The Rabbit Hole of Remotes (Just Ordered a URC MX-890)

[Youthman]

Ok cool.  Is the USB Cable a proprietary cable?  I have a cable that seems like it fits but it's not able to download to the remote.

[japosey]

I don't think so. I use one that came with a camera.

[Youthman]

I can already tell I'm going to like the amount of customization you can do.  I've begun to design custom backgrounds for the menus as well as designing custom buttons to use.  As a graphic designer, that's VERY cool to me!

[Youthman]

Just ordered an MRF-350 Base Station and RFX-250.  I believe the MRF-350 is what is needed to convert the IR to RF but honestly, I'm not really sure what the RFX-250 does.  Was just told I needed it.  LOL

[Rich_Guy]

Actually the RFX-250 has the antenna and receives the RF and converts it, then sends it to the MRF-350 which distributes it to your components.The MRF-350 has six 3.5 mm IR outputs with adjustable strength at each output, there is also a large IR blaster on the MRF-350, these have control settings in the software and can be used to control how IR is received by different components. Even identical components which use the exact same IR signals can be controlled completely individually and separately from one another.

 

 

The MRF-350 also has an IR input so other sources of IR can be used with it. I use the MRF-350's IR input to accept IR from my Blumoo bluetooth receiver which is a smart phone remote system.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Rich_Guy

[Youthman]

Thanks for the detailed info! How will I get an IR cable to my projector that will be 40 - 50' away?  Will the IR Blaster do that?

[Rich_Guy]

Several options, the MRF-350's blaster, a wired blaster, wired emitter or if the projector has a 3.5mm IR input a direct 3.5mm cable and of course the remote is still able to send IR. 

 

Probably the easiest way to do it nicely would be to have a wired blaster mounted to your front wall aiming to the projector.

[Rich_Guy]

Another option that might work good for getting an IR signal from the MRF-350 to your projector is IR over hdmi cable. I have never used this to know how well it works but there are kits for sending IR through an existing hdmi cable. They use little adapters which plug onto the hdmi cable at each end then these plug into the components, The adapters also have 3.5.mm plug inlets to accept an IR receiver and transmitter at each end to run IR over your existing hdmi cable.

[Pete H]

I can already tell I'm going to like the amount of customization you can do.  I've begun to design custom backgrounds for the menus as well as designing custom buttons to use.  As a graphic designer, that's VERY cool to me!

You just keep learning about all of the programming that you can do with this and become the expert, and then I can have you screen connect to my PC and show me when I make the plunge, which is coming soon, the amount of remotes is out of control.

[Youthman]

You just keep learning about all of the programming that you can do with this and become the expert

If you wait on me to become the expert, you might be waiting a long time.  It's got a descent learning curve on it but I'm pretty excited already at the possibilities.  I may have a URC MX-880 that I will be selling.  I already have two people interested in my Harmony One if I like the URC MX-890 better.

[USNRET]

A far better man than me. I bought a high $ one with software and it was beyond my capabilty although it would have been great except that I program like I build fences.

[Youthman]

I bought a high $ one with software and it was beyond my capabilty

You could have figured it out with enough time....that's the problem....I have to find the time to learn how to program it.  LOL  I figure I can learn just about anything...it just may take me longer than others.

[miketyler]

I too have enjoyed programming URC products. Their design interface reminds me of building "mini web pages". I found a great resource online for information and custom templates, buttons, etc at www.remotecentral.com. I did recently succumb to the ease of use of the Harmony 1100. Not as customizable as the URC but there is a lot of functionality there and the remote is very powerful.

[Youthman]

I've had zero time lately to work on the URC Programming. 

 

Tonight I began working on the buttons for my home page.

 

 

 

Here is a photo of my remote.  You can see the paint on the main buttons has some wear.  I may pick up some model paint and try and paint them black again.

 

[Youthman]

Here are the custom buttons I designed for the "Devices" Page

 

[Youthman]

I just figured out the "Jump" and how to add "IR Commands" to a button.

 

I have programmed the "Devices" button on my Home Page 1 to go to the "Devices" page and when I click on "Receiver" it goes to the "Onkyo Receiver" Page where so far I have a Power On and a Power Off button programmed.

 

I also added some "Press" versions of the buttons.  So for instance when I press the "Power On" button, I added an "Outter Glow" and moved the image down 1px and over 1px so that the button appears to be "Pressed".

 

[Youthman]

I'm now beginning to see why their software is called "Complete Control". 

 

You tell each "Button" what to do, what it triggers, what image you want to use as the "Button" and what sound it makes when you hit the button. 

 

And I've just scratched the surface!

 

I too have enjoyed programming URC products. Their design interface reminds me of building "mini web pages"

 

Yes, it does remind me a lot like designing a mini site.  The "Jump" is similar to making a hyperlink taking you from one button to a certain page. 

 

It definitely is not anywhere near as easy or quick to program as my Harmony One but I can see already the URC offers much more customization than the Harmony One does.

[Rich_Guy]

Youth you do know that the two hard button Power buttons on top are programmable for every page. On every Device page I use the top left Power hard button to turn ON that Device and the top right Power hard button to turn OFF that Device.

 

On the 1st Main page my top left Power hard button turns ON my most used activity and on the 1st Main page the top right Power hard button will turn my whole system OFF no matter what is currently ON.

 

Each Main page the buttons to enter an Activity if pressed 2 seconds or longer will start a macro to turn everything needed ON and adjust all settings for that Activity, if only quickly pressed and released the remote will simply Jump to that page without activating the macro.

[Youthman]

Youth you do know that the two hard button Power buttons on top are programmable for every page. On every Device page I use the top left Power hard button to turn ON that Device and the top right Power hard button to turn OFF that Device.

You mentioned that but I forgot it. 

 

On the 1st Main page my top left Power hard button turns ON my most used activity and on the 1st Main page the top right Power hard button will turn my whole system OFF no matter what is currently ON.

That makes total sense. 

 

Each Main page the buttons to enter an Activity if pressed 2 seconds or longer will start a macro to turn everything needed ON and adjust all settings for that Activity, if only quickly pressed and released the remote will simply Jump to that page without activating the macro.

That's really cool.  Might need some tutoring. 

 

Do you know where I can find the IR Codes for my Panasonic AE8000u Projector?  Panasonic is not on the list of projectors and when I look under TV, it's not listed there either.  There are some generic Panasonic 1, Panasonic 2 etc that I guess I could try but wanted to see if I missed it somewhere.

[Rich_Guy]

To be honest the easiest way would be to just Learn the AE8000u commands you want to use from your original remote which is very easy to do. I did find some commands for the AE8000u that were listed on http://www.remotecentral.com/  but doing it this way is more trouble than Learning them from an existing remote.