Anyone have a Philips 727 DVD Player and got the MX-500 to work the remote functions? I can't find a pre-programmed remote code, nor can I correctly learn any of the functions from the orginal Philips DVD player remote. The only way I can learn one function is by using 2 learning keys of the MX-500. Meaning for "on" of the DVD player I must learn "on" function of the Philips remote to 2 buttons on the MX to work. Anyone know why this is happening and can help me out?? Please. Thanks in advance for any and all assistance.

Philips remotes are notorious for being difficult to learn. They often use parity bits that cause problems of the type you're experiencing. More about that here: [Link: remotecentral.com]

Mike
www.SurfRemote.com

I can confirm that the 727 player DOES use changing parity bits. Pretty frustrating. I'm planning to switch to the URC-200 for this reason (well, that's one of the reasons, anyway).

Anyone get the MX-500 to work all functions for the Philips 727? I was able to use the code function and got some functions working, but obviously they are programmed to keys where I have to read the manual to know and it is not all functions in which I even use. That said...

Anyone get it to learn Philip functions easily? The only way I have got it to work is to program one function of Philips to 2 buttons on MX-500!, which is just horrible. When learning I also pressed the Philips remote (for whatever function) twice and programmed that, but that would switch for instance on and then off quickly with one MX key press.

So I guess with the party bits you can't program one function on Philips to 1 button on MX? There has got to be a way that I can just use learning function. I don't have pc hookup or anything like that.
If anyone can help, please...I would appreciate it so much!!

It might be possible with an MX-700 or MX-800 since you could program each button to point to a macro which actually played the button and then switched to a different device. The two devices would be the 727 with even parity and the 727 with odd parity. It would be a total pain in the neck to program though.

Another solution would be to find a preprogrammed device in one of the MX series remotes that operates the 727. I don't think my MX-500 has one that is useful, but maybe newer ones have a different code base? Or maybe the 700/800 series could do it with a preprogrammed device?

Perhaps the best solution would be to get one of the new URC remotes, which I believe support the changing parity codes (I can't say for sure. I don't have one - yet). To program the URC remotes, you have to press the key twice on the original remote and when the URC detects that the everything was the same except the parity, it knows you have a device that uses this technique.

what exactly is a URC remote? I tried taking a OneForALl, learning a function and then learning to MX but that didn't work. I even bought a OneForAll by Philips to try and learn to MX, but to no avail. Maybe I just can't do it. Thanks for all the help though.

The URC remote I mentioned is the new line of remotes from the makers of the MX500/600/700/800 family. They have three new remotes just recently released URC100, URC200, and URC300. You can find more info about them at www.universalremote.com and click on "Consumer" (MX series is under "Custom").

well, thanks, but if i were to get a new remote it would be the same as using the actual Philips remote which i can, but the mx learned enough features that i guess i can make due. was just hoping for it all.

I understand. By the way, the new remote is a programmable remote like the MX series (same manufacturer - very similar capabilities), so it would be replacement for the MX500, not a second remote to use in addition to the MX500.

I had similar problems with learning for my Philips LCD TV in my bedroom. It would not let almost any button operate twice in a row, like Menu, then Menu again to go to the next page of the menu. What I did was learned all the buttons as I wanted them. Then I just press Vol Down (or UP) between each function, this seems to work. For example, if I want to go into the TV's Menu, I press Menu, then if I want the next page of the menu I press the Vol Down, then Menu again. This works. Not the best solution, but I don't do much with the TV anyway. It's usually on the coax input and I am controlling either the VCR or the Cable box. Fortunately, the VOLUME control does seem to work properly. The one hassle was when I want to watch DVD, I have to switch the Philips' input to COMPOSITE. Forunately I made 2 macros, (with the extra steps mentioned above in them), to switch to Composite or back to Coax.

I found a workaround.

[Link: remotecentral.com]

Milton

Sorry, this link should work.

[Link: remotecentral.com]

I was having a problem with the mx-500 not able to power a philips tv on/off with the same button. The workaround suggested in the above link helped.

To summarize, to learn a command, simply press the desired button and then quickly press another "dummy" button before the mx-500 learning process completes.

Milton

Milt, I tried that on mine. Problem is my Philips TV Remote doesn't have any 'empty' buttons. Everything does something. I even tried it adding a click of the VOL DOWN button after each learned command, but that was't any better.

Yes..how can you have a dummy button on a brand remote? Every button has a function, so I am not sure how any button could not operate something. Please explain as I would love for this to work.

Scott, your philips is dvd player, right. How about using the angle key? Lots of use for that.:)