The poll asked your purchase intentions given the selling price of $100:

Poll Results - 210 votes

Please rate your views on the IRClone-MX's selling price:
Too high, I'm not buying at this price	72.38 %, 152 votes
A fair price, I will buy at this price	27.62 %, 58 votes

Posted with Mike C's permission

What is it?
A device which attaches to a USB port on your PC, containing an IR window that can send and receive data. Using proprietary software, you can utilize the CLONE function of the MX-500 to download your current MX-500 configuration, change it, and upload a new configuration to your MX-500.

What are the major features?

• A Windows application which will run on Win98 WinMe, Win2K, WinXP.
  
• WYSIWYG view of the MX-500 with a 'tree' organization of the Device, Favorite and Macro Data. Icons and Reminder Tips indicate 'programmed', 'learned' and 'empty' buttons.
  
• Backup the programmed contents of the MX-500 (device codes, labels, learned buttons, macros, favorites, etc.) to a file.
  
• Reload a MX-500 from a saved file.
  
• Edit all button labels (Device Names, Device Buttons, Favorites)
  
• Copy/Move a 'Device' from one button to another on main screen.
  
• Copy/Move labels from one button to another.
  
• Copy/Move IR code from one device button to another device button.
  
• Program Macros interactively by 'clicking' on device buttons.
  
• Review Macros in a 'Table' format.
  
• Program/Review Favorites in a 'Table' format.
  
  
  Advanced (Future) Features:
  
• Capture IR codes from another remote and assign to buttons.
  
• Paste 'Pronto Hex Format Codes' and assign them to buttons/macros.
  
• Save learned IR codes to 'Pronto Hex Format'.

What is the price?
The sales price of the hardware and software is $100.

What operating systems (OS) will it support?
The current drivers support Windows 98, ME, 2000 and XP. This may be extended to include Macs but the USB device does not have a compatible driver at this time.

Who are the creators of this product?
The hardware is being designed by Mike C, the software by 'Dave'.

When will this product be released?
An exact timeframe isn't known, but updates are posted on this forum whenever they occur!

What will be the upgrade policy for future improvements. Free or extra cost?
For software we will give free bug fixes and upgrades for at least the currently published "advanced features" (Capture IR codes from another remote and assign to buttons, Paste 'Pronto Hex Format Codes' and assign them to buttons/macros, Save learned IR codes to 'Pronto Hex Format') Beyond this we reserve the right to charge for major enhancements. There are no hardware upgrades planned at this time but enhancements are possible. Should they become available the unit will need to be returned for reprogramming and an appropriate charge applied.

May I use your software with my laptop's IrDA infrared port?
This was one of the first ideas attempted, and unfortunately it's not possible. The MX-500's IR stream isn't compatible with the IrDA standard.

David
www.BlueDo.com

This message was edited by www.BlueDo.com on 11/13/02 15:30.19.

Is this device compatible (or will it) with Girder? Since it is a IR sending/receiving device, technically one can write a girder plugin for it.

That will serve a dual-purpose, and we can use it to backup our MX-500 and use it to control our HTPC at the same time. Thanks.

What is girder? That's a new one to me.

www.girder.nl

Also see www.evation.com for their IRMan.

Randy -- THANKS for the new subject. Hopefully this will cut out some of the chatter on the MX-500 interface topic.

Craig

Chatter, chatter....nope, didn't work.. sorry! :-)

Please take a moment to vote in the poll in the first post. If you aren't able to see the poll in the post, Click Here for the poll

For me to pay $100, the software would have to be very good (MUCH better than the MX-1000). I for some reason thought the price would be around $50. I would still like to have one, but will wait to see some "reviews" first.

$100 is a high price, particular when early in the discussion a $50 price was mentioned. Also, since I have already invested in a cheap remote to capture discrete codes, and already have my MX-500 setup pretty much the way I want it, will have to think long and hard about shelling out $100 for this unit, which will mainly serve as a backup tool for me. It is too bad their is not another answer on the survey other than a hard yes or no, since this forced me to answer no.

With the advanced future features it would be worth the $100. I would probably wait and see as well.

IF if the software had the ability to put discrete codes in for my devices such as off codes then I think I would consider the $100 price worth as it is you need some other remote to put in discrete codes, unless I'm missing something.

Vince,

The ability to add pronto codes would mean that essentially any code on this site would be at your fingertips :)

David
www.BlueDo.com

What's the point of this survey other than providing yet another thinly veiled advertisement for BlueDo?

There are costs associated with the development and production of this hardware and software that can only be determined by its developer. While I would like to see the package available at a price well below $100, I have to say that if it achieves a JP1-like ability to enter discrete codes, it's well worth the money.

Just my 2 cents...

Tom

This message was edited by Tom_E316 on 10/03/02 10:17.44.

Just to confirm that this is poll has been posted with my permission.

Mike

Personally, I find it difficult to decide what price I would be willing to pay simply from a list of what the software and hardware is supposed to do.

If even a beta of the software was available, then I would have a much better idea.

The hardware is fine. I have a beta unit.

However, it is the software that will really make this unit shine, if it does what it purports to do. But, even taking that into account, unless one is able to actually use the software (that's why trial versions of software are so popular), it is hard to decide what the package is worth.

We all know how marketing can build up a piece of software only to find that it isn't anything like it is purported to be.

This is not to mean that Dave and Mike won't come up with a great package. It's just that it's hard to say YES or NO until at least some screen shots of the software can be seen.

My humble opinion.......

... Greg