HomeTheaterMaster MX-500 VS. Sony Rm-AV3000 Remote (1 Viewer)

[Lam Nguyen]

I've narrow my remote search down to the HTMaster MX-500 and the Sony RM-AV3000. At first I was planning on getting the sony remote because how cool it looked with the big LCD, and the high tech look. But after reading about how happy people are with the MX-500 and how easy it is to use, I m really confuse as to which I should pick.

Also, the MX-500 has been out since 2001, will there be a replacement soon?

Please help me make a decision, should I

a) Buy the Sony because I like the the way it looked, and people would compliment on how cool my remote is.
or
b) Get the MX-500 because I think hard buttons are easier to use and because of all the good review I've read & wouldn't mind having it.

Let me know what you think, Thanks in advance.

 

[Chuck Kent]

This still comes down to touchscreen vs. buttons. Either will run nearly every HT setup out there. I don't think there's anything that any of us can say that would automatically be THE right choice for you.

My experiences in this decision were...

I ran a Sony 2100 (the 3000's older brother) for several months. I got tired of needing to hold it with both hands. I got tired of needing to look at it if I wanted to change more than the volume or the channel (this is what kills a Pronto for me too.) I didn't like having some lcd keys not quite labeled correct (IOW, the Sony's have a limited label set for the lcd keys. The 3000 does have 4 labels per device that are customizable but the others are still limited in what they can say.) In the end, for me, I wanted something alot more intuitive to use. (I must admit the Sony looked (and the new 3000 looks) really cool! IMO, the Sonys look better than anything out there until you get to a Crestron or a color Pronto.)

I went to an MX-500 and haven't looked back. (I did buy an MX-700 too, which is a hotrod version of the 500. But recently, I have went back to my 500.) It holds all of my commands. The buttons are labeled correctly so I know exactly what each function is. The buttons are sized and located so that many evenings, I can run it without ever looking at it. And now if a 500 user has some extra $$, you can buy a PC interface for it and program it from/back it up to a PC. (http://www.irclone.com) All this in a easy to hold, one-handed size.

Based on your post it kinda sounds like you're looking at the Sony because of how it looks. One thing I would not do is to buy a remote just for looks. (Of course, looks won't hurt if the features are there too.) If you're considering the Sony mainly because of it's looks, you may be highly disappointed. If you buy it, buy it because it offers you a good day-to-day means of controling your HT.

The 500 has indeed been out for a couple of years. HTM has traditionally kept models in the line for several years. The SL-9000 is still being sold and it's been around for 5 years or so (although IMO, it's key "structure" is outdated.) So I think the old MX-500 still has a few good years left. (There is a 500 with rf capability (it is called the MX-600) coming out later this year but it's an addition to the line, not a replacement.)

I hope this helps some. But as I said above, my experiences may not translate to your's at all. Do as much research as you can and try to get a handle on the button vs. touchscreen thing. Then you'll be ready to buy THE right remote.

 

[Alf S]

You want the "cool factor" and functionality for

 

[Stephen Tu]

The 500 has indeed been out for a couple of years. HTM has traditionally kept models in the line for several years.

Note also that HTM makes small refinements to the remote over the years, e.g. they've tweaked the button material and menu joystick pad several times to get it closer to perfection.

Kameleon -- This one has significant limitations compared to the MX-500. It's harder to find/operate these membrane touchpad things by feel than real buttons. You are limited to the labels they picked on the pad, guaranteeing mismatch between function & button on some devices. There are fewer buttons, fewer macros (no device macros IIRC, a drawback in ease of use), less learning memory. One might feel it looks cooler but in practice it's more difficult to use. I wouldn't even consider it unless a lot cheaper than the MX-500, and even then I think I'd rather get the Sony VL-1000.

I think the MX-500 looks cool and is the easiest to use. You can certainly disagree with me on the aesthetics, but if you tried the thing I doubt you'd disagree on the actual functionality.

 

[MikeSRC]

Also, the MX-500 has been out since 2001, will there be a replacement soon?

Maybe next year. There will be a replacement for the SL9000 first.

 

[Lam Nguyen]

Thanks for all the comments and advice, please keep them coming.
I'm hearing more good things about the MX-500, how do you all think it looks, the LCD does light up right?

 

[Jason W]

I would definitly go with the MX i have the mx600 which is the RF one. I had the sony before and like may others I hated having to use two hands to hold it. Also with the sony u must look at the screen to find the button u want to push. With the MX the hard buttons are great. The MX remote is also considably easier to program & gives u the option to relabel items to say whatever you want them to say. I even have the high end denon remote which is like a pronto & costs around $500 and I would still stick with my mx. Good Luck!

 

[JohnMW]

I'm hearing more good things about the MX-500, how do you all think it looks, the LCD does light up right?

Yes, the LCD and buttons light up with a nice color of "blue". There is a button on the right side to toggle it on/off. I've had my MX500 for a couple of years now and it's the best remote I have ever used. You can do most functions by feel instead of having to look at it each time.

http://www.universalremote.com/htm/mx500/

 

[Ted Lee]

This still comes down to touchscreen vs. buttons.

yep ... that's the most important thing you'll want to think about.

for me, mx-500 all the way. i have two of them myself...

 

[Chris KAudio]

Can this remote do everything?

For example, when I want to watch a DVD, I have to use my TV remote and go to the main menu and switch to Component 1, and then I have to push the dvd button on my reciever.

Can I set that up on this remote?

Also, what about my dvd remote, can the mx-500 do everything the dvd remote can (as far as main menu, audio)

 

[Robert James Clark]

I just got the MX-600 and I also have the Sony 2100 LCD touchscreen remote.

I quickly found that I didn't like the the touchscreen type remote. No tactile feedback and two-handed operation were very difficult to use.

The MX-600 is amazing, the RF is incredible, it's a perfect combination of learning buttons and LCD display.

My only caveat about the MX-600 is the fact that you have to push the light button to get a light. I much prefer the way other remotes turn the light on with any keypress.

Don't know why they did it that way...

 

[Stephen Tu]

Way to revive this thread from the dead! I find the ~1 year gap between responses amusing.

Anyway regarding the light - one reason is to save battery life. If you can find the button by feel no need to drain extra battery. The other reason is that if you actually need the light to find the right button to push, it seems right to have a separate easily findable light button, rather than hitting some random key to get the light on and getting a spurious command sent out.

 

[Chris KAudio]

"Can this remote do everything?

For example, when I want to watch a DVD, I have to use my TV remote and go to the main menu and switch to Component 1, and then I have to push the dvd button on my reciever.

Can I set that up on this remote?

Also, what about my dvd remote, can the mx-500 do everything the dvd remote can (as far as main menu, audio) "

ANYBODY?

 

[Stephen Tu]

Sure, you can set up a device macro so that if you hold down "DVD" from the main page, it will switch to DVD on the receiver and component 1 on the TV, and end on the DVD control page. How well this works depends on your model of TV; sometimes it helps to get a cheap Radioshack/OFA remote with JP1 capability to get "discrete codes", to jump directly to "component 1", if your TV's remote only can cycle between inputs. What model TV do you have?

Certainly it can operate any button on your existing remotes. The only thing it lacks sometimes is the discrete commands NOT on your existing remotes, but that your equipment responds to. For those the JP1 remotes are useful.

 

[Chris KAudio]

Thanks for the reply, my TV is a Samsung PCL5415R... does that change anything?

 

[Qui-Gon John]

Chris, yes a macro will do what you want. Examples of my 2 main macros.

When we normally watch TV we are on cable, VCR on CH. 3, so my MX-500 is on the CABLE page, and from there I can choose any channel, control the guide, control the volume on the TV, and go to my FAVORITES LCD Pages if I want.

When I go to watch a DVD I manually turn on my Sima Color Corrector and insert the DVD, (turning the player on). At this time I press M2 and it changes the VCR to L-1, so I get the input from the DVD, and it also leaves the MX-500 on the DVD page, and from there I can completely control the DVD functions, play, FF, REW, SUBTITLE, AUDIO, etc., and control the volume on the TV.

When I want to go back to normal viewing, (cable), I turn off my Sima CC, remove the DVD and turn off the player. I have M1 programmed to change the VCR back to CH.3 and the MX-500 back to the CABLE page.

 

[Chris KAudio]

Great thank you very much. I think I am going to go and pick one of these bad boys up.

 

[AllenD]

I've setup my MX500 to control everything for a specific function. For example I've setup the DVD page to turn on and off all of my components, control the tv volume, avr, dvdp, even switch inputs on the tv. pg2 controls secondary dvd functions such as subtitles, audio, etc. It even controls my HTPC. I use an airboard and i've programmed the 500 to learn keyboard strokes. It even turns the HTPC on and off.