(I know, I know.....why am I still using an MX-450.....)

For years and years, I was able to make the URC MX-450 do tricks and flip for my clients; using a low-cost product and doing some pretty decent control options from a very basic remote.  One of my clients recently contacted me about their old MX-450 stating that it had been damaged from being dropped too many times and was bandaged (but still working fine !) with black duct tape.

So I responded with telling them I could just replace their existing remote with another MX-450 and they'd be up and running in no time at all.

So I ordered a new MX-450 and attempted the copy of the programming from the MX-450 Archiver software. Unfortunately only to quickly learn that I suppose I'm no longer able to copy an old programming set over to the new remote probably due to a firmware difference, etc.

BUT what really BUGS me is that that screen of the new MX-450 looks like CRAP.
Unlike the picture on the box and the screen from the 10 year old remote, the new remote has a very low resolution and low-color screen.  The bright, colorful icons and page buttons from years ago seem to have disappeared?

Am I missing something? Is there a trick to it ?

I really didn't expect to spend hours on this simple task, just figured I would buy client a new remote and swap it out for the old one after copying the configuration over to it from the old setup.  Argh !

ps: responses such as "Just upgrade to something better !" or "Scrap the MX-450 and go IP" or "OMG, don't waste your time on the MX-450" are not acceptable responeses. I spend my client's money like I spend my own.  There must be a way. The old remote was just fine and I'm not able to hand them the new device and say "Here ya go ! You'll notice the new screen looks like shit and isn't nearly as colorful and high resolution as the old model from 10 years ago. Thus please try and get used to it ! "

Any constructive help or tips are appreciated.

So out of curiosity, is it your end user that object to the new graphics, or is it you???

I'm afraid there is no solution, other than to find an older MX-450 with the old firmware.

This is a message by Hank of URC posted back in 2017 on why mx450 new is not compatible with old mx-450 files:


This message is to make our dealers aware of some changes to URC’s popular MX-450 remote. This hand-programmed remote has been in the URC line for about 10 years and has remained a dealer favorite due to its great price and ability to be programmed without the use of a computer.

A few months ago URC was told that some of the raw parts needed to continue to make these units were no longer available and would need to be replaced with new parts that would require significant firmware changes to work. Although URC considered discontinuing the MX-450, or at least renaming it, we decided that its reputation was too strong and that we would simply make these “running changes” to this model.

Replacing the required parts and updating the firmware has uncovered incompatibilities between the older MX-450s (and their archived files) and the newer units. This inability to use older files on the newer remote was unavoidable and is not something that it is possible to fix. Unfortunately this will require any new remote to be programmed again and any older files will be unusable.

The good news is that the newer version of the MX-450 is still fully compatible with the MX-450 Archiver (its files can be saved and recalled at a later time).