Just got my MX-500 from bluedo and I am trying to figure out if it is indeed broken.

Sending any IR code properly is erratic. It might work 65% of the time.

Heres how i tested:
- fresh batteries in each remote
- used girder/IRMAN to display the IR value as a 12 digit hex string to see if the value of the code emitted was consistent with each button press.
- Pointing an original remote at the IRMAN receiver, it yields "A25D50AF0000", the proper 12 digit code, 100% of the time. Everything is good.
- Sending any learned code from the MX500 results in a different code than the one above being sent for each button press. Only once in a while is the code right. It seems that there might be an infinite amount of wrong ones. Here are some:
"A25D50BE0000"
"FFDBBC000000"
"A25D50AF0000" (the correct code here)
"EEFFFC000000"
"A25D535E0000"
"D97542BC0000"
"F7EF80000000"
"A27AA15E0000"
..
..
..
I gave up trying to enumerate them here. Theres an endless supply of wrong codes emitted.

- Originally i was thinking that i just did not learn the codes well. So i repeated the test with the built in codes for a Toshiba DVD. These were equally erratic. This seems to rule out the learning process.

Has anyone else experience this? It is only working correctly maybe 65% of the time. It is pretty much unusable.

What can I do? Also, assuming that I can get this problem licked, is there any way to get the softer buttons I read about here? My buttons are awfully stiff. I believe I have the GS2 style by the photos.
Regards

1) Definitely something wrong. Email BlueDo for their instant replacement policy.

2) There are no "original" MX-500's left (unless you can find one used). The buttons will ease up a bit, but they are stiffer than most remotes.

It took me a while to get used to them. Now I hardly think about them when using the remote. (I have both the MX-500 and the MX-700 which use the same GemStone buttons.)

... Greg :-)

1equals0: I recently moved from the 2nd matte button version to the latest gemstone version.

For me, I prefer the latest version over the older one. While the buttons may push a bit harder than many remotes, the tactile feedback is much better. Once in a while on my old MX-500, I would try to execute a volume change and nothing would happen. Never had a slip-up yet on the new one.

But I do understand that initially, it feels a little unusual...

Yes, we're happy to exchange the remote for you, please log in here and process the exchange.

Randy
www.BlueDo.com

OK. Does anyone know of anyone who is selling their original model? That would kill 2 birds with one stone, as perhaps then bluedo would just allow me to return this faulty one instead of exchanging it.

Also I noticed that when the remote was pointed at the receivers, directly I could not change volume on my stereo (no IRMAN involved here). Then I would tilt the remote up 45 degrees towards me as if i was reading the screen, and in that position the stereo could sense the IR beams.

Is this standard behaviour for MX500s? Are they supposed to be pointed at a slight angle and has anyone else ever heard of this behaviour?

No, that's not correct. You have a bad one. FWIW, I'd still give Randy a chance to exchange it.