I have had the 950 for a couple of days now, and have spent a lot of time programming it. I really wanted to like this remote, and in many ways I do, but in a major way (for me) it is a dissapointment.

I have had most of the remotes that URC has come out with, since the beginning, and really became a fan, when they came out with the MX-500 design. Since that time, every step up I have taken, with the 700, then the 800 series, I have felt was an improvement. To me, the 950 is a step, sort of sideways, with some big improvements, but the change in shape and button layout is IMO a step backwards.

The purpose, for me, of a hard button remote, is to be able to feel the buttons without looking at them. When I am in my theater, and watching a movie, I don't want to have to look down, at a Crestron, or Pronto touch screen, and that is why I have always loved the URC remotes. The shape of the remote feels good in the hand, the balance is right, and I can feel each button easily, and rarely make mistakes. Occaisionally, I look at the LCD display, but for the most part, I navigate my remote by feel.

The MX-950 has lost this advantage, by trying to look retro (for some reason) the buttons are small, and the layout is confusing. Why they switched the menu button from where it has always been, to the other side of the remote is an enigma to me. Even the buttons along the LCD are too small, and closely spaced together, so that it is really easy to hit the wrong button. I really miss the FF and RW button position on either side of the center button, and find the two position movement very cumbersome on, what are now the "Back" and "Ahead" buttons.

With all those negatives, the 950 is really a work of art. The adjustable colors of the display, are really beautiful, the backlighting of the buttons is very nice, and the rechargeable battery is such a long overdue feature for these battery hungry remotes. I would really love to see those features incorporated into the MX-800 series design, then I would have my perfect remote.

The programming advances are also a positive. I really like the added programming flexibility, and capacity. The sounds are cute, but not really necessary to me. I don't have a lot to say about the programming, because I feel that I have barely scratched the surface on what this remote can do. I wish I could get past the ergonomics, and then I could really love this remote.

Overall, this is a fine remote, just one that will not be ideal for my theater. It will find a place controlling another room of my house, where it can be more of a display, and multifunction piece, rather than in the dark, where I need a remote that is more intuitive, and form fitting for my hand and fingers.