I'm having a hard time finding documentation re: the MSC400's rear IR port, and a search on this forum hasn't netted the info.

Basically, I need to control sources with two different IR/RF infrastructures - the first will be a MX950/MSC400 combo, the second is Russound's CAV6.6 (via IR routing from zone keypads) ... and I want to avoid sticking multiple emitters on each source.

Looking at the MSC400, I see it has a rear IR input (data/gnd/12v). The CAV has a rear IR output that routes IR passthru from all keypads (and, I'm hoping, from CAV-generated macros as well). Will the MSC400 accept external IR from the CAV, for instance, and pass it thru to all its IR emitters? Also, I presume I wouldn't need to hook up the 12v connection, that I'd just hook up data & gnd on the MSC's IR input jack to the CAV's tip/sleever emitter?

BTW, where _is_ the MSC400 documentation? All I got in the box was a laminated "get started" sort of doc; checking the installers site at URC I do see the MSC400 training, but no way to download documentation of any kind.

As far as I know, there is no written documentation for the MSC 400. The flash-based training is great, but it makes it kind of a pain if you're just looking for some small bit of info. I went through the same thing a few weeks ago - spent 30 minutes trying to 30 seconds of info I couldn't remember from when I went through the online training the first time. I understand URC's reasoning for trying to keep this info from DIY'ers, but it sure makes it a pain. < /rant >

I have no experience with the MSC400 but just did a similar job with the MRF300/MX850. The MRF300 has a connector on the back identical to the one on the MSC400 and the quick reference guide for the MSC400 describes that connector the same as the owners manual for the MRF300. On my job I was able to run the IR output from a Xantech smartpad to the data and ground on that connector. It worked fine. The only issue one might have is that the rear IR input is not addressable.

BTW, I ended up trying this today - piped the "Acc IR" output of the CAV into the MSC400's IR input, and it worked ... well, kinda/sorta.

Oddly, I found that although the original remotes worked w/~90% reliability (in this case, the remote for a ChannelVision 6x4 video matrix switch, LG 4200a HDTV tuner and HP z558 MCE system), the MX950 universal remote that I had programmed w/these devices barely worked at all!?!

The MX950 was in IR mode (RF receiver not yet hooked up) and fully charged; when using it (via the Russound's UNO keypad's IR receiver), only 1 out of every 5-7 keypresses would register; but switch to the original remote, and suddenly commands were accepted much more reliably.

Makes me wonder whether the MX950's IR strength is, for some reason, less than the other three remotes'? Any ideas why this would be the case?

Just curious, did these problems start after using the IR in on the MSC400??

I'm going to take the MSC400 out of the equation, and see if the "AccIR" port connected directly to one of the source emitters works any better with the MX950 - will post here w/results.

Investigating this further, I pulled the MSC400 out of the equation; instead, I routed the AccIR IR out from the CAV directly to an emitter on one of the sources, the z558 WinMCE system. Again, the native remote worked fairly well (~85-90% of key presses register); but using the MX950, barely 1 out of every 7+ IR commands would register! So this would seem to confirm that the issue isn't due to the MSC400; either it's the MX950 remote, or a combination of this with the CAV's AccIR IR output jack.


I checked this by viewing through a cellphone camera and my digital camera. With the former, I saw the IR signal being sent by both the native and MX950 remote - surprisingly, the latter (MX950) was much brighter/stronger, I'd guesstimate perhaps 30+% brighter! With the camera, a similar result ... not sure if it's relevant, but w/the cameraphone the light appeared solid, while w/the camera's display you could actually see the blinking of the IR emitters on both remotes. Too, note that both the native and MX950 remote appear to have dual IR emitters that go off.

Has anyone else come across any sort of situation where the native remote consistently works, but the URC MX (in IR mode) remote does not?

I have't had this problem with russound...but with elan. The IR out of the MX950 was strong for the IR receiver in the keypad. Just use RF should take care of your problem

I've had similiar issues where using IR directly pointed at the equipment works fine, but when shooting through an IR repeater system the operation gets spotty and some commands are missed. Like what was said above, see if RF works better than going through the keypad's IR system. We ultimately ended up completely changing that system so I'm not sure in that case what was causing those problems.

A bit more info - I noticed that the IR emitters were lighting (albeit faintly) when no IR commands were being sent. What I hadn't realized (n00b mistake!) was that the plasma panel mounted on the same wall as the keypad (~2' away) was causing IR interference w/the keypad's IR receiver! Turn off the plasma, and the IR emitters suddenly stopped lighting up on their own.

Unfortunately, this did not resolve the problem with the MX950's IR accuracy; even with the plasma display off, accuracy in source control was unchanged. Too, I didn't notice any substantial difference in the accuracy of the OEM remotes, whether the plasma display was on or off.

I just tried using an MX700 in this same situation ... surprisingly, I saw much better response with the MX700 over the MX950 - the 950 had an accuracy of perhaps 1 out of 7 presses; the 700 was more like 50%; while the OEM remote was approx 85-90%.

This has me really perplexed, I can't figure why the MX950 has such poor performance compared to the OEM remotes ... could it truly be that the MX950's IR is overloading the keypad's IR receiver?

Re: the RF route - although this would work in my own install (small house!), this workaround wouldn't work in many of the installs we do, unless we added multiple RF antennae. Seems a waste to have to do that, too, since the keypads already incorporate a built-in IR repeater system :(

I was hoping to get some thoughts on this issue from URC - anyone?

I am curious if you get any feedback or if you get it working.

I just finished an install of a CAV6.6 also along with the Russound media server, FM/Sirius tuner, and IDock. It is all connected to the CAV6.6 using the NET wiring without any IR emitters at all.

I was under the impression I would be able to get the RS232 codes to operate the entire system room by room and every source. I was planning to use an MX-3000 to not only operate the digital room it was intended but the entire whole house system every room and source. I would talk to the tech support over at Russound as they do email as well as answer phone calls during the day to get your answers as to excactly what must be done to make URC work with the CAV6.6.

Good Luck, BNC

Some more info - today I popped in a B&K CT1 "IR Integrator" (CAV IR outputs into channel 1 of integrator, MRF IR outputs into channel 2, CT1's IR outputs to source devices). This effectively removed the "AccIR" hack I had been using.

Upon doing this, I found that the native remote was working a little more reliably, maybe ~90-95% accurate. However, only a slight change was perceived in the MX950's control of the MCE device - perhaps approaching 2 out of 5 commands executed. Control of the HDTV tuner (an LG 4200a) also improved slightly, but it was still very sporadic. Note, though, that the MX950's IR commands to the CAV and the video matrix switch were working with good reliability ... so it would seem that the issue is isolated to the HP z558 MCE system and LG set top box.

Now get this - wondering whether the MX950 was truly oversaturating the UNO keypad's IR receiver (which, in hindsight, couldn't be the case - after all, it was working reliably for some of the devices thru the same keypad!), I tried aiming the remote back, up sideways, etc ... no effect. Than I covered the front of the remote (emitters) with my palm ... suddenly accuracy (of z558 MCE system) shot up! With my entire hand over the emitters control of the MCE box was seamless!

So it seems oversaturation could be the issue - but I guess I'm having a hard time seeing how the oversaturation could be occurring, since the IR command to the source traverses multiple steps: 1) mx950 to UNO keypad's IR receiver, 2) keypad relays to CAV IR output, with CAV output tied into CT1 (with 1/8" mono cable), 3) CT1 to source via standard IR emitter.

With the above arrangement, is it feasible that the z558 *is* getting overloaded?

Another data point - when I had the z558 in the same room and was controlling it line-of-sight with the mx950, there were no issues at all - reliability was easily >95%! Another indication that it's not IR oversaturation at the z558 source. (the same is true of the LG set-top box, local line-of-sight IR control was very high)