They work great if you set them up correctly. The video SPS-1 is very easy to set up,if your device sends out a video signal when it is turned on and no signal if off. If not, you have to use the VPS-1 with some 3rd party sensor (www.smartlinc.com) that works great. When you do your macros you have to adjust the properties for each macro line but this goes pretty quickly. The reason for this, I think, is that the remote has to know which port of the IRF to check for the condition (off or on) you have set for it.

I have set my system up with:
3 SPS-1's - Sat., DVD, VCR.
2 VPS-1's - Canadian Sat. that sends a video signal out even if the power is off to the device (I do not know why) So I used a light sensor from Smartlinc that detects the lights on the front of the unit.

And for my Toshiba RPTV used with a RF detector from Smartlinc that senses the on, off status of the TV.

I did not start off this big, but the more I got into the remote, I realized that I might as well use it to the fullest. I am not sorry.