I would like to make Direct Bypass the default when I power up. How do I do this?

Jay

From my experience with the 950, I'm afraid that this is not an option.

My solution when using the 950's remote was to create a macro (I think I used "M3" for it) that allowed me to switch to stereo bypass mode while controlling any device - without having to go to the "AUD" mode on the remote and then back to the device in question. Since I upgraded to an MX500 remote, I put a button for "bypass" on the screen for the CD mode that I hit when I want to listen to CD's.

Thanks, Gonk for the response... It's a minor nuisance. Using three remotes (for the 950, the Cineza projector and the dvd/cd/sacd player) makes me very important in my household. No one else understands how to work the thing!

Jay

No problem. At one time, I had been able to get the 950's remote set up to pretty smoothly operate all of the components (the 950, TV, DVD player, cable box, and VCR), but I think the $100 I spent on the MX500 remote was the best received upgrade I've made as far as my wife is concerned - there are still cases where she can get a little lost, but by and large it works fine.

Gonk,

You've piqued my interest. I've done a little research on the Universal Remote MX500 which is available for about $70 now. On their website, they have a similar model URC-200 with a $15 rebate for about $115 (after rebate.) Are they similar? Do they have the Outlaw 950 code built into 'em? Any other comments before I jump?

Jay

I've now used a couple different Universal Remote products (the 950's remote is an SL-9000 with the LCD display removed) and have been consistently pleased with them. I even wrote up a review of the MX500 last year, if you are interested. The URC-200 (and its siblings the 100 and 300) are Universal's fairly new line of "consumer" remotes (unlike the Home Theater Master remotes like the MX500 that were theoretically only sold to custom installers). Remote Central has a review of all three URC remotes that may offer you some good info on how they differ from the MX500 and its siblings. Are they similar? Oh, yeah - Universal just tweaked the basic concept to preserve the MX series as a more "high end" line while retaining pretty much all the strengths of the MX's. I have a possibly biased preference for the MX500, but the URC-200 is still a pretty slick looking remote. The URC remotes do include a code for Outlaw (it's 342, to be exact) that I would expect to get most or all of the 950's commands covered - since that's the same code included for Atlantic Tech (whose only pre/pro or receiver product is a 950 clone) and Fosgate Audionics (whose FAP-T1 is based on the 950 chassis), it's most likely that this code has been developed primarily for the 950. I don't know if current production runs of the MX remotes also include this - the two families look to share the same code database, so it's very possible that new MX500's today would include the 342 code. Either way, I've relied mostly on learning commands for my MX500 rather than using the code library.

Another remote you might want to check out is the Harmony SST-659 (now logitech). I've had the MX 500, the Philips Pronto and the Marantz RC5000 and this is by far my famiy's favorite. It groups activities to specific buttons such as "watch tv" or "watch a movie" and you program everything via the net. Also uses "smart state" technology so it automatically remembers if a device is already turned on so your marcos don't mess up.

Best of luck.

Well, Gonk, based on your excellent review and the $71 price from Bluedo, an authorized dealer w/ a two year warranty offer and a promise of the latest version, I've ordered the MX-500 remote. I too have a 950 used with a Pioneer universal player, a Sony Cineza 20 front projector,an lfm-1, and five Mackie monitors. I'm hopeful that codes will work with this stuff but, I know I can "teach" the remote everything I need. I'm really looking forward to creating macros. After I switch on the Brick power supply I'll press Macro 1 which will power up the 950, Pioneer and Sony, switch each to the correct input and allow me to control the transport functions and volume with ONE remote. Yippee! (It may even allow my family to use the ht without my presence!)
This is gonna be good. Thanks for your advice!

Jay

I think it's a good choice, especially at that price. Enjoy it.

JMS- Got your MX-500 running yet? I am about a week behing you, placing an order this morning. I am counting on the WAF for this unit to be high, too. My wife watches tv a lot and feels limited to juat the options available on the Sony tv remote.

Bridge Guy:

Just got it last night. BTW, the ordering experience at Bluedo was excellent. Best price, two year warranty, lots of website info and tips. Since I anticipate having to program everything in via learning from the other remotes, this may be a long process. Eventually I want to be able to press M1 and have the front projector go on and switch to component input, the 950 go on and switch to Direct Bypass, and the Pioneer dvd universal to power up. (I switch on my active speakers with a Brick power supply.) Then I want to be able to power everything down with one push of the System Off button even though the projector requires two pushes of its off button. I'll let you know when and if I succeed. Hey, Gonk: Do you predict that the MX-500 will be able to do all that? (The front projector, btw, uses an infrared remote. I was concerned about that...)

Jay

That should all be feasible. The only problem I've had with macros is actually a quirk of my TV, which doesn't like getting any commands - such as telling it to switch to DVI input - for a couple seconds after it powers up (which could be solved with a number of pauses, but I've been avoiding doing that because other people in the house don't tend to wait that long for a macro to finish). The MX500 should be able to learn the projector's commands without trouble.

I've been using the MX500 for about a couple of years and have been very happy with it. I tried replacing it with the Sony RM-AV3000, but never really liked it. The Sony made me realize that I'm a "button guy", I like being able to make all the changes without looking at the remote. But the MX500 does have excellent backlight if you need it. I ended up mostly teaching the remote how to operate, my components never really matched up with their database. It is the easiest remote to program and teach that I've owned.

I sent one to my brother for a birthday gift a couple of years ago, but he never really got around to using it, so the last trip to visit him I gave him the Sony and set it up for he and his wife, as they have mostly Sony components. Maybe on my next trip I'll take back the MX500 since I have another system that I'd like to operate with one, and his is only gathering dust. I'll probably have to get them a Harmony/Logitech one next so that he can use the web interface.

Anybody looking for a very good universal remote owes it to themselves to give the MX-500 a try.

Jeff

Well, I'm pleased to report I've got my MX-500 up and running though I had to think about it for five days! Now I understand: When the manual says press the key on the MX you wish to teach, it implies that you've got to let go of it. Duh! Once I figured that out, the learning process was incredibly easy! Next step: teaching it some macros. I think I'll write a "script" before I start to program the macros since sometimes I was creative assigning keys to functions not addressed in the pages keys. Here's a question: I've assigned power on and power off to the on and off buttons on the MX. When I program the macros must I power on for each component separately?
Thanks for your help gentlemen!

Jay

JMS-

I bogged on the same issue, i.e., holding a button down rather that just a momentary press. For a while I had the volume going up in both directions!

Now I am stuck on power on/off of all things. My AUD button on the original 950 remote has been odd for some time (an odd AUD); I've been turning the 950 on using another button or FM and switching back. Too, the MX-500 manual is vague on using the power button. At the moment, POWER turns the 950 on and SYSTEM OFF shuts it down, it this correct? How do you do this?

About the only other progress I've made has been assigning some FAV buttons to their Directv channels. Afraid this programming may be a long process, if ever. I may be like jeffdavis’ brother, hope not.

Aside to jeffdavis in Morgantown, what happened to our special team?


Bridge Guy (WVU 1961)


Another curiosity; how does one get promoted to gunslinger?

It isn't necessarily obvious from the manual, but the Power On and System Off buttons can be used either as buttons with commands learned to each device or as macro buttons - but not both. I use System Off as a power off macro for the core components used by my wife (it shuts down the TV, cable box, and 950), while the M1 button turns those same devices on and switches the remote and the 950 to the cable box. Power On is the power command for each device (it's "power off" for the 950, and I have "power on" programmed to a LCD button labeled "PWRON" - although I pretty much never use it).

JMS - what sorts of macros do you plan to set up? You wouldn't need to include power on and off commands if you've got a separate macro in place to cover that.

Bridge Guy - Deputy Gunslingers get promoted to Gunslinger after their fifteenth post.

Right! Is there anyone else who learns things as I do? I seem to "process" information subliminally for a while then, shazam, I "get" it and then it's clear sailing. When I was practicing piano for hours each day I'd often finish the practice without mastering something. Then, the next day I could do it. I guess my "processor" isn't a pentium brain! Why doesn't the MX-500 manual state that one should "learn" power-on and off to other locations to reserve the System On and Off buttons for macros? I think I could edit the manual to make it very clear! (Reminds me of my boss' direcions: "Make a right off 91 onto 330." He neglected to say whether I should be heading north or south on 91. TG for Mapquest!)

Jay