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Topic:
MX-980 Volume / McIntosh MX-121
This thread has 18 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Saturday August 18, 2012 at 23:45
69VanNuys
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Any thoughts on how to tweak the volume button on the MX-980 so that it is quicker to go up and down? The original remote from the McIntosh mx-121 is much quicker to go up and down. While the current setting works in terms of one touch of the mx-980 volume button up or down moves the volume one half decibel up or down, it is not as quick when you hold down the button. Thanks, D
Post 2 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 00:40
KRAZYK
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Need more into on how you are controlling it?

IR? Double click Volume Macro under MX-980 and adjust repeat when button is pressed. Make sure repeat button tab is pressed.

RS-232? Double click Volume Macro in MSC-400 and adjust ramp speed.
I hope this helps!
KRAZYK

Things you own end up owning you!
OP | Post 3 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 01:56
69VanNuys
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The MX-980 is sending signal to the MRF-350 (RF). Repeat when button is pressed is "CHECKED" on and I have played with the minimum repeat when pressed from 3 to 8, but that does not seem to make much of a difference. Thank you for any additional thoughts.
Post 4 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 10:11
kgossen
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Are you using codes in the database or learned codes? If database, try learning from the original remote.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 5 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 11:48
TwistedMelon
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On August 19, 2012 at 01:56, 69VanNuys said...
The MX-980 is sending signal to the MRF-350 (RF). Repeat when button is pressed is "CHECKED" on and I have played with the minimum repeat when pressed from 3 to 8, but that does not seem to make much of a difference.

Minimum repeat does NOTHING on MX-980. It will always repeat some pre-defined amount (3) regardless of what you set in that box. This is a bug and has been around since at least the MX-900.

Using RF with MRF-350, if it's remotely similar to using MSC-400 is going to be SUPER-SLOW compared to straight IR.

IMPORTANT: You will never be able to match the responsiveness of the original remote using an MX-980. Sad but true.

You might be able to improve things a bit by creating a custom IR code for the volume if you know how to use makehex and understand IRP notation. Then put that on the remote instead of whatever is there now.

Otherwise you would be better off using direct IR - use a Xantech repeater if you need to get the signal into a cabinet or other room.

If you want to spend (much) more money you can go to RS-232 control with an MSC-400 which will still operate from the RF on your MX-980. This will be faster and you can change the ramp speed of the serial commands.
https://TwistedMelon.com - Mira & Manta IR - Remote Control Your Apps
Post 6 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 12:14
kgossen
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On August 19, 2012 at 11:48, TwistedMelon said...

If you want to spend (much) more money you can go to RS-232 control with an MSC-400 which will still operate from the RF on your MX-980. This will be faster and you can change the ramp speed of the serial commands.

Except the RS-232 volume out of a MSC-400 will give you fits. Every so often you will press volume up and it will ramp up to full volume without warning and it might take 30+ seconds before you can turn it back down. RS-232 and the 400 leave a LOT to be desired.

Have seen and heard of this happening on multiple different systems using different amplifiers and remotes.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 7 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 12:54
TwistedMelon
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MSC-400 has been flawless with RS-232 to an Outlaw Model 990 in my installation, apart from the MSC-400 having terrible grounding problems and introducing noise into my system when sending commands.

The fastest way to remedy an audio out of control situation is with MUTE or POWER OFF :)

If I were the OP and didn't need a device like the MSC-400 already, I would simply go the Xantech repeater route. In general, RF is a crappy technology for remotes and going through multiple layers to send single commands is a PITA. IR isn't used by everyone in the industry simply because it's relatively cheap.
https://TwistedMelon.com - Mira & Manta IR - Remote Control Your Apps
Post 8 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 13:13
Mitch57
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See my post here:

[Link: remotecentral.com]

I talked to URC support about this two weeks ago. Jaime in tech support emailed me and told me that there has been an escalation report on the problem and they're waiting on a fix.

As stated in my other post, I also have an MX-900 and it works perfectly! I'm not holding my breath on this issue based on comments by others on this bug. It sounds like this has been a problem with the 980 since day one.

Unfortunately we "Do it Yourself" folks don't have much of a choice when it comes to programmable remotes. However, I would think that all those custom installers out there would have raised hell with URC on this issue. But apparently not...

Last edited by Mitch57 on August 19, 2012 13:24.
Post 9 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 14:58
kgossen
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On August 19, 2012 at 12:54, TwistedMelon said...
The fastest way to remedy an audio out of control situation is with MUTE or POWER OFF :)

If the remote and MSC responded to the commands it wouldn't be an issue but unfortunately they don't. Have talked with URC techs multiple times on this and have even got a few to acknowledge the problem but there is no plans to fix it.

It is URC after all.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 10 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 15:30
Mitch57
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On August 19, 2012 at 14:58, kgossen said...
It is URC after all.

Sad isn't it? I wonder if RTI is just as bad in this regard. Unfortunately, no software from RTI for the consumer. No way! No How!
Post 11 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 16:08
Lowhz
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On August 19, 2012 at 12:14, kgossen said...
Except the RS-232 volume out of a MSC-400 will give you fits. Every so often you will press volume up and it will ramp up to full volume without warning and it might take 30+ seconds before you can turn it back down. RS-232 and the 400 leave a LOT to be desired.

Have seen and heard of this happening on multiple different systems using different amplifiers and remotes.

This sounds like a symptom of RF noise in regards to the RFX250 antenna. I have a MRF350, MSC400, MX880 and MX980 at home for my systems/test bench and every time I have hanging/lagging RF-IR or stuck RS232 I can 97% of the time walk over to the antenna and the RF light is glowing brightly. My solutions this problem are relocate the RFX250 and/or remove the whip antenna.
Post 12 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 19:01
kgossen
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On August 19, 2012 at 16:08, Lowhz said...
This sounds like a symptom of RF noise in regards to the RFX250 antenna. I have a MRF350, MSC400, MX880 and MX980 at home for my systems/test bench and every time I have hanging/lagging RF-IR or stuck RS232 I can 97% of the time walk over to the antenna and the RF light is glowing brightly. My solutions this problem are relocate the RFX250 and/or remove the whip antenna.

Being that it's just a trigger code and the status light on the 400 is not on solid I don't think so. URC techs have told me it's an issue.
"Quality isn't expensive, it's Priceless!"
Post 13 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 19:52
TwistedMelon
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1. URC's programming software has never been good enough for consumers, so if they actually retailed to that market they'd get more complaints and customer support calls than they could possibly deal with. It won't work financially.

I suspect that most others are the same way, including RTI. Sorry, these guys just don't create good software. Their hardware is marginal, but when there's no one else in the market and your choices are limited to 2 or 3 producers you get what you get.

2. WRT URC "fixing the problem" - I'll wait for my jet-powered unicorn to show up and then I'll ride it over on a rainbow of fairy dust to their HQ to pick up the fix. In other words, I won't hold my breath.

The MX-980 with some components is completely unusable because it doesn't properly transmit repeats and causes those components to freak out.

RF is problematic to begin with, but URC's components seem especially prone to issues with interference.
https://TwistedMelon.com - Mira & Manta IR - Remote Control Your Apps
Post 14 made on Sunday August 19, 2012 at 23:02
Mitch57
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+1!
Post 15 made on Monday August 27, 2012 at 01:33
ocbt77
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I'm experiencing the same problem with my MX-980 now.

I have not changed the program on my MX-980 for ages. It was working fine with no lag of the type described on this thread.

Today I made a few minor changes to the program and I accepted a live-update to CCP.

After the update, the MX-980 is now laggy.
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