OK, I am sure there are MANY very satisfied T2 users, but the fact is that quite a few of use decided to drop the T2 in favor of the MX-500. Main reason seems to be the lack of dedicated transport controls on the T2.

Hopefully RTI will notice this and take it to heart. If they would make a T2 with transport buttons, I would buy one in a heartbeat.

In fact RTI, why not open it up for suggestions? It sure did not harm the MX-500.....

I second those thoughts.

Why does everyone keep gripping about transport controls. With a creativity you can run an entire system without the LCD of the T2 at all.

Programm the arrow keys to be both menu and transport functions. I realize there are no labels but once you try it you'll agree. Make a macro for each button where a double click of the button does the transport function and a regular click does the menu function. A popular layout is up for stop, down for pause, left for rw, rt for ff and select for play.

Not only does this eliminate more buttons but is verry comfortable to operate as your hand never leaves the vol/ch area.

I think some people don't like the slight delay caused by having to sense the various situations. For me, the one-handed convenience over-rides the inherent delay. As with so many things in life, "It's personal!".

I also found that stacking a double-clicking command increases the delay for the single clicking command, as the system cannot detect the command until the double-click threshold time has elapsed. Using "hold" for the second function means a quick click is detected immediately, so the delay is extended only to the second command.

Cheers,

DJ

Programm the arrow keys to be both menu and transport functions. I realize there are no labels but once you try it you'll agree.

Nope. Sorry. I definitely do NOT agree. Having tried several options I do agree that this was the better one. But the inherent delay in response time when walking through menu's or firing transport control commands (whichever way you program it) was annoying enough to me to look for a different remote. Like DJ said, it's a personal preference. Glad it works for you though, as you have one helluva remote!! :-)

Arjen - What remote control did you end up buying ?

I went with the MX-500, and will stick with it....until something better comes along ;)

Arjen,

Did you get all of your Xantech IR receivor problems fixed so that they work with the MX-500?

Yep,

Bill was kind enough to swap that CFL friendly IR receiver with a regular one, and that did the trick. Not as convenient as RF, but the IR reception is really quite good.

I would not recommend getting the CFL friendly unit unless you really do have a problem with interference from TL lights etc.

I do basically as Rob mentioned but I don't use macros(hardly).

For my UTV (Tivo-like) device, my main UTV page is dedicated to transport controls, only one macro and thats on the center button which is Play/Pause toggle normally and Play on sustain so I can see the progress meter display.

My Guide and UTV Menu buttons always bring up a second UTV page where the arrow buttons are now menu navigation controls. When I press Play or Clear from this page, it take me back to my main UTV page. The slight delay is insignificant compared to the UTV's speed in bringing up menus and guide.

With my DVD player, my start page is the menu control page, when I press Play, I move to a transport page where the arrow keys are transport controls; I rarely have to leave this page once a movie is playing.

I use my lcd primarily for my sound processor main page, for selecting an input device. On all my device pages, I only use the lcd for seldom used commands.

Jeff

Jeff,

Pretty good work-around. But it is also a compromise. I still think RTI should consider releasing a remote without that compromise :)

Arjen,

I think you're going to pester them so much they're going to finally throw up their hands and scream "OK! OK! We'll do it!!!" :-)

Have a great and safe Fourth!

DJ

DJ,

There's a fine line between pestering and being persistent, and while both of them....eh, screw it. I'll pester them up the wazoo on this one.

:)

I have to cast my vote along with Arjen. I too ended up swapping my RTI for the MX-500 because there were not enough hard buttons. Transport controls would have made that switch unthinkable.

My RTI fell off the end table last night and I did not bother to go pick it up. That was the tell tale sign that it has been replaced. I like almost everything about the RTI better than the MX-500, but the lack of hard buttons is enough to sway me.

I am not 100% sure that simply adding a transport control would be enough to convince me to upgrade again. The Price to Performance ratio on the MX-500 is a powerful draw. I much prefer the RTI's power and even the feel of the buttons, but the MX-500 gets the job done quite well. The more I get used to it the harder it would be to justify another upgrade. :)

So what you're saying is, if your T2 breaks out of warranty buy an MX-500?

:-)

DJ