Hi,

I'm finalizing my plans for home theater area, and a second zone that runs both audio and video in two other areas. Other than the TVs, all other hardware will reside in a single closet, so I'll be using RF.

I'm leaning strongly towards two MX-900s (one for the home theater, one for the second zone) and one MRF-350.

I've read here that Universal will not support their product with software upgrades if I do not buy these from an authorized dealer. This raises a series of questions for me:

1. If I do purchase these items from a non-authorized dealer, is there a secondary market for the software upgrades? If there is, is this secondary market legal and readily accessible? One of the items for my theater area would be a Yamaha RX-V2700, so I'll probably need the latest codes.

2. If I have to buy from an authorized dealer in order to have access to software upgrades, can I buy one MX-900 from an authorized dealer and one MX-900 from a non-authorized dealer, and then use the software obtained through the authorized dealer for updating both remotes? Or is the software tied to a serial number, so I'd need separate, identical software for each remote?

3. Does the MRF-350 also have software updates like the MX-900 does?

4. Can I use two MX-900s with one MRF-350?

5. Can I do a similar setup with Harmony products, if needed?

Thanks for your help. I'm new to the world of Universal (and Harmony) remotes, and I appreciate your input on this.

Just buy the remotes online. You can get the software from <---

I'm actually going to recommend that you get one MX-900 and one MX-350 or RF 20.

The only reason you would go with the low MX remotes is that they do not have discrete codes.

Well, guess what, they can learn!

So use the MX-900 remote to teach the lower remote the discrete codes! I've done this before. It works great.

The MX-350 and the RF-20(pretty much the same thing) both have RF built in, and can support addressing. Addressing is useful if say, you had two of the same exact cable boxes in the closest. Well, without addressing using either remote would cause both boxes to change! With addressing you can change whichever box you have the signal setup to go to.

-brien
Actually, i'd recommedn going with the MX-850 and a MX-650.

They both have RF. The nice thing about this combo is that they have the same look and feel! No need to remember where buttons are on each remote.

Thanks for the info.

I was wading through other posts here, and saw that someone recommended surfremote.com as an authorized Universal dealer. Their prices are very competitive. I'll probably purchase through them so I do not need to worry about the software upgrades.


Tell me more about having one remote teach another remote. Is there some documentation online that explains this? I'd love to read more about that.

Thanks!

IT will come with the lower remote.

It'll be in the manual.

Don't worry about geetting the remote from an authorized dealer. I will give you the updated software!

Thanks for the info.

I was wading through other posts here, and saw that someone recommended surfremote.com as an authorized Universal dealer. Their prices are very competitive. I'll probably purchase through them so I do not need to worry about the software upgrades.


Tell me more about having one remote teach another remote. Is there some documentation online that explains this? I'd love to read more about that.

Thanks!

I love surfremote. Got my stuff from them and am very veyr happy

I just talked to someone.

Apparantly they offer some AWESOME prices if you just click the "can I get this item cheaper" button.

LOL