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UPnP: Universal or Unknown?

Both of these remotes tout their ability to control and interface with UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) devices. During my review period, I found that "Universal" was optimistic at best. I had an Escient DVDM-300 and Leviton's LE&AP media server platform on hand - both of which claim to be UPnP. Neither remote could "see" the Escient at all. Both found the LE&AP server, but not the receiver/player used in each zone. And while both remotes displayed the music and photo file descriptions from the LE&AP server, neither could access the photos, and only the Philips could access music stored on LE&AP.

Upon investigation, I learned that the UPnP "standards" are more general guidelines than a strict standard, and manufacturers can choose to follow some but not all of the compatibility rules. And it seems that the compatibility issues lie with the hardware, not the remotes. While these issues will likely be resolved by firmware updates, it would be a smart bet to check the most up-to-date product compatibilities before purchasing a media player.

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