After using the Harmony remotes, as well as the MX-3000 and even the MX-810, I got used to the idea of flipping back and forth between the "Activities" and "Devices" buttons.

Now, I'm programming the MX-980 which has "Listen" and "Watch" buttons. I see some of the previous MX remotes also have the listen and watch buttons. I figured I would just program the devices under the "listen" screens and program the activities under the "watch" screens.

I figured whether the device button or the an activity button was pushed, you would still end up on the same screen. The only difference is you would not execute a macro from one of them.

What logical approach did some of you take when setting up the listen/watch MX style remotes?

It seems you don't have a clear understanding of how these should be programmed. A typical programming project has the following format:

Some devices are hidden. You don't always want someone to be able to mess around with preamp or display settings nor have full access to all of the commands which may cause problems to an end-user.

Watch page is for activity-based macros that involve video and audio in surround sound.

Listen page is for activity-based macros that involve audio only, other audio only zones and/or video sources which may be used for stereo or multi-channel stereo listening.

the above advise i think would apply more if you were programming the unit for a customer, where things need to be "bulletproof".

you could set it up just the way you described, whatever turns your crank. i personally have all my watch activities under watch, and my listen activities under listen. i have added a 2nd "DEVICES" page under WATCH and LISTEN with the devices that go with the macro's on the main activity pages. i also added a 3rd page to WATCH AND LISTEN with power commands for each device, so i can power up slow components (xbox 360, dvd/cd player, etc) before firing a macro.

all the best!

Actually, I am very experienced at programming the MX-3000 and most anyone can run through the Harmony wizards. The MX-810 is set up more like a Harmony. This programming does not have to be bullet proof since it is for myself. It will get to bullet proof the longer I use it and decide how I want it to work and see where improvements can be made. I've owned the MX-3000 for 3 years and still tweaking it when I see a need.

My first sit down with the software had me thinking I would set it up like a Harmony with devices and activities. Since I don't have any "Listen" only activities, I thought I would use that section for devices.

If I set up an activity for "Watch Cable" and go to my cable box screens, but then want to make an adjustment for a setting on the tv, I would go to devices and scroll through the screens for what I wanted, then go back to the cable screens. I want to be able to go back and forth between devices without running an activity macro. Seems the MX-980, MX-900 etc aren't intuitive in this way. They have their own style which I'm sure many of you are used.

That is why I am asking how some of you set these up. Maybe I should combine all the cable box and tv functions under the "Watch Cable" screens. Then there would be no need to go to a "device" page.

You still need to look harder into what I posted and what the mx900/950/980 can handle. You can use press and holds to jump to a device w/o issuing a macro. You can also have page jumps or hidden buttons jump to hidden devices that you may want to mess with on rare occasions.

I assumed u were an installer of these remotes since you are posting in the custom install heading.

Do whatever makes you happy and gets you by. My advice was for installers setting up a remote for a client and is intended to make things more bulletproof.