Customer Reviews

RCA 4-DEVICE Universal Remote Control RCR4358

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is *not* a "Learning Remote." My definition of a learning remote (and I believe it is the correct definition) is that it is a remote that can "learn" button functions from another remote when that other remote is pointed at the "learning remote." For example, you put the "learning remote" in "learn" mode and press the Fast Forward button. Then you point another remote at it and press the Fast Forward button on that remote. This causes the Fast Forward button on the "learning remote" to now act like the Fast Forward button on the other remote. Learning remotes can take signigicant time to program, but the advantage is that absolutely any remote can be emulated by the learning remote.

I have owned true "learning remotes" so I'm familiar with how they work, and the RCA RCR358 is definitely not a learning remote. It contains some innovative ways of automatically trying pre-defined device codes, but it *cannot* learn individual button functions by pointing another remote at it.

I believe it is misleading for it to be called a "learning remote" in the description of this product. I can't speak to its other functions because I could not get it to work with my Coby DVD-224ss DVD player. The reason I bought this remote is I had tried another remote that uses codes to program it and there were no codes that would work with my Coby DVD player. So I bought this remote thinking that even if there was no code for the player, I could still "teach" it using the Coby remote (that remote is one of those very thin models with hard to push buttons -- so I want to replace it with a more ergonomic remote).

Note that the package itself does *not* say "learning remote" -- that's why I think its especially misleading to use this term in the Amazon description. The package does have a sticker on it that says "Easy Interactive Code Finder" -- but that is *not* a learning feature -- it is simply a way to make it easier to find the proper device code.

If you don't really need a learning remote and just want a remote with nice big buttons (and you have a fairly common TV, DVD player, etc.) this may still be a good choice for you. It looks like RCA has done a good job designing this. It has a nice "quality" feel, the buttons are big and easy to push, the layout is nice, etc. Also, RCA has been accurate with their packaging -- they don't call it a "learning remote" -- it's just the Amazon description that is misleading (I don't think this is intentional -- I just think it's just a misunderstanding -- I *love* Amazon -- I buy a ton of things from them and have always had good experiences -- with just a couple small exceptions like this one).

Note to Amazon: If you remove the phrase "learning remote" from the product description, please remove this review as well because it would then be irrelevant. Again, I love your store and wish you well -- I'm just writing this review to try to straighten out a misunderstanding that your cataloger may have had regarding how this product works.

I recently purchased this remote. The instructions are a bit convoluted and it it couldnt find the codes for my Toshiba TV. I had to manually enter about 20 codes after their search function would not work, and that still didnt find the correct code for my TV. I tried using their website to help out, but that seemed to be shoddy at best with several dead links and when i finally got to their "code finder" section this remote model wasnt even listed.

I bought this remote for my JVC dvd player a while back. Recommend against ever buying this remote. Programming it is annoying and it loses the code easily and then reprogramming it is even more annoying! The remote couldn't find the code for my dvd player and didn't have it listed so I had to 'search' for it and then couldn't get the remote to 'set' the programming correctly. None of the buttons that you use for the programming are buttons that aren't ones already used- if you lose the manual on how to program it forget about reprogramming it. This is a problem since it loses the codes so easily!

Nice big buttons although I have had many problems scrolling through dvd menus with this remote.

This is the worst remote ever! I purchased it 6 months ago and have had to re-program it at least 5 times. It loses the codes easily and if you ever push any button accidentally, it stops working and you have to re-program it. Saving the code does not work because I always wrote down the code and it didn't matter, when you try to re-enter using the "Direct Code Entry" method, it still does not work. Now it's not working at all and I have to purchase a new universal remote. Stay away from this item, it's cheap and useless.

super fast service. i couldn't believe they were used. perfect condition. instructions and box. great, great, great

A friend of mine bought this, as a replacement for her Toshiba DVD remote control that died. I tried to program this for almost 45 minutes. This has without a doubt the most complex instructions for a universal remote I have ever seen. The instructions take up *5* pages of the book. (My cable universal instructions are only 2 paragraphs by comparison). There are 4 different ways to program, each with its own set of rules. The same button performs different functions, depending on which method of programming you are attempting to use.

1. An important part of programming is being able to see what the LED light is doing at each step. But while you're pressing the different key combinations, you *cannot see* the LED light. It's blocked by your hand or thumb, along with being the size of a pinhole. You have to be a hand contortionist to see what effect your attempts are having.

2. There are several steps that require you to use both hands to press different combinations of keys. Again, hand contortion is required.

3. If one method of programming does now work, you start trying a second method. In your mind. You're never quite sure what method the remote is using at that point, because there is no way to definitively turn off the first programming method.

4. If you are lucky enough to find a code that works for your component, you will have a hard time saving it. I used the instructions to "save" the code. That did not work. As soon as I turned the device off and on again, the remote automatically started roaming through the codes all over again. I could not stop if from doing that.

STAY AWAY from this remote control. I'm a calm person, if I wasn't it would have been thrown against a wall.