So this is what an expensive universal remote looks like, eh? Interesting. I have to say after using almost every Harmony, Monster Cable remote, and many Philips Prontos, that Universal Remote Control’s MX-5000 is the best feeling remote. [period] I haven’t hooked it up to my A/V system but I’m so taken by this remote that I had to post some pictures. Give me a week or two with this remote and I’ll report back with a full review. That is if I can actually program the damn thing. This remote isn’t meant for the DIY’er so there isn’t a handy wizard like Logitech uses for the Harmony remotes. The installer program isn’t hard, it’s just very involved as it allows installers to program the remote precisely the way they – or their customers – want it.
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It would have to control the mind of any hot chick walking by for me to pay that for a remote.
I will buy one when my GM stocks go back to $50 a share or maybe I can trade in my Monte Carlo for one of these.
$1,195 – FINALLY a remote control for the zombies who stand in line to buy iphones.
I have an iphone and I have aboslutely no interest in an $1,100 remote. Don’t be such a hater.
Gee, a little touchy about Apple’s prices, eh?
I just got my professionally programmed at Total Control Remotes (www.totalcontrolremotes.com). This is a great remote – the programmer did my favorite theme, Dallas Cowboys. Channel Macros, one touch of a button and everything turns on. Very cool remote with 2-way feedback as well. I have to get the ipod dock next.
I need more things that are “haptic” and “tactile” in my life, looks handsome.
Edit the second to last “they” in your post.
URC remotes are great because of their ability to be programmed. URC supplies a gigantic data base of IR codes, including discreet on and off codes.
You can also program in macros that turn equipment on or off in the proper sequence, wait a selectable time for the equipment to warm up before switching, select the proper input, etc.
And the better remotes can control twenty or more devices.
It’s pretty cool to have a single remote that really can do it all.
The problem is that URC’s best remotes and the attending programming software are aimed at professional installers who cater to millionaires and their whole-house millionaire audio/video systems.
To those customers, a $1,200 remote is just part of a very expensive install package.
Though I’d love to own a remote like this, how can URC actually expect a normal, non-millionaire customer to pay as much for a single remote as for some 52-inch LCD TVs?
And worse, my situation calls for three of them. That’s $3,600!
Give me a break.
That is why URC has lesser remotes such as the MX-880 which is just as capable and half the price of the MX-5000. They also have even lower priced units if you don’t need a color screen, etc…
I’ve had my lower end Universal Remote now for about 4 years. I am far from rich and far from an installer, but the remote works, works everything I need it to and was pretty easy to set up if you know what you want. I also broke it once and Universal Remote was great to deal with in getting it fixed.
hi Matt
I read your review a few months ago and based on that, recently purchased the MX-5000. I love this unit, however I ran into a small issue. The remote came with a base set of graphical icons and navigation screens, which I tried to “upload” into my updated ccp program. However I ran into an active sync issue and as I tried to fix, I accidentally “downloaded” the blank files from the ccp program to my remote. It isnt too bad, but without the base set of icons and screens to work with, my user interface is looking quite unprofessional. I have a favor to ask of you, wondering if you could send me a copy of the sample ccp file with the default MX-5000 screens, with the base settings. I would like to read this back into the remote and use that as a starting point to proceed to program and customize the MX-5000. thanks in advance.
Bob
bob19740@gmail.com