Hi,

I'm an installer/programmer for an A/V company that I just started working for. I've been introduced to the URC MX-900 because this is something we sell.

Well, I HATE THIS THING! LOL

Really, I didn't start this to bash the thing. I would like to understand it a bit more to know how to use it effectively. Are there ways to make the programming easier? For example, today I needed a code set for an odd Sony TV. Some of the codes worked, but others did not. I wanted to use some codes from one set, plus others from another set, and I couldn't figure out how to do that. I wanted to learn the key functions off the factory remote too, and save that as another code set, but I couldn't do that in the 'custom' menu. Also, is it common for them to have screw-ups when learning buttons? I could go on and on...

Need to read through the tutorial?

Tanke one home, along with some AV gear, and play with the programming for a few evenings. Once you get "it", it'll come pretty easy.

I could live without the "watch/listen" buttons, but they do seem to "work" for some clients.

ditto. it took me a while to get used to the 900 over the 850 but now that is my #1 remote... practice practice practice than charge

I don't like watch/listen at all. They really should have been activities/devices. But you can always make the same screens on both if it fits and have both function like Main on the MX-850. Right now I still use an 850 as my main remote but if they add variables to the 900 I will use that because of my one device without discretes.

Exactly, that's what I mean. I don't like the idea that some hard buttons are active while others are not, depending on what the LCD is saying. I just feel that if a button isn't going to be doing anything then it shouldn't be there.

That's why I like the Prontos - minimal hard buttons (half of which are 'constants' anyways), and the only things that are active are the things that YOU put on. The last company I worked for used Prontos, and there was almost no need for an orientation with the customer. Right now, you program the URC and have to teach someone how to use it. With a Pronto, you pretty much can pick it up and follow it's lead (IF -and it's a big if - the device was programmed well). No matter how you program the MX, there are always a lot of buttons someone can hit to screw something up, and even one that is programmed well isn't that good IMO.

I have spent a lot of time with the MX at home, a lot of time with the manual/tutorial. I'm getting it, slowly, but I still feel like I'm lying when a customer asks me if the thing is good or not. I'd love to tell them about the other things out there, but this is what the company I work for sells, so I have to stand by it.

Thanks for the replies!

I have been using URC for about 5 years now and have to tell you that if properly programmed, they are quite good. I think you are having some difficulties adapting to a different system. Most of the remotes I program are the hard button types because my customers like to use the remote by feel.

BTW, you could use the universal browser to drag the codes from one device into another device. It is quite easy.

I still think the MX-900 is a great remote. I'm not a fan of touchscreens. If I had to answer the "love it/hate it" question I'd say "love it." Just not the watch/listen part.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm......... quite the opposite feelings of quite a number of custom integrators on this forum.

I agree about the Watch/Listen thing. Note the new R70 that URC has come out with that will also be out in the Complete Control line with more PC programmability.

However, comparing the Pronto (a touchscreen) to the MX-900 is hardly fair.

For a lot of people, the buttons are exactly what they want, and when programmed properly with Navigates, proper macros, etc. it is an outstanding remote.

I can't seem to understand your strong feelings against it other than that it is not a touchscreen remote.

Greg

I've been using URC since the 700 debuted.
Then went to the 850 when it came out.

I bought a 950 at CEDIA 2 years ago. It set on the desk for a month while I tinkered with the editor trying to make it intuitive to use for my wife and daughter.

One night it 'clicked' in and I programed it, removed the 850 from family service, and waited on feedback.

After a couple of days I asked what they thought.

They LOVED it! "so much easier than the old one" was their first reply!!!
I thought the 850 was pretty easy and so did they until now!

I have another system with a 900 (the one I usually use for clients systems) and they have no problems with it as either.

After adjusting to the 900's ability and making it intuitive to operate for clients(wich they seem to love) ,I feel limited when I reprogram existing clients 850's when they up-grade equipment.
Many bought a 900 after I showed it to them because it made more sense to them.

They seem to be able to grasp the fact that if you want to listen to something, press listen and choose. Press watch if you want to watch something.

I always got by just fine knowing that if I pressed cd, I was going to be lisening to a cd, if I pressed sat, I was going to be watching sat!

Some people seem to need the 'watch' or 'listen' to make it make sense (my wife and most clients included).

As long as you only have 'watch' commands relate to 'watch' devices and 'listen' relate to 'listen' devices, it works out better than I thought it would.

Keyword? ALMOST....




Sorry, but you're WAY off base with that one. If this remote is programmed WELL, it's just as easy to use as ANY other, if not easier. Problem is that you're making this sweeping statement based on YOUR inability to properly program the remote.

Push the WATCH button, then select the item (device) you'd like to watch, or push the LISTEN button, then select the item you'd like to listen to.

Yeah, you're right. That is extremely difficult to figure out.

Funny. On my remote, there are NO buttons "that someone can hit to screw something up".

OK, you're right, the 'no matter' modifier wasn't quite right, but I still don't like having all those unused buttons. Just a personal preference.

I've been working with this thing for the past few days and it's beginning to 'click', which is nice. For my own use, I'd still prefer a touchscreen, but it still makes me feel good to know that people do like this thing. This way I don't have to feel like I'm giving them something that's a compromise. IOW - Who cares if I like it or not, I want the customer to have something they like.

The one I delivered yesterday was for a builders showroom that had a bunch of kitchens in it. It had to control 6 displays, each with 2 sources. When I was done with the program, my supervisor checked it out and found a couple little bugs which I fixed, and then we showed it to the guy who ran the showroom. He really loved it, which was a reward in itself considering my initial impression of the unit.

The universal browser IS a great little thing, and it totally saved me on this one. 5 of the 6 displays were these odd Sony units that really weren't right for the job, but we were coming in after someone else had installed them so I had to work with them. The URC database had nothing on them, but I found discretes for the inputs in a .ccf format and was able to drop them in. Very nice.

I'm sure I'll be working with these things a lot, so I'm glad that I'm now more familiar with them. There are still some things that bug me about it (ex., limited text on the LCD is kind of annoying), but it is a really flexible device, and that's good.

Thanks again

Well, now that's good to hear!