I was just about to buy the MX-900 on ebay when I decided to read the user reviews here. WOW !! URC will render their remotes useless by preventing owners, who have purchased from installers or unapproved dealers, from using the required software???

First of all, I am not about to request a document that proofs to me that a dealer is indeed a URC approved dealer (Not a good way to do business when you start by questioning the integrity of the seller).

Secondly, I would not buy a remote for the fixed price that dealers are required to sell them for. Price fixing is illegal and that's what this is all about.

Thirdly, I don't wan't anything to do with a company that has that little regard for the consumer who has purchased their product in good faith.

Next, I can't imagine why there has to be such a huge profit on these things?

URC is obviously happy to increase their sales volume by themselfs selling to anyone that wants them in volume, whether they're approved or not, or else why isn't URC controlling who gets to sell their product?? We're not talking about knock-offs, we're talking about the real thing that URC has full control over from the moment it leaves the production line.

OK, so I'll stay with my old MX-500 for now and hope that someone other than URC comes along with a hard button remote that is better AND I can afford.

Looks like URC has opened the door very wide for the competition to jump in and fill the gap.

First, all of the authorized dealers can be found at URC's website. So you don't need a document from the dealer. Some authorized dealers are www.surfremote.com, www.proremotes.com, and www.bluedo.com.

Second, different dealers have different prices. They do run sales and specials.

Third, don't let what you read here from biased reviews affect how you buy. URC is helpful and does have high regard for it's consumers. The main policy is cracking down on unauthorized dealers. There's some representatives over in the URC forums from URC. I've always found URC to be helpful.

I don't think the profit is huge. They're quality remotes, and priced competitvely with others. They're worth what they cost.

Good question as to how the other dealers get the remotes. I'd be almost sure that URC doesn't sell to them.

Thanks for your informative reply.

My problem is that I CAN'T ignore reviews by actual owners of these remotes when they consistantly complain about not being able to use them because of a new policy by URC that they weren't aware of when they purchased.

The reason I think the profit is huge is simply because others will sell for less than half price while obviously still making a profit.

"I'd be almost sure that URC doesn't sell to them.".... Well then they have sure come up with a sick way of attempting to cut unauthorized dealers off when in fact they're doing little more than hurting those that purchased MX-*** remotes in good faith.

Just because they can't control their own product is no reason to hurt the little guy who's just trying to be frugil and has no way of knowing what's going on.

Anyway, I enjoyed your candid reply far more than that of one of the URC reps (I assume) in another thread.

I will not be looking in on these forums in the future and will move on to friendlier places where folks can ask questions without stepping on ego trips and being ridiculed.

If by chance you are still looking, I would like to let you know that I am an end user. I do not work for URC, and I am not a retailer. I just feel what URC is doing is not necessarily a bad thing, as many of the retailers on the internet are not trustworthy to buy from.

I'm pretty sure URC will only sell to authorized dealers. They really don't hate their consumers.

I am an actual owner of URC remotes and I bought through an authorized dealer. I went to URC's website, entered my serial number, and got the software.

And you've completely misunderstood the URC forum. It is NOT run by URC. There are 2-3 reps from URC that participate in those forum discussions to help answer questions. They have the custom tagline "Universal Remote Control, Inc." Anyone with a different tagline has NO affiliation with URC.

So the people you were talking with are NOT from URC.

THIS IS PRICE FIXING:

NEW YORK, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Shares of computer memory technology supplier Rambus Inc. rose 5 percent on Tuesday after Samsung Electronics Co. admitted conspiring with other companies to fix the price of chips that use Rambus technology.

Samsung, in a $300 million plea agreement last week that still must be approved by a judge, said it conspired in 2001 and 2002 to raise prices or limit price declines on dynamic random access memory -- or DRAM -- chips, according to court documents.

The court papers were filed last Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported on it on Tuesday, triggering the rise in Rambus shares.

The plea agreement settled a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Under the plea, Samsung would pay a $300 million fine over five years, according to court papers. Judge Phyllis Hamilton is expected to rule on the agreement on Wednesday. Samsung officials declined to comment.








URC CONTROLLING AN AUTHORIZED DEALERS PROFIT MARGIN FROM SCAMING E$AY DEALERS IS NOT PRICE FIXING.

ITS ALL ABOUT QUALITY CONTROL.

AS FAR AS PROFIT MARGIN GOES YOU WOULD SEE THE SAME THING WITH PRONTO AND NEVO IF THERE PRODUCT WAS AS END USER FRIENDLY. YOU WOULD FIND THEIR PRODUCT ONLINE AND HEAVILY DISCOUNTED. JUST BECAUSE URC HAS SIMPLE SOFTWARE DOESNT MEAN IT WAS INTENDED FOR END USER SALE.

Elan,

You may be a little confused by some people who are over-reacting a bit

If you buy from an authorized dealer your remote will have a serial number and you will be able to program it. Their whole policy change is necessary to protect their company from exploding tech support costs, unnecessary returns and warranty issues. As well, they are showing their support for their dealers who invest time and money sending employees to training classes etc.

Unfortunately some consumers are getting spoiled and think that just because they see a cheap price on a product they should get all the benefits that people who pay full price get. It's an unsustainable business model. Those cheap prices you see on ebay are cheaper than we can buy the product direct from the manufacturer! Doesn't that tell you something is rotten in Denmark?

If a ring of car theives start stealing new $30K cars before they get to the lot and then post them on ebay for $15K. that doesn't mean the dealer is ripping you off at $30K, that's the price of the car. And if, in the effort to curb the bad guys, the manufacturer says, OK we won't warranty these cars you buy through unauthorized sources, because if they condone it their dealers will go out of business, you can't bitch because they're not selling as cheap as the theives! It's common business. Your own selfishness and inability to part with the money is not the manufacturer's fault, if you don't want to spend $350-$400, buy a Harmony. Your $175 doesn't gurantee you a right to a $400 remote with all the perks.

I wish I could count all the sanctimonius price grabbers who bought all their gear on ebay to have us come out and hook it up and brag about all the money they saved. Only to find out upon unboxing it that serial numbers were removed, product is non-functional and/or physically damaged (and camoflaged). Then listen to them whine when they discover the "100% USA Warranty" they have is wothless. Now they have $thousands in junk. I warn them, they don't listen, I shake my head.

Good luck to you. Buy from an authorized dealer and you'll have piece of mind. All those guys listed above are great.

Brian @ Connect Source