I set up my MX-900 to control the Dish VIP 722 DVR. Wife continued to use the Dish supplied remote. All was well until the latter wore out and Dish sent us a new one, which is a different model. I went through the procedure of "registering" the new remote and it now works. Then, much to my surprise, the MX-900 didn't work! Apparently, Dish figured it was smarter to change the DVR programming to accept the signals from the new remote than to program the new remote to send the signals the DVR can use.

Anyway, the question now is does anyone have MX-900 programming for this new Dish remote, model 21.1 IR/UHF?
Otherwise, I will have to teach it. Come to think of it, I may have had to do that for the old one.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Ed

Is the software in the Dish set for IR? In many cases, they default to RF and need to be changed in software in order to see IR.

The VIP722 has been in place for 2-3 years with the original Dish and the MX-900 working. Since neither are RF I think it's set to IR. However, I'm not sure exactly what the process that "registers" the new remote does to the VIP722. I'm hoping that it doesn't say "Hey, switch over to RF 'cuz I have this new Dis remote that is RF." If it does that I would think my use of the MX-900 are over.

What do you think?

Ed

It could also have been switched to different IR address other then #1, there are 16 of them.

Try your dish remote thru a wall or two rooms away. If it changes channels, it's doing RF.

Yep, it's doing RF.

So, it looks like my choices are to find an earlier model Dish #1 remote, or get an MX-whatever that does both IR & RF. What model would do that? I have other stuff that is IR that I'm not quite ready to replace.

Ed

the only remote that will control it via RF is the Dish remote.  you need to set the Dish Network receiver for IR control to make the URC remote control it.    My guess is that you set the box for RF to make the new remote work, thus wiping out the possibilty of control from the MX900.  

I did notice that the new remote is model 21.1 IR/UFR, so I know it should do either. I spent a short while today chatting with a Dish tech in India. He/she was unable to guide me to getting the Dish box back to IR. I'll give it another go tomorrow.

So, you're saying that there's no URC remote that does RF/UHF?

Thanks.

Ed

 no, i'm saying that no universal remote will control your box via RF.  the mx900, as well as other URC remotes, is only compatible with a URC RF basestation.

That's interesting. I thought the trend was toward RF control, leading ultimate to no new equipment that will respond to IR. What happens to URC then?

On the other path for my current problem, I've learned there is a switch on the new Dish 21.1 IR/UHF remote that selects between IR and RF. I still have to discover the details of getting the Dish VIP 722 switched back to IR.

Thanks for your help.

Ed

Hmm, I thought so.

Dish receivers can do both RF and IR at the same time.
You have to go to system info.
Press and hold the sat button until lights on.
Press 1 then #.
TV 1 should display remote address 1.

The issue you have does not have anything to do with URC. No manufacturers RF can be learned into a remote, as well as not other manufacturers remote being able to control another manufacturers device via RF. There are FCC regulations in place that companies must adhere to.

OK, I'm beginning to understand that. Perhaps what I'm trying to do is a bit out of the ordinary: Allow the Dish 21.1 IR/UHF remote able to control the box AND the MX-900. I did that for several years with the Dish 5.3 IR remote.

Perhaps someone can explain something for me. What exactly is the meaning of the "address" when the remote is set to IR? Every remote seems to have one and the box has to be set accordingly, but what is changing?

From a thread back in September ( by jmj52?)

"...9 ID's for Dish Network. Labeled ID 2-8 under SAT. Any will work as long as they are the same as the box you are trying to control."

Perhaps I should try these one by one, each time also changing the address in the Dish box to correspond.

TIA

Ed

The address is different frequencies so you can control different receivers simultaneously without changing another receiver.