I don't care how much you love them, they are low end. Take away the JP1, and more than 1/2 of you would not be playing with them or own them. Their value is in the "hack ability" that they have, which make them, in a sense worth more than what they sell for. I have both a 8090 OFA and a Rat Shack 2116, and a MX-700. Two Sonys, one a AV2000 and the other is a AV2100. And numerous other OLD RS units. And yes the OFA and RS-2116 are low end units compaired to the others. They all have their good points, and the OFA and RS good points are the JP1, and low price. Take away the JP1, and they are no better than the learning remotes that come with most TVs and VCRs. With the JP1 they are better.

As for how important is custom labeled buttons, and LCD icons, VERY! Anyone can pick up my M-700 or my Sonys and figure out what button or icon will do what. The same can NOT be said for either my OFA 8090 or my RS-2116, that has been tweaked with help of JP1. Sure I know what button will do what, but others don't unless I tell them. The Sonys and the MX-700 can tell them when they look at the LCD screens, what will do what.