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.