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Is it just me...?
This thread has 32 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 18:34
Control Remotes
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It seems like post volume here has become significantly lower than I've ever seen it. Not just now, but for over a year. What's going on? I really enjoy this forum (and the others as well), so I can't help but wonder what could be causing it.




Damon
Remote Programming Services for URC Remotes
http://www.PremierAVDesigns.com - 914-509-5360
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Post 2 made on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 20:06
kgossen
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Less people using URC.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 3 made on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 20:18
goldenzrule
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On July 6, 2016 at 20:06, kgossen said...
Less people using URC.

More people than ever are using URC. YOU just hate on it.
Post 4 made on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 20:20
goldenzrule
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I am on here less posting because I simply do not have time. I just got home at 7:30, and its considered an early day. I have to go clean out the van and load up a complete van full of product for tomorrows job. Have to be out of the house by 6:30 tomorrow morning to get there on time, and will likely not get home till well after 8 pm tomorrow. Friday I have 8, yes 8 trouble calls that piled up (not one URC call kgossen) so will be another very long day. I simply don't have the time to spend here like I used to.
Post 5 made on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 20:47
Duct Tape
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I think it has to do with Total Control being the bread and butter. This is a CCP forum afterall, and URC has their own forum for the professional only Total Control products.
[Link: facebook.com]
OP | Post 6 made on Thursday July 7, 2016 at 09:42
Control Remotes
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I can understand people being busier, but even consumers used to come here much more often.

It's not just the URC CC forum though. Most of the boards seem to have fewer posts, with longer intervals between them.

What will it take to get more people here? Maybe some more forums geared toward consumer needs and placing them up front? A revamped remote control selector ("clicker picker")?

It would be great to see RC as a bustling site again!



Damon
Remote Programming Services for URC Remotes
http://www.PremierAVDesigns.com - 914-509-5360
Follow me on Twitter @HomeTheaterNY
Post 7 made on Thursday July 7, 2016 at 13:45
kgossen
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On July 6, 2016 at 20:18, goldenzrule said...
More people than ever are using URC. YOU just hate on it.

I don't hate URC, I just hate their tech dept as it SUCKS. There are DIYs that have more knowledge of URC than their own techs.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 8 made on Thursday July 7, 2016 at 20:57
goldenzrule
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On July 7, 2016 at 13:45, kgossen said...
I don't hate URC, I just hate their tech dept as it SUCKS. There are DIYs that have more knowledge of URC than their own techs.

Bullshit. You make a point of degrading urc at every opportunity that comes your way. I DESPISED panasonic digital phone tech support, yet I never felt the need to slam Panasonic. What I can't understand is why you spend the amount of time you do in the URC sections when clearly you hate the product and/or company
Post 9 made on Friday July 8, 2016 at 11:38
BizarroTerl
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Almost every time a DIY'r posts here they're torn to shreds. Then we wonder why they don't post here?
Post 10 made on Friday July 8, 2016 at 17:44
goldenzrule
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On July 8, 2016 at 11:38, BizarroTerl said...
Almost every time a DIY'r posts here they're torn to shreds. Then we wonder why they don't post here?

Agreed. Certain people tear them to shreds though. Or post asinine comments like, "ask in the control room"
Post 11 made on Friday July 8, 2016 at 18:02
dtc
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URC was very popular with the somewhat technical DIY crowd and people came here to learn. It was the main game in town for such people. People learned about RC5 versus RECS80 and NEC1. Mike for SurfRemote helped people along. Guys like Bary Gordon and John Fine explained the ins and outs of hex codes and John's MakeHex was very popular. Before URC put in the ability to read hex codes, people learned about ProntoEdit. It was a lot of fun for technically oriented DIYers.

Then a couple of things happened. URC clamped down on the availability of remotes going directly to consumer and on the availability of the software. And, critically, Harmony remotes showed up. With the easy download system people did not have to learn all the things above. The hard core stayed with URC, but the masses went to Harmony. Add to that the whole iPod and streaming changes and everything changed.

URC remotes are mostly professional installer remotes these days. The DIYers have left, not to be replaced.

When was the last time you heard about JP1 remotes and efc codes - or girder? Only a few hard core devotees use those once popular systems.

Inexpensive and quick and easy is the name of the game. And URC does not fit with that anymore, unless you are willing to pay.

URC has had consumer remotes, but they got overwhelmed by Harmony. It is an interesting question if URC had made the software more available (free or a small cost) whether they could have stayed a force in consumer products. Personally, I doubt it because they did not want to invest in the customer support that Harmony did, with their online systems and customer support people. That is fine. It is fine for a company to focus on one product segment. Personally, I think they missed the boat. But it would have been a real shift for the company, which they might not have been able to make.

If you look at other sites - Audiogon, Audioasylum, Computeraudiophile - you will see the same decline. I don't go to AVSforum much these days, but it would be interesting to know how they are doing. My guess is that their traffic is also done.

The golden days are over.
OP | Post 12 made on Friday July 8, 2016 at 22:44
Control Remotes
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On July 7, 2016 at 13:45, kgossen said...
I don't hate URC, I just hate their tech dept as it SUCKS. There are DIYs that have more knowledge of URC than their own techs.

It sure as hell wasn't like that when I was there. You had a problem, it got solved. Simple as that. ;)



Damon
Remote Programming Services for URC Remotes
http://www.PremierAVDesigns.com - 914-509-5360
Follow me on Twitter @HomeTheaterNY
OP | Post 13 made on Friday July 8, 2016 at 22:56
Control Remotes
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DTC,

Nice to see someone else who goes way back on here.



Damon
Remote Programming Services for URC Remotes
http://www.PremierAVDesigns.com - 914-509-5360
Follow me on Twitter @HomeTheaterNY
Post 14 made on Saturday July 9, 2016 at 12:01
dtc
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Damon - This site has been invaluable to me and there have been so many helpful people over the years, including yourself. I still remember when I first figured out what all those numbers in a NEC1 command were. I wrote Excel scripts to generate all the values so I could try all 256 of them, looking for undocumented codes. Not sure anyone does that anymore.

It is too bad that the hobbyist like me have mostly disappeared. As I said, quick and easy is the name of the game today and I think people are missing out on both the fun and the utility. But I will probably be on here forever. Just did an 850 for a friend the other day. They are still workhorses, even if they do not have variables, and used ones are still readily available on eBay. My "wealthy" friends get the 780s and 890s.

Enjoy.
Post 15 made on Saturday July 9, 2016 at 21:23
Total Control Remotes
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I had a rather complicated issue a couple of weeks ago. It was very late and I was stuck at a customers house because his MX-990 would not load properly. I called URC tech support and not only did someone answer, but they worked me and resolved the issue after working through a few steps with remote access.

Long story short, I would have never figured this out on my own. It had to do with some weird issue with W10, which never affected me before. If you ask anyone about technical support no matter what product, they are never going to love it. I have had several conversations with support over the years with several control tech support teams and in my opinion URC does not deserve to be on the lower end of the pole. They have always done a good job as far as I am concerned. Just wanted to share my opinion.

As far as the decrease in posts, it seems like every company, RTI, Savant, C4, URC, etc. have their own pro forums that dealers post in. There are also many pro AV resource sites where dealers can talk as weel. Also, I am sure I speak for many that the dealers are extremely busy these days. I wish I had the time to spend on this forum, sharing or asking. It is a great resource. Another reason why the decrease is because there are many DIY options out there these days that create many more options for consumers. People are scattered into many different options out there.

Last, I think the AV world is evolving where information is available (or at least more readily available) from the manufacturers making the info on RC less exclusive. However, this forum is still the best resource for control, automation and product coverage. Can't imagine life without it.

Last edited by Total Control Remotes on July 9, 2016 21:32.
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