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Topic:
Looking for possible replacement for URC MX-980 for common component setup
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Post 1 made on Saturday March 2, 2019 at 23:13
Baboontyme
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
September 2007
17
3 TVs (2 of which are identical), 1 Projector, 4 Directv boxes, audio receiver for video switching, and a FireTV on the big screen. There is a possibility that I may be cord cutting in the near future and running 4 fireTVs.

I have been a big proponent in the past of URC and I currently use a maybe ~ 6 year old URC MX-980. It's still pretty sweet but I had to get a new audio receiver and the last time I programmed this thing I think I was on Vista or Win7 and I can't get it to work on Windows 10. Even if I could...it appears the IR database in the CCP software is very dated. And certainly not modern enough to program a smart TV device, let alone my new audio receiver from what I can tell. And as you prob know the URC software is very hard to come by. I don't even remember how I got CCP or learned it and I'm old now and more impatient and not sure I want to go down that rabbit hole again with a new $$$ remote and having to find new software and figure it out. And don't want to pay $$$$$ for a dealer programmed remote that I can't update myself.

So....there has to be some new technology 6+ years later. Bluetooth? I don't know. I have done a tiny bit of research but haven't really dove in yet. Back when I programmed my MX-980, you could change the IR codes on DirecTV receivers and even though I had 4 identical ones, I was controlling them independently via IR. I don't think that's the case any longer. I have 2 newer ones which operate on the same IR frequency which is a pain in the ass. And 2 older ones which I can control individually but I'm sure they'll take a shit soon.

And then the question of the FireTV(s) - if I ditch the Dtv boxes and run 4 FireTVs or 4 Rokus or something - can I control each of those individually with a universal-type remote?

What are my options here?

Thanks in advance if anyone has knowledge to drop.
Post 2 made on Sunday September 22, 2019 at 14:27
ptrubey
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
June 2004
13
Yes, this is the perennial question/lament. The various URC remotes are the best. Hard buttons, customizable LCD displays, AA powered or li-ion with recharge station, even touch screen (which I hate for remotes).

But as we all know, URC is restricted to certified installers, and even if you did find the latest software, programming the remotes is a disaster since the UI sucks and needing to find the right bridge software, dongles, etc. is a giant pain.

I myself am going through the hassle of continuing to support my MX-980 remotes since they work so well. Heck, I'm thinking of replacing a Crestron system in my home theater with a URC setup since even Crestron can't seem to create a handheld remote that doesn't suck.

I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for 20 frigging years for someone to come out with a consumer programmable remote on par with URC. It still hasn't happened yet. All we have now is the crappy Harmony system (which I tried, it is crappy), and a bunch of smartphone remotes which don't work well because they aren't hard button, the form factor is wrong and a bunch of other reasons.

If someone wanted to run a startup to create a real consumer remote company, I'd fund it. I don't have the interest in running it myself, but I'd surely have a go at creating a new company for it. Lord knows, there's no competition out there, still.

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