What remote do you think would not look "cheap" with only 2 activity buttons on the home page? And why would you think that is "cheap"? Maybe your clients are cheap for only buying 2 sources from you. :)

Honestly, if I were to pick one to use personally, I would pick the 450. I like the button layout and the feel of the remote much better. And the programming is much easier than many make it out to be. Once you learn a few tricks to make it go faster, it is so easy a cave man can do it.

780 is decent. But the small screen and icons break it for me. But if you need something inexpensive and absolutely have to have PC programming, then go for the 780.

The 980 because you can stretch them across the screen and add a 3rd activity for Aux even though it wont get used. You can also put graphics in place to make every screen look good regardless of how many button spots are used.

I didn't sell this client any of his equipment. I'm just providing the remote to replace his broken Harmony.

I guess I'm just picky about what my remotes look like.
Vincent (VBova) at Total Control Remotes does a lot of work for us with custom graphics and layouts. When a client gets a remote from me it is tailored to them specifically and they instantly take pride in ownership. Its hard to look at the 780 and think of myself handing it to a client. I says nothing about who we are and does nothing to continue selling when we leave the project.

I believe this remote started out as text only and they were able to cram some color stuff in. Hence the graphics limitations...

When I run into the situation of having only 2 devices on the screen, I just add things on the screen to fill it up.  I don't like having blank spots either.  For example, if I only have cable and BluRay, I'll do:

Cable
BluRay
PPV
OnDemand
Netflix (Some new BluRay's have a discrete)
Music (macro takes you to the first Music channel in the guide on cable)

+1

The 450 is great to have around to teach new tech's an programmers the basics of URC programming. I find that after training a tech on a 450 and teaching them everything about it, it is easier to open CCP and move into that. The 450 is a perfect solution to what you are wanting to do. The real question is, can a 780 do variables? Don't think so but this would make the choice easy for me.

The 780 does have variables like in the MX-880. It doesn't have If/else statements or toggles.

Bobl,

Thanks. In that case the 780 would be better to me. If the 450 had Variables and a docking stations it would be the best solution out there

Without If/else statements on the 780, is it possible to set up a system such that switching between activities won't turn off components if they do not have discreet power on/off commands? How does one do this? Thanks.

Though it doesn't have if/else, you can use variables in macros that accomplish the same thing. What am I missing?