Another annoyance is that you are limited to two main pages. On a large enough system, I sometimes will have activities on the second page. Heck, my own remote (MX900), I use 5 pages, with 2 hidden pages all on the main Watch page.

Did you get the MX-780's in yet? I was wondering if this issue I found in programming will show itself on the remote. When I created devices, I dragged the icons over, at which point it adds the Device Name. You can delete if you want, which I opted to do since it overlayed the text over the icons:



So I removed the text from the Device Name field on each device, which gives a much cleaner look of course:



The problem is when I went to the IR Database, the Device field shows blank entires:



I went and put the Device Name back on each device in the Create and Name Device section and went back to the IR Database and it showed the Device names:



So I am wondering if you keep the device names, will it still show the text overlayed over a Device Icon when uploaded to the remote?

The MX-850 is a terrific remote. It's lack of features are primarily s/w related and could be easily addressed by URC if they actually cared to do so.

The fact you can get 10 buttons on a page is terrific. The fact they have a left side and a right side makes a lot of functions more intuitive. The Listen button is a concept I don't even use on my MX-900 - I just use it as a way to select a device without switching to it (something you can do on with the MX-850 by just holding down Main).

The FAV button is very handy as well.

Personally, I can't take advantage of variables in my remotes because I can have more than one remote controlling things my system at any one time.

Fortunately, there have always been workarounds for most scenarios. My general working theory is that a human can look and see if something is off, and then just push the on button. If it's on when they want it off, then they can figure out to push off.

My ideal remote would combine the programming flexibility of the newer remotes, with the layout of the MX-850, add the skip buttons, and a dedicated record button - and top it off with gemstone buttons re-designed to withstand millions of presses.

A, B, C, D buttons wouldn't be a bad idea either as most DVRs have something like that.

I wish I could see a better picture of the 780, it looks like it has a lot of buttons including a set of special function buttons.

Here's the best I've got:

I haven't tried it on a remote yet, but if you right-click on your device button, there's an option to hide the text.

Mike

On a two zone system, the Watch/Listen buttons greatly simplify the use of the system. I will program the main zone on Watch, with the second zone on Listen. My customers love the ease of use with this setup.

Also, you can NEVER assume a customer is smart enough to walk over to check if the equipment is on, nor should they really have to. If properly setup, it shouldn't be a factor. I am curious however as to how your system is setup so that you are using multiple remotes for the same system?

To follow up with what I posted yesterday, hiding the text in CCP will keep it from showing up on the remote.

Thanks for checking

What I do to get around this is create the devices on the second or third page, delete them and keep the icons. I then programmed the macros and jumped to the devices that were named. (and showed up in the RF tab).

I already sold this remote to a couple of customers who were thrilled and were otherwise considering Harmony. The systems they were controlling were not very difficult but did require a level of customability that would have otherwise been a nightmare with Harmnony. I am thrilled to have a good go-to remote for cusotmers who have thier eyes on one from the Harmony line. All in all, I think that it's a great addition to the rest of the line.

It's good to hear a review from someone who has put on in the field. To me, it looks like a great option for single zone systems. I would not use it for two zone systems, as I program the main zone on watch, and second zone on listen. I know the MX780 has both pages, but you have to press the Main button a couple times to toggle. That is asking for problems and/or confused customers. So I think I would sell the MX780 for single zone system, and the MX900 or MX880 for two zone (more budget conscience people), or the 980.

All of my gear is centrally located and controlled by an MRF base unit, and then distributed out to the zones using multiple outputs from the DVRs and other dedicated devices. I have a remote at each TV, which makes things much easier.

I of course take advantage of discrete codes and some devices are just hot all the time. But even when this doesn't work out, it's not hard to look at a TV screen and see that it's on, and then look at what's on the TV screen and tell that it's not oh say the DVD menu. So you press "ON", and the system sends out the codes to turn the DVD on and select it again.

If you don't see what you want, press ON.

If you're done, and it hasn't gone away, press OFF.

Not so tough...

What is even easier then having a customer look to see what is on and what is off and what to press and what not to press, is to built a system that works, every time, as designed. I know my clients appreciate the ease of use and the reliability. Although the only thing required to fix a problem is to return to the main menu and choose the activity they are trying to start, this is not something that my client should HAVE to do. I understand that s*&# happens and sometimes there will be a hiccup. However, you make it sound like it is a normal thing to consistently have to fix issues. If that is happening, then the system is either not programmed properly, or the wrong equipment was chosen for the task.

There's nothing to "fix". If it's on and you want it off, you press off. If it's off and you want it on, you press on.

The URC approach to RF is flawed "by design" and hence it's impossible to build a system that works every time using their gear.

There are certainly extra steps I could take to get better performance such as installing an MSC-400 with specific sensors to track the state of my devices, using multiple antennas to clear up some dead spot issues, and replacing all my remotes on a regular basis so nobody ever would have to deal with a button press not being registered; but it's certainly not worth the additional expense to me - and it still can't deal with the "flaws" I mentioned.

When you use two or more remotes at the same time, the signals WILL collide and even interfere with each other - the worse case being a unintended code is issued to an unintended device.

Press-and-hold for a 2-zone system?

So with the MX-780, do we get software for it or is that only available via the dealer (i.e., you have to pay to program)?