I am looking for a good universal remote with a fair amount of hard buttons as well as touchscreen. I have read about all of the reviews and also searched alot on ebay. I am more lost know than I was before I started looking. I just have average/normal everyday components, so nothing out of the ordinary.

Please help me decide. I am looking to spend 200 or less, but I can spend more if the unit is that much better. I am strongly considering the ucommand 626 ( or proton src2010), possibly ir 800 (if I can find deal), or even proton neo or lower model. also thought about the sony 3000, but damn is it huge.

Hoping not to have a nightmare programming it. Also, if using computer, do you not need the old remote? I have a button broke on my receiver remote.

I am going bonkers, thanks for the help. I will owe you all bigtime. Seriously spent DAYS and DAYS and it got me nowhere. Scared to buy 5 remotes to get the right one.

mx-500 or crisp 626??

Buttons, buttons, for sure, the MX-500.

If you want hard buttons the MX-500 is the best choice. If you want a touchscreen I think the best bet is the Pronto TSU-3000, it is a bit past the cost you want, but it is light years in terms of functionality compared to the other remotes you mentioned and has enough hard buttons (you could go with a refurbished TSU-2000 or 10000 that will be more like 100$ but they only have 7 hard buttons

The tsu3000 got terrible reviews by people here. I think it looks great, but cant get past the bad reviews. I am now thinknig about the Marantz rc2000mkII, UC 626, and MX500 or 700. I also think the ir800 looks great. anyone have that remote?

Thanks for the help. I am still going bonkers! :)

Morad,two things you have to consider when looking at those reviews (read Daniel's review, it is much more informative)

1)a lot of the early buyers of the 3000 came from people that had other Prontos and wanted the hard buttons. The 3000 and its editor were totally new, and a lot of what the people that were used to the other remotes disliked was mostly change

2) The 3000 had some bugs when it just came out. The good thing about owning a PC programmable remote is that bugs can be fixed and new features can be added. The firmware and software have each gone through 3 or 4 revisions since it first came out and most of the bugs have been eliminated

Out of your last list, I would go with the MX-700, there is also the Harmony remote that I like.

I 2nd the recommendations for the MX500. The built in code database in the MX500 is less than perfect so most people use learning to program it. If some of your OEM remotes are broken, I would suggest also getting a One For All remote to use as a teacher. Both http://www.bluedo.com and http://www.surfremote.com offer the MX500 packaged with a URC-8811 and JP1 cable.

Rob
http://www.hifi-remote.com