I'm reposting a post I made several pages ago in the "new URC policy thread" that went unanswered. I'm asking how us AUTHORIZED purchasers who are now falling through the cracks in URC's policy are going to be supported by URC with the new "Complete Control", future updates, and programs. (i.e. not download a copy of the July program we already have)
I'm trying to give URC a chance, but I STILL am not getting a response. URC, we're trying to be fair and understanding, please contact us!
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I've been a URC owner for 4 years now, and won't debate this new policy, as others have hashed it out extensively. However, I'd like to focus on something I'm not seeing addressed here or in the policy itself, which makes me concerned. This is my first post, just for this new policy. I don't think it's quite so simplistic and black-and-white as URC's policy, and would like to hear how they plan to address many people in the following categories of AUTHORIZED purchasers who seem to be falling through the cracks:
All of these apply to those who made AUTHORIZED purchases but now seem to be neglected by URC's policy.
1. Buyers from an authorized dealer that now refuses to provide support. (i.e. the buyers are asking the dealer for support this week and are receiving replies of, "we only stock and sell the remotes, not provide software"--it's already happening)
2. Those who received their remotes as gifts, where the gift giver purchased from an authorized dealer but wouldn't even think of documenting for this long where they bought it from. (or the recipient doesn't even know who gave them the Christmas gift, etc)
3. Buyers from an authorized dealer that have lost or not kept their original sales receipt, as it was many, many years ago.
4. Owners who bought it from another owner that bought it from an authorized dealer.
5. Buyers of A/V components from authorized dealers where the component came PACKAGED with a URC remote.
6. Buyers from authorized dealers who have since gone out of business.
I have two MX-700 remotes, one of which falls into category #5 above. I bought a $6,000 Parasound C1 A/V controller that came packaged with an MX-700 remote control. I bought it from an authorized Parasound sales source as listed directly on Parasound's website. (
www.parasound.com) However, the place I bought it from does NOT sell for URC directly, (as with many other Parasound dealers) so I don't have access to URC support. I have never contacted URC for instructions on how to program my MX-700; I have done all work myself, and frankly, I'm disappointed in URC's publicly released statement about this new control program, saying that these remotes are not intended for the end-user use, they are intended for CI's only. Well, I feel that situation #5 as listed directly contradicts that. Clearly, by URC packaging these remote controls in MORE THAN ONE manufacturer's components, they intend for their products to be installed and used by end-users. Otherwise, every authorized seller of these other manufacturers that package URC products would also be required to customize and install the URC product contained in it, fully trained by URC like actual URC dealers, before handing over the component to the end user.
Again, I'm not debating whether UNAUTHORIZED buyers should be supported. I'm only wondering how URC intends to support us AUTHORIZED buyers that don't fit neatly into URC's stated policy. I'm also the moderator of a large club of Parasound owners that are all concerned, wondering the same thing. I'm sure there are many other owners out there of other manufacturer products that also came packaged with URC remotes, that are wondering the same thing. Not to mention those that fit into categories #1-4 above, or others I'm not thinking of.
I've had an E-mail question to URC in for a couple days now, about how they will address these, but have not heard back. I'll withhold final judgment on this policy until this is addressed, at the least.
