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In need of help. CCP software. Bought house with MX-980's
This thread has 48 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Monday July 18, 2016 at 13:39
maksimg
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Hi guys,

I know this is a repeat post, so please forgive me. I'm just looking for help.

I just purchased a house that is pre-installed with a home theater system in two rooms. The system is controlled by two mx-980 remotes and an MSC-400 control station. The system was installed for the original owner who was actually the builder and I am the third owner of the house. The last owner told me he was unable to get the system working so he didn't use it. I'm an engineer by trade so I understand a little bit about this stuff and enjoy to tinker :)

In the week that I've lived in the house I've gotten most of the systems working. It looks like I justneed to update the macros on the UTC remotes and I should be good to go.

Can anyone help me obtain this CCP software? I've been doing research and it looks like I need the software to update the macros.

I have lots of experience with Harmony systems, but not URC.

Thanks and sorry for the long summary.
Post 2 made on Monday July 18, 2016 at 15:52
SRTShaker
Long Time Member
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There are a few sellers on ebay that offer the software for $ 25.00.
Some members on here get upset if end users ask for software so expect backlash. With that said, it is out there if you are willing to spend a few bucks.

Just last month I purchased an MX-1200 from Best Buy open box for $189.99 and an open box MX-890(X-8) for $ 129.99. They gave me the software because I am Best Buy for Business and drop a lot of coin for my business in Magnolia. I have used Prontos for years and the CCP is very similar and easy to grasp. It took about 3 hours to grasp the general concept and about 8 hours to fine tune and perfect. I have eight activities in my HT room and 4 in my master bedroom. I even created my own custom Icons and channel logos in Photoshop. The entire Professional programming required, due to the difficulty, is more urban legend than fact. Any die hard enthusiast with a free weekend can accomplish the task with relative ease and will not be married to a pro installer for the life of the remote.

Last edited by SRTShaker on July 18, 2016 18:32.
I've paid for my sins. We're even!
OP | Post 3 made on Monday July 18, 2016 at 22:50
maksimg
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Thanks for your candid response. I'm not looking for a handout, but help. Like I said I inherited the systems and I am the type of person that likes to fix my own as much as possible. I can understand why someone would get upset by my post. I was told by the last owner that when he reachedout to the installer, he wasn't responsive. Thus, the more reason for me to fix it myself.
Post 4 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 01:28
SRTShaker
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I never said you were looking for a handout. I told you where you can buy the software and program / modify your remotes. Isn't that what you asked for in the original post?

Last edited by SRTShaker on July 19, 2016 09:53.
I've paid for my sins. We're even!
OP | Post 5 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 11:05
maksimg
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You did not and I appreciate you pointing me in the direction. I have a copy of the software now. Thank you. Now starts the fun part :)
Post 6 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 11:37
SRTShaker
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Good luck and enjoy. I also love to tinker and I also have a masters in EE. A few of the pro programmers on here hate it when we say we have an EE degree. I busted my ass getting it and am proud of it! ;-).

Last edited by SRTShaker on July 19, 2016 16:01.
I've paid for my sins. We're even!
Post 7 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 13:33
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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It's been my experience that we don't hate people with EEs, we come to hate people who have EEs and therefore think they know everything. New EEs are, as expected, the worst, because they don't know how much they don't know. I'd say about five years in they have a much better grasp of how much there is to know and how much the "technicians," or worse yet "line assembly personnel," know that school never teaches an EE.

My dad was an engineer and had just short of contempt for technicians. (He also thought techs and mechanics should clean up and put away tools from the day's work AFTER they clocked out! That's outrageous!) It's almost as though not being able to do the math is seen by some as inability to comprehend.

It's irritating, too, that the previous owner found the installer unresponsive. That installer sounds like a jerk.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 8 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 14:42
buzz
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Many times the mention of "degree" is an attempt to shut down conversation or demean by injecting some sort of rank. The implication is: "you cannot criticize my work because I have higher rank."

Mother nature does not care about degrees. One can either solve the problem at hand or one cannot.

At one point I was working as a lab technician in an engineering development lab and was given a design by the department's PhD. In this particular case I had a few more years of solid experience in this area and started to explain that, "This cannot not work because ...", but he cut me off in mid sentence, guided my glance to his diploma hanging on the wall, and flashed his Phi Beta Kappa key.

We built as specified.

It didn't work. He was surprised, I was not.

In my exit interview he criticized me for not being forceful enough.

I'm not sure if the guy in the department with the prolific patent portfolio even had a degree.
Post 9 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 15:15
SRTShaker
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On July 19, 2016 at 13:33, Ernie Gilman said...
It's been my experience that we don't hate people with EEs, we come to hate people who have EEs and therefore think they know everything. New EEs are, as expected, the worst, because they don't know how much they don't know. I'd say about five years in they have a much better grasp of how much there is to know and how much the "technicians," or worse yet "line assembly personnel," know that school never teaches an EE.

My dad was an engineer and had just short of contempt for technicians. (He also thought techs and mechanics should clean up and put away tools from the day's work AFTER they clocked out! That's outrageous!) It's almost as though not being able to do the math is seen by some as inability to comprehend.

It's irritating, too, that the previous owner found the installer unresponsive. That installer sounds like a jerk.

I was a Prime defense contractor for the US Navy for 20 years deployed in the Middle east. I recently sold my Engineering Company and retired from that dangerous line of work. I now do IT consulting safe and sound in South Florida. I am 52 years old. I have been an EE for over 28 years. I have no issue with anyone on here. I have never been verbally attacked by anyone. I just was amazed on how defensive some members got over this CCP issue. They attacked members simply for asking where to obtain the program. I find this wrong and way overblown. I am a fan of URC and their products, however the software policy is ridiculous. The Pros on here got personal with some members in other threads and that is not acceptable on a friendly public forum. The software is out there and the genie is out of the bottle. There is no going back. It is not that big a deal. It is not that difficult to program the remotes and for most of us it a labor of love and quite enjoyable. The DIY crowd would never hire a pro anyway, so no lost sales there. If anything, the DIY crowd promotes the sales of the remotes. I just programmed one last night to control HT equipment in conjunction with a 64TB video server my guys installed in a clients HT room with several Dune players throughout the house.

I think the real issue is URCs policy. Some dealers give out the software, some dealers do not. Some members said that URC gave them a copy if they faxed in a copy of sales receipt. Some have said they were not given it. I can go on and on, however the software is out there and is easily obtained either from a dealer or ebay. I really think that URCs policy is not enforced because they really do not worry too much about it. They are still selling remotes and they have to compete with Harmony, which in my opinion are total trash.

Last edited by SRTShaker on July 20, 2016 11:14.
I've paid for my sins. We're even!
Post 10 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 15:24
buzz
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On July 19, 2016 at 13:33, Ernie Gilman said...
New EEs are, as expected, the worst, because they don't know how much they don't know.

I had a guy bring a stereo receiver in for service. On pickup he was visibly annoyed because: "I'm an Electrical Engineer and they should have replaced an IC". He was very unhappy. One could have replaced every IC in the unit and it would still not work.

This was a power supply issue and there were no IC's in this power supply. There was no point throwing an IC at this application that could be accomplished with a few cents worth of transistor. The real issue was hidden cold solder joints on the power supply board and a disagreement between a transistor and its heatsink compound. The correct repair was: replace that transistor, replace the heatsink compound, and cleanup those trash solder joints. Just about every sample of this model would eventually fail in this manor and those that were (correctly) fixed are probably still working. Even if the unit had not yet failed, one would make this repair if the unit came in for any reason.
Post 11 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 16:45
buzz
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SRTShaker,

If you ask, URC or a distributor will probably sign you up.
Post 12 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 18:02
SRTShaker
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I though about it, but my main business is servers, domain controllers and networking, etc.. The remote programming is really just a hobby that I do for clients that I became friendly with and have sold them a video server and a few Dunes. The client last night had a Control 4 system just for his HT and AC. We ripped it out due to the price gouging by the dealer he had used in the past. They are very protective of their software as well. All I wanted to do was add a Dune player to his theater setup and program the Control 4 remote. The dealer wanted to come out and do it so we declined. That was the last straw for my client. We took out the Control 4, Purchased a MX-1200 at Best Buy and put in a Nest Thermostat and got rid of Control 4 which was problematic in the past. Problem solved. The Control 4 dealer changed his tune when I sent a photo of his equipment in the garage! Too late. I have several clients that have the same installer and Control 4 systems at the Golf Club and all are fed up with him. Once my client plays golf with his buddies more Control 4 systems will be ripped out and the dealer will lose more business. He has ripped these men off too many times.
I've paid for my sins. We're even!
Post 13 made on Tuesday July 19, 2016 at 18:55
BizarroTerl
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Just because someone has an EE degree it doesn't mean they have an understanding of the actual hardware and issues with same (IE the power supply soldering mentioned above). It's the same with architects. They may know how to design a building, but that doesn't mean the could actually build one.

That said, it doesn't mean an EE or architect doesn't know these things. Many do as they have a base understanding which if applied properly can make them better than a electronics tech or a builder.

Education is as important as experience and experience is as important as education. This concept is often forgotten/not understood on "pro" based forums.
Post 14 made on Wednesday July 20, 2016 at 02:46
Ernie Gilman
Yes, That Ernie!
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On July 19, 2016 at 18:55, BizarroTerl said...
Just because someone has an EE degree it doesn't mean... It's the same with architects.

Why can't architects get into Heaven?
Because Jesus was a carpenter.

On July 19, 2016 at 15:15, SRTShaker said...
The software is out there and the genie is out of the bottle. There is no going back.... Some dealers give out the software, some dealers do not. Some members said that URC gave them a copy if they faxed in a copy of sales receipt. Some have said they were not given it. I can go on and on, however the software is out there and is easily obtained either from a dealer or ebay.

And yet... and yet here's another thread where someone could not easily obtain it.

Let's just say that URC's policy is ridiculous to you but it sure is not ridiculous to them. You're not in their position so you don't stand to lose money over the software being given out freely. And they've done it in the past and suffered; you also haven't done that.

I went shopping with one of my sons once. He picked up some broccoli and broke the stem off of it. In effect he made it into a broccoli crown. The store sold broccoli crowns at a slightly higher price. I told him "they sell broccoli two ways. It's their store and it's their broccoli. Play their game: either buy one or the other. Don't steal from them by modifying what they have in the bin."

URC has a policy about software. If URC as a whole does not meet your needs at a price you want to pay, don't use URC.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 15 made on Wednesday July 20, 2016 at 10:11
SRTShaker
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^^^^^
Did you even read my post? URCs policy is poorly enforced. Some dealers give out the software, some do not. Sometimes URC makes exceptions, sometimes not. That is what I am saying, URC is the real issue here, not the consumers. The resale value of the remotes are very poor due the stigma of obtaining the CCP. I just purchased a MX-5000 NIB on ebay for $ 124.00. That is a $ 1000 remote in Best Buy. The smart consumer benefits be buying wisely and putting his time in. As far as hiring a "pro" to program something as simple as this remote. It is never going to happen in my circles. So lost revenue is a non issue, since they were not getting it anyway. It is obvious we differ in opinion and that is what makes this forum great. Let us leave it at that.

FYI.. In my tenure as a Defense Contractor many companies tried over the years to bid and win the contracts that I was awarded over and over again. They were not successful. The reason was simply, the automation systems I designed were very complex, in accordance with ABS and Coast Guard guidelines, and took years to get all the approvals required for US Navy Mil Specs. EE degrees were required just to view the bid requirements, the prospective bidders had to be certified by my company to even bid the contracts and had to pass my 2 year certification program. Some passed, many did not. The Navy felt who better to maintain the Automation Systems than the man who designed, built and installed them. That would be me and my company. All my employees were EEs and all signed confidentiality and non compete agreements. The policies laid out were Strictly enforced by the US Navy and Dept of Defense. The integrity of my Automation Systems were meticulously maintained over the years and the Naval Vessels safety and performance record reflects that.


URC does not do this and that is the point I am trying to convey.
URC doesn't properly enforce its own policy and the consumers exploit this. It is not illegal, though perhaps morally wrong. It just is what it is. It is too open ended.

Last edited by SRTShaker on July 20, 2016 11:55.
I've paid for my sins. We're even!
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