It's still pretty healthy for a dinosaur.

New client bought a flip (which brings its own problems!), inheriting four A/V systems, needed DirecTV replaced by Dish on three MX850s. Are you saying you'd march in there and declare his remotes to be garbage?

Client was referred by a workmate of one of my sons. Referrer is technically inclined. This needed to be handled delicately, especially after having to tell the client that the flip created money-sucking problems that he'll have to deal with.

I'd sell him the proper tool. I have an mx890 here to replace an mx5000 because the client doesn't love the 5000. Time to put on your big boy pants and sell your clients on the right tool, rather than promise them your make their hammer that they already have into a screwdriver to save them some money. This thread is at least the 3rd or 4th in which I've seen you complain about something the 850 does not do or does not do well, yet you don't want to replace them.

Yes you can.

Brother, you need to read some manuals on this before you keep asking vague questions. These guys will give you an online nerd beating for asking for their help when they bill $125 an hour during the day for the same knowledge. Especially if you don't do what we all did and sit up at night for hours f$#king with these programs until we figured them out. And then the education of AV begins.

Let us know what you have, what works, what doesn't, how it's hooked up, etc... I'm willing to help, most of these douche bags are really good guys, even Ernie even though I've never met him, but we're here because sadly this crap runs our lives, we like pulling our hair out figuring out problems, and sadly enjoy the 7:00 drive home in a van, tired, sore, hungry, fulfilled because we figured out what ever stupid issue it was that made us miss our kids bed time.

could you point me in the direction of any manuals?

Maybe you haven't had to, but you might be surprised how good it could make you look if you did. For example, if for whatever reason you are having to use more than one TV input, it is a WAY smoother to use a variable: if the TV is already on and you're just changing activities... you can switch the TVs input instantly without waiting for that ten second power on delay that you need if the TV WASN'T on.

For a lot of people, waiting ten seconds for the macro to finish when you don't have to gives the impression that the remote is sluggish. Hell, a lot of folks just give up and start cussing and pushing other buttons. After all, nothing happened....yet. Don't waste another 10 seconds of people's lives and both you and the equipment will look smarter.

Above...That is a great time to use variables. However, we rarely use them with URC as resetting the system requires some competency on the customer's behalf. If I have a very techy customer who has (I know these are all dead) a Mitsubishi DLP with HDMI wired directly from each source so he has the delay issue mentioned above, we will use them and we will instruct the client to turn the system OFF with the remote and then manually turn off the components by hand if something isn't working.

The problem with this (least for our clientele) is that it isn't intuitive. There is no way that a customer that isn't techy will be comfortable doing this in a rack with 7 cable boxes, RTI amps, Yamaha receivers, baluns, routers, sources, etc. Even if it is a simple system, the babysitter or house guests probably will not be able to turn the offending gear off by hand in order to make the remote behave.

This is just our experience. After getting enough calls regarding variable issues, we stopped doing them in 98% of the jobs where we might have in the past. Those troubleshooting calls went away.

[Link: diagramas.diagramasde.com]

[Link: universalremote.com]

Had to edit since the original poster just NOW, after all this time and in another thread, gave us the model number of his base station. Dear Lord!!!!!

Okay you have your way that apparently requires variables, and I have mine that doesn't.

The system ON command is anchored at a specific point (the point where all sources are active), and all source selections are made from that point.


As an example, in my own system, the timing of the on macro is such that each item having it's own delay, will power into an active state at the same time (AVR being last).

Any way you issue the on macro, you have to wait for that one item that will active and able to receive a command. Variables will not change this. Issue a command to a device that isn't ready to accept a command and you have a problem (like TV input change).

Kelly, you are from a different time, so it's understandable that you like to do things the old fashioned way :-)

Your example above assumes everything is in an off state. When you program for true one touch on/off, this becomes an issue. From off, a TV can sometimes take 10 seconds or more. A projector, can take a minute or more. However, once the system is already on, there is no delay. So a client that wants to switch from Cable to Bluray on his system with a projector can either sit there and wait the 1.5 minutes you have programmed in or use a variable to track the state. Those are the only two options for true one touch on/off.

It's not that difficult, and IF a system gets out of whack with a power on delay variable, the skies won't fall.

When I use variables for power (typically cable), I have a fix button within each source that uses the variable. Typically labeled "Fix Cable", for example. Clients are instructed if they power up the system and no picture, press that button. It will be right on the page, not somewhere on the main page where they have to go searching. This button issues the power toggle command and sets the variable to the on state. Problem solved. I have NEVER had a single call where things did not work with this method. It's not rocket surgery!!!

Yeah, I am stuck in the 60's.... LOL




I do a similar thing when I have toad problem.

If you have that one toad (it's always the damn cable box), and the client either hits the main power on button, or hits the "Help" button (which issues the ON button), the offending toad is now turned on and all the other devices remain on.

As I said, never used variables, and never needed to. Never ran into any item other than the cable box that caused a problem. Everything else I dealt with seemed to have a discreet code, or a solid work around.



Sometimes OLD school is good..... :-)

You and Erie should grab a beer. You are both stuck in the 60s. I'm fairly certain you'll get sloshed since you'll do all the drinking since he will definitely do all the talking.

Give three or four tall 151 & Kahlua, Ernie will be talking to a man in a temporary coma... LOL

Close. Ernie will be explaining the origins of 151 & Kahlua while correcting your slurred speech before pointing out the proper way to slip into a coma.

Waht yuo shay, Earnie?

If it ain't fix, don't broke it. I'd rather have something rock solid that works, than have to futz with a spiffy new beta that's been thrust upon us. Note my comments on HDMI.


Not like one guy. Look up"The Last Hippy" by Oiver Sacks.