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User reviews for the Home Theater Master MX-800 from Universal Remote Control Inc.
Home Theater Master MX-800
RatingsReviewsMSRP (USD)
Average: 4.47/5.00
Median: 4.67/5.00
5$499
The computer-programmable MX-800 upgrades the already capable MX-700 remote control by adding RF capabilities via a bundled RF station. The MX-800 continues to offer all of the MX-700's features such as code learning, customizable labels, 190-step macros, backlighting and a 5-way menu pad.


Written by cellness from Glen Carbon, Illinois, USA.
The reviewer has used this remote control for under 1 month.
Review 5 made on Friday September 15, 2006 at 12:22 AM.
Also owned:SL-9000, MX-500
Strengths:I don't actually own this remote - I want to voice some concerns with the new Universal Remote models.

I do like the discrete guide, menu, exit, and info buttons. I like the placement of the play button next to the pause button.
Weaknesses:No chapter skip keys?! WTF?!
The three macro buttons on the bottom are gone.
Review:This is a quote from the review:

"The dangerous no-safety [Record] button is gone, along with the two practically unused chapter skip keys (which are normally assigned to channel up and down)."

For those of us with DVR devices (and who among us that are dropping $200+ on a remote doesn't have one), I believe the chapter skip keys are absolutely essential! Almost all DVR devices (except Tivo - hear the death knell) have 30 second forward skip keys and 10/15 second reverse skip keys. I don't think I am exaggerating when I say the chapter skip keys are THE most used buttons on my remote because of my family's use of our DVR. In fact, I rarely use the normal fast forward and rewind keys anymore and I really wish my DVD player had 30/10 second skip keys now.

I really feel Universal Remote has made a big mistake taking these buttons out. Sure, it is easy enough to assign DVD chapter skip to the channel up/down buttons, but you can't normally do that with a DVR, since those buttons are usually used for channel surfing (I use mine for page up/down when using the satellite guide). Additionally, the skip buttons on the MX-500/600 are just intuitively and ergonomically better than assigning those functions to channel up/down or the macro keys on the new MX models.

I really like the new discrete keys, but I wish they could have laid out those keys in a way that would not have taken away the skip keys. Seriously, I think I must continue to recommend the MX-500/600 to my clients because of the lack of skip keys.

I also liked the three macro buttons at the bottom of the remote. There's still plenty of room there, why take them away? By itself, the lack of the 3 macro buttons is just an annoyance. But when combined with the lack of skip keys, it just feels like salt in a wound.
Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Ben from Sydney, Australia.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 4 made on Saturday August 7, 2004 at 12:38 AM.
Strengths:RF capable.
20 devices available.
34 programmable hard buttons.
40 programmable soft buttons.
Total of 74 real buttons programmable per device!!
Completely computer programmable.
Solo learning without a computer as well.
Weaknesses:* Having trouble learning and maintaining the codes from my Schneider Scinema 3205 TV remote. This is very annoying, but it's the only one of my many household devices that has any issues.

* Retail cost in Australia is ridiculously high.
Review:My only real problem is the cost. I would be happy to pay the high US retail price if I was living there. But the cost is even more in Australia, given several factors. Firstly, the cost of buying cheaply in the US from BlueDo or somewhere, and importing to Australia yourself, would end up about half the cost of buying retail here, if you were prepared to wear the possible consequences of any problems involved with that process. Secondly, some of the high quality devices it's controlling in my system like my JVC S-VHS player, my Strong SDTV STB, and my vLink 104DX DVD player, cost about half the price of the remote, which is totally ridiculous. But given that I just bought the third unit to be imported legitimately through the Australian distributor it's not surprising really. Hopefully the price will drop soon enough when the product finds it's place in the Australian market. However, having spoken to the importers directly for the past week I'm not holding my breath on that score.

As far as the product itself goes, it's absolutely brilliant. It's the only remote available anywhere in the world that performs all the functions I can throw at it to operate my system completely, including every function of the Denon AVR-2802. The only exception is the Schneider Scinema 3205 TV that I mentioned above, which is having some issues I'm still trying to work around. I'm not sure why this is, perhaps it's a problem with the frequency of the IR codes because it's a European set. I'll figure it out in the next few days or so I'm sure.
Programming the device was simple, and I had all the buttons labelled, shortcuts sorted out, and macros programmed on the computer before the remote was even brought home. All I had to do once the remote arrived, was download my preconfigured settings from the computer, learn the codes from the old remotes (it took about an hour to do all of them), and then testing and performing some fine tuning over the next 24 hours.
Using it is so simple that after about five minutes of explaination on a few little things, like holding down buttons so operational macros will kick in (instead of just quickly pressing them), my wife was operating everything in our system properly and without any issues at all. This was a HUGE milestone!! It was honestly not something I thought would be so simple to accomplish given her track record with most technological things.
Not to mention how happy she is that nine remotes are off the coffee table, and I can put the doors back on the A/V cubpoard. I'm well and truly back in the good books thanks to this great product, after many years of being in the crapper.
Finally, I'm fully confindent that in future when I require more from this remote it will live up to the task quite simply, any upgrades to the product will be a bonus rather than a requirement, and I doubt that I'll ever need to purchase another Remote Control now that I have this product.
Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Jonathan from illinois, US.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 3 made on Friday January 23, 2004 at 3:43 PM.
Strengths:Great Range, ease of programming, user friendly macros. Quality feel.
Weaknesses:This remote is Huge
Review:I just "downgraded" from a Marantz rc5200, and while this remote does not have the same "cool factor", everything does not only work, but it works well. Even after owning the Marantz for a year I had not figured out all of the programming tricks, this one I figured out in about an hour. The MX - 200 is great, works like a charm.
Quality: Features: Value:

Written by Jonathan Young from Atlanta, GA.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 2 made on Monday August 11, 2003 at 1:35 PM.
Strengths:Most of the buttons you need/want in a modern remote (Tivo-style functions). RF is cool! Can import Pronto CCF files. Once set up, it works as expected more than any other universal remote I've tried.
Weaknesses:RF may not really be needed. Small database of codes. Documentation not aimed at end-users. Remote is pretty big, the "sidekick" may be more acceptable to people with smaller hands.
Review:Switched from a first-gen Pronto. Oh man is this better. Took quite a while to get up to speed with the editor tool, lots of weird little conventions around programming and macros. The first problem was that the box contained no setup documentation at all. Obviously intended for system integrators who have seen it all before, and easily fixed on the internet. Still, potentially daunting for an end-user. Once you get into it, the software is easy enough to use that I've found myself thinking of a new macro of feature and immediately adding it. With the Pronto is was more of a "ok, now I am going to update my remote" chore.

Even with a live-update, the database of remotes was not particularly comprehensive or up-to-date. I was doing a lot more learning from my existing remotes than I had to do with the Pronto.

The setup took most of a Sunday, the but the final result was well worth it. Sure, you don't get fancy LCD graphics, but once I went Tivo the LCD drove me nuts anyway. So, I'm definitely in the "fixed buttons" camp.

The RF feature was gravy for me, but I have to say, I love it. Getting everything into closed cabinets next, will help the look immensely.

This is expensive, but if you compare it to similarly capable units it's really not a bad deal. I couldn't be happier with my choice, just want more codes!
Quality: Features: Value:

Written by brian mud from CA.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 1 made on Friday July 25, 2003 at 2:14 AM.
Strengths:Excellent lay out , excellent response , & excellent rf interface ,
Weaknesses:none
Review:it has replaced my pronto tsu 3000 for good , the tsu 3000 has terrible key response , and the mx 800 has great response , go out and buy one you won't be dissapointed , and did I mention that it is easy to program via pc.
Quality: Features: Value:


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