Tweeter/soundAdvice is running a sale from May 11th through the 20th.

The only really good deal I see is the MX-850 for $199. If you figure that the cheapest non-authorized dealer is $188 + shipping it's a no brainer.

I heard 2 rumors.
1) Tweeter is dropping URC. Tweeter was going bankrupt anyway.
2) They hustled a really good deal out of URC which makes this remote profitable at this price.

How much longer do you think the MX850 will be around?

Not sure how long the MX-850 with be around, but I don't think it's going away anytime soon.

I love the layout and feel of the 850 more then any other URC remote.

Also, they have like four levels of remotes with the same layout. I don't think they'll drop the MX-850 layout.

I stopped by the soundadvice that I used to work at. All the salespeople have been in draw for like 3 paychecks!

That is a great price!

Yep

nice price....i'll take a look. thanks B.

I wish the MX-900 was at that price :p.....

I assume that's just the 850 unit, and not the combo with the RF base?

ps- newegg has it at the same price:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880100607

But this one you don't have to pay shipping on if there is a local store :) .

But this one you don't have to pay shipping on if there is a local store :) .
$199 + 6% tax (7% in Dade) = 210.94
$199 + $5.24 3-day shipping = 204.24

;)

Tweeter=authorized dealer=warranty from URC

Newegg=non authorized dealer=NO warranty from URC

really? wierd....newegg is an authorized dealer for my MX700...do they not cover the 850's?

anyways, great deal nonetheless from both places.....worst comes to worst, brien has the software! ;)

They used to be authorized, but not any more. If they're not listed here (http://www.universalremote.com/pro/online_dealers.php), they're not authorized. I'd be more concerned with the warranty than the updateable software.

I love the layout and feel of the 850 more then any other URC remote.

$200 is tough to ignore. Having worked with them all, are there good reasons to consider the 950 (another $200, street-price)?

The 950 offers variables.

Meaning the remote remember what state your equipment is in. This allows more reliable macros if all your equipment doesn't have discrete power codes

They used to be authorized, but not any more. If they're not listed here (http://www.universalremote.com/pro/online_dealers.php), they're not authorized. I'd be more concerned with the warranty than the updateable software.
that sucks! :( :mad:
oh well, good to know...thanks Mike!

The 950 offers variables.

Meaning the remote remember what state your equipment is in. This allows more reliable macros if all your equipment doesn't have discrete power codes
so brien....you seem to be the resident Remote geek....can you hook me up with a 950 street price mentioned above, and the software?? ;) PM me man... We can meet at the house and you can check out the twin towers in the process :D

I have been contacted by an AVS admin.

I can no longer provide links to the software via the PM system.

I will help you find a deal on the MX-950 if you IM me on AIM. My SN is Sirwarlord

The 950 offers variables.Is that hardware related or software?

While I was sent the discrete ON/Offs for my Philips plasma, I still need them for a Philips DVD 711.

FWIW, I got my brand-new 850 for $155 total, and have enjoyed (mostly) programming it to a custom setup my family easily uses and greatly appreciates.

Also, after lousy support (like NONE) newegg is OFF my buy-from list, regardless of price.

Is that hardware related or software?


Software. It's been rumored that variables would be added to the MX-900 and TX-1000 eventually (as the hardware can support it), but at this time, only the MX-950 and 3000 offer variables.

Regarding your DVD player, have you tried the usual workaround for not having discretes (ie: Play-Stop for ON and Play-Power for OFF)?

, have you tried the usual workaround for not having discretes (ie: Play-Stop for ON and Play-Power for OFF)? No, but I will when I get back home.

Again, thank you, Mike. Mike

Let me recount my Tweeter / MX-850 experience...

I too thought this was a good deal so I went over to Tweeter to buy the MX-850. The sales person was ringing it up when he happened to mention (paraphrasing) 'you know that you don't get the software with this right? You can probably download it on the Internet somewhere, but its not included.'

I stopped the purchase and walked out. When I got back home I called URC, and talked to someone who said I would be able to download the software after registering the product on-line. I then called the Tweeter store and talked to the manager who also confirmed this. He added that URC had changed their policy, that the sales person was misinformed, and that he would see that everyone there was up to date on the policy.

I went back to Tweeter and purchased the MX-850, brought it home, and went on-ilne to register and download the software. The license terms said that the software I'd be downloading DID NOT INCLUDE THE UPDATE FEATURE. 'Nice time to find this out, AFTER the product is purchased -- especially when the product description and FAQ on the URC web site both refers to the update feature.

I went ahead and downloaded the software anyway, just to see what it was like. Relatively basic, but functional. No updates, and the software version, remote firmware and IR database were all over a year old. Most (but not all) of my current A/V devices were covered, but I will be replacing virtually everything within the next year as I move to HD. I started researching the lack of updates issue and found several posts where people had run into this and found that they could get it from their dealer/retailer.

The next morning I went back to Tweeter, told them about the lack of update capability, and asked if I could have the software. What I received was some double-talk about 'i'll have to look into that' and 'I'll have to talk to my manager'. I told them that this was my third trip to the store for this remote, that I wasn't going to be making a fourth, and that I'd wait.

The sales person ended up calling URC, who told him that it was their policy that they don't provide updating versions of the software to end users, only to dealers/installers. Tweeter didn't offer any other options. At that point I returned the remote and walked out.

Yes, I could have used the product in its crippled state, and yes, I could have had the MX-850 learn the commands from non-covered A/V products as I replaced them. But as I told the sales person, if I'm going to do that then I don't need this remote.

The things about this experience that really p*** me off are:

1. The MX-850 product description and FAQ on the URC web site refers to the update feature of the software. Its not until AFTER you've purchased the product, go to register it and download the software that you're told 'no, you don't get the update feature inspite of what we've told you'.

2. Neither the URC person or the Tweeter manager I spoke with about the software cared enough to mention the inability to update the software. No, I did not ask about updates specifically, but I was asking about the software and if either was concerned about their CUSTOMER they should have mentioned it.

3. Although I don't know it to be fact, I suspect that the Tweeter people I spoke with knew a lot more about this than they were letting on. The first sales person was simply wrong in his warning about no software being available, but I have little doubt that the manager knew exactly what the situation was, and the sales person I spoke with about the lack of updates acted suspiciously like he knew about it but didn't want to deal with it.

The long and the short of it is that I'm still looking for an good remote that can be programmed and updated through a PC, I know for a fact that I'll never purchase a URC product again, and that I have one more reason not to shop at Tweeter.

The Tweeter sale is still on for a couple more days, but it appears that the deal on the MX-850 isn't really that much of a deal after all.

There are people on this forum who provide the updates anyway. It seems URC does not want the end user to thave the software.

Mike,
Don't you at SurfRemoteControls offer the software w/ the purchase?

This whole thing is confusing.

I'd bet Tweeter got it wrong. They have regularly gotten it wrong in my experience.

I used to work for tweeter.

We had no way to give the customer the software. We didn't have a CD burner in the store to make copies or anything like that.

I recommend calling URC back and not hanging up until they ask for, and have received a faxed copy of the invoice from tweeter. That will work.

Anyways, get the remote from surfremote.com . They're cheaper, and give you the software.

avadar

Just a comment, nothing more: If you like the MX-850 then I would contact member MikeSRC via PM here at AVS and tell him you would like to purchase the MX-850. Also, I would ask about the MX-850/MRF-250 combo.

I used to work for tweeter.

We had no way to give the customer the software. We didn't have a CD burner in the store to make copies or anything like that.

I recommend calling URC back and not hanging up until they ask for, and have received a faxed copy of the invoice from tweeter. That will work.

Anyways, get the remote from surfremote.com . They're cheaper, and give you the software.

Brien,
I thought people were getting the software from you on this board.

Brien,
I thought people were getting the software from you on this board.

They were, but URC contacted me directly and threatened legal action if I didn't stop.

Give me a year to amass my wealth and i'll be back at it. LOL

It's funny that never worked against the guys on Ebay.

They were, but URC contacted me directly and threatened legal action if I didn't stop.


They sound like a class act, taken in context with the issue that's been described!

It's funny that never worked against the guys on Ebay.

Could you explain this a little more

There's a couple of people on Ebay Inetdistributors and hometheaterguy or soemthing that they threatened long ago. they are still around w/ no supply problems and they are selling the newer remotes too now.

Funny stuff.

Oh, I was just supplying the software :)

Thanks for the suggestions folks, but I knew that I could find the software if I wanted too. What I didn't want was to buy the remote, get the software, spend time setting it all up and getting left out in the cold at some point because URC decided to impose some technical control that prevented the software from working any more (ala the cable companies with "unsupported" access cards). Its clear from the other threads that URC has no problem with stiffing paying customers who purchased their product before the policy change.

Besides, the entire experience had convinced me that URC was not a company that I ever wanted to do business with. I may not be able to change their policy, but I can -- and do -- vote with my pocketbook.

I now have a Harmony H890, and so far it seems to be working pretty well. No, its not an MX-850, but given the circumstances I'm happy with the compromise.