Hi I am getting ready for some upgrades to my HT.
This is where it looks like I will be at first
Pre/Pro Integra 9.8
JVC DVD Changer
Mitsubishi WS65869
Charter HD Moxi
Sunfire GT amp
Rotel amp

I plan to power a second zone from the Integra for sound only(outdoor)

In the end I plan to upgrade to a front projector and a Bluray Player but the integra is my 1st upgrade along with a remote to control everything.

Is the Nevo Q50 with the Studio pro and connect capable of handling things? How easy is it to program?

I have a Q50, an I really like it. The new 70 will have wifi, and a better resolution screen, but for what it is the Q50 is nice. It took me about 45 minutes to put a basic program on it. I find myself sitting on the couch with my laptop, and tweeking things around. I no longer hit channel buttons, as it took me about 15-20 minutes to input 24 favorite channels. The zwave is very reliable as well.

I think the real question is how it compares to the MX-980? The URC models have some capabilies that Nevo software cannot do (such as variables, press and hold buttons, animated graphics, and some small others, while in my opinion the Nevo is easier to program, has a larger graphic library that is easier to access, and the device swap is excellent if you want to change or swap out components. I think both of these remotes are great; I may have to give the edge to Nevo because Z-wave is better than the RF URC uses, but this has not been proven with field tests, just conceptual information.

If you plan on programming it yourself you may find the Nevo remotes and software to be more accessible even though nevo and URC both have installer-only restrictions. That may be all the info you need. In the end they will both be able to adeptly control your equipment and there are certainly pros and cons along the way. Here's just a few:
- More accessible product & programming software - adv. Nevo
- Better color screen - adv. 980
- Less expensive - adv. Q50 (remote + Zwave vs 980 + RF)
- Ultimate power - adv URC (980 has more options like vbova mentions and MSC400 processor is much more powerful if you add that)

But wait...there's more!

Nevo Q50
If-then-else conditional programming
Button toggle for two different codes to be sent
NevoConnect does almost everything the MSC400 does at 1/2 the price.
Zwave seems to be working quite well (3 months in my theater)

Dave

Great info!!! Thank you for the comments.
I think I'm leaning towards the Nevo since I can get it in the $400s while it seems my only option with the MX980 is to go through dealer and pay almost $1000.

IMHO, another HUGE advantage of the Q50... The button layout and the logical choice of hard-buttons used is fantastic.

Even my die hard Tivo fan wife chooses to use it over the Tivo peanut remote now.

I had a Pronto and later a URC 850 which she would only use to power up/down the system, then immediately grabbed the Tivo remote. I even hid the Tivo remote once in hopes of her trying to use the other remote and give it a fair shake. I received a phone call later that day from her while I was working, she quickly had the Tivo remote back in her hand. I attempted this clever little trick after the Q50 was 100% operational, she hasn't asked where it is for almost two months now, which is for the better cause I don't even remember where I put it.

Apples to oranges. MSC400 stores the macro command and execute with a trigger code. The Nevo connect needs to accept each command in the macro one at a time making it less reliable. I would give the advantage to the "more powerful" processor to the MSC-400 due to the technology it uses.

Also, the if then else you can do with Nevo depends on if you are using video or voltgage sensors. It you have (like me) a cable box Motorola DCT series neither will work. BUT.. You can set up variables on the MX-980 that will 'remember" if the cable box is on or not. It's not bulletproof, but works pretty well when done correctly. If an when Nevo comes out with this feature it will be a lot more powerful.

First of all, just because the macros are not stored in the NevoConnect, doesn't mean it's less reliable. What do you do more often; hit macro buttons or normal buttons like Vol+, Ch-, etc? The normal buttons of course! When you are on the couch, you aren't hitting macros all day, you are changing the channel, raising and lowering the volume. And which one of these two remotes supports 2-way RF that will automatically retry a command if it doesn't go through? The NevoQ50. So while macros being stored is a great thing, it only has to work well for a few seconds. Normal usage is for hours and that's where you can't beat a remote that automatically will retry if a command doesn't go through. Period. So in essence, the NevoQ50 is the more "reliable" remote. I'm not saying the MX-980 is un-reliable because I've had decent experience with it, it's just that the NevoQ50's performance has been rock solid for me thus far.

One other thing you can try is to use the Nevo Video sensor on the digital audio output port (the coax port that looks like an RCA port) on a set top box. I had a customer that had a Moto set top box and using the sensor on the video ports didn't work, but using it on the digital audio port did and it's been running fine since. Some set top boxes do not have this port enabled, so you might have to go into the settings menu and enable it.

>> Of course it does!


What

>> Are you saying that less often means less important?

When

I have every remote on the RTI line, URC line and Pronto line. To me it's obvious that the macros and commands that are stored next to the equipment are far more reliable than the remote.

So while macros being stored

>> You shouldnt offer your opinion then. Leave it at that is has been reliable for you. I on the other hand have experience with both. I don't think the range on the Nevo connect is that great. And just because it retrys a command does not mean it will get there. Sto please, stop saying that.




Every good high end remote has video and voltage sensors. You will almost never get them to work with Motorola and Scientific Atlanta DVRS because they are always sending a signal.

Apartently you didn't get what I was saying. When you think about how a remote is really used, macros are not used as much as normal commands. I didn't say they were any less important, just used less because of the nature of things; you press a macro button once, then you press all the other buttons (volume, channels, etc.)many many times afterward. So since Nevo uses the 2-way aspect on every command, by nature, it can be considered a more reliable solution through normal usage. I will admit that stored macros is the better method for shooting out macros, but once you've executed those macros, that's where the Nevo has to be considered more reliable because of the auto reattempts. Both brands have their strengths; URC on the macros, Nevo on normal commands. In the same breath I want to say that both have performed good enough for me to put into jobs. There are other reasons why I choose Nevo over URC or vice versa.


Of course I'm going to offer my opinion, it's a forum and the last time I checked, that's what people do here. I didn't bash the URC products because I still think they are good, I was just making a statement that just because something has stored macros, doesn't mean it's automatically better in all ways.

I've actually done full blown installs with all those remotes too (as I'm sure a lot of guys in here have done as well) and we have all probably experienced different things with each one of them. The NevoConnect has produced the best reliable range I've gotten out of the others. You didn't experience that, so we differ there, no big deal. I hate to say it, but even though RTI has those big antennas on the RM-433, I get the worst range from them. But I'm sure there are tons of guys that have nothing but great things to say about the RF in RTI remotes because it has performed well for them. More power to them.

You should probably read my statement about the video sensor again. I said that I got the video sensor to work on a Motorola DVR box by connecting the video sensor to the digital audio out port (coax) and that it has worked reliably for quite some time now. I'm not saying all Motorola boxes are the same, but I had luck with connecting the video sensor to the digital audio port and it actually worked for me.