What's up?
I just got my MX-500 the other day, so it is very possible that this problem is my wrong doing...BUT...
Can the power button only take 1 macro? Or can it take 1 for each device?
I programmed in a macro for the power button to turn on my tv, cablebox and stereo with 1 button push...But now when I go to another device(ex. VCR) and I press the power button it turns the tv, cable and stereo off and switches the remote to the "cable" device????
Is this a bug or can I not do this for the power button?

Thanks very much in advance!!

It's not a bug, it's the way it's designed. The power button can either act as a power button for each device or as a system-wide macro. You have to decide which you want.

I personally went with a system wide macro using the discreet power and input codes I copied to the MX-500 using IRClone. The Power button turns "ON" my TV and Receiver and then changes the inputs on both to my Directv/Tivo unit. The System Off sends discreet "OFF" signals to all my components (TV, Receiver, DVD and VCR).

I have the device macros (press and hold the LCD device button for 2 seconds) for the DVD and VCR set up to power "ON" those devices and switch the TV and Receiver to the correct inputs. Because of those Device macros (and the System Off macro) I don't really need easy access to power buttons for each individual component. So I have all the power buttons (actually the discreet "ON" and "OFF" codes) for each component learned to an unused device I simply named "POWER." I then used those buttons in the macros.

ok thanks dbett!!! That makes sense...I didn't realize that the "Power" and "System off" buttons were "system wide"...
But so I have it straight, the M1, M2 and M3 macro buttons are "device specific", right?
I would love to use the descrete codes, but can't find a copy of IRClone...They are not shipping it right now..

I like what you did with the power buttons for each component though...I might do the same...Just so I have this correct...You used an unused device on your remote(say, AUX) and rename the device to "POWER", then named all of the LCD buttons, within the device area, something like "VCRON", "VCROFF", "TV-ON", "TV-OFF"...etc Then had the remote learn the individual codes. Correct?

If it is correct, I like it! And I am going to do that tonight!

Yes, that's how you would create a "POWER" device. The "M1-3" macros are system-wide as well.

You can program individual "power On" and "Off" commands for each device on the "Power" and "System Off" buttons, then use them in a macro on those buttons. However, once you do that, you lose access to the individual functions on those buttons.

Mike
www.SurfRemoteControl.com

OOOOOHHHHHH, ok that clears it up...My last remote was the Harman/Kardon Take Control and I am used to creating specific macros for each screen, which was REALLY cool...

So what you are saying is there are is only a max of 5 macros("Power button", "System off button" and "M1-3 buttons") that you can create on the MX-500?

You can create macros on:

- POWER buttons
- LCD buttons on the main page
- M1, M2, M3 buttons

Hope that helps!

David
www.BlueDo.com

The difference with the 10 device buttons on the MAIN page is that they're push-and-hold macros. You must hold them down for a second to execute the macro.

As said above, these are also system wide. The only macros that require you to be on a specific screen are the device macros which are (obviously) only available from the Main menu screen.


That's correct.

But, the problem you will have is getting the discreet ON and OFF codes into the MX-500. They generally are not in the MX-500's preprogrammed code sets and most factory remotes don't have them to teach to the MX-500. If you don't want to wait for the IRClone units to start shipping, the only solution is to get a Radio Shack universal remote that supports the advanced/discreet codes and use that remote to teach the MX-500.

I'm not really familiar with how the RS remotes work, but look at the following site for some instructions:

[Link: hifi-remote.com]

Thanks EVERYBODY!!! All the info stated, helps me out ALOT!!!

dbett, I will give that a shot with a Radio Shack remote..

Does anybody know of a pretty cheap(cause I am going to buy IRClone when it ships again) Radio shack remote that supports advance/discrete codes? OR do they all do it...Nothing fancy needed...Just going to use it to teach teh MX-500 descrete codes.

Thanks!!!!!!!

The 15-2103 ($16) accepts advanced codes.

NICE!!!! Thanks Mike!!!
I just went over to Radio Shack.com and took at the Owner's manual and it doesn't mention anything about the advance codes? How do you get them to work on the 5-in-1, so I can have my MX-500 learn them?

Thanks!

Look on www.hifi-remote.com for setup codes and corresponding advanced codes.

Wow, I can't believe that David forgot my most-used-keys for macros, the 50 macros on the FAV pages. These are limited-capability (can only call keys from a single device and then only certain keys, mostly the 0-9 keys). I use these extensively for lighting and to change my TV/AMP inputs for:
watch-satellite
watch-dvd
watch-vcr
watch-lazer disk
watch-hdtv