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Topic:
First-timer MX980 programming questions
This thread has 32 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Wednesday December 15, 2010 at 00:24
storman
Long Time Member
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December 2010
16
I'm a DYI'er and attempting to program a 980 for the first time and I have some basic questions.
(1) In CCP, the first step is to configure the the devices. Is this also where Activities buttons should be setup and labeled ? If not in this step, which one ?
Instead of Watch on the left and Listen on the right of the color screen, I'd like to place Activities on the left and Devices on the right.

(2) A question on Step 3, the IR database. This is to test the power code of each device ? Does the test have to be done while the remote is tethered to the pc and pointed at each controlled device ? I'm not using a laptop, so the pc and the controlled equipment are located in different floors of my house.

I've been reading the programming guide, but what seemed straight forward during the first read is not quite so clear when I'm actually going through each step. Are there other things I can read or videos to watch ?

Thanks,
Bill
Post 2 made on Wednesday December 15, 2010 at 01:57
kgossen
Super Member
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March 2008
3,026
Videos available to authorized dealers, not general public. Remote must be tethered to computer for testing of ir codes to work.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 3 made on Wednesday December 15, 2010 at 08:49
yardbird
Active Member
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July 2005
538
I have mine as Activities and Devices as well. It was one of the first things I did when I got it, but I can't remember exactly at what point I did it. Make it one of the first things you do though so that it lays out on the left sidebar as Activities and devices instead of Watch and Listen.

In CCP follow the steps in order from left to right. Read the directions a few times and have them handy while you run through your first setup.

There's a learning curve to this. Not a bad one, but it's there. Don't be afraid to make mistakes in programming. You can correct them or simply start over once the little light goes on and you understand how it works. Just save as a different file name and move on.
Panasonic TH42PX60U, Yamaha RX-V667, DirecTV HR24, Sony DVP-NC80V, URC MX-980, PSX-2
Post 4 made on Wednesday December 15, 2010 at 10:10
oil99
Long Time Member
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May 2010
16
Yardbird is right once that light goes on it all comes together and is quite easy to understand. At first I thought it would be a breeze then I very quickly got overwhelmed but once you figure out what goes where and how it works together it's awesome... and powerful. Enjoy!
Post 5 made on Wednesday December 15, 2010 at 12:42
mistachy
Long Time Member
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April 2010
269
storman... i can send you some sample files so you can have a head start. will this help you out?
MX6000 :o) myfile [Link: texas-rebel.com]
LR: Onkyo TX-NR807, Samsung 52", MRX-1. BR1: LG 37", Sony AVR, MRF-260. BR2: MarantzSR8002, Epson8500 100", Klipsch RF-82 HT System, MSC400, HTPC
OP | Post 6 made on Saturday December 18, 2010 at 10:48
storman
Long Time Member
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December 2010
16
Thanks everyone for the replies. Sorry for seeming like a jerk by not replying sooner. It's been a busy week what with after-hours support calls for my day job, my internet broadband bandwidth dropping down to dial-up speeds, yadda yadda yadda ! And then I couldn't logon here with my new account - something got messed up with my password so a few emails back and forth with Daniel and all is good.

Now, back on topic. Mistachy, thanks for the offer and I'll take you up on that.
And others, thanks for the confidence builders. Yeah, mine isn't real high right now. Problem is I'm so tired by the time I can get to this each night that I don't think my brain is working at 100 %.

I looked at the manual and CCP last night and I'm still confused about when,where and how to build my activities. I get step 1, creating Devices. It seems like maybe this is where I could create the Activities - if so, I haven't figured it out. Can someone explain how that is done and how devices and activities fit together ? I get the idea that one of the first things that needs to be done is to build and name the devices that this remote will control. Is it correct to think of them as the building blocks of the control system ? From there I see Activities as just ways of organizing selected functions and key commands from a mix of several devices in the user's AV system around the way those devices are actually used.

At this point in the game, my preplanning has been to write down each of the devices that are used in my HT and then all of the activities that I would like this remote to automate or facilitate for me. Next I'll map out which devices will be needed for each activity and what steps,inputs, and so on from each are needed to build a well functioning activity. I'll also be giving some thought as to which buttons from each device are really needed and which ones can be left off. I find that like most people, I have device remotes with a lot of buttons that seldom, if ever get used. Why clutter up a universal remote with every single one of them ?

I have more questions, but I'll leave at this for right now. For the moment, I'll get off the computer and sit down with pen and notepad and do some more preplanning. I've lived with my current setup for 3 years, so I have a good feel for how I use it and how I'd like it controlled to simplify and improve my own enduser experience. How does that sound ? Marketable enough ?

Thanks much !
Bill
Post 7 made on Saturday December 18, 2010 at 19:54
mistachy
Long Time Member
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April 2010
269
hey storman, you can call me if you need more direct help. in the mean time, PM me if you want those files with a good email for you.
MX6000 :o) myfile [Link: texas-rebel.com]
LR: Onkyo TX-NR807, Samsung 52", MRX-1. BR1: LG 37", Sony AVR, MRF-260. BR2: MarantzSR8002, Epson8500 100", Klipsch RF-82 HT System, MSC400, HTPC
Post 8 made on Saturday December 18, 2010 at 23:10
mfahnestock
Long Time Member
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May 2010
19
If you need additional sample file, please let me know. Thanks to many of the folks here, they got me off the ground a while back. Just PM me your email and I can send you what I am using.
Post 9 made on Sunday December 19, 2010 at 11:43
KRAZYK
Long Time Member
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Posts:
October 2010
482
Storman,

I'm an end user myself. CCP just takes time to figure out like any software.
It isn't rocket science so don't give up! You'll be creating custom pages in no time. This forum is a great help!

I feel your pain in figuring out activities and devices.
CCP isn't very clear on this in the manual.
You are correct in created activities and devices in step 1.
How you arrange them is the key to a good user interface.
I use my wife as a test subject!!!!!
You can create an activities page and separate device pages.
Remember you can create multiply pages in step 1.
I personally create a watch, listen and games main page.
From the main page I jump to separate listen, watch and game pages.
From these pages is where I build my macros for each activity.
I've created separate folders in CCP to keep track of things.

Also, just because you create a device or page doesn't mean you need to make it accessible. Do you really want your wife messing with your receiver settings for example. I find it easier to create everything and hide what you don't need.
You can later create custom buttons for features you use regularly during certain activities. For example a certain sound field, or night mode!

You can also access hidden pages by programming a longer button press.
For example; my main button if held for 3 secs. takes me to devices that are for tweaking like my projector, receiver etc.

I've lost track at what version my personal set-up is at. I'm constantly tweaking it. That is the nice part of being an end user; if you learn the software you'll truly have a custom setup. Use the save-as option often and don't get frustrated. CCP isn't that complicated; it just has it's little issues. Start with the basics and keep expanding your set-up. Once you understand CCP's little quirks you'll be making changes in no time.

Good Luck!

Last edited by KRAZYK on December 19, 2010 11:52.
KRAZYK

Things you own end up owning you!
Post 10 made on Sunday December 19, 2010 at 16:47
yardbird
Active Member
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July 2005
538
Create devices first. Get all of your devices in there. Make sure you know which ones have discrete commands.
Then create activitues. Make sure you are then on the activities screen.

Create (for example) a "Satellite" Activity for watching satellite TV.
It turns on the TV, turns on the AV receiver, wakes up the satellite receiver.
At that point you want to see if the TV is booted up and ready to receive commands. Same with AV receiver. The satellite receiver wakes up pretty fast here. I had to build in a delay to wait for the TV to boot up. The receiver was rady before the TV so after a specified delay, I send the commands to put the AV receiver on the correct source input. Then I needed another short delay before the TV was ready to accept commands for input.

If you use an AV receiver and want all volume controlled by it, remember to set the punch through.

The first time you create a setup, plan on tweaking it. Tweaking it will be easy once you get through an initial setup and see how it all comes together. Also, save your file often and change the file name (file_01, file_02, file_03, etc) so if you screw up royally, you go back to the previous file and try again.

You'll get there.
Panasonic TH42PX60U, Yamaha RX-V667, DirecTV HR24, Sony DVP-NC80V, URC MX-980, PSX-2
OP | Post 11 made on Sunday December 19, 2010 at 20:04
storman
Long Time Member
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December 2010
16
Thanks for the advice guys. I still haven't got around to working with the remote.
Yesterday simply evaporated on me - we had the cable guy out in the morning to see why our broadband speeds were all over the map. He ended up spending more time here than either of us imagined but he reworked the way the incoming line was split up between phone, broadband, and tv to give the cable modem more signal strength. In the end he discovered the cable modem was the main culprit and the wireless router wasn't doing too well either. So I've got a new modem and wireless router now and our internet is really blazing. Before I knew it it was supper time.

I'm hoping to work on programming tomorrow or Tuesday. I think I'm going to just plough through it with a basic configuration and see what I learn from that experience. I'm sure I'll end up making lots of tweaks and adjustments along the way. I think I'm still a little unclear about how to use step one to create activities because that step seemed so orientated towards working with devices.
Will it perhaps be a little more clear if I ditch my idea of having Activities/Devices and go with the "default" of Listen/Watch ?

Thanks,
Bill
OP | Post 12 made on Sunday December 19, 2010 at 20:21
storman
Long Time Member
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December 2010
16
On December 19, 2010 at 11:43, KRAZYK said...
Storman,



Also, just because you create a device or page doesn't mean you need to make it accessible. Do you really want your wife messing with your receiver settings for example. I find it easier to create everything and hide what you don't need.

KRAZYK -
That's funny. You must know my wife ! She's horrible with remotes. Actually, this remote is for MY man-cave, a separate room in the basement for my hobby. She gets the living room upstairs with the plasma to watch whatever she wants, like sports, Suze Orman, and so on. When Suze's on, that's my cue to retreat to the basement and play some favorite guy movies, CDs, or a nice shiny 12" black vinyl platter of some favorite jazz or classical music.
Nope, nobody messes with Dad's toys. ; >
Post 13 made on Tuesday December 21, 2010 at 13:26
KRAZYK
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
October 2010
482
On December 19, 2010 at 20:21, storman said...
KRAZYK -
That's funny. You must know my wife ! She's horrible with remotes. Actually, this remote is for MY man-cave, a separate room in the basement for my hobby. She gets the living room upstairs with the plasma to watch whatever she wants, like sports, Suze Orman, and so on. When Suze's on, that's my cue to retreat to the basement and play some favorite guy movies, CDs, or a nice shiny 12" black vinyl platter of some favorite jazz or classical music.
Nope, nobody messes with Dad's toys. ; >

Awesome, I need my own man-cave.
For now I have to wait for the family to go to bed after watching "Dora the explorer" on a 112" projector.
Oh well!!!
KRAZYK

Things you own end up owning you!
Post 14 made on Sunday July 3, 2011 at 23:17
hillshire
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
November 2004
16
Hello, just reading thur the treads and came across this, would it be possible to receive some test files that you spoke of. I am coming from a MX-810 to the MX-980 and could some help kick starting my journey.

Thanks in advance
Post 15 made on Monday July 4, 2011 at 02:12
Jimmy Bellagio
Advanced Member
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Posts:
January 2008
854
I am surprised at how people can buy a $600 remote and try to struggle through the programming. Furthermore they obtain really, really novice device from an end user who realistically has very little experience himself and is now offering his files to anyone who asks a question. Ever wonder why there is limited information on these remotes? These remotes are meant to be programmed and warrenteed by a professional; it's just incredible at how many people are willing to get bad advice instead of hiring a pro.
James S. Bellagio
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