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MX-880 to what?
This thread has 12 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Monday November 25, 2013 at 19:39
mdeligny
Long Time Member
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I have an MX-880 and and many other people I know and customers have it also. Everyone hates the way it re-charges by having to plug in a wire into it, rather then using a cradle or a custom setup. I was checking the Universal Remote's website and really don't see a great line up of radically different remotes. They all look the same, have much of the same features and can't find one with a cradle like charger design. Anyone recommend a particular remote? I would even go for another brand....UC's grip and strict rules make it difficult to own sometimes.
Thanks
Post 2 made on Monday November 25, 2013 at 20:21
goldenzrule
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URC has the least strict policy of any pro line. The MX-890 is your solution. Charges via a cradle (can even plug the charge wire into the remote directly if the charger breaks, although have had 0 issues with it). Decent screen, quite customizable, includes nice features such as an Event Timer. Great remote and is the replacement for the 880.
Post 3 made on Monday November 25, 2013 at 20:32
MattBrotzge
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On November 25, 2013 at 20:21, goldenzrule said...
URC has the least strict policy of any pro line. The MX-890 is your solution. Charges via a cradle (can even plug the charge wire into the remote directly if the charger breaks, although have had 0 issues with it). Decent screen, quite customizable, includes nice features such as an Event Timer. Great remote and is the replacement for the 880.

+1
Matt Brotzge
Post 4 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 08:36
cb1
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+2
why have a nice system if you cant operate it, program the remote the right way the FIRST time!
Post 5 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 12:31
Darnitol
Universal Remote Control Inc.
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2,070
Mdeligny, I'm interested in your comment that URC's remotes "all look the same."

We have worked to keep a family resemblance between most of the products we've released in the last five years or so, particularly with Total Control, but also with Complete Control. Market research has shown that in a multi-remote household, families prefer to have the products look like they came from the same family. However, you're talking about this resemblance as a negative.

I do a good deal of the design for our products, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Is it the fact that the products all have a similar look and layout, or is it the specific look and layout we've gone with? I'm not arguing with your point of view in any way. I'm just trying to understand it better so I can incorporate customer perception into our design process better.

Anyone else who'd like to chime in, please do!

Thanks!
I'm a member of the Remote Central community, just like you! My comments here are my own, and in no way express the opinions, policies, or plans of Universal Remote Control, Inc.
Post 6 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 14:49
goldenzrule
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Dale, I could be wrong, and I mean this as no disrespect to the OP, but I think he is just not aware of the differences between the different remotes. They may look similar, but as you go up the ladder you gain some very useful features and functions, as well as customization. A MX780 is a great remote and can be a very powerful tool. It doesn't have the same variable power under its hood that a MX980 does for example.

To those that program the remotes they are very different pieces, and all compliment each other perfectly.
Post 7 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 15:07
Darnitol
Universal Remote Control Inc.
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Goldenzrule, I agree of course. We designed the product line to provide better feature sets as you go up the line. I was more interested in the OP's view of the physical design of the products. I believe in a "family look" for a product line, but I'm interested to hear from people who may not agree with that point of view.
I'm a member of the Remote Central community, just like you! My comments here are my own, and in no way express the opinions, policies, or plans of Universal Remote Control, Inc.
Post 8 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 15:59
goldenzrule
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Dale, I knew you'd agree of all people :-)

My last response was a direct reply to this statement:

really don't see a great line up of radically different remotes. They all look the same, have much of the same features

My point was simply to point out the fact that some may look similar, but with each remote, there are greater features that if you are familiar with the hardware and software, will understand there are some vast differences between each remote.  On the surface, they seem similar as ALL of them can operate a rather complex system with simple one touch functionality when programmed properly.  

The example I used, Event Timer is a good example.  If you'd like to trigger outdoor lighting on a schedule, you will not be able to do it with a MX780, MX880, or an MX1200.  But you can accomplish this with an MX890, MX980 and some others.  

The best advice to give to a dealer that is not sure on the features between the lines is to:

A) try and get into a training class with good ole Hank or another trainer
B) Go through the training videos in the URC Control Room
C) Join the URC Control Room Forums and learn about each specific model as its broken down by model.

To be honest, I do not think the remotes look alike, similiar perhaps, but I do not look at one quickly from across the room and think, "oh, thats the MX780" when its in fact an 890.  The only remotes I have confused one for another in the past 6 years was a MX880 and MX810.
Post 9 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 17:44
Darnitol
Universal Remote Control Inc.
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June 1999
2,070
Whew! I didn't design those two!
I'm a member of the Remote Central community, just like you! My comments here are my own, and in no way express the opinions, policies, or plans of Universal Remote Control, Inc.
Post 10 made on Tuesday November 26, 2013 at 18:20
goldenzrule
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On November 26, 2013 at 17:44, Darnitol said...
Whew! I didn't design those two!

The 880 was ok. The 810, let's not talk about it...
OP | Post 11 made on Thursday November 28, 2013 at 13:20
mdeligny
Long Time Member
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November 2003
199
On November 26, 2013 at 12:31, Darnitol said...
Mdeligny, I'm interested in your comment that URC's remotes "all look the same."

We have worked to keep a family resemblance between most of the products we've released in the last five years or so, particularly with Total Control, but also with Complete Control. Market research has shown that in a multi-remote household, families prefer to have the products look like they came from the same family. However, you're talking about this resemblance as a negative.

I do a good deal of the design for our products, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Is it the fact that the products all have a similar look and layout, or is it the specific look and layout we've gone with? I'm not arguing with your point of view in any way. I'm just trying to understand it better so I can incorporate customer perception into our design process better.

Anyone else who'd like to chime in, please do!

Thanks!

Darnitol, maybe you can answer why URC didn't want to make a USB driver for the first generation MX-880 remotes? That issue right there has caused me a very big headache.Some where when Windows 7 came out URC changed the hardware in the MX-880 (still called it the MX-880) that would use native USB drivers that Windows 7 had. The earlier MX-880 remote were not made this way. You needed to specifically install a driver, which is perfectly fine but when you lack drivers for Windows 7 or keep support up for your customer's it puts a sour taste in my mouth, that's all. Do I want to spend hundreds of dollars, really thousands of dollars, and then a new OS comes out and it isn't supported on the OS? Telling a customer I cannot readily program your remote or give you support right now because I don't have an Windows XP image running, sorry is basically telling the customer I'm an idiot and should have been prepared. I dunno, for some reason that has been a big negative the past few months. For me to program all the 880's I have out there I have to keep a running image of Windows XP, which is 13 years old to support that remote. Takes resources and takes time to do that. Suggestions?

Also, I guess my comments about not seeing a great line up pretty much meant I haven't been around for a couple of years and came back to see how things are going and the line up physically looks just like it did two years ago. I guess I thought remote control units had a much quicker turn around time. This is no ones fault, but maybe I was hoping for some new hardware on the block or another lineup or something, that's all.
Post 12 made on Friday November 29, 2013 at 11:19
Lowhz
Senior Member
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April 2012
1,168
So they don't look the same? You just want to bitch about the same thing as you have in at least three other threads.
OP | Post 13 made on Thursday December 19, 2013 at 21:22
mdeligny
Long Time Member
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November 2003
199
Wow, every one stuck on a comment about how I said they all look alike which is an opinion rather then the more important statement in providing USB drivers for the earlier MX-880 models for Windows 7. That's much more important really.


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