Yamaha RX-V661BL 7.1-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver

I love this receiver! There are many functions on this system relating to TV HDMI which I don't use and can not speak to. However, if you are looking for quality sound for a reasonable price this is your baby! Your Ipod never sounded better :)

First of, this is a great reciever. Great sound and plenty of features for the price. You can't go wrong there.
The bad part is, be prepaired to spend a couple hours with the manual and the other bad part is, the manual is as complicated to read as the interface! I did however figure it all out. Once you get your "Scenes" set up, you are good to go.

I have had great luck with this receiver. Great product for a knock out price.

Easy to connect everything especially using the HDMI outputs. Very good sound with 7 speakers (using Bose for all but the 2 rear which I installed Niles in wall flush mount. Biggest disappointment is not being able to use my Sony universal remote. The Yamaha won't turn off with anything other than its own remote, which by the way, is very weak. Overall, satisfied but there are better units out there for the same price.

I primarily bought this unit for 1. The close out price. 2. For the two hdmi inputs with one hdmi output and 3. For the phonograph connectors (I have a few albums:) Older models don't have hdmi and many newer models don't have phonograph connectors. (But I believe their manuals, available online, might suggest how to connect. So if that is a concern with other models, you might check for a manual.)

I agree with others about this remote. It is not... comfortable. And the issue that "Power" turns it on. "Stand by" turns it off. So yeah, even your universal remote is going to need one button to power on and another to power it off.

As for finding a comfortable remote... I was used to the Time Warner remotes like the URSU-8700L. After looking at many, including the Harmony models online (Which are surely easier to program.) I bought the Universal WR7 at Walmart for under near the price of a blu-ray movie. It has four buttons across the bottom just like the 4 Yamaha scene buttons. Under Sat/Cab, these 4 can function for the A, B, C, D of the Time Warner remote. The Menu, Guide, Info and Exit mimic the Time Warner also.

The DVR or DVD play section work for the Tuner presets with head to head teaching. Chapter advance (+-) for A-E group and fast forward and rewind (>>,<<) to cycle the 8 presets on each of the groups. I'm still tweaking, but very happy with it for this Yamaha, Time Warner DVR and blu-ray/DVD. (Search for "WR7 remote" at wally world.)

Suggestion: Program TV and SAT/CAB buttons both to the code for Time Warner box. Then on TV, customize the few needed individual buttons like power on and off to the TV remote in head to head learning. That way if TV or SAT/CAB is last button hit, they both do the same thing for all but the few things you really need on the TV.

And the Yamaha power on and power off is solved by using AUD to turn it on and AUX to turn it off. (Teach one in head to head learning) That way all other keys TV, DVD, Sat/Cab, CD and VCR could be used for those devices if you have them.

I don't know if a photo showing Yamaha RX-V661 remote, Time Warner remote, and Universal WR7 remote will fly, but I might try it.