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Click here for part 1 - RemoteShoppe Reviews Universal Electronics NevoQ50 - A New Touchscreen & Hard Button Remote with Z-Wave



NevoStudio Pro is a completely new version of the Nevo programming software designed for NevoQ50 and NevoS70 controllers. As I mentioned in the first part of RemoteShoppe’s Review of NevoQ50, NevoStudio Pro software will not program the older NevoSL – it was especially designed for NevoQ50 and NevoS70. In this part of the review we will take an in-depth look at NevoStudio Pro and all of the programming options it offers.


Import Nevo Configuration

If you are an experienced Nevo programmer and you’re upgrading to NevoStudio Pro you can get started quickly and easily by opening a new Job and selecting “Import Nevo Configuration” from the pull-down File menu. I was able to quickly import my NevoSL configuration into NevoStudio Pro as a new NevoS70 configuration in just a few seconds. The import is automated and the result looks great since NevoS70 and NevoSL share a similar physical design. Once you have a NevoStudio Pro configuration you can take a few additional steps to copy the created NevoS70 device to a new NevoQ50. Just copy the page collections and spend a few minutes tightening up the touch screen layouts, eliminating redundant commands, and programming the additional transport key hard buttons and you’re ready to go.

NevoStudio Pro successfully copied and pasted the code libraries, macros, page collections and graphics much faster than creating a new configuration from scratch. The only other “tweak” that I found necessary was that some of the custom images and backgrounds I created originally for NevoSL don’t look as good on NevoQ50 since it has a lower resolution screen. I would recommend using the graphics included in NevoStudio Pro or designing new ones specifically for NevoQ50 as needed. Simple, high-contrast images will look best on NevoQ50’s display.

Convert External Configuration

Just as helpful as the Import Configuration tool is for Nevo programmers, the “Convert External Configuration” tool is for Pronto editors looking to add NevoStudio Pro to their product line. The Convert External Configuration tool functions just like the Import Nevo Configuration Tool but for Pronto CCF and PCF files. Items converted from CCF and PCF files include all graphics, buttons, jumps and audio. Learned IR, entered HEX and RC5/RC6 codes are also converted from CCF files directly into a new NevoS70 configuration. Then just copy NevoS70 pages to a new NevoQ50 layout, tweak and go. Another big advantage of this feature is that users have been writing and sharing Philips Pronto configurations for years and resources like the Remote Central File Download area are a wealth of ideas and inspiration.



Starting a New Job

You don’t need an existing NVO, PCF or CCF configuration to get started. NevoStudio Pro is just as easy and flexible for creating new Jobs from scratch with the “Add Device Wizard.” Just launch NevoStudio Pro, name your Job, and select the number of NevoQ50 and NevoS70 controllers that will be included in the project and the Add Device Wizard will automatically launch with the following options:
- Add IR Device
- Add Serial Device
- Add Sensing Device

We’ll discuss the latter two options in part 3 of this review when we add NevoConnect NC-50 to our system. For now, let’s program NevoQ50 as an IR only controller and continue our walk through NevoStudio Pro.



Add IR Device

Once you select “Add IR Device” you are brought to my favorite page in the entire program – the page that best illustrates the strength and flexibility of the software. There are five ways to proceed with the IR programming and they include several different step-by-step guided options or more powerful tools for professional installers. I applaud Universal Electronics for recognizing that custom installers like you will quickly learn your way around the programming and won’t need the wizards. “No guide necessary, let me program my remote and move on to the next job.” The option I am talking about is the all new Nevo Personal Library. Once you program a Nevo remote you can store the devices you use and create your own Nevo Personal Library. Now, when you enter a HEX code that was tough to find, learn a code from a boutique device that just doesn’t live in other databases, etc. you’ll just have to do it once, for one job and save it to your Nevo Personal Library for future use.

But I digress… you can’t build a personal library until you actually configure your remote so let’s continue with the other Device Selection Methods, shall we?

NevoStudio Pro has four different methods for adding your devices into the program. We’ll look at them all using a basic test configuration with today’s most popular components including a Panasonic Plasma TV, Scientific Atlanta HD DVR cable box, Toshiba HD-DVD player, Yamaha receiver with HDMI switching, Apple TV and the ever challenging Sony Playstation 3 with IR control adapter for Blu-ray Disc playback. I should also point out that we will be programming NevoQ50 with NevoStudio Pro on a Core 2 Duo Laptop with Windows XP Professional.



Browse for device code by device and brand

When you browse for device code by device and brand you first must select the device type from a pull down menu (i.e. TV-Plasma, Cable-PVR/DVR, etc.) and then brand (i.e. Panasonic, Scientific Atlanta, etc). Once selected the list of available device codes will be shown and if you know which one you need you’re done. If not, you can now select the “Use Nevo to test device code.” NevoStudio Pro will download the device codes to your controller (NevoQ50 in this review). You can use the buttons with green IR signals on NevoQ50’s screen to test the codes and the 4 “soft” buttons below the screen allow you to try the different codes and select the one that works best for your devices. Once you select the correct code NevoQ50 will upload that data back to NevoStudio Pro so you can continue programming the remote. Once the device is confirmed check off the “Add Page Collection Wizard” for the device and another wizard will be automatically launched. Unfortunately the Browse by device and brand method was not perfect and was not able to find codes for the Toshiba HD-DVD player. It also did not program all of the discrete input commands for the Panasonic Plasma TV or Apple TV. However I was impressed with the extensive code database found for the Yamaha receiver including advanced codes for the multi-zone and effects controls. In all, I would grade the Browse by device and brand method a solid “B” and obviously results may vary depending on your devices.

Enter Device Code

The second method of setting up an IR device is to just enter the device code. As I said earlier, UEI’s software engineers went out of their way to give professional installers every shortcut possible in NevoStudio Pro, and this is one of them. Instead of browsing for the device code you need you can just enter the 5 digit code here and skip right to the Page Collection Wizard with the same results as the previous method.

Learn Device Type

NevoStudio Pro has the ability to learn IR commands from any other remote control. In my test configuration I am using a Nyko Bluwave IR to USB remote control adapter for the Sony Playstation 3 that I never expected to be in the database. In order to learn the commands from this remote into NevoStudio Pro you must first select the device type and a list will come up with database commands for that device. You can add additional commands to the list and then download the learning template to NevoQ50. The learning template consists of all of the buttons suggested by NevoStudio Pro along with the ones you added on NevoQ50’s touch screen. Just select the button you want to learn, point your original remote at NevoQ50, face-to-face, and press the corresponding button of your original remote. You will get a confirmation tone and visual prompt when the code is successfully learned so you can repeat this process for all commands. The entire learning process doesn’t take much longer then pressing the buttons so a lot of programmers actually prefer this method above all else. Learning commands is as bulletproof as it gets but the only problem is that some of the more advanced components don’t include OEM remotes with discrete commands for all functions so you will have to rely on the database commands or program HEX codes for these functions. Once you have finished teaching NevoQ50 the commands are uploaded to NevoStudio Pro and you’re ready to move onto the Page Collection Wizard.



Model based set-up on mynevo.com

Finally, another option for programming a device in NevoStudio Pro is to take advantage of Universal Electronics massive database of IR codes by connecting to www.mynevo.com. Universal Electronics has one of the largest IR libraries in the industry and actually provides other companies with their codes. Using the online set-up isn’t much different than the device based set-up except that in addition to searching by the device type and brand you can now limit your search to the device’s actual part number. I was surprised when my test results using this approach were actually less successful than the first method. The online database did not find any codes for my Yamaha receiver, or the discrete power codes for my Panasonic TV. It did however find the code for the Toshiba HD-DVD player that I was missing up to this point. For now I would give the online set-up a fair but passing grade of “C+”. I added the plus because it’s obvious that this technology can only get better as the Nevo controllers mature and the database technicians get feedback and code libraries from their programmers.

As I’ve stated already, NevoStudio Pro’s greatest strength is its flexibility. There are many different ways to use the Add IR Device Wizard and chances are you will some combination of the multiple options to create the perfect Nevo configuration and move onto the Page Collection Wizard.



Page Collection Wizard

The Page Collection Wizard automatically creates the most common pages for the programmed device and is a great starting point for a new job. Selecting this option will leave you with a group of pages where the IR commands are automatically populated to the hard buttons and the touch screen pages are filled with additional commands. I recommend removing the buttons without commands but adding pages for additional functions. These options allow you to quickly flip through the pages made to determine what commands you have or need.

The Page Collection Wizard also allows you to easily select the template & graphics style for the device. I personally found the Infinity Template to be one of the best looking styles on NevoQ50 because of the high contrast and white text labels so if you don’t want to do a lot of graphics work this may be the best default option. Some of the other templates don’t reproduce as nicely on NevoQ50’s limited display making the button labels either difficult to read or subject to posterization.

Complete Code Programming

Once you have finished adding your IR devices you will see in the NevoStudio Pro Job View Window a Home Page Collection along with separate Page Collections for each of your devices. I always prefer to keep the device page collections 100% in-tact with every command available for each of my devices. These pages will not be immediately available from the common remote navigation but it’s nice to know they’re there for the power-user in the household. My goal is to never have to explain why a universal remote can’t do something the original remote can do – even if it’s a command that’s seldom used. As a programmer, these pages also become a graphical legend of your devices to confirm that you actually have all of the commands you need. For example, I forgot that the Add Device Wizard did not program the discrete input commands for my Panasonic Plasma TV until I laid out an input page in the collection. Now that I see that the discrete codes are needed I just saved the Panasonic Plasma device code to my Nevo Personal Library and edited the device to program the additional buttons with HEX codes. Fortunately I had the HEX codes available from previous remote programs so it was as easy as just copying and pasting them into NevoStudio Pro.



Customizing the User Interface

Any customer who has spent some time in the local Best Buy or has read a review of a Harmony remote now expects a home page with logical prompts like Watch TV, Watch DVD, etc. After all, one of the key features in buying a remote control device of this level is to be able to create a completely customized user interface for your client. NevoStudio Pro anticipates that need and has several options that help aid in the design including hundreds of button, backgrounds and symbols. In fact, they also have several pre-configured Key Groups designed for NevoQ50 or NevoS70 for common pages like the Home Page Activities mentioned above. Just create a new page in the Home Page Collection and drag the Activities Key Group onto the page. Add the power macros and page jumps for each of the Activities and you’re all set.

Before programming the page jump you may want to consider creating a new Page Collection for the Activity as opposed to using one of the device page collections that we want to preserve for the advanced user in the household. This allows you to steer the average user away from advanced commands like surround effects and speaker options and customize macros and punch-through without affecting the device commands. The only downfall of programming separate page collections for each Activity (and perhaps even each family member) is that the Job View window of NevoStudio Pro will become massive but you can easily change to the Site Map view to quickly visualize the entire program. In fact, the Site Map is a great way for your remote control programmers to share their ideas with other system designers or installers and perhaps even your client.



Graphic Design

Graphically, NevoQ50 is more limited than most other touch screen controllers since it has a low resolution screen and some of the graphic elements are not customizable. If you are just trying to pick from the different themes available to you I recommend downloading several options to your remote and scrolling though the pages. Once you decide on a theme you like you can easily drag it over the entire remote tree level in the Job View and all of your pages will be updated automatically to the new theme – an unbelievable shortcut!

If you have your heart set on creating custom graphics for NevoQ50 the best advice I can give you is to keep it simple, keep your color palette tight, and use high contrast button labels. You must also keep in mind that the lower gray bar with the button labels for NevoQ50’s four “soft” keys is fixed and may not be customized. Any image you design will be loaded behind this.

Whether you use the included themes or create your own graphics, NevoStudio Pro has just as many graphic design options as it does for programming and other features. NevoStudio Pro let’s you customize every page by selecting the background image and button layout. You can use the align/distribute tools or grids to place each button exactly where you want. You can even customize the font, color or symbol of each button and the alignment of that label within the button.

Completing your Programming

Once you have taken advantage of all of the features NevoStudio Pro has to offer you can run the Emulator on your computer to take a virtual tour of your configuration. This is a great way to confirm that you programmed all of the appropriate page jumps you need and to make sure everything acts as you’d expect it. Once you’re happy just download the configuration to NevoQ50 and you’re done! I’m sure you’ll want to take a few minutes to make sure that everything works exactly as you programmed it and once you’ve confirmed that the commands are all correct I recommend opening NevoStudio Pro one last time to export the devices you plan on using for other jobs to your Nevo Personal Library.

Don’t forget, there’s still one installment left to RemoteShoppe Review of Nevo Q50 with NevoStudio Pro. In part 3 we will be adding the NevoConnect NC-50 to our test set-up for RF control with Z-Wave and more. Coming soon.


If you'd like to learn more about NevoQ50 controller click here for Part 1 - RemoteShoppe Reviews Universal Electronics NevoQ50 - A New Touchscreen & Hard Button Remote with Z-Wave

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