Yamaha YMC-500BL NeoHD Media Controller/AV

Product Description

, Lifestyle? 235 home entertainment system , Yamaha YHT-393BL 5.1 Channel HTiB,Coby DVD765 5.1-Channel DVD , 3?2?1? GS Series III DVD Home Entertainment ,LG LHB536 1100W 3D Blu-ray From the Manufacturer Yamaha neoHD YMC-500 Media Controller: All Your Home Entertainment, Simplified
TV, movies, music...it's all right at your command. Get ready for beautiful images and dynamic sound with ultra-easy control.
The neoHD Media Controllers are completely different than ordinary AV receivers. Instead of more functions, more buttons and more complicated operation, their basic concept is simplicity. You can connect all the equipment that you use to enjoy audio and video, and operate them all with one simple remote control. No more bother with multiple remotes. The on-screen display has an icon-based interface that's extremely easy to use, and the sound system is also simplified--you'll enjoy realistic surround sound even from just two speakers, all powered by Yamaha's exclusive sound technologies like AIR SURROUND and CINEMA DSP. It's a whole new idea in home entertainment.
Simple, Activity-Based Operation for All Your Home Entertainment Watch, Listen, and Play
You have a lot of entertainment sources--Blu-ray, DVD, TV, stereo, gaming. How can one controller give you one-finger access to all your content?
Yamaha's simplified remote keeps things uncomplicated and family friendly. Enlarge
The YMC-500's activity-based operation means you simply select what you want to do--Watch, Listen, or Play--and the neoHD does everything for you. Select your source, and the neoHD will power on all your devices in the correct order, switch your inputs, and select custom audio settings. Want to watch a movie? Simply select "Watch" on the neoHD's high-resolution menu, then select the desired source, then initiate playback using the remote control or the on-screen virtual remote control. Thanks to the Automatic Operation Flow function, the neoHD handles everything automatically: 1) the selected device is powered on, 2) the neoHD input changes to that device, 3) the DSP mode changes accordingly.
A clean and simple GUI. View larger
The neoHD Media Controller receiver acts as an IR remote junction, replacing all your existing remotes. The beautiful full-color GUI gives you immediate access to everything connected to your home theater in a simplified, intuitive menu. The neoHD might be small, but you can connect plenty of your devices to it, such as Blu-ray and DVD players, cable and satellite set top boxes, video game systems, USB storage devices, and even your iPod (using the optional YDS-11 iPod dock), in additon to your HDMI HDTV.
Simple, Minimal Remote Design
Operation is refreshingly simple...even the basic design of the remote control is reassuring. All you need to do is touch a few buttons and adjust the volume. No complicated choices or adjustments are necessary. And you'll really like the clear and simple GUI (graphical user interface). You simply select Watch, Listen or Play using the cursor on the remote control, then choose your desired source. All the other menus, such as song lists, are also easy to view and understand.
Only the most commonly used buttons are present on the handheld remote, while all other remote buttons are located on the on-screen virtual remote. To allow you full control over your sources (like your cable box or Blu-ray player) the neoHD has a full featured virtual remote control on the TV screen where you can find the rest of the buttons you need, including the 10-key number buttons for choosing a specific channel. To access the virtual remote, simply press the Control button while watching your program.
Yamaha Sound Technology Makes neoHD More Than Just a Media Controller Quick Setup with Yamaha YPAO
No studying manuals, no confusing procedures--just quick and easy setup to get you up and running right away. The neoHD Media Controller does it all for you, using Yamaha's automatic YPAO setup system. Then its time to start enjoying your music, games, TV, and movies from any of the sources you've hooked up. The Initial Setup wizard offers easy step-by-step instructions to help you properly set up the neoHD. The wizard offers everything from speaker setup to remote control programming, making setup simple and straightforward.
Surround sound from 2 speakers Yamaha AIR SURROUND XTREME
The YMC-500 can power a 5.1-channel system, but can deliver a true cinema experience even with just two speakers. Yamaha’s exclusive AIR SURROUND XTREME achieves surround sound with clarity and sound imaging unlike any other two-speaker system. You hear clear dialogue from the front, with distinctly separate surround sounds and smooth sound movement around the sound field.
View back panel CINEMA DSP Digital
Conventional multichannel audio reproduction systems base their sound on Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, using matrix and steering technologies to create surround sound effects. Yamaha CINEMA DSP is much more advanced, actually creating richly realized independent sound fields that envelop you in an unmatched surround sound experience. With dialogue, music and effects from ideally located in these separate sound fields, you will hear sound with accurate placement, smooth movement, exceptional clarity and richness, and startlingly realistic presence.
Compressed Music Enhancer
Yamaha employs sophisticated digital signal processing with exclusive algorithms to enable playback that improves the performance of compressed music formats, including MP3 and WMA. With the Compressed Music Enhancer, highs and especially lows are richer and smoother, bringing music back to life to be as close to the original as possible. Now all your digital music sounds like it was meant for your home theater and not just your headphones.
The Power of a Dedicated Universal Remote Source Device Setup and Remote Code Learning
The neoHD contains an extensive IR code database for various AV devices, all built in and ready to use. The On-Screen Wizard guides users through usually complicated remote programming procedures, making device setup quick and easy. In the event an IR code is not available, the On-Screen Wizard can assist users with learning the IR codes as well.
Control up to six other AV components, with one easy controller. Click to view all the neoHD options
Even if your remote codes aren't found in the internal IR database, the codes from other remote controls can be easily programmed into the neoHD remote control or the virtual remote control. While learning an IR command to one of the buttons labeled L1 to L14, you can select Rename and designate a name that will appear on the lower-right side of the virtual remote control when that specific button is highlighted.
Favorite Station Memory with Fast Recall
You can store up to eight favorite TV stations and recall them easily using the virtual remote keys. Rename the stations and from there the keys for the TV Favorite functions are displayed on the virtual remote control when Cable, Satellite/DSS, or DVR is selected as the type of the source device. Select "Fav" and the station name you registered.
Optional Accessories to the YMC-500 neoHD System

Yamaha YMC-S21BL NeoHD Home Theater Media Control System As a quick glance shows, the NeoHD Media Controllers are completely different than ordinary AV receivers. By allowing customers to easily operate their whole entertainment system, which can include a wide range of sources, and providing high quality surround sound even from just two speakers, neoHD has tremendous appeal. The system includes the Yamaha YMC-500, The Yamaha YST-FSW050 Advanced YST II Down-Firing Active Subwoofer, and the Yamaha NS-AP7900MBL speakers.

The Yamaha YST-FSW050 Advanced YST II Down-Firing Active Subwoofer is a new shaped subwoofer with Yamaha's latest technologies, including Advanced YST II, Linear Port and down-firing Active design plus. The Rack Mountable Design matches the surround systems and micro component systems. This subwoofer both employs a high performance and down-firing active design. Even though compact, it delivers an impressive bass power and accurate sound reproduction. The down-firing design radiates the sound efficiently in all directions. The Linear Port provides smooth bass response and minimizes extraneous noise. It also serves to boost the sound output from this compact subwoofer. Capable of handling high dynamic power of 100W, this subwoofer ensures that you hear all bass sounds, even the loudest short bursts, with fast attack and total clarity.

Yamaha YDS-12 Universal Dock for iPod/iPhone The optional YDS-12 Universal Dock lets you connect your iPod or iPhone to the receiver.

Yamaha YBA-10 Bluetooth® Wireless Audio Receiver The optional YBA-10 supports A2DP audio streaming, enjoying music wirelessly from Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, Windows PCs and Macs.

This review is from: Yamaha YMC-500BL NeoHD Media Controller/AV Receiver (Black) (Electronics)
Well, this was my choice as size was a requirement with my current cabinet space. Problem is, I can't understand how they expect me to control the source devices I connect to the YMC-500. They provide these IR sensors and a) expect you to know where the sensor should be place on your TV, DVD player, etc. and b) they seem to imply that they always need to be there. Duh, I'm going to run another wire across the front of my LCD TV. I already have too many wires hanging out. 2nd problem, it appears that the unit can 'learn' a source devices IR commands so I tried it with my TV remove for Power on/off...learning says it accepted it, but the off/on function doesn't work in controlling my TV. So, this is DOA if I have to use both the YMC remote and the TV/Sat remote to turn on the TV.

I think this has promise if it can actually provide the one-touch power-on that it advertises. I might actually like the on-screen virtual command interface as opposed to trying to read a DVD remote in the dark. But, until I can get the darn thing to control the source devices I won't know.

I may have to punt on this.