Question about controlling Zone 2..

[Kingdaddy]

Can the sidekick remote be programmed to operate the second Zone? As it is I must select Zone on the main remote or front panel to make the sidekick remote operate Zone 2, surely there is a way to make this remote just operate Zone 2, that’s what it for isn’t it?

[Kingdaddy]

Wow, I really stumped the band on this one, I thought this would be an easy one. I placed 3 calls to Parasound Tech Support but couldn't get anyone so I left a message but no one has called me back. I've always been under the impression that the sidekick remote was intended for Zone 2, do they really expect you to carry the main remote to the other Zone to adjust volume?

[Kingdaddy]

OK, I was going to copy the commands from the main remote Zone 2 Volume to the sidekick remote Volume buttons, but I cant figure out how. The new MX editor version I downloaded from the Parasound web site (1.11.184) does not have a virtual sidekick remote, only a button on the toolbar. No help files that I can find anywhere, no explanation of how to program the sidekick that I can find anywhere, no idea how to select the proper button of the sidekick without some visual aide.


Anyone here have any experience programming the sidekick with this version of MX Editor?

[Hirogen]

Wow, I really stumped the band on this one, I thought this would be an easy one. I placed 3 calls to Parasound Tech Support but couldn't get anyone so I left a message but no one has called me back.

Since you were not called back, I suggest sending them an e-mail to their generic address (service@parasound.com). That way there's a good chance you will get the answer you're waiting for.

[Kingdaddy]

They did finally call back, and they suggested what I already knew would work in a pinch, that is to copy the command from the main remote and paste it in the sidekick remote volume buttons. However, that's when I ran into the problem of the new MX Editor software not having the sidekick remote in the program to copy the commands to.


Guess I could call back and wait another 2 days for an answer from Parasound, but I was sure someone on this forum had some prior experience with this.

Is everyone on vacation here, sure is dead lately.

[Chris D]

Sorry... actually, yes, I've been on a trip all week.

Ummm... are you sure that the "virtual" Sidekick disappeared from the new MXEditor? I rolled back to a previous version of MXEditor because the new one currently posted on the Parasound download webpage would not run LiveUpdate properly. (side note--there is a new MXEditor Live Update file available today--run Live Update to get it!)

There should be a tab on the top of the "virtual" remote pictured on the left of the MXEditor screen for you to choose the Sidekick, too.

In any case, no, the Sidekick isn't intended for Zone 2. It's purpose is to be a "remote control for dummies" that can be used with very simple, but limited, functions in the main Zone.

As for MAKING it work in Zone 2, yes, just send any commands to the Sidekick you choose, whether they're for Zone 2 or not.

Have you done the discrete zone command update? That would help this process.

[Kingdaddy]

Figured out the problem with the software. Somehow the view pain to the left was minimized, well it's hard to explain, not exactly minimized in the traditional sense. The bar on the right of the view pain was somehow docked all the way to the left so you could not see the view pain, and was stuck. After some time of trying to drag the bar over to the right to make the pain larger it finally let go and allowed dragging. As I said it's hard to explain, tried to reproduce it and cant. If I drag the right bar over to the left it won’t go completely over, you can still see part of the view pain, not like before where it was completely hidden.

Very strange, but all is good now, I have the sidekick programmed to operate only Zone 2. Now I have to get some kind of IR receiver for the second zone, it never ends.