New Rogers RF remote

[Gdkitty]

https://www.rogers.com/web/support/tv/remote/416?setLanguage=en

Have yet to pick one up myself.. but will possibly try this week.

Its an RF remote, so it doesnt need line of sight.
This will be a great asset to people wanting to set up a home theatre, etc type of setup where the box may not be right infront of the TV itself.

Though.. the TV on/off part of it (or any other paired devices) will still be done via IR and not RF.

***Edited Labels***

[57]

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@jason001 wrote:

I just picked up the new remotes, I have the same issue with controlling my home theatre receiver.

I can understand and expect if I am in watch cable mode and the remote controls the TV, cable box and home theatre receiver in tandom. Why when I am in audio mode the remote still controls the TV and the box is just beyond me. 

If I am in cable mode I want to control everything essential, but if i'm in tv mode I want to control just the tv, cable mode just the box, audio mode just the receiver and dvd mode just the dvd player.

Its absurd to me that the funtionality of this remote is broken.

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You need to properly programme the remote. Go to the following website and follow the instructions to do what you need:

http://www.urcsupport.com/rogers/

If you still have issues, call Rogers and they'll help you set it up. Have the makes/models of your equipment handy.

[Gdkitty]

57s link should have the guides to how to change it into the modes that you want.

BUT.. the way its programmed, is the way that MOST people want/do use it set up.

In a default setup (just TV and rogers box, no AVR or anything else in the setup), the volume is not really controled ON the rogers box anymore.  Its just outputed to the TV, and then you control the TV volume.
So it runs all the other buttons for the rogers box, but just the volume for the TV.  power on/off, powers both the devices in series.. 
For the average user, its removing a step of 2 remotes seperately, and/or having to specifically change inputs to do volume, on/off, etc.

[kjcurley]

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@jason001 wrote:

I just picked up the new remotes, I have the same issue with controlling my home theatre receiver.

I can understand and expect if I am in watch cable mode and the remote controls the TV, cable box and home theatre receiver in tandom. Why when I am in audio mode the remote still controls the TV and the box is just beyond me. 

If I am in cable mode I want to control everything essential, but if i'm in tv mode I want to control just the tv, cable mode just the box, audio mode just the receiver and dvd mode just the dvd player.

Its absurd to me that the funtionality of this remote is broken.

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Agreed!! The previous remote functioned as a true universal remote for my home theatre. The functionality of this new remote is severely crippled. Unless I am missing something, there is no way to control the volume on the TV as well as the volume on the audio receiver. Likewise, you are forced to lock the input selector to a single device.

If anyone knows a way around this I would love to hear it. Otherwise I will have to swap back to the old remote.

[57]

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@kjcurley wrote:

If anyone knows a way around this I would love to hear it. Otherwise I will have to swap back to the old remote.

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Please see the link in post 64 of this thread. As discussed in post 64, 65, these remotes come pre-programmed to handle the equipment that most people have - say a STB and TV.  If you have an AVR or other equipment you wish to control with the remote, you need to "tell" the remote what equipment you have using the codes for that equipment as outlined in the link. 

Plus, if you wish to have the remote, say control the volume of the AVR while still in cable mode, you need to "programme" the remote to do that.  You can also "programme" the remote to turn on/off most equipment in one step.  These options used to be called "global volume lock" and "master power" when the URC website allowed you to download the complex operating manual for the remote - which may still be possible.  I did find the following link for the "simple" operating manual for the remote, which appears to include the steps required:

http://www.urcsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Champion-Plus-Manual-Eng-Span.pdf

If you're having difficulty doing that using the instructions from the link in post 64, or the OM link above, call Rogers and someone can usually walk you through the steps involved.

[kjcurley]

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@57 wrote:

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@kjcurley wrote:

If anyone knows a way around this I would love to hear it. Otherwise I will have to swap back to the old remote.

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Please see the link in post 64 of this thread. As discussed in post 64, 65, these remotes come pre-programmed to handle the equipment that most people have - say a STB and TV.  If you have an AVR or other equipment you wish to control with the remote, you need to "tell" the remote what equipment you have using the codes for that equipment as outlined in the link. 

Plus, if you wish to have the remote, say control the volume of the AVR while still in cable mode, you need to "programme" the remote to do that.  You can also "programme" the remote to turn on/off most equipment in one step.  These options used to be called "global volume lock" and "master power" when the URC website allowed you to download the complex operating manual for the remote - which may still be possible.  I did find the following link for the "simple" operating manual for the remote, which appears to include the steps required:

http://www.urcsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Champion-Plus-Manual-Eng-Span.pdf

If you're having difficulty doing that using the instructions from the link in post 64, or the OM link above, call Rogers and someone can usually walk you through the steps involved.

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Thanks for replying but I think you might be misinterpreting the problem that myself and others are complaining about. The problem is with the way the volume lock and input lock is implemented on this remote. It would appear that you are forced to lock volume control (and input) to a single device across all modes. So, for example, I can setup the remote to control the volume of my TV when in cable mode but I then have no way of controlling the volume of my AVR with the remote (as the volume button is locked to TV in every mode). Likewise the remote is setup to control video input on my TV but cannot control inputs on my AVR. The way it is setup it can essentially only turn my AVR on and off.  I could instead lock the volume/input to AVR but would then have no way of controlling my TV.

The previous remote could lock volume control for cable mode to another device (e.g. AVR) but you could still select another device (e.g. TV) and control volume of that device independently. Perhaps if this detailed manual for the remote exists there is a way to disable the volume/input locks or isolate them to single modes. Does anyone have this manual?

[57]

I found the following from the manual for the 1056 remote. Perhaps the RF remote works the same way.

Unlocking All Volume Control (Global Volume Unlock)

NOTE: Performing these instructions will set independent volume control for all programmed devices.

1. On the remote control, press and hold SETUP until the last-selected device key blinks twice.

2. Enter 9 9 3. The last-selected device key will blink twice.

3. Press VOL+ once. The last-selected device key will blink four times.

I'm not sure if this does anything for the input issue you mention.

I would have posted this earlier, but Rogers seems to be having forum issues and I couldn't login until now.

I also found the following "reset" procedure - use at your own risk:

The Atlas OCAP 5-Device Remote Control with Learning contains a Custom Programming Reset program. You can use it to remove all custom programming, except your setup codes and reassigned device keys.

IMPORTANT: Executing this program will erase all custom settings for Volume Lock, Learned Keys, Tune-In Keys, and Channel Lock. However, your device programming remains.

1. On the remote control, press and hold SETUP until the last-selected device key blinks twice.

2. Enter 9 8 0. The last-selected device key blinks twice, pauses, and blinks twice again to confirm that all custom programming is cleared.

It sure would be nice if the full operating manual were available - perhaps it is elsewhere on the web.

[kjcurley]

Thanks. Unfortunately the unlock code does not seem to work on this remote. Perhaps there is an alternate method available somewhere though I am having trouble figuring out how to contact the manufacturer to ask them. Hopefully this functionality wasn't crippled in this model but looking at some of their advertising copy they seem to be billing the simplified volume lock as a feature. 

[MrMontagoose]

Last night I noticed the RF was no-longer working.  Most likely I have to run through the pairing procedure again.  Is this something I'll have to do on a regular basis?

[JEL]

No fav button on remote

Just got a Netbox 3.  The remote with it is model URC-2125BC0-BX.  I can't find a Favorites button.  The setup guide with it shows a diagram that does not correspond to the remote.  The diagram says the Fav is directly above the green List button, but mine is labelled Info and definitely does not give me the fav's.  The back of the remote says "for support go to www.urcsupport.com".  That website does not have this model of remote listed, but rather, a similar one corresponding to the diagram.

I can mess with the settings and have all channels hidden except my favs, which lets me use the Guide as a Fav, but then the hidden channels are truly hidden and can't be accessed manually.

What gives?

[MrMontagoose]

Just a quick followup. I tried re-pairing the remote but could not get it to work like before.  After pressing and holding Setup+Up the cable light flashed twice and that's it (instructions state that it will continue flashing while pairing is completing, then the button under the cable button will flash 2 times to indicate that pairing is completed).  I tried a few times without success.  Then I followed the un-pairing instructions (press and hold Setup+Down), and then tried pairing once again.  I still did not get the confirmation flashes as described in the instructionsm, but RF *is* working now.

[57]

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@JEL wrote:

No fav button on remote

Just got a Netbox 3.  The remote with it is model URC-2125BC0-BX.  I can't find a Favorites button.

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Repeated presses of the Guide button should bring up your favourites.  It should cycle between all your channels and your favourites.  That's the way I have my 9865 set up.

[57]

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@kjcurley wrote:

Thanks. Unfortunately the unlock code does not seem to work on this remote. Perhaps there is an alternate method available somewhere though I am having trouble figuring out how to contact the manufacturer to ask them. Hopefully this functionality wasn't crippled in this model but looking at some of their advertising copy they seem to be billing the simplified volume lock as a feature. 

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A few comments:

1. Very few people wish to control the volume on two different devices. That's probably why the default setup on this remote is "locked".

2. Most people with AVRs use their AVRs 100% of the time.  I do realize that some people sometimes want to listen to their TV speakers, but I have never understood why, if they have better audio via an AVR/Sound system.

3. If you wish to have complete control of your components, you could consider something like a Harmony remote (IR or RF). You could set up activites like "Watch TV" and "Watch Home Theatre" and have it control all your devices properly.  Of course this comes at a price.

I would contact URC, or do more searching on the web.

[JEL]

That works - thank you.  Yet another mysterious hidden way of doing things, instead of being user friendly.  What a bizarre way of running a company.

[kjcurley]

I appreciate all of the info you provide to myself and others here, but I'm going to have to disagree with your comments about this remote. The smaller form factor, backlight and IR capabilities are all nice improvements but you cannot deny that key functionality has been removed with this model.

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@57 wrote:

A few comments:

1. Very few people wish to control the volume on two different devices. That's probably why the default setup on this remote is "locked".

Maybe a significant portion of people only neeed to control one device in most circumstances, but that doesn't excuse removing the ability of the remote to control volume and input on any other devices at all. The previous remote allowed you to lock volume control to one device in cable but then still control each device independently.

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@57 wrote:

2. Most people with AVRs use their AVRs 100% of the time.  I do realize that some people sometimes want to listen to their TV speakers, but I have never understood why, if they have better audio via an AVR/Sound system.

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There are a number of obvious reasons: 1) I have no desire to listen to the Octonauts or Paw Patrol in 7.1 surround sound while my son is watching TV. 2) When I'm watching the news before bed I don't need a rumbling subwoofer waking my children from sleep. 3) I feel no need to (pay to) power a 1300W sound system during casual TV watching. I'm sure there are more reasons because I really don't think it's strange to not require a surround system for every instance of TV watching.

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@57 wrote:

3. If you wish to have complete control of your components, you could consider something like a Harmony remote (IR or RF). You could set up activites like "Watch TV" and "Watch Home Theatre" and have it control all your devices properly.  Of course this comes at a price.

I would contact URC, or do more searching on the web.

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I had complete control (as much as I needed 99% of the time) with the previous remote, so it doesn't make sense to invest in yet another product when I could just go back to the fully functional, previously supplied remote from Rogers. 

Bottom line is volume control, input control and PIP control have all been compromised in this model. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a workaround so I will probably just try and swap it for the 1056 model later this week.

Again, thanks for your suggestions, if you or anyone else figures out how to unlock the volume/input controls I would love to hear it.

[MrMontagoose]

Had some more issues with the remote.  Really weird.  For example, wanted to go to channel 500 so I pressed 5-0-0 but only the 5 showed up.  No matter how hard I pressed the 0 key it seemed determined not to come through.  So I made sure I pointed the remote right at the box and tried again and it finally worked.  So I thought maybe it had "unpaired" again, so I tried to re-pair it.  But I'm still having periodic issues.  For example, sometimes it take 2-3 presses on a button (e.g. Info/Guide) to see its effects.  Once it works, it works fine.  Almost as if the remote goes to standby mode (requiring multiple presses to "wake it up"), but then when it resumes it works fine. 

Is anyone else experiencing anything similar?  Could it be I have a "lemon"?  The remote is only a couple of weeks old, there shouldn't be any issues with the batteries or dirt/dust issues. 

[57]

@MrMontagoose

Reboot your STB. It may be the STB that's having the issues, not the remote.

[MrMontagoose]

Yes, probably time for it.

[theClubHopper]

Just got the new remote control on Monday, for use with our Nextbox 3. Although I'd brought 2 old Atlas URC-1056 remotes with me to the Rogers store, the rep suggested we keep our NB2(8642HD) remote as that old PVR isn't RF capable, so there isn't much point in exchanging it. We could always do an exchange at a later date if we wished.

Having used the new Champion Plus URC-2125 for a couple of evenings now, I'm happy with that decision. This remote has some serious shortcomings!

Like so many others have complained of above, my main complaint is that although this remote's RF cabability is a welcome functional improvement, it is substantially LESS usable as a multi-device universal remote than the URC-1056, due to its apparent lack of optional "unlock" modes. Its inability to allow the user to unlock on a per-device basis the volume controls and the number (and channel up/down) controls mean I have to now keep handy my AVR and DVD remotes in order to use those devices as intended. I'm going to reach out to Rogers and/or UEI to see if it's possible to unlock the missing features, and if it's not, I think it's probable I'll be returning this remote.

Some thoughts on the new remote:

• ERGONOMICS: - no where near as good as the URC-1056.
  - The URC-2125 is about 2cm shorter than the URC-1056 and for the most part is about 0.5cm narrower - so its buttons seem crammed in, even though it actually has 5 fewer buttons.
  - Although both remotes are the same width at their upper ends, the URC-2125 lacks the bulbous D-PAD area and otherwise near-straight (subtlely curved) shoulders of the older model, and it instead employs a gentle hourglass shape that tapers considerably below the playback controls (Pause/Play/RW/FF). As a result, when transitioning grip from the lower half of the remote up to the D-PAD/OK/GUIDE/Device buttons, the URC-2125 slips through the fingers far too easily, slipping further than is usually intended. I've already dropped it a few times because of this (slipped right through my my vertically-oriented hand), fortuantely at this point only onto my lap and couch. Transitioning your grip from the upper half to number keys in the lower half on the URC-2125 is also problematic due a combination of the curvature of the sides and underside, overall size of the remote (slightly shorter tail), and number button shape/design. End result: the remote either slips only to the BACK/GUIDE area (about 1/4s the way down) or I find I have to shuffle the remote with my thumb, multiple times, in order to get to the numbers. A simple flick of the wrist used to be all that was needed! And because the lower end of the URC-2125 is tapered so narrow, and because its tail is so short, the lower half of this remote is just not comfortable to hold or use.
  
  
• IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD UNIVERSAL REMOTE: - thanks to no (known) INDIVIDUAL VOLUME UNLOCK function and/or CHANNEL CONTROL UNLOCK function.
  - What is the point of being an All-in-One universal remote when it does not allow users to do the basic functions of other device's remotes? The URC-2125 does not allow the user to unlock the ability to control the volume of their AUDIO device separately to the volume of their TV (and/or Cable box), and also does not allow the user the ability to unlock and use the channel control buttons (number buttons and CH+/-) for their AVR and DVD/Blu-ray devices. Control remains locked to CABLE (i.e., the PVR).
  - The URC-1056 and, I believe, every PVR remote I've used (going back 15 years?) has had 'unlock' ability via the Setup button and a key sequence found in the remote's manual. (I've tried all previously-documented codes to no avail). So until now, I've always been able to control my TV and AVR volumes independently using the PVR's universal remote. (My high-end TV has a superb soundbar built-in, so the AVR, side speakers and sub are typically only used for prime-time viewing and sporting events, not for casual solo viewing or video game playing). And, in addition to AVR input switching --previously done by number pad on my universal remote, no longer possible-- when on my AVR's RADIO mode, I've always been able to switch between radio station presets using the CH+/- buttons, but can't do that any more because the buttons are locked to CABLE, so change the TV(PVR) channel.
  - I should mention that the Atlas URC-1056's DVD and VCR modes similarly disabled number key entry, though the CH+/- buttons were still functional (correct for the respective device). I don't know why the number keys were non-functional on that remote, but had always hoped that the next remote I got would not be crippled in the same manner. So finding that the URC-2125 has one fewer device capability but has cripped the AUDIO mode as well  is a big disappointment. I've now got a stack of remotes on my coffee table again. Why are we going backwards not forwards?
  REQUEST FOR ROGERS: CAN YOU PLEASE CONTACT UEI AND INQUIRE-
  - WHY DOES THE URC-2125 NOT SEEM TO INCLUDE THE PER-DEVICE VOLUME AND CHANNEL UNLOCK MODES THAT PREVIOUS MODELS OF REMOTES HAD AND THAT ROGERS CUSTOMERS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO USING?
  - IF THE REMOTE IS CABABLE BUT THE FEATURES ARE SIMPLY NOT DOCUMENTED, WHAT ARE THE SETUP KEY SEQUENCES NEEDED?
  
  

• BUG: - intermittently loses control of CABLE mode
  - More than a few times already, I've been on CABLE mode, watching live or recorded programming, then picked up the remote to do something like change the channel or view the GUIDE, only to find the remote seemingly non-responsive. When I look at the remote and press a button again, I see all the buttons light up, but neither the CABLE button or any other device button light up, indicating that the remote has 'lost' its mode. Once I tap CABLE, everything works normally again... until the next that it randomly chooses not to.
  
  
• BUG: - when in IR mode, 3-minute skip function does not work
  - When I first got the remote, I didn't immediately RF-pair it with my NB3, and I instead tested functionality compared to my old remote - and I noticed that the 3-minute skip function via PAGE+/PAGE- did not work. I was really disappointed! However after I RF-paired the remote with my NB3, 3-minute skip function was enabled. As 3-minute skip worked on the IR-only URC-1056, one would assume 3-minute skip should work on the URC-2125 in IR-mode.
  
  
• UNUSED >| BUTTON DUE TO NAVIGATR feature loss
  - The URC-2125 features a Skip to End button. Unfortunately, when Rogers introduced NAVIGATR, it removed this feature from our PVRs - so this button is currently unable to function. (Skip to End allows the user to quickly jump to the end of a recording, or to the end of the cache when viewing live tv; incidentally I would have thought the LIVE button could have been made redundant by this key).
  SUGGESTION FOR ROGERS/NAVIGATR: REENABLE Skip to End on our PVRs, in NAVIGATR, so that the remote can make use of it.
  
  
• No FAV Button = *NOT* SHOMI-FRIENDLY.
  - On Shomi, (which I must remind everyone is a Rogers co-owned on-demand service), the only way to add episodes to your Shomi Playlist is to use the FAV button. WHAT FAV button? The URC-2125 doesn't have one. Rogers: Shomi now needs to be updated as soon as possible to become URC-2125 remote compatible.
  SUGGESTION: assign the unused 'D' button in Shomi as 'Add to Playlist'.
  - Note: While I'm mentioning the FAV button, on the old Atlas remote, it was somewhat redundant because a double-press of GUIDE would (and still does) bring up My Favourites, and additionally it did cause issues on the NB3 when invoked while GUIDE was hidden - it changed and saved the Guide Filter preferences and caused only My Favourites to show with no way to quickly switch back. This could only be undone by manually going back into Filter Channels via C button and changing and saving the setting.
  
  
• NO MOVE BUTTON? WHAT WHY?
  If the MOVE button is not considered important enough to include on a remote any more, I can live with that... as long as there is an option to move it IN NAVIGATR SETTINGS. So, how about it, Rogers?
  
  
• NO SETTINGS button ("SETTINGS" is shown as 2nd function, but indicates it is accessed via MENU, which is 6 button presses on URC-2125 vs just 1 on the URC-1056)
  - I'm not missing something, am I? There's no 2nd function, is there?
  - SUGGESTION TO ROGERS/NAVIGATR: make the currently unused 'B' button SETTINGS, and while you're at it make the currently used 'C' button enable/disable Closed Captioning. And, while you're at it, make a 2nd press of the 'D' button close Weather, instead of making us reach for EXIT.
  
  
• Horizontal PAUSE/PLAY rocker with lower-set PAUSE: is it an improvement?
  - Perhaps it'll just take some getting used to, but I keep hitting STOP instead of PAUSE, thanks to something like 15 years of muscle memory, from past PVR, and VCR remotes, including the URC-1056 which had PAUSE directly below PLAY. Also, in my mind, left = RW and right = FW, so I don't expect left to equal PAUSE. I wonder why the sudden change in ergonomics?
  

I think that's all for now. I wrote far more than I was expecting to!

[OLDYELLR]

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@theClubHopper wrote:

• ERGONOMICS: - no where near as good as the URC-1056.

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Even though I don't have one of these new ones and I'm not planning to get one, I have to jump in here. Why, oh why, do they always have to keep changing stuff for the sake of change?  I keep 4 remotes in the side pocket of my La-Z-Boy recliner (Rogers PVR, Samsung TV, AVR, DVD-R) and can tell them all apart just by feel. The URC-1056 is by far the most ergonomic and I can never pick it up the wrong way. The Samsung TV one is the worst because it's symmetric top to bottom and half the time I have it backwards and have to look at it and turn it around. Why would designers do that?

On another note, why do these Rogers remotes have letters above the numbers like a telephone dial (ABC above the 1, etc)? Is there a function for that?

[kimbelery87]

My video input button is doing nothing. The remote has been paired with my Nextbox and Auria TV. It seems to work with my TV, it turns on/off, controls volume. Only other issue is it opens my TV settings fine but the arrow buttons have no functionality to make any changes.
I'm just trying to cycle to my Playstation on HDMI 2, which wasnt an issue with the old remotes Video Source button.
I make sure I am in TV mode before hitting the button, am I missing something??

[57]

One should not be surprised when different remotes have different functionality.  I've had several different remotes over a period of roughly 15 years and each of them behaved differently. For example, one of the remotes was able to have direct access to various inputs on a Yamaha AVR that I have.  The next remote behaved totally differently and didn't have the same type of direct input access (by pressing the number buttons for example).  Some remotes can control TV inputs while others cannot.

One also needs to remember that these remotes are not manufactured by Rogers, but rather URC. Rogers may request that certain functionality is "pre-programmed" (like volume lock, ability to turn on/off most STBs/TVs (master power), etc).  They may even do this themselves - not sure how it's handled.

It would be nice if URC provided a link like they used to for the complete operating manual for the remote and not only the condensed "quick setup" sheets.  This would then allow consumers to override certain settings designed for "ease of use" by most Rogers customers.

I've often considered purchasing another remote like a Harmony, however, my 1056 is ergonomically well designed, I can use it without looking at it and covers 99% of my needs. When it doesn't manage, I pull out the remote specific to the device for the 1% of the time.  I'm sure that if I were not the only user in my home in our Home Theatre, I would have purchased a Harmony for wife or children, however, that has not been necessary.