For a discussion of the issue at hand, please see this thread:
[Link: remotecentral.com]

Short version; when using ramp & repeat RS232 commands, a brief push of the remote sends two commands. This happens regardless of the device, it is an MSC-400 bug.

I've been in contact with URC support since mid-February about this, and was finally told on Friday that this would 'take a long time to be resolved'. (Yes, it took them 3 months to get to that conclusion.)

Needless to say I'm less than pleased. RS232 functionality is one of the main reasons I purchased an MSC-400, and as I pointed out in my reply to the 'long time' email, we're not talking about an obscure bug here. The MSC just doesn't work as it should. There is a workaround - the reason I think URC deems the bug acceptable and will probably never fix it if they can get away with it - but it is less than ideal. You have to create a push-hold macro in the remote editor, and assign a single click RS232 smart macro to the 'before' and a repeat RS232 smart macro to the 'after'. Problem? The shortest 'hold' period is one second (way too long). Also, holding doesn't give you the initial command input.

I'd like to figure out if we can get a bunch of users/installers to lobby URC to get this fixed asap. If you're affected by this, please chime in.

Dave,
I am with you once I recreate some of these issues. Maybe there are enough people here to have a voice. I am curious about that actually.

Count me in obviously......this been a problem twice for me on two different jobs. Very disappointed in URC's response.....

Thanks Dave.....Let me know if there is anything I can do to assist....

The MSC-400 is SUPPOSSED to be URC's flagship controller..im very suprised to hear about thier position on this... very un-nerving!

I actually agree. This is an annoying problem.

Thanks guys. I'd like more people to participate. In particular if we could get some resellers as well (Mike? wink wink, nudge nudge :-) ), I think this would give us some leverage.

In the meantime, you can start emailing to the following address:
email_techsupport at ur

This is obvious, but please remember to be firm, but courteous - rudeness will get us nowhere. Let us know here if you have emailed them. You can reference this thread as well as the issue thread linked above. PM me if you need help with this.

Thanks again. Let's get this fixed!

Wouldn't it be a better idea if you guys post this information in URC Control Room, they will definately see the thread there.

I am not a dealer or installer, I don't have access to the control room. If someone wants to do this and keep us informed here, that would be great as well.

Thanks for the suggestion!

I second this motion. Please URC fix this issue!
A flagship control unit like this should not have a flaw like this unresolved for so long.

What is the RS232 device you're controlling, and what is the function that is causing the issue? Maybe there is a workaround with the protocol itself...

It does this with *any* RS232 device. As I said - it's an MSC-400 bug. It's not device dependent. Try it and see for yourself.

I don't know what you mean by 'a workaround with the protocol itself'.

I am surprised and disappointed about URC's approach to dealing with very fundamental problems like this. I cannot understand why it isn't a simple fix unless the underlying architecture of the software is poorly implemented.

As for the workaround I found I preferred (for volume control) putting the non-repeating smart-macro on the "delayed button". Most of the time two steps is not a problem but with this "reversed" approach I have access to a single step if needed AND I don't have to deal with the minimum delay of one second for repeat to start.

Just me.

I've reported this problem directly to URC engineers in the past.

"any" device is a pretty strong statement. We used the msc-400 with a knox AV matrix w/o issues. Are you all just having problems with receivers?

Did you use the RS232 ramp/repeat functionality? Out of curiosity, how is repeat needed on a switcher?