My serial number is also formated 0702Axxxxx, and I also have been unable to register.

Live Update... So, if you get registered on the installer page at URC, do you get software with 'live update?' I'm sure I can get the necessary stuff to get on there, I'm an installer per se, but I really don't wanna deal with all that mess! Anybody delt with this side of things? THANKS! GOOD LUCK to everybody dealing with this new software issue!!!

i just logged onto that website, put in my name and serial number, downloaded the new software, and installed it. when i run the software and click on live update. it says live update no longer works, contact your installer, etc.

is there something i am missing?

Your not missing anything. The only way to get the live-updatable software is to contact your Dealer, or to be an Installer.

I will contact my dealer (surf remote), but the beginning of this thread is confusing because it suggests that if I put in my serial number, I can download the software myself - a link does come up and I did download, but this doesn't work.

Surf Remote is one of the reputable AD's and you should have no problem receiving the fully functional version of the s/w from them. Let us know if you have any issues.

If you ask UniversalRemote techsupport for the latest software you get this answer:

"If you purchased your remote control from an authorized dealer, they can provide you with the latest software. If you did not purchase from an authorized dealer, the software can be obtained from our website with the editor version which is available."

It is not the latest version available for download, so I have contacted my dealer, B&H Photo, and asked them to provide me with the latest software.

I haven't heard from them yet, and I wonder how they will do it and will they keep me informed of any new versions?

Thanks for the link Eric. Unfortunately the serial number in my MX 700 looks like RO3.1.5VX4 but was not accepted as being valid so I was unable to register it.

I have had it for 5 or so years now but it looks like I'm in limbo :-(

All made worse because I seem to have lost communication between the remote & PC and cannot find out what is wrong (the cord is ok with conbtinuous links to GND, TD & RD.

ANY help most appreciated.

John

I purchased this remote in good faith (no idea if it was a auth.dealer or not, but have no idea anymore who it was). Nowhere in the documentation did I see that this could only be purchased through an installer or authorized dealer. Where does that leave me? No way to update my software. I think this is a pathetic way of dealing with their customers.

I quite liked my MX-3000 remote up until now (depsite its quirks and bugs in the software, reported and still outstanding BTW). Having just moved and purchased a bunch of new electronics on the other side of the world, I am now stuck without being able to update my IR db. As for Eric's post, I registered, downloaded, but how do I keep it up to date? Why waste your bandwidth making people download 40+ MB each time.

As far as I am concerned, folks should speak with their wallets. Stop buying Universals products and go with other vendors products. I'm already looking now.

Wake up Universal before your faithful customers go elsewhere. You do not have a monopoly and there are better remotes out there.

Richard

Having the URC software so covert is ridiculous. Anybody would think the remote was hardwired to the shuttle programme!!!! I have just bought an MX3000 of eBay and naturally want the software to get started before it arrives.

Okay, just read Daniel's post elsewhere on the negativity of the posts and ask others to ignore my previous post (can't find a way to delete it). Instead I would ask someone to clarify the following (can't seem to understand Eric's post)
- By providing Universal with registration details and serial number, what does this give us?
- The software that we can subsequently download after doing this, is it a current version of the software? (just found the update history by looking - seems I've stepped back by upating with the version Eric links to. Now I only get IR db 1.76)
- Do we have to do this each time there is an update to the IR database?
- How will we find out about updates to the software/IR database?
- If we are not asking for technical support (haven't to date, other than reporting bugs/defects in their software), what purpose does this serve?
- How were we to know if the seller was an auth.distr. when we purchased some 2 years ago? Where in Universal's documentation/installation was the warning ('caveat emptor')?
- What happens to owners selling their remotes to others (i.e. second hand market). How do these new owners get updated software?

Perhaps someone from Universal can give some more detail to us users of their products. They really need to think through their new policy and provide some detail.

From what I've read and understand, the software you get when you register to download on URCs site, is the August 1, 2006 version of the software. Regardless of the fact that there have been several updates to the software, if you were to go there today and download it again, it would still be the August 1, 2006 version. The only way to get the newest current version would be from an AD.

Also, the way it sounds, is that even if you know the place you bought the remote from was an AD, and for example they went out of business, and you were to contact URC for software, you'd still only get the August 1, 2006 version.

And yes, they do need to provide a bit more detail regarding all the questions/issues.

Wow, I haven't updated my remote in 6 months as I had no need. I just purchased a bunch of used audio equipment off of Ebay without remotes. I wasn't worried about the remotes as I had my handy MX850....wrong. Upon trying to update the database I get a message saying I cannot update the database anymore. I stumbled into this forum trying to figure out what's going on. The changed simply boggle my mind. So much for customer service.

As someone who purchased three different remotes this year for myself, a friend, and parents, I'm a bit disappointed with the new software Nazi policy. I guess spending over $1000 this year doesn't quality me as someone important enough to have access to the new software. I made a big mistake in not going with Harmony.

As a small company you cannot take your customers for granted. The only way you can compete is to make your customer base happy. If the customer base isn't happy they will go elsewhere. I'll be getting rid of my MX850 and selling it on Ebay out of principle as I no longer want to be associated with this company.

I too tried to update my software recently & found the Live Update no longer works. The way URC is going about this is highly unethical. I spoke with a friend of mine tonight that is an attorney & he says that though they do have a right to control the distribution of their software, to retroactively do this to consumers that actually purchased a remote (whether from an AD or not) can be fought (and in his opinion, won) in court. Any comparisons to MS or Apple are not relevant since if you are running a pirated copy of those OS's you didn't pay anyone for them. Besides, at least in MS's case, you were still allowed to update the software!
Now, even though a good case can be made in court, does anyone have the $$$ to actually see this through? Personally, I don't. But what I will do is contact Attorney General Elliot Spitzer's (and now Governor-elect) in NY and file a complaint.
BTW, my wife bought me this remote (MX-3000) for Christmas last year from a reputable online retailer, though apparently not an AD. There's an interesting story that goes along with this purchase (such as the old 'Bait & Switch' attempt from what is a very well known company here in Tampa) but how was she to know any different? I probably wouldn't have thought of it myself.

I have the MX-850 and the new DTV HR-20, and it would be cool to get the file so we don't have to mess with the learn stuff. I have the latest version of the editor, and it still doesn't have any kind of live update, so how will we get the updates? Even if the HR-20 is added to the database, how would we use it, being the darn app won't update?

Thanks,

Steve