bgnoz's Full Review: Universal Remote Control SL-9000 LCD Remote Contro...
This review is for the MX-700 model, which is essentially the same as the MX-500, but allows you to use your computer to set up the controls, and then download them to the remote. Since epinions doesn't have an entry (yet?) for the MX-700, and since much of the review applies to the MX-500, I'm submitting the review here.
Through the years, one aspect of home entertainment that has plagued our family is controlling the various components in our system. It has never been simple, even when using older, manually-controlled devices. As the father and resident tech-head, I became accustomed to calls for help whenever someone wanted to change the setup. And all too often I had to re-learn everything and experiment whenever something different was attempted.
After a recent upgrade to remote-controlled equipment, the difficulty was magnified. Now, it seemed as though every device had a huge remote with mind-numbing controls, which was made worse by the fact that every remote attempted to offer control over the other devices. The biggest culprit, however, was the maddening lack of "human interface" engineering that went into the devices. In other words, the remotes often seemed like an afterthought - just a bunch of controls placed together with a minimum of thought as to how a human would interact with them.
It seemed as though a universal remote had become a necessity. Controlling everything simply and getting rid of clutter seemed to be worth the cost. After some internet research, I decided on the Theater Master. Although not the most visually elegant solution, it seemed as though the flexibility and the use of real buttons (as opposed to a touch-sensitive LCD screen) were important factors.
When my family first saw the device, they were less than enthusiastic. It's larger than most remotes and a bit cumbersome-looking, and after seeing some of the sleek-looking devices out there, this was disappointing to them. But after handling it and seeing what it can do, they (and I) are all enthusiastic. The device looks somewhat industrial in its design, which makes sense. It's made by a firm (Universal Remote Control, Inc) that is the OEM for many other brands, and that specializes in industrial applications. The result is that this device seems very durable - just the ticket for a component that often gets dropped, sat on, and handled with the same hands that have just finished a bowl of popcorn.
The casing is made of a rubberized plastic that feels great in your hand, and the buttons are transparent hard rubber. The feel of the buttons is great - they have a smooth but firm touch. There's an LCD screen that is context-sensitive, meaning that the buttons change functions depending on the device that is being controlled. All buttons as well as the LCD screen are backlit nicely with a backlight that is timed (the timing is also controllable). This remote can control up to 20 devices, with up to 40 controls available per device, in addition to the standard "hard buttons" (volume, channel, numberpad, etc.).
The MX-500 is programmed from the remote itself, while the MX-700 allows you to set up the controls on the computer and then download them to the remote. The use of the computer also allows you to download a large assortment of manufacturer's controls. Surprisingly, some of these are not available on the manufacturer's own remotes! The manual explains that manufacturers often leave certain controls off the remote in an attempt to simplify things for the end user. A common example is the on/off button. Most remotes use a "toggle" type of button that turns the device both on and off. But with many devices, there are also "discrete" controls - i.e., a separate on and off button - that aren't implemented in the manufacturer's remote. These discrete buttons are a huge help when setting up multiple commands on a single button (e.g., a button that will turn on the TV, the receiver, and the DVD player).
The software for programming the device and the manual for doing so have to be downloaded from the Theater Master website (www.hometheatermaster.com) and unfortunately, it runs on Windows only. I have to admit that I was initially overwhelmed by the complexity of the programming process, but this is largely due to the fact that my components were unfamiliar to me and MUCH more complex than my previous ones. Theater Master has tried hard to make things as clear as possible, and the PDF manual is quite thorough. But there is simply no way to make such a complex process intuitive. My advice is to be patient and persistent - the process becomes clear after playing with the controls for awhile. But it's still not simple! It's a bit ironic that in order to simplify things, you have to wade through the complexity of specifying every control your device has. Maybe I'm getting slow in my old age, but it took me roughly two days (maybe 8 hours total) to arrive at a working set of controls for my TV, universal DVD player, home theater receiver, and subwoofer.
Although you can download manufacturer's control sets, there is a good chance that your device will be newer than their database. This was the case for all my components, but I was able to download sets for previous models that covered the majority of available controls. You can easily teach the remote the controls that are missing. This works extremely well - I didn't have a single one that wasn't learned immediately. If you go with the MX-700, I highly advise using a laptop for the programming (if your computer isn't near the equipment) - this allows you to make changes and refinements and then test them immediately.
All buttons are customizable, as is their placement on the LCD screen. You can also mix and match between devices. For example, you can have a single screen that includes picture tube settings, volume and other audio controls, and perhaps the DVD eject button. You can also provide "punch through" controls - an example of this would be to make the volume rocker control the receiver, even though you're on the DVD page.
But the real magic happens when you start setting up "macros." These are little scripts that run a set of controls whenever a button is pushed. A simple example of this would be an "off" button that turns off all the components at once. A more advanced example is a button that turns on the TV, DVD player and the receiver, then sets the audio to Dolby Digital, sets the mode to "Theater," sets the channel to the proper video input, mutes the TV and opens the DVD tray - all with one button! Now that's simplicity! You can refine things even further - a button might simply turn on a device if tapped, but might set things up for SACD audio if held down for two seconds (uh oh - complexity is rearing its ugly head again). The macros are extremely easy to set up with the MX-700 - the computer really helps in this regard, and this is the primary reason for paying extra for this model. You can also hide controls from the end user to avoid having them inadvertently messed up...er, changed (you see, we have this "live-in" neighbor kid....). If this last point is important enough to you, there is an option for an additional, simplified device called the "Sidekick" that limits the controls - great for that neighbor kid or the in-laws.
Some examples of how I've got my system set up: The main screen has buttons that simply turn on the various devices (I know my family usually just wants to watch TV without the sound system activated). But I've also got buttons for the main activities. One button turns on all devices, sets audio and video for DVD movies, opens the tray, and ends up at the receiver control page. Another button turns off the TV and sets up the DVD player and receiver for SACD audio. Still another button controls my subwoofer. If I had lights with a remote control dimmer, I could add that functionality as well (at the risk of stating the obvious, your devices must already have the remote abilities built in - this device won't create controls that aren't already there). When using the macro buttons, it almost seems like magic - it's sure to put a grin on your face.
All in all, this device really delivers exactly what I was after in a flexible, dependable, durable package. It may take time and considerable effort to get things set up, but the result is a MUCH simpler way of controlling everything that the whole family will greatly appreciate.
MX500 Universal Remote Control MX-500 with LCD Viewscreen PC Programmable IR/RF Replace up to 40 remote controls "Watch and Listen" Activity Based...More at Compuplus.com
The MX-500 is ergonomically designed and weight balanced to fit comfortably in one hand. The brightly backlit LCD view screen and buttons make navigat...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Controls up to ten devices Preprogrammed for over 1,000 audio/video components Learns up to 530 commands via infrared from device remotes Send out mul...More at Amazon Marketplace
Controls up to ten devices Preprogrammed for over 1,000 audio/video components Learns up to 530 commands via infrared from device remotes Send out mul...More at Amazon
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