harmony remotes are coming out with RF capabilities but obviously as a company, they haven't looked at the market to see where problems may lie with RF. Look at Bose! Their remotes are very sketchy on when and whether or not they'll work. The Harmony RF piece has no control or way to tune it to eliminate RF interference which you will get a LOT if you can't tune the RF adapter. With URC's new RF pieces, you have full flexibility and can even get a narrow band piece so even downtown in the worst of RF homes, you'll still have full control. I'd love to see a Harmony try to work IR or RF in an exercise room with a plasma TV. If you don't know what I mean by that, you have more learning to do.
So for you to make a comment like that proves to me that A: you've done nothing more than Harmony remotes and B: wouldn't know what real control was if it fell on your lap. I'm not sure what brands you sell at your company but my guess is Sony or JVC is your receiver brand seeing your knowledge is pretty limited on the industry. I'd be surprised if you carried Onkyo or Denon as a receiver line (let alone separates of any sort)... but then again, I'm sure your experience is limited to what the salesguys at Best Buy tell you to sell. I'm sorry, that was over the line. Your electricians turned installers are very knowledgeable I'm sure. Trunk slammers love "custom" work.
Another guess, you're not CEDIA certified and probably don't even know what CEDIA is... my company is certified and 6 of my 10 installers are level 1 if not level 2 certified.
Oh BTW, I own 3 URC remotes and gave one to my mother and my brother. So THERE! (apparently comments like that hold water... *shrugs* )
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