URC debuts MX-5000 universal remote with haptic feedback
by Donald Melanson 
posted Jul 20th 2009 at 2:59PM
URC has rolled out some pretty impressive remotes in its day, and it looks like it now has another claim to fame with what appears to be the first universal remote control with haptic feedback. That comes in the form of the company's new MX-5000 remote (pictured above with the touchscreen-centered MX-6000), which has a 2.7-inch touchscreen that URC says provides a "'very satisfying sensation" when you press one of the onscreen buttons. Otherwise, you can expect it to pack built-in WiFi, narrowband RF and IR to let you control just about anything you can throw at it, along with an included base station to accommodate various IR and RS-232 components and, of course, a built-in rechargeable battery and charging base. No word on a price just yet, but URC says the MSRP will be "less than $1,500." Yes, fifteen hundred dollars.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jon @ Jul 20th 2009 3:18PM
Ugly ... Ewww ... Harmony One baby
Chad @ Jul 20th 2009 3:19PM
That's right! My remote costs as much as the damn TV. What of it?
miko34 @ Jul 20th 2009 3:34PM
To fix the economy, we must all ... oh wait, this isn't a giveaway?
Aw, shucks.
Ken @ Jul 20th 2009 4:08PM
I don't have problems selling MX-3000's and even MX-6000's to my customers.
These customers are not you and I who screw around on the internet - these are rich people who are putting a $25,000 system in the family room of their $2,000,000 ski cabin that they visit 2 weeks out of the year.
Jon @ Jul 21st 2009 6:08PM
Still looks like crap , no matter the Price
Casey @ Jul 20th 2009 4:21PM
Ken is right, I was going to post a response on engadget about everyone bitching about the price, but why waste my time. I think they refuse to acknowledge that the high end CEDIA channel does not exist and Popcorn Hour + their harmony 880 is better than everything.
At $1,500 this would be considered the budget option in many custom integrator's bids, probably behind something like RTI, Control4 or Crestron.
If a customer is spending $100k + for a whole home AV and automation system for a multi-million dollar home, then $1,500 is not that big of a deal.
miko34 @ Jul 20th 2009 4:37PM
Of course, there's no problem selling these to rich people. They basically have their CPA's write them off in their taxes so that they get them free.
If I were that rich, I personally would rather give that money to a worthy charity or science project even if I gave already. I'd be too embarrassed to pay $1500 for a remote.
Lucas @ Jul 20th 2009 5:17PM
"write them off"??? OK, Kramer.
Ken @ Jul 21st 2009 1:50AM
But instead you spend your life on the internet talking about how you would help others when you could be volunteering for no cost to help people.
Those evil rich people and their evil money!
miko34 @ Jul 21st 2009 2:17AM
Who says I don't volunteer? You obviously don't know me.
But still ... volunteering doesn't help people buy the medicine they need.
And volunteering doesn't help us create better energy sources.
And I know some very rich people who are very generous and who would never buy these remotes, but whatever ... we can all have our opinion. THAT'S WHY THERE ARE COMMENTS!!!
Cyberziggy @ Jul 21st 2009 5:49AM
Or better yet, hire some guy who's out of work so he can stand next to the entertainment system and manually operate the equipment. Sure it'd be degrading, but it'd be a paycheck.
Xyzzy @ Jul 21st 2009 7:18AM
"They basically have their CPA's write them off in their taxes so that they get them free."
You must have no idea how tax writeoffs work then...
miko34 @ Jul 21st 2009 7:34AM
And you must have no idea how sarcasm works.
duerra @ Jul 20th 2009 8:04PM
My MX-950 looks better than this. While it can be a PITA to program for at times if you don't have top of the line equipment with distinct IR codes, it still does the job very well.
This thing is quite ugly, and no number pad? Sorry, but this seems like a step backwards to me.
Josh.T and Nilay P. @ Jul 20th 2009 8:35PM
Who is Donald Melonson? get to work Drawbaugh
John Nemesh @ Jul 21st 2009 10:25AM
What you guys who are complaining about price fail to realize is that this is NOT a remote, but part of a CONTROL SYSTEM. What I mean by that is that it is a piece, CUSTOM PROGRAMMED by a PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER to offer complete control of your TV, AVR, cable box, game console, home lighting, iPod (with metadata and cover art displayed on the remote!), Thermostat, drapes, distributed audio, etc, etc, etc. A Harmony may be OK for just a TV and surround sound setup, but wholly inadequate for more complex systems.
Additionally, by using the right basestation (the MSC-400), you can ensure 100% foolproof operation. This means that if the power is already on for the TV and you hit "Watch DVD", the TV won't shut off while the rest of the system powers up. Using RS-232 instead of IR for communication means that your gear can "talk" to the control system to let it know that the commands you send are received. For older gear, you can use video signal or voltage sensing to verify the power state of all connected equipment. 12 volt triggers are also provided. These can be used to control motorized shades, drapes, and projector screens, among other things.
Finally, you should consider that, regardless of what equipment you own, the piece that everyone MUST operate to actually USE the system is the remote. Your entire experience, your entire opinion on how well your system works, is ENTIRELY DEPENDANT ON YOUR REMOTE! If you have a well programmed control system, you will really enjoy your system. If you are using something inferior, that is flaky, or unreliable, you (or your significant other!) will curse the system and you will hate using it. Keep in mind that while most of us here on Engadget fully understand that Denon AVR-3808 and all its functions, and can get by just fine with the manufacturer's remotes and complex operation, the VAST majority of people have no clue about A/V. This product is for them.
Kevin G @ Jul 21st 2009 7:10PM
thank you John, for being the voice of reason i was too lazy to be!
and people, if you think $1500 is outrageous to control AV, HVAC, lighting, security etc., you just don't have a fraction of a clue. you probably have never heard of Crestron or AMX, but if you want to expand your electronics world, check them out online. $100,000+ for a control system is very common in large residential applications.