Several months ago after hours of reading on this great site, I decided it was time to buy a decent remote control. I choose the MX-500, which I thought would be the best for me. I have no computer skills and it looked like this model would take care of my needs especially for activity macros which would make my wife and I very happy.

Although I read that sometimes there could be some problems with obscure models, I presumed there would be no problems with my JVC plasma, Sony receiver, Panasonic DVD and DVR, and JVC S-VHS. Nowhere did I read of any problems or warnings about any of the models I own.

I saw the name BlueDo.com on this site so I thought it would be a reliable source. Even though some bells in my head went off as I visited their site it was late, I was tired and I just placed the order. By bells I mean there was no address or phone number listed (only an e-mail link), rather strange. Later I discovered a link to a supposedly new BlueDo site (this link is no longer there). However, at this new site there was surprisingly no mention of remote controls. Is BlueDo getting out of the remote business?

The MX-500 arrived and after several weeks of reading the manual and printing out code lists etc, I started to program it. I encountered several minor problems. The backlight buttom was so stiff my wife could not push it in with her arthritic fingers. I could not get it to accept the advance codes from the OFA 8820 remote I purchased as recommended on this site (perhaps I was doing something wrong here.....I had advanced, discrete, OBC, EFC, command, set-up, device and command codes, etc swirling in my head).

The real problem was that after many tries I could not get the remote to work with a macro on my JVC plasma (I must have tried 25 times with every different tactic I could think of....yes I did try the macros without any discrete codes, a simple turn on macro would not work). I finally e-mailed BlueDo and asked if I could return the MX-500 for a refund since macro operation was the main reason I got this remote. I got a response from David. He suggested I contact URC.

URC was less than helpful. The somewhat rude person I talked to said he was aware that the MX-500 would not work with my JVC plasma and there was nothing they could do. He also said to contact OFA for advice on how to enter the advanced codes. I e-mailed OFA and have never received a response. I also contacted JVC and was told they were not aware of this problem and could not help me.

I again e-mailed David at BlueDo and ask for a return authorization for a refund. I offered to pay the return shipping. The remote except for some programming I had done was in perfect condition with all the packing material and paperwork.

I received no response at all from BlueDo. About a week later, I went to the new link to BlueDo and filled out a return authorization request form. I again received no response from BlueDo.com

About 2 weeks later I finally called the phone number on the new site and left a message on the answering machine stating that I wanted a response to my requests. Finally I received another e-mail from David asking if I had ever found a resolution to my problem. At this point I was pretty irritated and responded that if he had read my e-mails he would know that I hadn't solved the problem. He never offered any suggestions on how to solve the problem. They finally responded with a return authorization number and instructions. I returned the remote to them and have never received any further contact from them except for a credit on my credit card (past the 60 day limit to place the charge in dispute on my card).

The return shipping costs me $5.80. Their credit was for $75.56, far less than the $92.65 that I paid them for the MX-500 and shipping. I guess they deducted $17.09 for all their hard work on my behalf. So this remote which would not work with my TV costs me a $22.89 lesson.

The lesson: DON'T BUY FROM BLUEDO.COM

Please let me know what you with more experience think. I figure I bought this product with good intentions and never expected a problem with a well known brand product. BlueDo was more than willing to take my money and ship the product. At the first sign of any problem their response was to brush me off to the manufacturer and then completely ignore me. Due to my work schedule and situation I have difficulty making daytime phone contacts.

I have just started a period of 4 months of 7 days a week overtime and just don't have the energy to pursue this any more with BlueDo. However, I will spread the word about what I feel to be a very low class dealer with no after purchase customer service.

Sorry this was so long. Any suggestions on how to overcome this macro problem with my JVC PD-42V485 plasma and a different remote would be appreciated.

Thanks

Blurdo's return policies are on their site:

Merchandise must be unused
All returns matching the return criteria are not subject to a restocking fee. Please note that if the return criteria are not met, we may impose a restocking fee
Shipping and handling fees are non-refundable.

Did they violate their written policies? Doesn't seem like it.

So I think your complaint about your $23 cost is invalid. As to the "customer service", you appear to have a somewhat valid complaint.

Yodo 6 the issue with the jvc power on and comands not working in a macro is a real problem it really gets me mad . jvc made their code to long to fit in the aloted time the remote gives. the old codes didn't have this problem ( if its not broke don't fix it ) AS for urc tech support you problemly caught them on a bad day there only human . tech suport isn't a easy when your dealing high tech products.

As for the 8820, you were probably trying 3 digit advanced codes, but the 8820 only takes 5 digit.

I understand that it was used. However, this is not a situation where I simply changed my mind and decided I suddenly didn't like it and wanted to return it. It was only after I found out that it wouldn't opperate a macro that I wanted to return it.

It seems to me reasonable to expect that it would operate a common brand of equipment. Therefore in my mind the product is defective right out of the box. It also seems that if it is a well known problem by URC, then it should also be known by BlueDo and that they would be willing to return it at no charge. The remote was in new condition. I realize that it probably had to be retruned to URC to be reset. However, it definitely could be resold as new. It would seem that URC would cover this situation when this problem occurs with a customer that bought their remote.

I don't like the buyer beware attitude here that I bought a remote only to find out that it doesn't work with a well known brand of TV. Yes, I now realize it might originate with JVC, but it seems that URC should be willing to take the remote back in this situation. BlueDo's attitude seems to be "tough luck." In the end I purchased it from BlueDo and I think a reputable firm would allow me to return it in this case. It in no case is my fault that it didn't work. For me it was "dead on arrival" right out of the box. Is this saying that if I open a remote, put in the battery and find out that it won't even turn on that it is then used and subject to a restocking fee?

How was I to know that it would not work with the JVC TV until I tired it. Sort of a "catch 22" situation here, don't you think?

Thanks for the reply.

Thanks to grittree, brucewayne and edmund.

Now I understand the problem begins with JVC's remote code signal system. I did in fact know about the OFA 8820 taking 5 digit codes but I must have made a mistake somehow. I had figured out with enough patience and some questions on this site that I would get it right.

However, once I realized it would not do the macros, for me that made the MX-500 a remote I did not want to keep.

So I guess it boils down to the question:

If you buy a remote like this and find out it does not work with your equipment, should you be stuck with it or a healthy restocking fee?

Or should a manufacturer like URC and their dealer like BlueDo realize this and accept returns in this case. Or even better, shouldn't URC or Bluedo warn you in advance to owners of JVC TV's that this unit will not work with macros.

For me I bought this remote from BlueDo and they did absolutely nothing in my opinioin to help me except maybe read to themselves their own return policy.

YoDo

You can't blame the manufacturer or supplier for lack of due diligence on your part can you? While, if your story is correct, someone should have respoded to your inquiries but they don't owe you a refund based on improper planning/research.

Professional installers are very consious of the products they sell so this doesn't happen. I recall several posts about the JVC power issue. Shame on you for jumping into unfamiliar waters. You found remote central to post a bitch but didn't figure out the search feature BEFORE buying?? If you thought your as smart as CI guys then maybe you overestimated your abilities. More likely though, you underestimated ours. Your thinking that "why pay a dope $200 to program my remote is stupid", but look at the ass ache you've encountered.

For you to publically spew this stuff is flat out wrong. You sound like a spoiled teen. Let this be a lessoned learned that dont ever buy gear cause I like the brand or the sales guy says its good. Controlability is one of the most important features of a component. While it may have been tough for you to know after the fact it still isnt URCs fault or BlueDo's. Be pissed at JVC for pulling a bonehead manuver. The problem is, JVC won't ever fix it because consumers like you want someone else to indemnify for JVCs screwup. Take your TV back. There areso many junk components that cant be controlled that any retailer would go broke taking back remotes because of crap gear. Be glad they took it back at all.

By the way, would you have accepted the remote YOU returned as new? Doubt it. Thats why they have open box specials. The restock covers the discount given to the next guy.

Sheez

I did mention that I spent hours researching on this site as well as at Hi-Fi remote.com. I have over 50 pages that I printed out on this remote and the codes. Although I have been into audio and then video for more than 35 years this is the first time I have ventured into an after market remote.

I have always done all of my research and installed my own components. I do respect custom installers and the fine job they do for the many who need them. However, I never presumed I would need an installer to help me to program a remote. In fact the idea never even dawned on me. I presumed the posts I saw that were from installers were those who were doing home theater type installations for clients. I was not even aware that they sold and programmed remotes.

Yes, I found that the discrete code situation was more complicated than I had anticipated. However, my main complaint and reason for asking for a refund was the remote did not work with common equipment. The manual clearly gives codes for use with JVC TV's. Any reasonable person would presume no problem being able to turn on a JVC TV with a specialty type remote with glowing reviews.

I bought the remote from BlueDo in good faith. I did not buy the remote from JVC. When you have a problem with your ford do you expect the dealer to tell you contact Ford?. I only expected them to take the remote back due to incompatibility with my equipment. I don't think this is a unreasonable request. I could not get them to answer my very polite and detailed e-mails. Do you answer your e-mails? What kind of dealer sells a product and then won't respond to a customer's problems.

You say I should have found out all this before I bought the remote. I'm sure if I had spent many days instead of hours I eventually would have found the posts about JVC that you claim are here. But why would any reasonable person have even suspected in the first place that there might be a power on problem with this TV? In fact, before I made this thread I did do some searches on BlueDo (which I implied above that I did not do...my mistake...). I found out that I am not the only customer who has had problems getting them to respond to e-mails. He said he did not get their e-mails. Sure.....he only lists an e-mail and no phone or mailing address on his website but fails to get the e-mails from people who are having trouble?


If I had bought the remote and then arbitrarily decided I didn't like it and wanted to return it, of course I would expect to either not be able to return it (that's why I always do lots of research ahead of time) or to pay a healthy restocking fee and eat the shipping charge.

In this case the main purpose to buy this remote was to of course to have a remote that would operate macros. I would think in this case if the problem was one of incompatibility with a well know brand, either the dealer or the manufacturer thru the dealer would be simpathetic and offer a return. Perhaps you have never heard of this strange type of behavior (never heard of B&H, Crutchfield, Visual Apex, etc.). The remote was in perfect condition. I had not even removed the batteries from the plastic wrap. I'll guarantee you this remote will be reset to factory settings and will be put back in stock as a new unit. I'm not only the type of person who complains but also bends over backwards to compliment and write possitive customer reviews.

I am in my sixties (sorry not a teenager) with many years experience in retail and wholesale sales, marketing and purchasing. I understand the cost of doing business and the bottom line. I also understand the concept of good customer relations which in my opinion neither you nor BlueDo understand.

You don't seem to understand the meaning of catch 22. You buy a product and find out only after you try it that it doesn't do what it says it will with common brands.....(oooops! sorry, it is now "used" so we can't take it back, your bad luck you didn't do many hours of research so you could find out what products our model is incompatible with). By the way, my "junk" component is a very fine plasma, an NEC rebadge. If I had been talking here about some obscure Chinese cheapo plasma I would understand.

Thanks for your response.

I may be incorrect, but the price you pay at Blue Do is substantially less than at a brick and mortar retail store. You pay extra there which gives them the extra money to give you a full refund. Blue Do's prices are so low as to not allow this. That said, I sympathize with your situation. BTW, shame on OEX for his condescending attitude toward this situation. There is no reason to trash this guy cause he made a mistake which any person who was not a CI could have made. OTOH, trashing Blue Do is not fair either since their return policies are stated in their site. You could have called them to discuss the remote and your equipment which would likely have revealed that your plasma would not work with this remote. You buy direct on the internet w/o using all the resources available to you and you cannot complain due to your own failure to exercise due dilligence.

If you had done more searching here, you'd have found JVC's problem with power macros. Typically, the power commands work when you press the power button but do not work in macros because the TV requires a long repeat cycle. You supply that when you hold the button down but in a macro that does not happen.

A further search might have shown you that one CI here had modified the code with repeats so it would work in a macro.

It's JVC's problem.

It's not BlueDo's problem.

Your restocking fee is justified. You did a lot of research but missed a few key points.

Thanks for your responses.

I really did buy this late at night and had seen the BlueDo name several times here and BlueDo answering several questions. So I presumed that they would be a good source since they were mentioned here and probably were experts on remotes if I had any problems. I presumed buying a fancy remote like this from Circuit City, Mag Hi-Fi or some oither B & M store would not be as good, since it looked like I might be needing some help in the future with the possible confusing aspect of the advanced codes.

I buy almost exclusively online mainly due to the convenience and the ease of research without having to drive all over town (being a disabled vet factors in here). I choose who I buy from more on good reputation than price, because it is important for me not to have to return things (difficult for me). I did not do any price comparison and did not realize that BlueDo sells at a low frofit margin and thus offers no help or response to ones e-mails except to refer you to the manufacturer.

As I mentioned, BlueDo does not even list a telephone number so I could not have called them if I wanted to (until I found the link to their other site, which now is not there). This should have sent red flags up for me. Now I realize I should have not presumed anything about buying a remote. I have been buying audio, video, photo and computer gear mail-order and online for many years, since I bought my first audio sytem in 69 in VietNam, and have never had a compatibility problem like this.

As far as the return policy, many stores write policies that they do not necessarily follow exactly in every case. To me, using a product and then deciding to arbitrarily return it is quite different from opening the box and almost immediately finding out it just won't work with your other equipment. Caveat Emptor!

I realize now that JVC has a problem with the way that they transmit their signals if I said that right. I did not know that over a year ago when I bought the plasma. But I did buy the remote from BlueDo and not JVC. So the answer here I guess is that anyone who unsuspectingly buys an MX-500 to run a macro with their JVC TV and who didn't spend days instead of hours online researching (I have dial-up BTW), just in case it was not compatitble with my TV would say to me.....TOUGH LUCK!.......

Could Tom Ciaramitaro, Krellboy or others help me to find that link to the info about modifying the code with repeats so that the macro would work.

When I start all over, would you still recommend the MX-500. I have the JVC plamsa, Sony STR-DA4ES receiver, Panny DMR-e85 DVR as the main components I want to operate. I might also program it to run my bedroom system which includes a Panny plasma, Denon AVR-3200 receiver (I already know it will not do advance codes for the 3200) and Panny DVR.

Could you please recommend an online seller that I could order a remote from who I can call or e-mail if I need any help. Price is not a problem, I just want a dealer who understands taking care of their customers. I have already printed out many pages of codes, etc. for all my components, I just missed the JVC problem.

Sorry to have taken up so much space with my complaining. Thanks for all the responses and help.

Yodo6

Call Damon at PRoremotes.com. Be sure to inform him of the JVC issue. He probably has come across it before.

If price is not a problem you might want to move up to the MX700 or above. With all of the things that you want to do it seems to me that a computer base remote would be better since you can pull code from pronto in hex.

IMO learning remotes arre OK for simple systems, but if you what trouble free macros and want to do multiple zone the computer based program is the way to go.

Lee Kropp

Thanks oex and Lee. I'm an old fart and do web surfing and buy a lot online but otherwise have no computer experience including files and spreadsheets. I presumed, maybe mistakenly, that the computer assisted models might be too much for me.

Also, I don't think my system is very complicated. I actually have two completely separate systems in the living area and bedroom that I though maybe I could put on the same remote. We never use them both at the same time and there would only be 3 or 4 components on each one.

I guess that solving the delay problem with the power on macro might do it. I'll start all over and make some calls this time and have my ducks in order before I buy.

Yodo6

I've bought two remotes from BlueDo (MX500 in Dec04 and an MX850 in May05) and have had great experiences. They have replied to every email I've ever written. I had a problem with my MX850 shortly after I bought it and they were stellar there too. They referred me to URC and I had to send the remote in. BlueDo paid for my shipping costs to get the remote to URC!

Unless their customer service has changed drastically in the last few months, I would still support BlueDo.