Daniel or anyone else.

1. Let's say you wanted to replace the TSU3000 with a mostly hard button remote.

2. Let's say you didn't want to spend over $150.

3. Let's say you want control and flexibilty as close as possible to the 3000.

4. Let's say it needs to operate at least 10 devices (X-10 IR codes being one of the 10).

What would be your top 2 choices?

I'm just getting tired of the 3000's battery life or the lack of. Yes I use the docking station but still after fully charging I can't get through a full saturdays use before needing to start it charging again. And alkaline batteries wouldn't last more than 5 days. I'm paralized neck down and can't do the battery mod a lot of you did. I can't use the remote on the docking station when I'm stuck in bed (like on the weekends).

The TS1000 was perfect for me. Unfortunately the 3000 doesn't hold it's own to the 1000 that I expected it would as far as battery life or speed. I need another remote. And since I've spent alot on the 3000 I can't afford another exspensive remote.

Any advice on an alternative remote is appreciated. The touchscreen isn't a necessity. It was a conveniance.

This message was edited by Wheelie4 on 09/15/03 13:17.

the HTM MX-500 would be under 150$ but the 700 is a lot better but more then 200$ you can read their reviews in the review section.

Anthony,

Thanks for the advice. The MX-500 & MX-700 are the closest match to what I'm looking for according to the reviews. I've already been tinkering wih the 700's software. Already got all but two of my 10 devices codes setup plus some minor tweaking to the devices. :) Just playing. I may just try somehow to squeaze out the cost for an open box 700 unless another remote catches my eye.

This message was edited by Wheelie4 on 09/16/03 11:04.

I agree... the MX-500/700 can't be beat for the price.

If RF isn't an issue, I think the urc8811 plus a JP1 cable is the clear winner. (If RF is an issue, one of the other UEI remotes may be right, or an IR repeater).

The big negative is that there's no good way to relabel all the buttons. If your function names match the names already there, great. Otherwise you end up needing to learn which key does which. (Once you're used to it, it's better to have a pure hard button remote, because you don't need to look at the remote as much while using it).

The 8811 has more buttons than most other remotes. The JP1 software makes it more flexible. It's designed as an 8 device remote, but with JP1 it isn't hard to make it support 10 or more devices. Of course it costs MUCH less than the other alternatives.

Thanks guys. RF isn't an issue. I use the IR543 command console to conver IR to X-10 to work my lights and fans. I may just try the urc8811 before I make a final decision since JP1 lets it control more than 8 devices. Its cheap so if I prefer the HTM models over the urc8811 I won't be out much. Feeling the buttons and not having to look at the remote isn't any concern, lol I can't move my arms or hands. I operate it with a stick I hold in my mouth so I have to look at the remote to press the right button regardless wether it's touchscreen or hard buttons. :)

Learning which keys do what isn't so hard. I used an older one4all remote before I got my old ts1000 back when they first came out. Unfortunately I'm an early audio/video adopter type of guy. Gotta stay on the forefront of technology. LOL got by first 50 inch HD tv in 1999. :) Thanks again for all the advice. It's greatly appreciated.

I just finished "upgrading" from a TSU3000 to an MX-800, and I love it. It's the right balance of programmability and ease of use. The mx-700 is nearly the same, but uses IR instead of RF.

Another question for all who have used or tried the URC8811 and the MX-500/700 models.

Let's say your holding a pencil in your mouth(trimmed end) and you want to press one of the buttons with the eraser end by mouth. Would they be to hard to press?

I know that a weird question but aside from using mouthstick instead of a pencil, thats how I have to press the buttons. I've had some remotes to hard to press (like my OEM RCA remotes). The TS1000 was easy. The TSU3000 buttons are a little harder but pressable. Any info really appreciated. :)

Wheelie4: you might try the HTM forum (makers of MX-500 and 700) and the OFA forum. They are better at answering your question

You could very well have problems with the "thumbpad".
The directionals can be touchy, with the center (ok,select,etc) button somewhat difficult as well. Although, there is enough buttons that you could program the center button else-where. Other than that, I love the remote, as well as all my clients who receive them.

True, I actually do the same with the 3000. The 4 navagation hard buttons on the bottom are tough to operate so I never use them.

I haven't gotten around yet to rechecking the button characteristics on the 8811 (which is at home now, and I'm not). I do remember that it isn't a problem to press most buttons the ordinary way, unlike several other remotes, such as the 15-2104, which require you to press a little harder and straighter than you'd expect to need, so you often think you've pressed it when you haven't.

The "Set" button used to program the 8811 (without JP1) is recessed. With my fat fingers, it's quite a problem. I would go nuts trying to program an 8811 that way (15-2104 is even worse). I don't know whether your stick is narrow enough that the recessed button would be no harder than ordinary buttons or wide enough that the recessed button is impossible.

In any case, programming an 8811 via that button rather than via a JP1 cable would be a very annoying task, even for the limited features that CAN be programmed without JP1.

I assume if you got an 8811 and cable you'd get help connecting them. I assume that more than most users, you'd depend on being able to test the programming of the remote without disconnecting and reconnecting the cable. For PC's with fairly high parallel port voltage, that just works. For PC's with lower parallel port voltage, the process may be very picky about the battery voltage or cable length or other factors and many users just give up on the feature of testing while the cable is still connected. Typically lap top computers have lower parallel port voltage than desktop, but it's hard to generalize. There are some older, more expensive, versions of the JP1 cable that have active level shifting and thus avoid all those voltage issues (reliably allow the remote to be used with the cable still connected regardless of parallel port voltage). There are sources in the JP1 group from which you can buy those.

Thanks johnsfine. As far as connecting cables and testing, I can easily do that during the afternoon while my nurse is here with me if I do choose a 8811. No biggy. I'm leaning more towards the HTM's though. Nothing final yet. Ive made a little progress toward the finacial part for a HTM. If the HTM's thumbpad select wuld be a problem there's alway the LCD buttoms to replace them. I greatly appreciate all the help and advice I've gotten on this remote trek. :)