From the messages here and the DirecTV forum I am really torn between the SST659 and the MX-500. I have a Sony widescreen TV, Denon DVD player, Sony 555ES receiver, Sony VCR, SAT-60 Tivo Satellite receiver and a SAT-55 Satellite receiver. It appears the SST-659 is easier to setup and the MX-500 is easier to use. My wife is very frustrated with the touch screen remote that came with my 555ES because she finds it hard to use. I am frustrated with it because it can't learn and is unable to operate the Tivo receiver. I can only afford one so I want to make the best choice. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

To get close to apples and apples, you need to add in a PC-Programming method for the MX-500, which means either the MX-500PKG (which includes the URC-8811 and a JP1-Cable) or the IRClonePKG (which includes the IRClone-MX device). Pricewise, both are pretty close to the SST-659's street price so it's still a fair fight.

Given those options, I'd probably opt for the MX-500 / IRClone setup. You get all of the advantages of the MX-500 with the ability to program the remote using your PC. The SST-659 is a great remote as well, and has the built-in TV listings if you're interested in that (though I find it useless if you have a PVR like TiVo).

Check out the physical aspects of both remotes online, and see if one appeals to you more than the other. Then check out the software for both (Harmony / IRClone) and see if you prefer one over the other.

In short - you won't go wrong with either choice. They both terrific and popular remotes that will control your entire system. The details will decide for you. It's personal preference!

David
www.BlueDo.com

While the SST-659 claims to be easy to set up I found it to be far from so. This is what I wrote to Harmony at the time about this specific point (I had a lot of other complaints - especially in relation to its claim of being a good remote for TIVO):

"From your promo I was also expecting the devices that were in your database (which didn't include my 2 year old RCA TV) to just program the 659 and I would be ready to go. Instead I found that what it programmed was a number of esoteric commands and it left out some commonly-used commands and I had to program them manually from my 8 remotes. Also there is no way to place the commands in the LCD window in the sequence that I want them in, with the most commonly used commands at the top.

Since the Help file for the Customize Device Modes doesn't exist it was very hard to fix things.

What made the programming very hard (it took 8-9 hours) was the trial and error nature of it finding out what did work predictably and what didn't as well as having to reprogram changes that the website forgot. Since every trial and error attempt involved spending 7-10 minutes updating the remote from the web (and I have broadband), it added up to a lot of time. If this is the easy to program remote, heaven knows what the more complex ones are like!"

By contrast the MX-500 was a joy of simplicity and speed to set up - and it has macros. And, as some others have mentioned, using the MX can be more fun than watching TV - as opposed to the 659 which for me was extremely frustrating. YMMV.

This message was edited by trockman on 11/19/03 10:17.

I appreciate the feedback on the Harmony - I am certainly more experienced programming the Home Theater Master remotes and while I've setup and used the Harmony, I haven't had a chance to take the time to really get to know it well enough to learn the characteristics and nuances that it presents.

BlueDo-

My mileage *did* vary. My MX500 is on the shelf, and I now use the 659 exclusively.

You might read the ClaudeFos/Trockman/StevenZ exchange at [Link: remotecentral.com]

And [Link: remotecentral.com]

I also list there what I did like about the 659.

One man's heaven is another man's hell :)