Howdy all, long time no post!

The other day it struck me that my MX-700 was looking a bit grubby, so I decided to clean it. Used plain water at first. Got nice and clean, except that nice velvety feel that it used to have is totally gone! In fact, after cleaning the remote (with either water or some cleaning agent), the plastic feels positively sticky! Not really sticky of course, but it just feels that way. Has anyone been able to preserve that nice velvety feel on the MX-700 (or MX-500)?

(BTW...just purchased a Harmony SST-659 from SRC...just to play with and see....NICE!!!)

Hey, Arjen!

That velvety feel is tough, if not impossible to retain, between cleanings.

I think that plain water (damp cloth) is the best way to clean it.

And how it the person with the most universal remotes outside of Daniel Tonks doing?

Greg

Hey Greg!

Browsed around a bit to see where you were posting lately, but didn't find you. Good to see you're still around.

Yeah, was afraid that the initial feel of that plastic would be hard to retain. Makes me wish it was just plain smooth plastic. Oh well, the MX-700/800 still rules.

But..always interested in other toys of course, that's why I got the SST. That thing has a LOT of potential, especially if Harmony keeps updating the software with more power-user-options.

Outside of the remote world I spent quite a bit of time in Smartphone forums these days. Plus a bit of PC-build-geek-forum-places on occasion. Kinda goes in cycles :-)

What's your remote of choice nowadays?

Arjen

Hi Arjen,

I've been told by HTM to use (carefully) Soft Scrub w/Bleach on the MX-700 to clean it.

Mike
www.SurfRemote.com

Water seems to work fine, but if that soft-scrub business would leave a less sticky feel behind, that is worth a shot. I'll give it a try, thx!

Arjen: Send me an email so I can ask you what SmartPhone forums/websites you've been looking at.

At some point in time, I've got to get a decent PDA/Phone combo. So far, they are too expensive and lack certain features that I need.

Right now I have a cheap Motorola 120E that does me okay, and a new Palm Tungsten E (not voice notes).

I don't want to spend anymore on phones or PDA's until they come out with a decently priced and full-featured SmartPhone. So far the Treo 600 comes the closest, but it has a low res screen, no voice dialing, and a couple other features I want and a couple I don't like.

Anyway, drop me an email, k?

G.

Cleans great, but leaves it equally "sticky". Oh well.

Greg--YGPM

Hmmm... I just used furniture polish from a spray can (LIGHT spray) onto a clean cotton rag and it still has the gemstone slick finish.

George,

The Gemstone buttons on the remote are unchanged, just like new. It's the sand-colored top half of the remote's housing that feels rubbery/sticky. Really nasty, I am positively annoyed each time I pick up the remote. It's going to drive me to something else...

Well, I just checked the light grey/sand top half of my MX700 and it feels just like new. Not even slightly rubbery or sticky feeling. No part of the remotes keys or housing feels any different than before. For the record, I used Bissel Furniture Polish Lemon. Bought one can of it at Big Lots for $0.99 :)

Arj:

Quit eating pizza and drinking beer all the time you're using your remote.

And I know you love those Cheezies..... those are killers for the finish on remotes! ;-)

I do like the Furniture Polish idea. That is usually quite harmless.

Greg :-)

Well, your just got a new toy from Harmony, and since you love the 700, just move up to the 800, which has a semi-gloss finish that is easier to clean, and well we all know that you WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT an MX-3000 when it comes out.

So, don't worry about your 700 so much Arjen, when you're not going to be using it as much when you get your MX-800 and MX-3000.

Greg ;-)

Sigh. Okay okay I admit. I've got an incurable upgrade itch. And its not from Cheezie crumbles :-)

I'll be darned on the polish stuff...I'll have to give it a try. I'm racking my brain here if I perhaps ever used something aggressive on my MX-700 (which would be no more aggressive than say Windex or Lysol spray), but as far as I can remember I only used water and that soft scrubby stuff so far.

Anyway. Maybe I WILL go for the MX-800. Definitely not the MX-3000 though, no touchscreen for me. And now that I have the SST-659 for the kids, I'm actually pretty curious what that new Harmony remote will be all about...

I own 3 Mx-500's. Ironically the one in another room which I seldom use, is the only to suffer from being sticky. Feels very gross. It also is not the oldest one. I have one of the originals with the "excellent" center button, and it still feels like new and is used daily. It is almost as though the stickiness is not from handling(it is equally sticky everywhere on its surface) but from non use. Very odd!

Nevertheless I just picked up an Mx-600 for its RF support and the fact that I can clone from my 500's to it. Not the case with the 850 that I own and will be selling as is of no use and in fact has never been used. I have never used it as I prefer remote to remote learning verses using a computer. By the way, I am a computer professional(IBM mainframes and PC's) since 1968 and also own IR-Clone which I never use except for backup. I love the 600 by the way as can control my 3 Tivos(which are in a single room) which are networked thru-out my home to TV's in other rooms. Was using pryamids to control them, but 600 functions even better and do not need to point at a pyramid to get desired result.

The only problem with the 600 is its light color and will be prone to gettin a dirty look rapidly. For instance handling a newspaper in one hand and using the 600, soon it will appear dirty from transferred newsprint. Looking for a solution(I considered using large baggies) I decided to try Saran Wrap. Works great to protect it, and best of all, wrapping the sticky 500 in it, solved its problem.

Roger