Universal Remote Control MX980 Universal Learning Remote Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own two of these remotes as well as the companion MSC-400. The first thing you should know if you are considering is this remote is NOT for the faint of heart. If you are looking for a simple setup and go type device, get something like a Harmony. But if you are a true DIY'er and good with hardware and software you will be well rewarded using a remote like this. It helps alot if you have some basic understanding of Object-Oriented Programming especially when dealing with the variables this remote is capable of.
From a hardware point of view, this remote is fantastic. It is well built, great tactile layout, and feels great in the hand. It is not touch screen which I was very thankful for since I have try them before (like the Phillips Pronto) and, after the novelty wore off, I ended up hating them. There is no replacement for hard buttons and a remote that does not need both hands to operate.
The software is what makes this thing great. The intelligence you can put behind it is phenomenal. Basically, every button is a macro. You can have them jumps from screen to screen, fire any code combination you want, and run logic. The logic comes in the form of If-Then statements, Toggle loops (kind of like a For-Next or Do-Loop), and Boolean Variables (True/False). It would be nice if it could do Integer or String type variables but I guess that would be a little too much for the average person.
A good example of how to use something like an IF statement is volume control. In my Living Room I like to watch TV with usually only sound coming from the TV but sometimes I like to do it through the Receiver. I can use the Boolean's to keep track of if the Receiver is on or not. If it is, when the user hits the Vol Up/Down buttons it remote runs an IF statement saying "If the Receiver is on (Boolean is True), turn up/down the Receiver volume, if it is false turn up/down the TV volume." This is just the tip of the iceberg in what it can do.
One thing you have to keep in mind here is that the remote does NOT come with the software. You cannot get it from URC either unless you are an authorized dealer with a login/password. There are many critics both for and against this policy (I personally do not like it) but that's that. If you buy this online, make sure they can provide you the software first if you do not already have it!
Ernie

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