MX-700 Remote -Andrew?

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  • SiliGoose
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2000
    • 942

    MX-700 Remote -Andrew?

    Andrew,

    I just picked up an MX-700 (yes, I'm a traitor to my Pronto). So far, it looks to be very powerful. I'm wondering if you have any experience with this remote?

    I want to do a SuperNudeList type control of my CD changer with this remote. I was wondering if you (or anyone else out there) has ever heard of such a set-up with the MX-700. It should be possible as there is a good deal of RAM and the screen is good enough to display titles.




    -Sili
    www.campmurphy.net
  • Andrew Pratt
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Aug 2000
    • 16507

    #2
    Goose I've only ever looked at those remotes so I can't comment to much. I do know someone that knows them very well though so I'll have him stop by. I don't believe there's any SNL version for the theatermasters though.




    Comment

    • GregoriusM
      Super Senior Member
      • Oct 2000
      • 2755

      #3
      Goose

      The only way you can do it is by creating macros on any button that you have named that you can identify as the CD you want to play.

      You have the 5 FAV pages = 50 entries. And 4 x 10 = 40 entries for each device of the 20 that you don't use.

      That will most probably give you enough buttons to launch any CD that you need.

      If you need help on how to to this, let me know.

      ... Greg
      .
      Gregor

      Comment

      • SiliGoose
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2000
        • 942

        #4
        Thank you.

        I programmed the remote yesterday. It wasn't nearly as fun (or as frustrating) to program as a Pronto. It's just missing the creative element you get with the graphics in a Pronto.

        However, the functionality of the remote is very impressive. It's much more seamless in terms of integration of multiple components than the Pronto. That is, it integrates them better for beginner users or HT novices. The Pronto is perfect for us HT pros but I think most average people out ther would prefer the MX-700.

        The build quality is pretty stunning too. Where the Pronto case flexes due to its design the MX-700 is a rock. The "gemstone" buttons are fantastic and the button layout is near perfect. Best of all is the IR power. This thing can hit its mark from anywhere...even from the next room by bouncing off the walls. I thought the Pronto had a powerful IR emitter!




        -Sili
        www.campmurphy.net

        Comment

        • Chris D
          Moderator Emeritus
          • Dec 2000
          • 16877

          #5
          This is good to hear. The MX-700 is something that I'm definitely looking at doing. I like having tactile feel of buttons so I can press them without even looking at the remote, so the MX-700 looks like a perfect compromise for me.

          I've heard very very little bad opinions of the 700.




          CHRIS
          Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
          CHRIS

          Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
          - Pleasantville

          Comment

          • Chris D
            Moderator Emeritus
            • Dec 2000
            • 16877

            #6
            I'd like to revive this topic, as I know many here use the MX-700. I just got this remote, coming packaged with the Parasound Halo C1/C2 controllers.

            So far, I like the remote. Has a nice feel to it, with a rubber feel on the right spots of the buttons and backings, plastic or metal feel on the other right spots. Fits fairly well in my average-to-slightly-large hand, although it's a little on the large size. Might be a bit big for those with smaller hands. And boy, does it look cool at night.

            One thing that suprises me is that the display screen is always on, instead of becoming active when a key is pressed or something. I wonder if this is going to drain the batteries faster. Fairly good navigation setup through the display screen.

            Does anyone use the small 2nd buddy remote? I don't envision myself using this one at all.

            Can't wait to hook it up to the computer and do custom programming. Should be good. I'll be making a macro or two, like one to dim the lights, open the curtain, and start the DVD intro going. We'll see how that turns out.

            One thing I'm not sure about yet is the directional hat. My experience with these types of multi-directional buttons on remotes, usually DVD remotes, is that you often inadvertently press the center of the hat, engaging the "enter" function, while trying to press the side of the hat button to select a directional arrow. This has really bugged me on the other remotes. Again, we'll see if that holds true for the MX-700 also.




            CHRIS
            Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
            CHRIS

            Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
            - Pleasantville

            Comment

            • Sonnie Parker
              • Jan 2002
              • 2858

              #7
              You should really like this remote Chris... I love mine and it's very easy to program via the computer program.

              I don't consider the display being on all the time a problem. My batteries last several months then I recharge them. The remote does not eat batteries as I've had some others do (namely my last Sony LCD remote).

              I've never used the Sidekick remote. If it had numbers on it then I might but with so few buttons it really is a wasted product for me.

              As far as your joystick pad, I don't think you'll have a problem with that. You have to press pretty firmly to activate "enter". I can't remember that I've ever accidentally pressed it. It works very well.

              I am very pleased with my MX-700 and am constantly finding new macro's to store as I use it more and more.






              SONNIE

              Cedar Creek Cinema

              DVD Collection

              BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

              Comment

              • Chris D
                Moderator Emeritus
                • Dec 2000
                • 16877

                #8
                (reposted from a thread of mine over in Club Parasound, for those who are interested in the generalized version of the MX-700)

                I did a bunch of programming with the MX-700 last weekend.

                WOW. Overall, this is definitely the remote that I've been waiting for. All the times that I've had another remote and though, "you know, I wish I could just make this remote do ______", the MX-700 does most of it. The 700 model is IR only, so you don't get the RF capability of the MX-800 model. But for me, I'm building an IR repeater system throughout my theater, so RF isn't necessary for me.

                I like how high-powered the remote is with computer programming. All the times I've used my analog remotes in the past, I've enjoyed them, but always ran out of capability with the programming. The remote wouldn't be able to learn a certain code, or I wouldn't be able to build a macro the way I want it, I'd have to program a special button with a unique feature, but then remember what it does without a label, or something. But with the computer capability and LCD screen, there is so much you can do with this thing. I love it!

                Now, setting up this remote is definitely not for the average consumer, who would be in over their heads and not want to spend this much time. But for installers who program for a customer, and ESPECIALLY for the enthusiast who wants to make their system perfect with lots of little tweaks, this remote rocks.

                For starters, the hard buttons encompass the basic features of most pieces of equipment, with the number pad, thumb joystick, channel, volume, play/stop/rew/etc. That's cool for me. The reason that I didn't want to go with an all-LCD remote is that I like being able to push buttons by feel, without having to stare at the remote every time to make sure I'm pushing the right button. But with only hard buttons, you lose versatility and customization, so I like the few LCD buttons, too. That way, I can properly program and label unique buttons of my equipment, such as the "THX" button of the Halo C1 processor, and be able to find it.

                So far, I haven't had any problems with the thumb hat switch joystick, which I had been worried about. Other remotes that I've used with this style of switch have been clumsy, so that if you push the center of the button as "enter", you often accidentally will push the hat slightly in one direction, also actuating the directional feature at the same time. I haven't had this happen with the MX-700.

                I was able to find most of the IR devices I needed in the MXEditor software, once I updated it from the remote's website. I wasn't able to find IR files on Remote Central's archive for any of my other devices, so I'll have to create a few manually myself. No big deal. I got into a few macros, which were easy to program. There's so much more capability there, though, that I haven't even touched yet. Once my entire theater is done, I'll be doing much more, like creating a "Start" macro, that once pressed, begins everything like opening the curtains, playing the DVD intro, changing my light scene, etc. (by the way, that's pretty cool that this remote can automatically control a Lutron light system) Using hidden menus, hidden devices, and such, can be powerful if you're a creative programmer.

                The FAV (favorites) menu feature is rather neat. Great way to access your favorite features and TV shows without having to search for and/or type in channel listings and such. Just press "HDNet", and the channel comes up right away.

                One thing that I found really neat was recommended solutions for toggle buttons that are non-discrete. That sounds fancy, but really is useful. For example, the remote codes for the Halo C1 processor On and Off features are discrete, meaning that they are two separate codes. If the unit is on, and I press the "On" button, nothing happens and it stays on. But on my cheaper Kenwood CD player, the power button is a toggle, using one code for both on and off. So if I have the Kenwood "On" code programmed into a macro, and the unit is already on for whatever reason, it will actually turn it off, exactly the opposite of what I want to happen. But using the solution tricks, I can get around that, making the power like a discrete code. (without getting into detail, one way is to use a feature that automatically powers on the unit if it is off, like "Play". So to turn on the unit, you can program "Play", "Stop". That will turn the unit on if it's off, and just leave it on if it already is)

                I do have a few things that are minor gripes so far. First, I don't know why hard buttons of "chapter forward" and "chapter reverse" aren't included on the remote. It does have "scan forward" and "scan reverse", which is a good start. But any CD, DVD, and other player is automatically going to have the chapter buttons as standard needed buttons, so these would have been better as hard buttons instead of needing to take up LCD buttons.

                Along with more capability does come a downside, too. With the ability to program so many features for each component, you have to do some extra steps to control two components at once. For instance, to test out a DVD, I have to use the DVD controls, then go to the main menu, select the Halo C1 processor to control, and then toggle the features that I want like sound field, THX, etc, then go back to the main menu, switch back over to DVD control, etc. It gets a little tedious. Being able to access all components simultaneously would be nice, but would require way, way too many buttons on the remote to make it user friendly. A disappointing but necessary trade-off. "Puch-through" buttons help that always control a certain feature (i.e. Halo C1 volume) regardless of the component selected. And I might create a global device that simultaneously allows certain features from each component. So in the "global" device mode, I could control satellite TV channels with the number pad and channel buttons, DVD player with the hat switch and play/stop/etc buttons, and Halo C1 processor with other hard buttons and LCD custom buttons.

                Unfortunately, my main computer that I use for the remote programming is in a different room than the theater, so each time I need to test it out, I have to disconnect from the computer, go into the other room, try it out, figure out needed changes, then go back to the computer and reconnect. Using a laptop would be so much easier. Also, the serial port connector is a little slow by nature and takes some time to upload/download. Not a huge issue, but USB or firewire connectors might be easier and quicker for future models.

                I've already used up a set of batteries. I think they drain quicker by multiple programming and upload/downloads. Ah, no big deal. Batteries are cheap.

                I'll keep posting more as I use this thing.




                CHRIS
                Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
                CHRIS

                Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                - Pleasantville

                Comment

                • Chris D
                  Moderator Emeritus
                  • Dec 2000
                  • 16877

                  #9
                  This remote has me wanting to pick up a few more units just like it, for use in the other rooms in my house. That would sure standardize the remotes around the house and make them much easier to use for my family. Big $$$, though.




                  CHRIS
                  Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"
                  CHRIS

                  Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                  - Pleasantville

                  Comment

                  • vaa
                    Junior Member
                    • Aug 2004
                    • 15

                    #10
                    Hey Chris, You can get the RF module seperate and I'm 99% sure it will work with the MX-700. If I were you I'd get that rather than the IR repeater. It's nice not having to aim at anything. I've setup many MX-600's and find that they work great.

                    Comment

                    • vaa
                      Junior Member
                      • Aug 2004
                      • 15

                      #11
                      Well, I found out that the RF modulator will NOT work with the MX-700. They are coming out with new models that will support RF. The new Models look nice. Keep an eye out for them.

                      Comment

                      • Chris D
                        Moderator Emeritus
                        • Dec 2000
                        • 16877

                        #12
                        Yeah, the MX-800 is RF and has been out for a while. I think Sonnie has one, actually. I'm pretty happy still with the MX-700 and Xantech IR system. This is a remote that I haven't even begun to fully exploit opportunities for.
                        CHRIS

                        Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                        - Pleasantville

                        Comment

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