I got my MX-1000 yesterday and just finished setting it up the way I need to run my 11 components. Thought I would throw in my 2c worth if anybody is interested.

1.BUTTON COUNT: I had pre-designed two models, the wide-eyed optimist version with screen captures of network logos off the dish website, probably 80 custom buttons. It downloaded, but the remote slowed to a crawl with black lines across the screen. Daniel had warned us about too many buttons, so I wasn't too surprised. I'll save it until the day when their software can handle it. The more reasonable model has about 20 custom buttons and downloaded just fine. Downloads have always worked for me and are fast - about 30 seconds from a Pentium Win 98 machine.

2. SOFTWARE RELIABILITY: I have never had a software problem. I think the 2-second response on any change you make to a button is normal. If you type in a vertical bar (|) in a text string, the program will instantly crash. Otherwise it works fine.

3.MINIMUM BUTTON SIZE: Buttons can only be a MINIMUM size. This was mentioned in another thread. I tried to make the M3 macro button disappear by changing it to a very small button, but after download the remote had wierd screens and locked up. Removing that button solved the problem. I instead changed it to a "Mark button" centered out of the way somewhere.

4.MULTIPLE MACROS: When doing common macros which include commands from another device, only the first macro seems to work unless you completely exit the "System and options menu". If you do more than one in a row, the other keys simply do nothing when pressed. I ultimately did 42 macros but with a lot of navigation commands. Macros which stay within the same device did not seem to have this problem.

5.DUPLICATE MACRO KEYS: When doing common macros which include commands from another device, it ASSIGNS THE MACRO to the same physical key position in the OTHER DEVICE. You will then have two keys in different devices executing the same macro. However, if you erase the macro from the unwanted device, its original predefined or learned definition will reappear.

6.SONY DA30/50 DEVICE KEYS: If you have a sony DA30ES or DA50ES receiver which has the worst remote ever invented and is extremely hard to learn from, you may find it helpful to pick an unused device (i.e. Aux) and assign it to preprogrammed audio code 015. The keys are not mapped the way they are named so you have to figure out the mapping, but all the device keys are there and you can easily teach them to another remote, then teach them back to the MX-1000 on the appropriate device key.

7. UPLOADS: Takes up to 7 tries to get it not to fail. I hope the learned codes are correct but don't know. I fear the day I need to find out. The operating program upload for the default screens was 99% correct, but after I downloaded MY model to the remote, it only uploaded a main with two devices and empty pages. Numerous attempts showed the exact same result every time.

8. M1-M3 MACROS: The manual is incorrect is that it says you program these as a device button. You do not. You program them as common buttons. There seems to be a LOT less delay than the SL-9000, so I had to use pauses in between to give my Tivo Central time to respond.

9. DUAL BUTTONS: In 6 cases I had two buttons side by side or top and bottom which overwrote each other's learned or macros commands. Nothing worked except deleting one of the buttons (on the remote itself), then reinserting it, even in nearly or exactly the same position. Then both keys could be taught independently.

Overall I am very happy with the remote. The screen could be a little brighter, but it's great to have everything accurately labelled. I did 7 pages of help screens too. Some keys do seem to require being pressed twice, or holding them longer than normal to get a response on the controlled device. Otherwise it seems pretty useable.