I've been looking for a universal remote for my home theater setup in my living room. I don't know what I want yet, but I do know what I want to control, that I've tried the Logitech Harmony and found their hardware to be marginal and their programming software to be utter junk, and think the URC remotes via RF might make everyone in my home happy.

Here's a list of what I'm trying to control:
Sony Bravia 52" LCD KDL-52VL150
Onkyo Integra DTR-6.2
Sonly Blu-Ray BDP-DX2
DishNetwork ViP 622
Sony CD carousel CDP-CX50
xBox 360

My needs should be pretty simple; I'd like a remote that everyone can use (wife, kids, etc) to do whatever they want without having to think very hard. The one thing I liked about the Harmony was the "activity" based control where someone could pick up the remote and press "watch TV" and have everything get set right. The biggest problem was the Harmony got it wrong more often than it got it right; mostly that was due to IR getting blocked while macros ran, but explaining that to others proved futile.

I'm leaning towards URC, but I've been doing my homework and the one thing I don't like about URC's approach is the difficulty in the end consumer (me) acquiring the programming software and future updates. If I add or replace a component in my system or simply want to change something around I don't want to be locked into paying for a program update. I write industrial control systems and design/host web sites for a living so programming isn't something that scares me off and yet I can appreciate URC's desire to protect their professional installers, but I'd still like to have the ability to DIY things down the road... I like to tinker and adjust and modify things until I get them just so. I guess if I were URC I'd keep the remotes sold only through pros, but make the software available on the web-site with an explicit note that support is only available through a licensed pro... but that's a different topic.

I've looked at the MX-450, MX810, MX-880, and MX-980. Of these the MX-450 seems to have the most intelligent key layout and the MX-980 appears (from what I've read) to be the most customizable (assuming I can find someone who will sell me the remote and let me have a copy of the updatable software).

I'm thinking any of these would be paired with a MRF-350. I'm thinking of the 350 for the 6 discrete IR emitters; my components are in an enclosed media tower with a glass door, but there are shelves between each and I don't know how well a blaster in the tower would work on its own; if a 260 would work just as well that'd be ok too... I guess after my experiance with the Harmony I'm a bit snake-bit on this one.

Which remote and base would you recommend given what I'm trying to accomplish?

Thanks!

URC's software policy states that the dealer selling you the remote (go with the MX980/MRF350) can, at the dealer's election, provide you with a copy of the software. Call around after reviewing their authorized dealer base- [Link: universalremote.com] and see who can accommodate.