Remote Shoppe is dedicated to Remote Controls

Rating 4 out of 5 stars – Whether you consider the MX-3000 a top of the line home theater remote or an introductory level touch screen control panel you’ll be equally satisfied.

Pros – Wide screen touch panel layout, Hard buttons for common features, Automatic remote and backlight activation, unlimited PC customization with MX Editor software, and Rechargeable LiIon battery

Cons – Not ideal for heavy DVR viewers. Requires 2 hand operation for most comfort. Eease of use is directly related to how well you set-up the remote so proper planning, some elementary design skills and a lot of time are a big help

First Impressions
The MX-3000 is positioned as a high-end home theater remote and is well packaged along those lines. The remote arrived in a very slick black and silver box along with all of the necessary accessories including the charging cradle and USB cable. The MX Editor software was not in the box but it is easily found on URC’s web site. I actually prefer the download since I know I am getting started with the most up to date software revision.

The MX3000 remote itself is unlike anything else available in its class. While it is most often compared to the Philips Pronto Pro NG TSU7000 the remote’s design is more similar to AMX or Crestron touch panels sold at much higher prices. So much so in fact that the MX3000 has been repackaged as an introductory level Crestron product. The most attractive feature of this remote is the wide screen design as opposed to the more traditional handheld PDA type design like the Philips Pronto. Call me crazy but can you think of any better way to complement your new 16x9 HD TV than with a remote of similar design? I would also argue that this layout makes it easier to access the hard buttons or commands on the touch screen. I have always felt more comfortable using two hands to operate any touch screen remote and URC embraces that with their design. Just grab the MX 3000 on both sides and you’ll find your thumbs resting comfortably across their respective halves for quick access to all buttons. I have also become pretty adept at handling the remote with one hand by supporting the unit on the arm of my LaZBoy while I hunt and peck for the desired commands.

Setup
The MX3000 is configured entirely on your computer with the MX-3000 Editor software. MX Editor is a WYSIWYG design application that combines professional customization capabilities with a fairly easy to use interface. You can choose from several included templates, hundreds of pre-programmed IR codes and basic page set-ups for adequate use. The MX-3000 Editor walks you through 7 steps in setting up devices
1. Create & Name Devices
2. Create Button Layouts
3. Pre-programmed IR Database
4. Learn IR
5. Punch through
6. Macro Programming
7. RF Control

In addition to these steps you can control each and every element in the devices with unlimited macros and programmed jumps to walk you through the many possible pages. You can also add custom graphics (BMP, JPG, GIF and PNG with transparency), animations (GIF) and sound effects to any buttons you wish. The sound effects are especially useful in increasing the overall “Spouse Acceptance Factor” since the audible cue provides feedback from the touchscreen substituting for the tactile response expected from pressing hard buttons. The MX Editor software can certainly warrant it’s own dedicated review but for now let’s just say that this application has a more user friendly GUI than competitive software while still offering all of the advanced features the more savvy programmer would expect.

More Noteworthy Observations
Ease of use – The combination of a high quality color touchscreen and more than a dozen hard buttons are close to perfect. The IR range is awesome and the optional RF capability make the MX3000 ideal for just about every home theater application.

Power –LiIon battery provides an adequate run time of several days and since it may be placed on the charging cradle at any time without worrying about battery memory problems, I have yet to be faced with a dead remote. The auto sleep/wake functions operate well and are sensitive enough to prevent frustration. The second you pick up the MX3000 it wakes up and is ready for your command. This eliminates the double key press often required by other touchscreen remotes.

Room for Improvement
IMHO, the MX3000 is just a few hard buttons away from perfection. The addition of transport keys (play, rew, ff) would make the remote much more user friendly for the avid DVR/Tivo viewer. I would also like to see some more powerful design tools within the MX-3000 Editor software such as advanced auto-align, page transitions and the ability to import layered Photoshop documents where each layer may quickly be recognized as a button and programmed accordingly.

Why You Should Buy the MX-3000?
Before you spend close to $1,000 on the MX3000 you must be convinced that you are ready for touchscreen technology. The obvious advantage of the touchscreen is unlimited customization but some people will never get used to it and would prefer a complete hard button unit. Once you are convinced that touchscreen is the way to go the MX300o becomes an excellent choice. The widescreen design and blend of hard button controls are state-of-the-art, the programming software is both easy and powerful and the company, Universal Remote Control has one of the best reputations in the industry for quality products, knowledgeable tech support and phenomenal customer service.

Order the Home Theater Master IR/RF Color Touchscreen Remote MX-3000 from Smarthome.com