I am ready to throw my MX-850 away I am so frustrated. If anyone can help me I would REALLY appreciate it. I am not a tech guy or a custom install guy by any means so I need help at a very basic level and the more I search the more overwhelmed I become.

Here is what I can tell you. I have a MX-850. I have software for it that I downloaded last X-mas when I received the remote as a gift from my wife. I do not think she purchased it from an authorized dealer.

I originally used the remote to control (all on the same wall) 3 idential Dtv H20 HD receivers, as well as an old Dtv Tivo box, 2 identical ViewSonic LCD TVs, and a Sony Grand Wega. I had to buy a base station (MRF-250) so that I could control the identical components via RF. I was able to figure it out and get everything programmed.

Since then, I got a new laptop. Old laptop is gonzo, but I still have the hard drive and can access my old MX-850 editor via the hard drive. New laptop runs Vista, which I understand is not supported. I do not have a XP laptop that I can use, though I have an XP desktop upstairs, 2 flights of stairs away from my TV setup. My new laptop does not have the right kind of jack to plug the remote into. For that matter, neither does the desktop upstairs.

In addition, I have since replaced 2 of my H20 receivers. One has been replaced with a Dtv HR20 HD DVR. The other was faulty, and Dtv replaced it for me, but with an old refurb H20 (series 100).

I have the nodes all hooked up to the right components, I just need to program now and I'm completely lost. No idea how to program the HR20. No idea how to program from another room, no idea how to hook the remote up to my computers which are seemingly incompatible.

Can anyone help me? Where do I start? Is there a converter for the remote jack? Can I program this thing from another room (I don't remember originally programming it last winter)? I found an Excel sheet on here somewhere with codes for the HR20, but I'm not sure what to do with it.

Help! Football season is here!

Any help MUCH appreciated!

The MX-850 editor should work on Vista. It is the MX-950 and MX-3000 editors that have trouble with Vista because they use ActiveSync, which doesn't run on Vista.

Your new laptop probably does not have a serial jack, which is what you'll need. A USB to serial adapter will fix this. This one by Keyspan works:

[Link: amazon.com]

Once you get it working with your laptop, you'll be able to experiment with it more easily.

Sean

Thanks for the help - I went out and bought the USB to serial adapter. The problem with the Vista thing is that when I downloaded the software earlier from the guy who sold us the remote last year and tried to run it, I got a DLL error and was not able to launch the application. I e-mailed him and he said that there was no Vista support. I will mess around with my old configuration through the hard drive on my old system and see if I can do anything. Please let me know if you (or anyone else) has any workarounds to the Vista or HR20 thing. Thanks again!

The HR20 codes are in the database. Plus there is an R15 code in the file area here on the site for the MX series. It should work.

Did you run the software from the old hard drive, or reinstall it? You'll need to install it on your new laptop to make it work.

You can download a new copy of it here:

[Link: universalremote.com]

Sean

Thanks for the help, guys. Turns out I unnecessarily panicked. I hooked up to the new laptop with the cable, and somehow was able to run the editor software through my old hard drive on the new laptop. I messed around with the codes, used the HR10 DirecTV DVR code in the IR database, and somehow got everything working. Sorry for the commotion and thanks again!

Okay, cool!

Glad you got it working.

Sean