I know what the hype numbers are, but I'd like some feedback from other custom guys on this matter.

Just how good/bad is it?

Take a typical "H" floorplan and use one of these remotes. The signal has to travel 20' across the room, through a brick wall, across a 20' inset deck, continue through another brick wall and then hit the RF receiver, which is across another 20'.

Think it'll actually work in this case?

I've always run IR just to be safe, but would go the RF route if it'll actually work.

I'm used to the lam assed RF remotes that come with Sony satellite receivers, so I'm very, very skeptical.

Good Luck, I'm having problems getting one to operate reliably at 20 ft. line of sight to the receiver. Now, I suspect in my case, I'm picking up interference from the digital cable box and the other components. UR told me to move the reveiver away from the rest of the equipment, as far as possible and change the radio channel. I'll give it a shot next week.

I had a feeling.....

One more thing in the "never trust a factory rep list"....lol

The difference between a custom installer and a factory rep?

Custom installer will promise something and then deliver it.

Factory rep will promise something, and then let someone else figure out how to, hopefully, make it work.

I'm using the MX800 in conjunction with all Xantech IR equipment feeding a zpr68 and a bunch of components. I put the MX800 receiver in the exact center of the house under the living room (as close to what we come to a basement in california.) Then the blaster from that receiver points to a dinky link receiver that feeds to the xantech system in the media closet that is at one end of the house. I get excellent coverage everywhere in the house and on 3 levels of decks. I do have additional MX800 receivers positioned with local equipment in one far end of the house, and I can get reception probably about 60-70 feet away, through 3 walls, including 2 sheer walls, but not all the way to the exact opposite corner of the house which adds a couple more walls and lots of duct work. The duct work seems to be more problematic than any of the walls (stone, wood or masonry.)

Other than Cre$tron, I have yet to use an RF based control system with satisfactory results. They have all been unreliable. (Imagine traveling 2 and a half hours away to pull your hair out a couple of times!)

Crestron RF is solid as a rock reliable, just mucho dollars.

The RF base station can perform unreliably when located in close proximity to the equipment-cable boxes, sat receivers, dvrs all create problems(IMO).
On every install where I am forced to use this setup (money related) I run 6 cat 5 from the base station to a remote location in the attic for optimal positioning of the base station. It still allows me to use the IR routing of the 6 outputs and have alot of flexibility to move the unit around. I also prewire for the capability of installing multiple, discrete IR target in case I have to go IR/hardwired to get reliable performance.
You cannot determine the RF peformance of the MX800 during the rough in phase of the job. Before programming the MX800 test the RF performance of the unit with the equipment installed after the final construction work. Use the "read back" LED on the base station to determine RF reliability.

Effective range of rf from mx800 that's easy O"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
They really suck I am bald now because of dealing with them darn things