NEW MX950 and MX 700 Editor Files - Page 3  

Actually the price difference is NOT the programming. Programming is charged by the hour. The cost of an MX850 to a CI through distribution is about $300...Usually a CI will charge a percentage above that to cover obtaining the remote and make a small of profit (Like any other retailer). Then they charge either a flat rate for standard programming or hourly for custom work. You guys should really get your facts straight.

The quote below already would incriminate you for violating copyright laws. If URC really wanted to pursue it, they could file charges against you. You should really watch what you say on an online forum.

Gee, your right. That would sound like a good deal if I didn't just buy an 850 off eBay for $120. Wow, why did I spend $120, when I only had to spend $300 to help out CI's which I could care two licks about.

It is interesting the URC has in the past AND STILL CONTINUES to sell this protected line through large retailers. I have never heard of a protected line being sold through 6th Avenue Electronics, Best Buy, J&R.... URC has created this problem themselves and continues to do so.

CI's shouldn't have to compete with large retailers or chain stores. If someone needs a CI to program their remote for them they should be willing to pay for the programming plus a reasonable amount for the remote. I have been reading through the novel on Remote Central and if the CI's posting (most of them anyway) talk to their customers the way they present themselves there, I can see why they are having problems getting value from what they do! After reading most of their comments there I would not hire any of them, even if they offered the remote for free!

IF URC REALLY WANTED TO HELP THE CI's GET MORE BUSINESS, they would make the remotes even more available so more people would have them, keep the software available on their site, only offer support to CI's or on a pay per use basis, and then have a more robust area to put customers in contact with CI's to help them. I hope to god a CI isn't making most of their money for the sale of the remote!

URC needs to figure out who they are selling to and then be consistent about. Otherwise, they are just going to continue having people upset with them.

Wow, that's mature :rolleyes: . You realize CI companies could get them the same way? Hmmm...why do you think they haven't? Maybe because URC only supported remotes bought through authorized resellers...
I wish we didn't have to. Unfortunately, we can't sell custom lines to all clients. Some are more than happy with normal equipment.
I was thinking there were an aweful lot of loud mouths in that thread too. But, let's not forget the imaturity of the DIYers both in that therad as well as this one. There are a lot of people that rightfully so are upset. But, the immature "bashers" are getting a little annoying. Some (like the one I quoted above) somehow think CI companies are out to get them....rediculous

I think that is a great idea. I don't think URC is doing this to help the CI industry as much as they are trying to put an end to the huge problem of people selling their remotes at cost.

Then it is not a "Legit" Reseller. The only people that can legally deem them "legitimate" is URC themselves.

Dear URC guy:

It would seem you are unaware of the fact that you have, basically, zero supporters (among the product-buying public) in the rigid position you are taking. While you may believe you can continue to subsist on legitimate sales (as defined by you) to rich guys who lack the skill or intelligence to program their own remote controls, truly these people are very few and very far between.

On the other hand, if your products were not so outrageously priced, there are dozens of folks just on this thread alone who would willingly buy your most excellent products at reasonable prices, be QUITE content to program it themselves, and expect no more support than any manufacturer of quality products provides: a warranty for a year, a repair channel beyond that.

You have managed to alienate most of the people who willingly buy your product. I don't know where you learned marketing, but I'd give the dean a call and ask for a refund.

Wow, you're a little on edge, huh? Legit in your eyes really means nothing in the eyes of the court. I can't speak for any other CI companies, but our company covers the manufacturers warranty plus is very understanding with clients. We have not only replaced remotes for clients free of charge when they have crapped out beyond their warranty period, but have also upgraded them in the case of poor equipment. Do you remember the RTI T-1 remotes? We had a 90% failure rate on those...we ended up getting new remotes (different manufacturer) to our clients that we sold them to and programming them for free for many of them.

AcuraCL,

Very well said.In this thread, or others Ive seen.There appears to be no supporters of URC other then the CI's.Its got to be tough on a company when they make a policy that pisses off the general populace.

P.S. DanP,
I agree 100%.In my last post,I was trying to make it as simple as possible,so as not to confuse the issue.

Why don't you read what I said a little closer...
It is not a simple YES or NO answer. It would depend on many factors: Our main concern would be whether or not the remote was handeled properlly. We are very good to all of our clients, and have hooked them up with free replacements many times.

IMO, people that buy the remotes from e-Bay, etc aren't "thieves", but you should understand that you get no support when you do buy them that way. What Eric was saying was that when they are purchased from an unauthorized seller, you have no idea whether or not they are stolen.

Stolen???? Give me a break. So, if someone wants to sell their remote on E*ay they can't because URC wants to know if it's stolen? Or is that what the CI's are using as a lame excuse. I guess if someone on AVS lists their remote in the For Sale Forum, they are automatically a criminal. Unless of course, they can prove to URC that they aren't.

I love this.....

you sir are the reason why there are so many DIY's out there.

You guys really are having fun twisting words aren't you? :rolleyes: Do I really need to go into this at length? Once upon a time there were these horrible people that ripped off a warehouse and decided to sell the stolen goods on eBay...Does this not happen frequently? If a person sold a remote they got through an authorized reseller, they could pass on the software with it...Don't you think?

I was going to come back with something funny and offensive as a response to that, but I figured I'd try to be a bit more mature than you. FWIW, I am a DIYer as well as a CI. You obviously don't get the fact that most CI installers/programmers cannot afford any of the equipment they sell and therefor do a crapload of DIY work. Or the fact that most of us were just like you at one point (just not as whiney or offensive).

Mature? Gee, I said "Sir".

I probably have kids older than you.... Oh, you meant something else.

Just like me?

Okay...

That does it. I'm reporting my offensive posts to the Mods and having them delete my account.

:)

edit; After reviewing your profile, I DO have kids older than you... nice avatar...

Ok, true enough my previous posts were guided by extreme anger for a company I once thought was producing great products for the DIY market and has been doing so well partially I am sure by word of mouth.

Also, I don't even come close to considering a $300 purchase in the ballpark of a $120 purchase, so I was only making a point that a CI can't come close to what eBay can and I don't really need a warranty that is why I buy from eBay. Thanks for clearing up the motivation behind CI's in general.

I am inthe consulting industry and I know how frustrating customers, or potential customers can be but at no point was I ever going to let them know that...then sir I would be out of business.

I didn't say you offended me, I was basically saying you were being a moron in a more respectful way.

If you got one for $120 you were very lucky. The normal price for an MX-850 on eBay is $280-$320. If you don't need what comes with buying the remote from an autorized reseller, then why are you complaining?

[quote=McNasty]I was basically saying you were being a moron in a more respectful way.


I rest my case... :) McFinished.

If you look at my previous posts you'll see that other than the URC threads today, the last time I posted here was 1.5 years ago. I found all the whining just too hard to pass up. I think it's time to take another 1-2 year vacation...

So I guess all you DIYers are anti-Nevo, anti-RTI as well? What options does this leave you? Pronto/Marantz? Harmony? In my opinion, URC has a better product than both.

I am just curious what else is out there.

I've posted here more in the past two days than I have in a year. I came looking for info to add a remote. At least I've narrowed the field.

Don't forget anti AMX/Crestron. ;)

Better research reveals the average for the last 11 auctions I found for the MX-850 was a little over $189. Still a far cry from $300.

A deciding factor in why myself and everyone else in the DIY community purchased the remote was because we could get the software and program them. If we stop buying from Costco, Amazon, eBay, Newegg, then guess what happens...they stop selling them and that means that they are no longer buying them "unauthorized" from the distributors which in turn means that URC will sell less to the distributors. So they are hurting themselves by hurting us.

Does that make sense in you highly technical and super expensive expert mind.

I recently bought my second MX-850 from Mike at Surf Remote for about $30 more than that. With the service and support I've had from him over the years, I probably would have paid more, even though I've always done all the programming myself. He did help me out with some discrete codes though and I doubt I would have got that kind of service (if they even would know what I was talking about) from an Ebayer. Plus. Mike and other authorized dealers have been helping people out on this forum and others for many years now. Well worth supporting these kind of people over the faceless Ebayers IMO, even without the warranty and software.

Not really against those products because they haven't changed the rules mid-stream. I know if I choose RTI, my dealer and I will need to work something out.

It's been said by others, but the real problem here is two-fold:

1.) They (URC) absolutely should not have gone retroactive on the policy, at least with the software itself.

2.) They have many authorized dealers that just aren't equipped to offer this service effectively thereby alienating the DIYers that even URC admits they would like to keep.


Overall, just an extremely poor implementation of a policy change. I am in the market for a remote, and was waiting for to see the 3000 replacement. But now I will likely just pull the trigger on the RTI T-3. I will be buying whatever remote I choose thru my friendly CI, but this whole thing just leaves a bad taste. What other policy might URC change in the future? Who knows, but I'm not sure I want to risk being an affected party when they do.


David

I just read this and everything appears to revolve around price.

I can buy a Dell w/ legit software or I can get the same PC online w/ most likely illegal software. Decision based on the type of person I am.

If I go up to a Custom Installer and tell him the remote I want and what I would like to get it for and that I would not return it and I would program it myself, then I'd expect a super deal. I guess it would be all about my approach.

The difference is that there is nothing illegal about the remotes people are buying from eBay, Costco, Newegg, Amazon. So not really like that at all. More like buying a Dell from Dell and then buying a Dell from Samsclub and then Dell saying that you can't get Windows updates anymore because you didn't buy it from Dell. Who cares, right, Sams Club didn't steal it!

I am not inconvenienced by the change as I fortunately have bought a few of my URC's from authorized dealers. The thing that disturbs me is not just the sudden announcement, but the reason behind it is just a bold face lie. Best Buy and Comp USA is the level of service they are shooting for? I mean that is absolutely laughable. What an insult to all of their other Authorized dealers for lumping them together with those "professionals". If this was really about top notch programming and service, there is no way Best Buy would be authorized and everybody reading this forum here knows it.

Simply stated, Eric and URC are just plain liars who have insulted everybodys intelligence with their response. If you want to change everything mid-stream and leave a lot of your most loyal fanbase high and dry, at least man up and have the stones to say why you are really doing it and quit insulting many good and decent people's intelligence, because there is no way Best Buy is going to provide anybody with any kind of "high level of knowledgeable assistance." When I think of Best Buy this is absolutely the last thing I would ever expect to read:

"Our remotes are powerful and quite advanced, and in the hands of a trained programmer they can be configured to exploit all of the rich features that provide maximum consumer benefits. While it may be possible for a hobbyist or Do-It-Yourselfer to derive partial functionality, it is our strong conviction, based upon extended experience, that our products will not deliver their maximum potential unless they are professionally programmed."

But I guess you take us all for fools. Can't wait to see the look on the face of the stoned pimple faced Best Buy employee when I take in my Mx-900 and gear list and ask him to program it for me. Thank$ for the commitment to $uch a $trong level of $ervice URC. Alway$ looking out for your customer$, right?

I was talking "Buy it Now" Prices. I just won a pair of Maui Jim glasses for $89 the other day. I saw a pair just like them in a store for $289 yesterday. Should I tell them they should lower the price? The fact is, I got them for very cheap with no warranty. They aren't illegal to get at that price, but I can't expect Maui Jim or any local retailers to honor them if something happens.
They will take a financial hit, but they probably don't care. I bet if they sold their remotes for $5 more than it takes to manufacture them, they'd sell a whole lot more to people like you. So should they do that?

This just goes to prove my theory that I'm dealing with a bunch of 3 year olds here. You have no idea how much money I make or my technical background. A technician in our company gets charged to a client less than what a local electrician costs while a programmer gets billed out at about 50% more. It truely amazes me how much hatred you guys have for CIs. Give it up, will you? I don't get pissed at my auto mechanic for charging me a bunch of money to fix my car. It's life...You can have an expert do work for you, pay them for it, and usually get it done faster and more proficient. Or you can do it yourself and save money. There is nothing wrong with doing your own work...But don't give guys that do it (to feed their families) grief because they charge for it. The funny thing is you're an engineer...what do you charge for your services? I bet if I DIY'd some local buildings or bridges I could save the town a whole bunch of money! Or is it that your "highly technical and super expensive expert mind" is over charging people for your services? ;)

I love this place. The funniest part in all of this is that all you whiners telling URC and the CIers how to run their businesses and what they should be doing are going to buy Harmonys. Thats great for all of us CIers. I say go ahead. Go to the Harmony forums. Get magnifying glasses so you can read the lcd screens and the buttons. Fire up your internet connection and get to programming... oh wait, you can't really program them. I say adios. Please keep your word and don't buy another URC product.

Do you really think URC that makes literally tens of millions of remotes a year will miss your diy purchases? Do you really think us successful CI shops will miss your incessant whining and complaining (we wont have to read it since we don't read the harmony forums)? The answer to both is no.

My favorite post here is the guy who told his parents not to go with a CI quote since it has URC remotes in it. LMAO you idiot. You think your parents are going to thank you later for you forcing Pronto or Harmony on them? Ha. And all because you're an expert who has programmed 20 remotes. I love this place.

This place is great.