Hello everyone. I have been using some of the more DIY remotes for a while and have not been overly happy. So I have been looking very hard at URC over the last few months.

There are a few local companies that are URC dealers that I have bought a good deal of equipment from in the past. I have spoken to a few of them about the URC remotes and TC and the fact that my wife and I are currently interviewing builders for a new house build in the next few years (looks to get delayed some with this virus pandemic). We already have the house plans done and the house includes a large home theater. We also are looking to incorporate some home automation as well.

My thought was that I need to make sure that I like URC before putting their home automation all in the new house and using their remotes for my new theater. So I was interested in purchasing an MX-990 with an MRF-350 now and use them with my current smaller theater setup. Then I can adapt it to the new house when we eventually move if I like them.

I know that TC is only for dealers and I am fine with that. I would gladly pay for someone to do that work. For the remote, I am interested in doing it myself. I would never ask the dealer for programming assistance and I would be willing to buy the MX-990 and the MRF-350 from them if they supply the software. To me, the programming part is about as much fun as the purchase. If I feel differently down the road, hopefully the same dealer that sold it to me would program it for a price. In that case, I would have no issue paying.

Well, even mentioning the software to the dealers I mentioned above, I have immediately been stiffed armed. Does anyone have a NC dealer that they would recommend that is a little more open minded? I respect that some may not want to do it. I am hoping I can find a local dealer that is willing to partner for the future and be there now and down the road. Thanks!

1) 'If' you purchase the MX990 & MRF350 from the dealer, they shouldn't have a problem supplying you with the software. I do it for my customers that request it.
And there is a clause in the URC dealer agreement to allow for this (at least there use to be).

2) The MX990 is NOT part of URC TC. TC is strictly dealer only and the software can NOT be given out. So if you are looking to put URC TC system in your new home, you will need to establish a relationship with a local URC TC dealer. And they will be the ones to have to program everything and do updates for you.
No exceptions to this!

Thank you and understood. Again, I am fine buying any equipment from a dealer. I also am fine paying for them for the TC part and I do not expect the software for that.

The issue I am having is finding a local dealer in NC, especially one that is willing to give me the software with a MX-990 purchase. Overall, I am looking for a dealer that I can partner with.

My thought is if I buy the remote online from a non-local dealer that will provide me with the software (say from California), what am I going to do when I am building the house and want a dealer to add TC in my house? My guess is that the California dealer is not going to come and do that work.

There are a few guys on here from NC.  I'm sure someone will chime in.  Not sure, if they're URC dealers though. 

Thanks.

Am I getting my terminology wrong? I just want to make sure that I am purchasing from a legal URC person where I can get the software legally with the ability to update the software over time. If I could also get access to the graphics expansion pack as part of the purchase, that would be great.

Need to mention where in NC you are.

It's a pretty good sized place.

The MX remotes and MRF bases are nothing like the TC automation systems. Actually TC is barely into automation to begin with. It trying to see if you like TC by using a MX remote is like driving a Ford Festiva to see if you want a Lincoln Navigator.

the MX990/MRF350 will NOT work with the Total Control System.

Right outside of Raleigh. Wake Forest area.

Seems like a dead end, as a courtesy “fwiw”.

Something about this whole thing doesn’t feel right

Btw, the worst way to see how well a control system works is for a customer to try to program it their self.

He's legit.  Since I'm on lockdown, I've got a lot of time on my hands. He lives in NC, and in an ironic twist, may actually be from the Mitten.

You know, that is a very true statement. Even installer systems I run across sometimes, look like Herman Munster tried to program it.

It kind of sounds like this guy might have some experience programming remotes. But if I'm wrong and he doesn't, he may not understand just how difficult this is going to be.
It never stops amazing me, how people won't understand just how much learning there is to program remotes correctly. 'Correctly' being the key word. Because as I said above, I run into systems that some random installer tried to do and is total dog crap! And they even went to training... WTF! It takes a mindset, some examples, taught GUI theory, and some experience to get it right.

It was just a few weeks ago we had that idiot on here programming his own remote, asking some pretty silly questions. We tried to explain how he was doing it wrong and he wouldn't have it. He just KNEW what he was doing. Yet he was on this forum board asking for help (because he did NOT know what the f^ he was doing).

Anyway, why don't one of you NC guys PM him and see what he wants to do. Might be a small project for one of you to tackle.
That guy that came on here last year (looking for outdoor audio help) and turned out to be in my area - that turned out OK. Didn't make much money on it but it turned out OK and he was happy with it.

From what I’ve seen even if a end user has experience programming a remote, they usually don’t understand how to do it correctly. They usually just have it turned into an expensive all in one remote that requires multiple button presses to do a simple task and they have the interface jacked up because they think they need access to every command on the factory remote.