I have been away on my honeymoon for the last few weeks and it seems like a lot has gone down.

I have read through different topics about the new "RULES" and the new website. But too many are in disagreement about the new rules and I would love a few defining posts to clarify. Is this a result of the many disgruntled URC custom installers?

Also, could someone give me a brief overview of the msc400 RF adapter? RS232, signal sensing, ect? Training avaiable or even needed?

ouch.... no love

Well, it *is* a holiday...

I can offer the Newbie DIY'er perspective, based on my following the thread in the URC area. I won't assign motives for any of the stakeholders (URC, CI's, AD's, DIYers), as this simply stirs the pot and leads to finger pointing and p***ing contests.

In summary, URC surprised everyone by not making Live Updates available to the entire world, only to dealers registered with their website, or Authorized Dealers. This affected everyone, including DIY'ers who owned the hardware/software previous to this policy. They can no longer get Live Updates directly from URC's website - they need authorization or some type of password from the new gatekeepers.

This policy did not grandfather users of URC MXEditor software prior to implementation.

After a few weeks of online bickering, URC put up the latest MXEditor program that anyone with a valid serial number can download, with the Live Update feature disabled.

Here is the category of stakeholders and a summary of the issues:
1) CI's - they now need to provide access to the official, live updatable software to all their customers, past and present.
2) Authorized Dealers - they also need to provide access to the software, but a lot of them may not know about the new policy or their new responsiblity to their customers, past and present
3) DIY'ers who purchased from CI's still in business - they get to reconnect to their CI service provider, shouldn't have an impact
4) DIY'ers who purchased from CI's who are no longer in business - they need to find some way to get access to the updatable software, now that their gatekeeper is out of business
5) DIY'ers who purchased from AD's who aren't aware of the policy, or how to get the updatable software - bureacracy at its worst; someone up the corporate food chain of these AD's need to create a process for providing the software
6) DIY'ers who purchased from non-AD's, but who have serial numbers on their components - need to go directly to URC and get the non-updatable software
7) DIY'ers who purchased from non-AD's who stripped the serial numbers from the components - can't legally get software from anywhere

The biggest source of noise on the discussion board appears to be people who purchased from eBay, buy.com, Amazon, etc. who can only access the non-updatable version of the software. It APPEARS that URC may provide new software online (non-updatable versions) for grey market buyers. It would make sense - the DIY'er would need to enter the serial number and download the new software manually - no live update.

There doesn't appear to be much sympathy for eBay purchasers who had the serial numbers lifted from their components, although there are eBay stores mailing the software to people on request. The legality of is questionable.

My conclusion? If you want the software, you'll get it;

A) CI supplied dealers are the real winners in this - get to reconnect with customers
B) Commercial AD's - They will eventually need to add to their bureacracy and create a new process for their customers to get a working product, or they will have a lot of upset customers. Actually, they already do.
C) Non-AD's - Don't know if they know or really care, but I bet they'll either become AD's or give up the line of hardware eventually
D) eBay stores - won't affect them much - they'll compensate. There are plenty of bootleg versions of the updatable software already out there
E) Non-professional DIY end users - have the most amount of work ahead of them finding the software. Simple if you have a serial number, a bit more work to find the bootleg versions.

Hmmm, I don't see how its illegal to get the software. How would it be illegal?

Good question - are you required to check an "I agree" button while installing? If so, it may be licensed (IANAL) and there may be issues with distributing the software. If not, ain't it great.

URCs new installer site has info on the 400

There are a couple of threads on it, both in the URC forum and the CI forum. Basically, it has voltage and video signal sensing, relays, RS232 control and narrow band RF for reliability. Macros are stored in the unit. If you log in to the dealer website at URC's website, you can download the software and a programming tutorial. There will be classes at CEDIA as well.

BTW, congrats on your wedding. :-)

Mike
www.SurfRemoteControl.com

How does voltage and video signal sensing work? Does it work with any device or does the device need to support it?

If you have a device that outputs video over composite (even while you're using a different output) then the MSC-400 will pick up the signal. It can then be used in a variable macro that will only turn the video source on if it doesn't sense the signal.

Voltage sensing works in a similar way, but it's more device-specific. An example of this use is a receiver that has a 12V trigger for Zone 2.

Think of the MSC400 as an IntelliControl base unit, in a way.

Thanks for the wishes Mike!

I couldnt be happier with all of the above info! Mostly the new forum and the MSC400. I am all about helping DIYers that enjoy this stuff, so I hate to see them get shafted but we needed some ebay price protection .... plus a lot of the DIyers werent very nice some times. hehe


perfect info.... I LOVE THAT THE MSC400 stores the macros .... RELIABILITY!

Dave, that was an excellent, concise and to-the-point summary that told the story without the vitriol. Well done!

Thanks, PChek. I appreciate the kind words. I've received a bunch of help from the pros on this website, and its obvious that they take a lot of their time to answer questions, some of which are very remedial. I purchased my MX-850 and received it the exact DAY that the new URC policy went into effect - I was a little hot, to say the least. But I've got the unit up and running, and its instrinsically rewarding when you get something complex to work correctly. I believe that's what everyone on this forum has in common - a sense of technical adventure and enjoyment from mastering technology.

Cincy Dave, nice recap. But alas, I'm a bit dense and since I've been away I still don't quite get the ramifications for me of the URC affair. (I also am guessing at what some of the acronymns mean.)

Basically, I bought an MX850 from Buy.com a few months ago and it is largely working the way I like. I need to make a few changes to how I programmed it.

>>> Do I run a risk that my remote will be "erased" if I hook back up to my PC to tweak some of my settings and/or macros? Will I be able to make programing changes or has this been somehow disabled (which is hard to imagine)?<<<

What does it mean that live update is not working for me? Does that mean that maybe I won't get updated versions of the programming package that might have built-in codes for new devices? That's not why everyone is bent out of shape is it?

Many thanks!