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In a unique synthesis of hardware and software
engineering, Universal Remote Control has
revolutionized the standards of custom installers
for colour touch screen automation. The Complete
Control™ MX-3000 offers some superficial
similarities to previous touch screen offerings.
However, in this review of the hardware and software
specifications, it should be clear that the power of
this new design offers custom installers and end
users long needed relief in a number of key areas.
The twin goals of the design team were to improve
the elegance and usability of touch screens through
the physical design while streamlining the
programming process to REDUCE THE TIME required to
install a touch screen.
Ergonomic Principles
Touch screens for automating and controlling
home theatres have been an important tool in the
arsenal of custom installers for years. The
usefulness of the touch screen lies in the
installer's power to control the user interface and
customize it to the client's needs specifically. To
end users, the success of touch screens in the
high-end home theatre market has been a double edged
sword. On the one hand, a touch screen offers
understandable controls, powerful automation and a
delightful aesthetic alternative to the clutter of
conventional remote controls on the coffee table. On
the other hand, touch screen users have
traditionally suffered from ergonomic challenges
that conventional remote controls do not.
Easy Operation
By assigning the important home theatre
operational buttons to the natural resting place of
the end users thumbs, the MX-3000 achieves a new
standard in use and comfort. |
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Physical Ergonomics
For an end user who surfs or loves to make
fine adjustments to the home theatre, the touch
screen is constantly in their hands. The MX-3000
has a number of refinements to keep it
comfortably in their hands. The most important
is the use of advanced technology and materials
to make the touch screen as light in weight as
possible. Through the use of lithium ion battery
technology and other innovations, the weight of
the touch screen has been reduced to less than
11 ounces.
Automatic Backlighting
The integral motion sensor detects any
movement of the touch screen and automatically
backlights the screen. The user does not have to
press any button to display the screen. Any
movement of the MX-3000 renews the backlighting.
Without movement, the touch screen stays lit for
1 to 99 seconds (programmed by the installer).
The backlighting is extremely effective, even
under direct sunlight. Utilizing the latest CCFL
(Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) technology, the
screen is vividly illuminated in a dark room and
perfectly readable outdoors.
Animated in 65,535 Colours
Powered by a 206MHz RISC microprocessor, the
MX-3000 offers installers the first touch screen
designed for animation. The powerful central
processor enables quick, fluid page transitions
and animated macros that entertain the client as
your programmed automation goes to work
configuring their system for them. The 3.5"
screen offers a 320x240 pixel window to any
graphic you as the installer care to provide.
You can place BMP's, JPEG's, PNG's, GIF's or
animated GIF's on any button.
The World of Sound
Equipped with a speaker and any PC
recording, you can add talking help buttons
(recorded on any PC with a microphone) or music
to your macros via any WAV file.
Long Macros via Reliable, Robust RF/IR
Repeating Add-On
Traditional touch screens generate their
automation via macros of IR commands. During a
long macro, the user must hold the remote steady
and pointed at the equipment to ensure that all
commands are received by the components. The
MX-3000 includes remarkable new RF technology
that provides seamless communication between the
remote and the components via RF. As a result,
the end user no longer needs to point the remote
during a long macro. Once the button is pressed,
the MX-3000 transmits the macro to the MRF-250
RF/MRF-300 RF Base Station (sold separately),
which repeats the commands flawlessly regardless
of whether the remote is even in the customers
hands.
The MRF-250/MRF-300 RF Base Station receives RF
signals from the MX-3000 and transmits commands
to all components in the space (cabinet or room)
either through the MRF-250 Base/MRF-300 RF
Station's Front IR Blaster or the six plug-in
flashers.
The MX-3000 and MRF-250/MRF-300 RF Base Station
consistently achieves a range of 75 to 100 feet
without any interference, even in hostile RF
environments with multiple satellite receivers,
computers or PVR's (all these components
generate significant interference to RF remote
control). The combination of troubleshooting
LED's and the easy repositioning of the base
station and its antenna leads to easy, trouble
free installation in the most active
environments.
Eliminate Plasma TV Interference Without
Expensive "Plasma-Proof" IR Sensors
Because the MX-3000 can issue both line-of-sight
IR and omnidirectional RF, plasma television
sets can be controlled directly via IR, while
out of sight A/V components are controlled via
RF without the need for any IR repeater
installation. Whether equipment is behind closed
doors, inside cabinets, in other rooms of the
house or even outdoors, the MX-3000 will send
the necessary commands without pointing the
remote controller at any A/V components.
Utilize Identical TV's or Other Components
Without External "Black Box Routers"
A single MRF-250 RF/MRF-300 RF Base Station can
route the IR commands of up to six identical
components. In houses with identical TVs or
Satellite receivers spread around the house, you
can install additional MRF-250 RF/MRF-300 RF
Base Stations. Each MRF-250/MRF-300 RF is
assigned one of 15 unique ID Numbers allowing up
to 15 equipment locations in a single
installation. Each MRF-250/MRF-300 RF Base
Station can be controlled from any MX-3000. A
system can be comprised of any number of
MX-3000's, MRF- 250's/MRF-300's . If desired,
each MRF-250/MRF-300 RF Base Station can have a
dedicated MX-3000 programmed only for the
components in that room. For instance, a single
MX-3000 may be used to control three different
locations, or each location can have its own
MX-3000.
Software Designed for the Professional
Installer
Home Theatre
Master created new standards with the
introduction of the MX-700 and MX-800 Editor
programs for the combination LCD/Hard Button IR/RF
remote controls. For the first time, the custom
installation professional has software designed
to speed programming and installation. Around
the world, the MX series of hybrid LCD remotes
has found huge success because of the
professional orientation of the software. Touch
Screens introduce many complications for the
professional installer. Yes, now you can label
any button with any length label, but now you
have the added chore of selecting, arranging and
aligning all of the graphical buttons of the
user interface. In some installations, the
artistic part of the programming can take days
with other touch screen programming packages.
The MX-3000 Editor enhances the reputation
earned by the MX-700 and MX-800 software. In
every operation, the design team found ways to
speed the process of programming a touch screen
for a professional installation. Rather than
forcing installers to create their own graphics
and buttons, Home Theatre
Master GUI designer, Dale Crawford (renowned for
his EasyTheater template for touch screens)
unleashed a torrent of creativity, producing
hundreds of icons and new button designs,
organized into templates and themes that can be
instantly swapped into place by the installer.
MX-3000 Editor allows you to create your own
designs as well, but with an added twist. You
can save your designs as templates or themes and
reuse them over and over again, without the
labour of programming each button individually.
The end result is a totally customizable
production environment for professional
installers.
Quick and Easy Understanding of Uploaded
Configurations
The age old problem. One installer is asked
to fix the problems of another installer. With
MX-3000 Editor, understanding the programming of
another installer is effortless. Simply upload
the file from the remote, and examine it in
Simulator View. Each button is flagged with a
symbol identifying whether it is programmed with
a Macro, a pre-programmed code, a learned code,
an alias or a punch through. By browsing through
the pages of the configuration, you quickly
identify the change you need to make since every
button is instantly identifiable without
clicking or double clicking.
Powerful Macros With Sounds, Text Changes,
Multiple Page Jumps, Variables, Press Times,
Delays and IR Commands
The MX-3000 supports unprecedented macro
flexibility and power. Utilizing a spreadsheet
style of action list, the installer can program
macros with much more flexibility than any past
touch screen program. Each row in the
spreadsheet represents a macro step, but the
installer can now program several functions to
occur at the same time. Thus a command can be
issued, a sound played, a message displayed on
the button and a variable can be set all at
once.
IR Code Editing
Extensive editing of learned and database
codes is possible. Now, projectors that require
a sustained burst of 4 to 5 seconds can be
automated, since the software enables you to
edit the time the code is sent during a macro.
Carrier frequency, single code repeats and
labels can be saved.
Use Variables For Personalization of Macros
Macros can set up to 255 custom variables.
By creating variables for each of your users,
you can program macros that perform different
steps for different users. Advanced programmers
may utilize variables for their own purposes,
creating dynamic interfaces for clients that
shift with activity or purpose.
Import CCF and other Tools For Professional
Installers
During programming, you can call on a number
of powerful tools to ease the process. Import
ccf configurations, open galleries of button art
or pre-recorded sounds. An emulator of the
remote control itself enables you to quickly
check navigation and button art in use. Timers
and clocks can be added to any button for
display or automation.
Unprecedented Control of Text, Graphics and
Animation
With the MX-3000, you can instantly set the
parameters of any buttons text and graphics. You
can select fonts, styles, and colours for your
text and align multiple lines of text on one
button if you like. Button art can be
automatically inverted after a press or swapped
out for an alternate image. Animated GIF files
can be looped or run once at your discretion.
All Complete Control™ Remotes Now Use Narrow
Band RF
The latest versions of URC’s Complete Control
remotes use rock-solid Narrow Band RF for
improved resistance to RF interference. The
Complete Control line-up includes the following
remote controls: MX-3000, TX-1000, MX-950,
MX-900, MX-850, MX-650 and MX-350—and the very
new MX-980, MX-810, MX-880 and MX-6000. In
Narrow Band RF base stations, URC offers the
MRF-350 and the new MRF-260. The MSC-400 Master
System Controller also uses Narrow Band RF. The
MRF-350 and MSC-400 come complete with an
RFX-250 Narrow Band RF antenna.
All Complete Control remotes manufactured after
November 1, 2006 (and all MX-3000s since April
2005) are compatible and utilize the new Narrow
Band RF technology.
You can identify the build date of a URC remote
control by looking at the serial number. The
first six digits indicate the build date. If the
serial number appears as 122905 014054, for
example, the first six digits tell you that the
remote was built on December 29, 2005.
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