If you're concerned about buying an MX-500 that's not compatible due to a new firmware version, I wouldn't worry. There have been no operational changes to the firmware for over a year now. The different version numbers and dates people have seen on labels in their MX-500s do not reflect any operational changes to the firmware, and are more related to production runs.

Mike
www.surfremotecontrol.com

Hmmm, I guess the thing that made me think about this was the following in Daniel's review of the MX-500:

"For instance, in the second release, Universal Remote Control added the capability to learn longer bit-length codes on LCD buttons, but due to limited available memory the "factory reset" procedure had to be dropped. In the third version Universal added several user requested features, such as shorter macro hold time (which dropped from two seconds to one second) and the ability to end macros on the "MAIN" page. "

They don't sound like they were just production run changes. I'm not too worried about it, but it is something to think about for the future.

Pete

Hi Pete,

Those changes were made in April or May of 2001, within months of the release of the MX-500. I'm not saying there'll never be another one, it's just that they're not very frequent.

The chances are EXTREMELY slim that any firmware changes, which are unlikely to happen, would affect what the IRCLONE boys are doing, which is basically working with only the learned codes, not the preprogrammed codes.

So, you may see a database update in further MX-500's (if indeed there is enough memory in that area of the remote), but I highly doubt any changes will be made in the learning area and its memory.

... Greg

Well I was going to buy the mx-700 for $231 from that one dealer and was told they would not have any more until later in the year. When I was thinking about this I thought about this hardware and remote combo instead. I purchased the remote today from bluedo(sp) and the hardware from Mike. I was worried about the XP problems but Mike sent me an email telling if I could not get it working on my system I could return it. This will be my second mx-500 and I have to say that is the best remote I have ever used. The mx700 sounded nice for $231, but I feel the price most are asking for is way to high. I am really waiting to see how this software is going to work. From looking at the screen shots I had some bad flash backs of my short lived mx1000. At least I see these guys on the forums a lot so I think the tech support will be there:)

Rare

Ohhhhh I think I did read about someone asking about girder and I hope you guys can work this in with the software. I am just now setting up my remotes with girder and it would be cool if this software would work with it:)

Rare

Is it overly simplistic, or would the best workaround for the "unlearned commands" issue be to simply build a database on the PC end of all of the commands to be learned. If the database can be made user-editable, it can be initially populated with the most common codes and then other codes can be added as the user base adds codes (maybe even enable the software to upload new codes to a central server and make regular database updates available for download).

Users could then use the editor software to send each of the commands from the "learned commands" database to an MX-500 via the IRClone hardware. (Or the editor simply builds a "virtual MX-500" with each of the learned codes on the PC end and then clones that virtual MX-500 to the real thing - I'm not sure how the editor works, as I've not actually seen it in action).

Just to let you know that I am working my way through Dave's latest version of the editor. Should have something to report tomorrow.

Mike

Care to share who is willing to sell the MX700 for 231?

No one. There was a distributor selling it to anyone for what appeared to be the wholesale price, but that deal is long gone.

Can this product be used to generate discrete codes that can then be fed to the MX-500?

I do not believe the first release will support this, but it is my understanding that there are plans to be able to use pronto files (i.e. discretes)on a future release of the software. At the moment all you can do is backup and restore. The ability to program macros & move learned keys around are supposed to be in the first release any time now ("Right Mike?" He said anxiously)

Ron & beanagee,

I'm not sure what is meant by "generate discrete codes". We intend to be able to be able to take a discrete code, the form of which is being defined at this time, and insert it at any given key. A discrete code would be power on or off or some other function that does not normally appear on a remote but which some enterprising user has figured out. We are going to need a small conversion program which will take a Pronto code and convert it to a MX500 code so that it can then be inserted at any of the 530 key locations that you desire. This is a future feature but I am also sure that it will be one of the first, if not the first, future feature that we add.

The term generate could mean the ability to create a specific code from scratch. For example you could want to try all codes for a specific remote type to see what happens when you send each code. I know Pronto will allow you to do this, or at least it could when I purchased one a long while ago. I forget how this was done but seem to remember that I had to generate all 256 codes for a specific remote type. It would be possible to do this in the same way using the editor, or an external code generator that feeds to the editor. The MX-500 won't do it of itself. We haven't considered this but of course now that it has been mentioned I'm sure you'll want it. We'll look into it in due course. I feel sure that some of you will be able to accomplish this using Excel or other types of generators while we get on with other demanded features.

As to the status of the editor, I am becoming very excited at what Dave has created. There is a bug which Dave is fixing which when overcome will allow us to release it to the beta testers. I am finalizing some test files that will allow us to ensure that when you copy a key from one device to another that it is located exactly where you intended. I am hoping that we can release to the beta testers by the end of this weekend. In case you are wondering Dave writes the software and I alpha test it. We mutually agree when to release it to the beta testers. As I said I am getting really excited.

As you can see from the time of this post we are working hard to release.

AJRitz:

Dave and his helper have actually taken the list of codes from the MX-500 manual and fed them into his editor. To select a device type per the manual you just need to pull up the "select" window and tell the editor which code you want for a particular device. I think that's really cool and I hope you all like it. This feature could be extended to include all the hidden data base codes as learned codes but I hope you realize how much work that would take to actually "learn" those codes. I am thinking that if the Irclone-MX really takes off then it would be possible to create a data base of remotes that people could just add to or draw from. This would allow the "virtual" MX-500 that you mentioned to be made a reality.

I'll get back to you later on this weekend.

Mike

Will the IRClone editor be able to support the double code feature (getting the mx500 to accept 2 remote commands by pushing them quickly)??

Mike

Is the evaluation editor going to be released along with beta testing or will it be delayed so only the lucky beta testers get first crack.

Dave