thinking of buying mx-700 remote but have questions

[kurtucky]

Hi,
I am thinking about buying the MX-700 universal remote control, however, I heard that if I buy it from amazon or ebay that I am no longer able to get the software to program the remote from their website. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Also, how does this remote compare to using the tivo peanut remote?
Thanks.

[dswallow]

Hi,
I am thinking about buying the MX-700 universal remote control, however, I heard that if I buy it from amazon or ebay that I am no longer able to get the software to program the remote from their website. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Also, how does this remote compare to using the tivo peanut remote?
Thanks.
Universal Remote Control, Inc. no longer lets you download updated versions of the software from their public site. This is to "protect dealers" from free market sales. You'll most likely get a copy of the software from whomever you buy the remote from, but unless it comes through an authorized dealer, it won't be able to update automatically.

It's a ridiculous inconvenience, to be sure. But it's easy enough to deal with; it's not like the software version you'd want isn't available just by asking around here. :)

I've got two of them myself; love 'em. They're the best universal remote I've ever used, bar none.

If/when I need another or to replace one of these I'd really go for the MX-850 since it's RF. It'd just be nice not to have to aim at all.

[DevdogAZ]

Good information, Doug. I've got the MX-500 but have been thinking about upgrading eventually and that's good info to have.

Thanks

[kurtucky]

Thanks. How is using joystick thing in the center and using the center select button?

[dswallow]

Thanks. How is using joystick thing in the center and using the center select button?
My favorite "joystick" implementation was how Sony did it on the T-60; there were 4 discrete buttons surrounding a 5th discrete button in the center. The MX-700 places the 5 switches under a single disc. You have to be a little careful to push directly down the center of the disc for the "select" operation... there's a little room to have it tilted a bit in one direction and still get the "select" operation, but it is easy to accidentally get one of the direction operations instead. You do get used to it.

You also tend to do things that make it less likely to accidentally do the wrong thing; like in selecting menu items, using the right operation instead of the select operation since they each accomplish what you want, but one is more certain to be done correctly.

The MX-850 moved to discrete buttons, and it's for that reason as well as the RF capability I was giving it some serious thought.

[DevdogAZ]

My favorite "joystick" implementation was how Sony did it on the T-60; there were 4 discrete buttons surrounding a 5th discrete button in the center. The MX-700 places the 5 switches under a single disc. You have to be a little careful to push directly down the center of the disc for the "select" operation... there's a little room to have it tilted a bit in one direction and still get the "select" operation, but it is easy to accidentally get one of the direction operations instead. You do get used to it.

You also tend to do things that make it less likely to accidentally do the wrong thing; like in selecting menu items, using the right operation instead of the select operation since they each accomplish what you want, but one is more certain to be done correctly.

The MX-850 moved to discrete buttons, and it's for that reason as well as the RF capability I was giving it some serious thought.
Oh, that's another huge plus for the 850 then. My only gripe with the design of the MX-500 was the fact that the center button is difficult to press independently of the directions.

[kurtucky]

one last question: what button do you guys use for the tivo button? it looks like there is a menu button on the remote... can that button be programmed??
thanks

[dswallow]

one last question: what button do you guys use for the tivo button? it looks like there is a menu button on the remote... can that button be programmed??
thanks
All the buttons can be assigned to do whatever function or macro of functions you want it to do.

I use the MENU button for what's the TiVo button on the original remotes; I also use the "STOP" button for the "List" function (directly into Now Playing).

[chimaera4]

I have a HR-250, XBOX media center, and an ONKYO 7.1 surround system, and a Toshiba 65HX930 TV. I am torn on which remote to buy. Any suggestions. I have big hands and clumsy fingers. I was thinking about a harmony 676 or 880, but I have also bee looking at the MX series. Any recomendations?

[dswallow]

I have a HR-250, XBOX media center, and an ONKYO 7.1 surround system, and a Toshiba 65HX930 TV. I am torn on which remote to buy. Any suggestions. I have big hands and clumsy fingers. I was thinking about a harmony 676 or 880, but I have also bee looking at the MX series. Any recomendations?
You'll love the MX-700/800/850 series; they're solid feeling sturdy remotes that are easy to read, easy to use, and quite flexible in how you program them.

[DevdogAZ]

And the best part is that the buttons are strategically placed so that you can reach everything without moving the remote in your hands, and you can use pretty much all the buttons without ever looking at the remote.