If you had to pick the one piece of your home-theater puzzle that ties all of the components together to make them work as one, what would it be?
A processor is a good choice. It acts as the brain of your system — almost every component feeds a signal into or gets a signal out of it. Others might point to their speakers: without a good set of speakers, your system’s performance can’t be optimized. Then there’s your amplifier, your DVD player, your TV or projector, even your power conditioner — each could be considered quite valuable.
Everyone values something different in a system. My system’s MVP (Most Valued Product) — the thing ties all my components together and lets me enjoy them every time I use them — is my universal remote control. With one push of a button on the remote, everything is turned on, and each component is automatically adjusted to the proper settings. I can then control the devices individually. My universal remote lets me enjoy my system by simplifying everything about its operation.
Over the last few years, as the high-definition boom has begun to reach my friends and family and they’ve asked me for advice, the one purchase I’ve always recommended is a universal remote. Although these new enthusiasts have mainly been concerned with the size of their new TVs or the placement of their new speakers, such details wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t actually use them. Place three or four different remotes in their hands and there’s a good chance they’ll never figure it out. The new A/V system will become a frustration because they can’t get it to work.
A really good remote can change that. Think of it as a book titled Home Theater Operation for Dummies. I have owned my reference remote, the MX-850 from Universal Remote Control, for about two years. In that time it has faithfully served me and kept my attention on my system’s performance, not on which remote does what.
Meet the new boss
A few months back, while scanning Universal Remote Control’s website, I stumbled across a list of their other models. Just above the MX-850 was the slimmer, more streamlined MX-900, with a layout slightly different from the MX-850’s, and only six LCD buttons instead of ten. (The LCD buttons can be custom-named and -programmed via the remote’s Programming menu.) I asked my editor to contact Universal to request a review sample, and within a few days, an MX-900 ($449.95) was in my hand.
A big change from the MX-850 is the replacement of its Main button with the MX-900’s Watch and Listen controls, for those times when the user wants to use an A/V system for (respectively) video and sound, or only for listening. To hear the radio or a CD, you press Listen. Otherwise, the MX-900 and MX-850 are very similar. The slimmer MX-900 fits the hand better, but the MX-850’s layout is more spacious. On both, the illumination button is on the right side.
To program the MX-900, I had to download its software from Universal’s website. These downloads are not available to everyone. The MX-900 is sold mainly through audio/video retailers and custom installers, and should be programmed for the user by the store that sells it. If a novice attempts to program an MX-900 without assistance from an experienced professional, it could turn into an expensive paperweight.
But if you insist on doing it yourself, I do have some advice. First, you’ll need a list of all of the components you wish to control. With this list, you navigate the device menus on the Universal Remote Control website and locate the appropriate codes for each component. In a few instances I was unable to find the correct codes for my TV and a DVD player, but was able to use the codes for different models from the same manufacturers. This process was pretty cut-and-dried.
Next I had to set up Device Macros and Punch Throughs. According to my dictionary, in computer science, a macro is an abstraction that defines how a certain input pattern is replaced by an output pattern according to a defined set of rules. In lay terms, it’s a set of signals the remote can output, via either an infrared or a radio frequency, to a component — e.g., "Power on" or "Power off." At the same time, the macro can also choose the settings for your TV or receiver. For example, I’ve named the MX-900’s top LCD button "HDTV," and have programmed it to adjust my system to watch and listen to my TV through my home-theater system. When I press HDTV, the MX-900 emits these commands: 1) TV powers on. 2) Anthem AVM 50 processor powers on. 3) Anthem AVM 50 switches to TV mode. 4) Cable box powers on. 5) Remote function switches to cable box.
Punch Through gives greater flexibility of system control to those who run an entire system through an A/V processor or receiver. Punch Through allows functions like the volume to be controlled by your receiver, regardless of which device the remote may be controlling. For instance, if I’m watching TV, the MX-900 functions as the cable-box remote, but designates that the volume of the system be controlled by the receiver instead of controlling the volume settings of the cable box.
After all of the commands are set via computer, you must download these settings to the remote. The MX-850 had to be connected to a computer via the computer’s serial port and its own mini stereo plug. The download process took only a minute or so, but the MX-900’s USB 2.0 connection does the job in seconds — so fast that, the first time I downloaded the commands, I assumed the program wasn’t working properly. This is a tremendous improvement, especially when you’re trying to fine-tune your settings. Although you may download new settings only once in a blue moon, when you’re first tweaking the remote’s programming, the quicker you can download settings, the better.{mospagebreak}
Once I’d programmed the MX-900, its performance was very consistent. The only time it failed was when its four AAA batteries ran low. I replaced them, and the remote was back up and running flawlessly.
More from Universal Remote Control
Accompanying the MX-900 during the review period were Universal’s MRF-350 RF Sensor ($154.99 USD) and Universal Gamer remote ($49.99). The MRF-350, designed for users who want to control their systems without having to be in the line of sight of their gear, picks up the radio-frequency signals emitted by a remote such as the MX-900, converts them to IR signals, then sends these signals through IR Flashers plugged into the MRF-350 and run directly to the IR sensors of the components you wish to control.
I plugged the MRF-350 into a wall outlet and connected its wall-mounted antenna to the sensor. Neither the antenna nor the MRF-350 itself needs to be placed out in the open to receive the RF signal; they can be located somewhere out of the way, close to the equipment. I connected the IR Flashers to a few pieces of equipment, then took the MX-900 into another room and sent a few signals. It worked flawlessly. From a few rooms away, then from outdoors, I was able to adjust the volume of my Anthem AVM 50 and skip CD tracks on my Toshiba HD DVD player, all without delay.
The only problem I had was that the Flashers emitted signals too strong for the IR sensor of my cable box to accept. Luckily, the outputs of the MRF-350’s six IR Flashers can be individually set. With a flathead screwdriver (provided), I adjusted the port connected to the cable box, which could now accept the MRF-350’s IR signal. I was back in business. The MRF-350 proved a perfect companion for the MX-900.
While I don’t own all of the game consoles the Universal Gamer is capable of controlling, I do have an Xbox 360. The Gamer, which has backlit buttons and an LCD display, comes preprogrammed for this and other consoles — I simply pressed a button and my Xbox 360 sprang to life. The Universal Gamer can also control TVs and DVD players, but to do that, you have to type in the codes for your specific components. I scanned the manual, found the right code, and typed it in. Moments later, I could control my TV. The Universal Gamer can also turn your system on via a macro. For $50, it can simplify your gaming and make you look cool at the same time.
Functionally, the MX-900 and MX-850 have a few differences. The MX-900 is capable of replacing up to 40 different remote controls, the MX-850 only 20. This is hardly reason to disparage the MX-850 — few people have 20 different devices to control, let alone 40. The biggest difference for me was the way the MX-900 fit my hand. After a year of using the MX-850, I found it difficult to adjust, though over time I did become more comfortable with the slimmer MX-900. With the MX-900’s fewer programmable LCD buttons, I had to adjust my standard settings. Batteries seemed to last longer in the MX-900; each set of four AAAs endured several weeks of heavy use.
The MX-900’s biggest competitor is probably Logitech’s 890 universal remote ($399.99 including RF sensor). The 890 is a consumer remote that can be purchased from one of the big-box retail stores. Areas where the 890 excels include how easily it can be programmed. Logitech’s programming software is very intuitive and user-friendly, and setup is much faster than with the MX-900, though not as flexible. In short, the Logitech doesn’t require professional setup. The fact that the Universal MX-900 does could be a deal breaker for some.
I found the MX-900 the more consistent performer: It worked every time I pushed a button. Whether aimed precisely at the intended device or anywhere else in the room, its signal reached the component every time. If the Logitech’s signal didn’t hit its target, I had to reset the remote to its main page and try again. In such cases I pressed the Logitech 890’s Help button, which let me find the step in the programming macro that had been skipped, then re-send it. Usually, this worked. There was also a short delay between the time I pressed a button on the 890 to its sending of the IR signal. The MX-900 seemed to emit a stronger signal, making aim not nearly as important. Both remotes have programmable LCD screens, but the Logitech’s is a color display.
While I’ve been using the MX-900, my MX-850 has been on loan to a friend. I set up the MX-850 to suit his system, and after about three minutes of showing him how to operate it, he was using it like an old pro. He uses it every time he operates his system, and always mentions how much he loves it. His wife can now operate their A/V system without his assistance, and so uses the system much more often. But the review process is over, I have to send the MX-900 back to Universal, and soon I’ll be asking my friend to return the MX-850. He’ll then have to remember how to use the four remotes that control his system, and his wife will probably stop using the system altogether. If I know him, he’ll probably buy a Universal remote ASAP.
Conclusion
When you fork over the considerable amount of dough needed to buy a new TV or audio system, any additional expenditure — especially a $450 remote control — can seem unwarranted, even foolish. But the Universal Remote Control MX-900 can tie everything together and greatly simplify the operation of a complex system — a key to enjoyment. It can do this for even for the most technologically challenged person. Without reservation, I recommend it to every home-theater user I know — and to every one I don’t know, too.
Description
Model: MX-900
Price: $449.95 USD
Dimensions: 8"L x 2.25"W x 1.25"H
Weight: 14 ounces (with 4 AAA batteries)
Warranty: One year parts and labor when purchased from an authorized dealer
Features
* PC programmable
* IR/RF capable
* Watch and Listen activity-based macros
* Learning capabilities: up to 255 steps each, however nesting is allowed
* Macro capabilities: Standard frequencies: 15-460kHz
* RF frequency: 418MHz
* Range: RF up to 100’ when used with Universal’s MRF-250 or MRF-300 RF Base Stations; IR (line of sight) up to 50’, depending on environment
* Four AAA batteries included
Reviwer: Randall Smith
