And the next time you need a computer DELL, HP or whoever you purchase it from should require a CI to come out and install it for you, control all the software and make every software installation for all your future add-ons and only charge you $150+ an hour.

If this is what URC wants, I will buy my remotes from someone else!

Nope PC's are "Personal Computers" and they are designed to be used by end-users and sold to end-users. The above metioned companies also provide warranties that include tech support.

A proper comparison would be high end servers that do require customization and are not sold to end-users but are sold through channels that are properly trained at install.


Have a good day!

PC's are a lot more complicated and difficult to learn than any URC remote!!!!!

Remember all we are asking is for software. Warranties and tech support is another issue. I believe URC's warranty support to be fair. Tech support beyond the very basic can be either offered as a paid service or a referral to a CI.

Plainly put URC's remotes are easy to learn to program and easy to use, THAT'S why they are great remotes.

This statement is one reason that it is now very important to do research on the AD or CI prior to purchasing an MX Remote. The AD I chose provides the fully functional software at no additional cost but one should not assume that all AD's or CI's will. If they tell you that they will not provide the fully functional software, and this is important to you, look elsewhere. It is their prerogative to decide what level of support they will offer but it is yours to decide where to buy. Btw URC should be able to tell you which software the AD or CI provides so check with them when in doubt.

I could have paid for programming however I did not, programming was an option. Obviously not all will be able to do the programming and will choose this option. But seriously, these remotes really are not too difficult to program.

I actually considered a consumer model and for basic programming they looked to be fairly straight forward and simple. They however appeared to be a bit more complicated and time consuming to program to my personal requirements. Now granted, I never actually programmed one so I could be wrong. I searched through the forums here but could not find many programming comparisons between the professional and consumer lines. Since I had previous experience with an MX-700 I decided on the MX-900.

Speaking of the MX-900, I am really glad that I have the updateable software due to the known "button press" issues with this remote. Hopefully URC will correct the problem and make the updated software available to those that have to register on URC's site.

Where did I say I would not give am interested client a copy of the software?

These remotes are easier than PC's?

I cant believe I am actually discussing the simplicity of these remotes with you and how unnecesary CI's are and then next you will ask one of us "how do I control my RF lights with my RF remote" or something like that.

Enough already!

Experience is not the same thing as simplicity. How difficult of a concept do you really think it is to say "the RF that URC remote's use is proprietary and UNFORTUNATELY AND SADLY cannot be used to control other RF equipment"?

Oh, and back on the topic of whether these controls are meant to be programmed by consumers, I will quote you URC directly:


The only question is the level of support, and that's why I like sunstar asked before I purchased whether I'd get the live update version of the s/w. It's not my fault if they didn't realize that URC had changed everything. In fact, it's URC's fault, and it's a problem that's hopefully already been sorted out by URC's salesmanager and Comp-U-Plus.

Much easier than a PC, but maybe u don't do much with your PC, for me there is no comparison, a URC remote is VERY SIMPLE.

My URC remote already controls every light in my home as well as many functions of my computer and my complete Home Theater, I have never asked for advice from anyone but I've given it a few times here. Programing a URC remote for me was a pleasure, well designed, well thought out, easiest remote to work with I have ever seen. Need for a professional programmer, about as much as I need a professional driver to drive me to work.

As URC says "Entertainment Made Simple" it's very true.

Now the only hard part for many can be obtaining software and keeping it fully updated.

CI's have their place, for those who want or need them and most customers don't.

I believe you have me confused with another forum member. I have never asked for support with RF and did not make the statement that these remotes are easier than PC's. Actually since you need to be able to use a computer to program the remote I would say there is very little difference between the two.

The post was not meant to be a direct attack against you personally. I was simply trying to communicate to those interested in purchasing an MX Remote that they should research prior to purchasing. From your post I was under the impression that you believed the software without the live-update was sufficient and therefore all that would be necessary to provide to the end user. Although this may be sufficient for the majority of end users it is not for me. I personally would not purchase from an AD or CI that does not provide the fully functional software. Whether live update is an important feature is really not worth debating. Some feel it is important and others obviously feel differently.

I apologize if I took your post out of context.

In 2004 the website promoting the new line of programmable remotes was all about the editor, being able to download and use it before you ever purchased a remote. Browsing the database to see if your components were there, etc.

And there was a huge emphasis on the live update to be sure your remote would not become obsolete. Now that I am adding three bleeding edge components to my home theater, I have no live update. I might as well go back to my Harman Kardon TC1000 or my Madrigal IRIQ and learn all the buttons from three remotes.

Anyone who thinks an MX850 is complex is just plain simple themselves. It is about as easy as any piece of consumer electronics gets. If you want a bit of complexity in remote programming go over to the JP1 site for a while. And those are all hobbyists. Not a custom installer among them. Talk about arrogant.

I've been visiting the JP1 folks lately over at hifi-remote.com, reading up on Makehex and DecodeIR and stuff like that. John Fine wrote those utilities and participates in both sites, but the other site is more technical oriented.

One of the guys over there has identified the special codes used by the DirecTv HR20-700 to process buried commands such as skip to tick, and slow play. I'm also hoping to figure out how to create clean codes for the AV1/AV2 setting for my 2nd recorder so I don't have to rely on learned codes. I also want to fiddle with the codes themselves and see if I can make the reception of the codes more reliable.

The hobbyists are just out to increase understanding and the power of these devices for everyone's benefit.

If you are in a predicament because of this new policy, please email me.

Couldn't have been more eloquent or said this better myself. I am stuck on the other side of the world in Brunei with no way of getting updates. As far as I am concerned, remote was purchased in good faith (with CD rom containing software) and after checking on the URC site, saw I'd be protected with the Live Update for the future with new devices. As it is, they are slow to release additional codes, software fixes or respond to customer requests. Have already had to go back to an old pronto - at least no restrictions here

So have you ever purchased a high end server...

How about an HP Non-Stop S88000 series, you make a phone call, talk about your hardware and OS needs to an operator at HP, and a configured unit arrives on a truck ready for install. No technician ever shows up!

So what was your point?

Yup, guess he's never purchased a high end server. Funny thing is we can spend millions on a cluster and have it delivered without requiring an on site tech.