I wanted to make a small change to my CCP file yesterday, and I first updated the RCC. After a successful download (according to the pop up windows on the PC, and the Please Wait - MX 990 message on the remote screen, followed by the sound it always makes after updating, the remote screen went black (but not off, as there is some light onit, so more dark grey), and the remote seems to have died. I have removed the battery multiple times, and the same thing happens every time I reinsert it, the screen wakes up, if shows MX-990 and Please Wait, then the progress bar completes, it makes the usual sound, and goes black. It neither reacts to keypresses nor attempts to connect via the syncing cable, but it does have contact with the cable and the pc (it starts up without the battery whenever I insert the cable, but it behaves in the same way).

Can anyone give me any good ideas about what might be wrong, and any tips on how to fix it? I am unable to operate even my the simplest functions on my home entertainment system without the remote, and living in Norway there are no distributors or anyone here who can fix it... Getting deperate here!!

Did you try to reset it to factory default?

Is there a way to do that when it doesn't respond to the keys? Like a switch somewhere? I looked in the battery compartment, but couldn't find one!

So you press the Main and Ent keys for more than 3 seconds and nothing happens?

Unfortunately yes! But the unit isn't dead, the screen isn't off, it charges like it should and the screen is just very dark grey/black, but still emitting some light..

Does the screen ever display anything other than a dark gray screen? Is the unit beyond warranty repairs? Unfortunately it appears like something's wrong with it ...

Yes the screen works, because whenever I reset it (by taking out the battery), it (the screen) works fine. I don't think this is a hardware problem. But without any way of resetting it through hardware I guess there's no way of overcoming a software crash? Strange thing was that I had a working file, just made a minor adjustment,changed the input command from on my TV from HDMI2 to HDMI3, so I can't see how that should crash the software either?!

There are no dealers of this in my country, so I bough the remote brand new from a US internet site (eBay or Amazon) about 6 months ago. Price, shipping and import tax all cost me about USD 750 I think, so I am extremely disappointed. Don't believe I will ever get anywhere with a warranty claim, so I guess it's one for the garbage :-( Just like my MX-900 that fell from a coffee table of one foot height onto a relatively soft wooden floor. No visible damage, but stopped working. Have had 8-10 MX-3000s over the years, very happy with them, but seems I must 'downgrade' to Harmony or some other reliable and stable product, although not as flexible at least they work and are supported globally.

I really appreciate the support of this site, my negative tone is directed at the product, and possibly the company producing it, that doesn't really step up in my opinion. Yes yes yes, I know I am supposed to buy through an authorized dealer, but URC itself has admitted that there are none in Norway. There is one in Sweden, but that is like asking those of you in the US to go to Canada to buy it... :-)

Here's a desperate measure. You say when you replace the battery the screen works momentarily then goes gray, so let's assume for that short interval the remote is working normally.

So maybe, if you are pressing the Main and Ent keys as you replace the battery, the reset might take?

Hi, I have tried that. Unfortunately the screen only works while "loading", when it says MX-990 Please wait. During that time it doesn't respond, it never did and probably isn't supposed to? Then it makes the 'ready sound', which would previously tell me that it was ready, and which would bring up my home screen. Now it only goes dark grey. So it would seem there is something with my file which crashes it, but that doesn't make sense, given that I only made a single change, which is in the ir code to send, nothing to do with the set-up, change, images or souds or anything more complicated like that.? But it really doesn't seem like a hardware issue, do you agree?

Try loading a blank program to the remote.

How would I do that? Placing a cable in it does nothing. Windows doesn't even recognize anything being on the other end, and trying the upload or download buttons just give me an error message. But the remote does get power through the cable though, so there is some life. It seems the remote is in a deep coma, rather than dead...

I take it you've tried removing the battery then connecting the USB cable without it and see if it connects?

Yes I have. It does not connect in the sense that the PC and the remote 'see' each other (I cannot connect through the software and the PC does not make the normal USB connection sound), but they do connect in an 'electrical' sense, as the remote does draw power from the PC and resets. But once it has finished resetting it goes back in to its comatose state with the screen on, but greyed out. Two perhaps interesting and/or relevant facts:

1. The screen no longer switches off, it remains on and greyed out until the battery is empty. It can then be charged normally.

2. If I press and hold MAIN and ENT for a very long time during the resetting when I place it back in the charger after the battery has emptied, it will, after finishing its resetting and going back to the grey screen, show some minor signs of life every 3 seconds or so, when the keys light up briefly for a 1/10 of a second. This will go on for about a minute.

Send to URC, it will cost you but it's broken.

If the serial number in the battery compartment shows it is around a year old or less, it will likely be done for no charge.

Yeah, I have thought about it, but I am just wondering if it is worth it? I am sure it will end up taking months, probably cost at least $ 200 by the time it is shipped both ways and import taxes paid (again), and I have sort of lost confidence both in URC and this remote now. So I have a feeling it might be throwing good money after bad? I might sound overly negative, but it is the second piece of cr*p unit in a row for me now.

Are the rest of you guys happy with the quality of the product and the support from URC. Is it possible I have just been really unlucky twice?

Right now I just expect I'll send it over the pond, at a cost of $ 50 probably, then I will be told the unit is broken and cannot be repaired, and is out of warranty (either because it might be more than a year old (although I bought it new 6 months ago I don't know when it was produced) or because I did not buy it from an authorized dealer). Then I will still be without a working remote (indeed even without a remote that can at least be used once to chase away the neighbours cat when it comes into my garden, about the only thing this remote seems good for), and I will be $ 50 poorer than I am now?

Hope there are no shrinks reading this, I am sure this has made me depressed and it is obvious to you guys...

Thanks for all the help and suggestions though!