Hi all,

I have a couple of MX-810's and absolutely love them. I spent a good bit of time getting them setup just right which makes using them in my environment very easy. However, what really makes them shine is the "help" button. My in-laws, parents, friends, etc. can easily use the system because if anything somehow gets missed (remote pointed away from the tv, etc) they can hit the help button and be back up and running in no time.

However, I'm wondering if any of the other URC remotes have a similar functionality? I'm hearing rumors that the MX-810's might be going away and really don't care for the quality of the Harmony's.

Thanks,

Russell

Nope, it is the only one with power state tracking and a help system built-in.

You could, I suppose, build a help system in one of URC's more configurable remotes but that would be a substantial effort.

I have also heard the mx-810 is going away and if they are not replacing it with something in the consumer line I think it is a shame. The mx-810 is so much better than anything in the harmony line both from a software and a hardware perspective. I think it has earned a bad rep in part because it gets compared to other remotes in URC's lineup which it is not comparable with.

Bummer :(

I agree completely dalto! This remote really fits the bill for me. I can effortlessly control a pretty complex setup including 2 displays in the same room, bluray, htpc, lighting, xbox360, 2-zone audio receiver, etc. Aside from having "true" multi-room capability, I can't figure out why the 980's etc are considered more powerful. They may be easier to setup than the 810, but I have fully customized graphics for 80% of my buttons using the 810 and it really wasn't that hard to do.

I truly hope that the 810 stays, or is replaced by something equivalent but more "powerful" because URC remotes are a noticable increase in quality over the Harmony line.

How about the MX-880? Same thing, essentially. I don't think the power state tracking / help / wizard-based software was considered a success, so I doubt there will be another pro model with that for a while.

However I think there's plenty of opportunity to bump up their consumer efforts by making something similar to the R50 computer programmable for the masses, using software based on the 810...

Daniel,

It's a shame that the variable tracking wasn't considered a success because it certainly has been a hit around my house. In fact, my father was in town for Christmas and was so impressed that he's asked me to find one for him. He was specifically impressed with the "help" feature. He travels a lot for work and gets a good number of calls from my mom about "which input does this need to be on", etc. And they have a universal remote that I programmed for them.

The problem is that their equipment has quite a few TOAD devices and they don't reliably point the remote at the equipment, nor do they reliably use the remote to turn everything off :) The simple answer is to retrain them, but we all know that's not so simple. He absolutely LOVED the fact that the URC remote told him exactly what input, setting, etc each piece of equipment was supposed to be on (which is much better than the Harmony's "did that fix the problem" method). That way, even if the remote for some reason couldn't get the equipment on the right setting, he could manually get it there.

There is definitely a market for a smart remote with a help system, especially if Harmony keeps offering up the junk they have been offering up (quality wise). I truly hope URC doesn't abandon this market.

I never understood why this remote was released as a "Pro" rather than a "consumer" remote in the first place.

Well, the main reason to avoid variable-based tracking on any sort of professional system is that it's not completely reliable. Things can and will get out of sync (thus the "help" button to get it back in sync). A more bullet proof solution is to, where possible, use power or video sensing.

Although most higher-end URC remotes support variables, which means you can always do the state tracking yourself.

I use state tracking myself for a television that, while having discrete power codes, also requires a lengthy delay after turning on before sending an input command. And no voltage or video sensing was possible (I tried - it does have composite video out, but it's dead when HDMI is being used).

Daniel,

I definitely can understand the desire to use voltage sensing on higher end remotes, and I agree that it seems strange that the 810 was released as a pro remote. In fact, my Dad was very interested in the R50, but was put off by the fact that it didn't have a "help" system.

I agree that it would be nice if URC developed something in the consumer market that is based off of the R50, with RF, and variable tracking / help system. That is exactly what Harmony is doing and is making a killing at it, even though the actual hardware is crap and customer service is weak. If a company like URC put some effort into it, with their superior hardware and customer support, I think they could steal the market away from Harmony. Especially with their rock solid RF.

Agree. I previously owned the Harmony 890 and it constantly had issues. It finally died completely after about 2 years of use. The buttons really suck on the 890 also. I looked into the newer top end Harmony's but when I found out they no longer support macros, that was a deal killer.The Help system on the 890 was better than nothing but my wife still had trouble using it at times. With our new MX-810, I handed it to her the first time with no instructions and she could do anything she wanted. The buttons are great, screen is sharp and colorful, the feel in your hand is excellent.

Like others, I found the prowizard software unintuitive, but in time it all came together and proved powerful enough for anything you might find in a one room situation. The only real gripes I have, and they are minor; first there should be a dedicated DVR hard button. The reality is that the DVR is probably the most used item for many people. A button to access it's menu should be close at hand. It now occupies the lower right soft button position and that's not too bad. Second is the location of the "Skip forward and skip back" buttons. I use these two buttons more than anything else when watching pre-recorded TV. I NEVER watch live tv anymore, in fact it's forbidden in our house. I whipped up a simple fix for this, I mapped those skip commands to the "Ch up\Down" button. Since I never watch live tv, why would I need to scroll through the channels? Besides, you can do the same thing with the up and down nav buttons. Also, the Ch button is perfectly located for skipping. If I hold the remote palm up, my thumb rests there, if I pick up the remote palm down, my index finger finds it easily.

Like you, I think URC is missing a golden opportunity. If they would make the prowizard more user friendly and intuitive, even without page jumps, the MX-810 could dominate it's segment of the retail market. Even the name of the company is perfect for the retail sector.
kadiddle

I actually think the software is fine the way it is. For me it always more sense than trying to use the harmony software.

Really, the only issue I have with the software is that if you ever replace components, you have to go back through and setup your activities all over again. If you are like me, and have created custom icons using the "favorites" trick, that means a LOT of work. It would be much simpler if there were a simple way to swap out devices.

I'm about to upgrade receivers and am NOT looking forward to the reprogram I'm going to have to do.

It's been a while but when I test drove the harmony software it was easier to swap devices in and out, but it was more difficult (impossible?) to rearrange lcd buttons, and of course there was no customization capabilities.

Oh yeah, and the ability to upload from the remote to the PC! My buddy had a hard drive failure and lost his program for the remote! Talk about a PITA to go back through and set that all up again. Needless to say, this time he ripped a copy to CD when he was done setting it all up, just in case.

Electricians, Circuit City, and Geek Squad.

Nope, never made it into Circuit City...

If all commands are discreet, why not just press the button that activates the whole command string ? (I don't want to call it an activity)

Sometimes I give a customer a 'Help" button if I am using equipment that is considered a TOAD, configured with special settings that could potentially reset, or help a customer in the event of a power failure, system hiccup, etc. Puttint it on touchscreens to access power settings or master/advanced controls is not out of the question.

Some of my older customers (I live in the adult community capital of America) also need a help page to help explain things a little better. Sometimes it kind of crazy to read - in order to watch cabel press the button named "watch cable", but the apreciate it. They are spending a good amount of money on the remote and work, so if it makes them feel better I'm doing it.

Vincent