Universal Remote Control Introduces New Home Theater Master MX-700 Automation System

27-Sep-01

Universal Remote Control, Inc. expanded its lineup of home theatre remote control products with the introduction of the Home Theater MasterÆ MX-700 system. Featured at the CEDIA EXPO 2001 in Indianapolis, the MX-700 system incorporates two sophisticated remote controls in one package. The MX-700 master remote will automate up to twenty different home theatre components via its extensive IR database and extraordinary macro capability. The MX-700 can perform over 900 macros (with up to 190 steps each), rivaling automation systems costing thousands of dollars. The new SideKickô complements the master MX-700 remote control. The SideKick is designed to give kids and casual users of complex, custom installed systems a simple remote for watching TV, satellite or cable programs. The SideKick may look simple, but it delivers the automation necessary to fully turn on, off and configure a complex home theatre with one touch. The SideKick is capable of multiple 190-step macros and IR codes.Universal Remote Control, Inc. Product Manager Hank Eisengrein says, ""The Sidekick was developed as a result of lifestyle research. We learned that some people are intimidated by remote controls with too many buttons. The Sidekick is the perfect solution for those members of a household who require one-touch automated macros to turn on and configure the home theatre, but don't want to deal with a lot of buttons.""The Home Theater Master MX-700 master remote features a hybrid LCD and hard button design, with an extensively researched hard button layout optimized for one-handed operation. ""The easy ergonomics of finding a button by touch, rather than the typical three step of most macro capable touch-screens (tap to activate, look to see where the button is, then tap the button), makes the one touch MX-700 system a dream to operate in a real home theatre environment,"" said Eisengrein, adding that ""People don't like to constantly check their remote, they are watching the screen of their TV. The inclusion of Universal Remote Controlís fabulous thumb centered 'joystick' for navigating on-screen menus is sure to impress anyone who has ever used a traditional touch screen product.""The crystal clear LCD display screen and GemStoneô hard buttons combine to give the MX-700 an extremely readable and easy to use look and feel. GemStone surfacing gives all of the hard buttons a sleek, glossy look that makes the shapely remote extremely elegant on any coffee table. Both the LCD display and the GemStone buttons incorporate ""EL"" illumination technology, which provides very bright, yet energy-efficient illumination. Powered by four Duracell Ultra AAA alkaline batteries, the remote control features a built-in ""smart"" memory back up system designed to retain memory for ten years.Programming the MX-700 System can be done via the remote controls on-board menus or via a unique new custom software program that is operated from a PC computer via the included serial cable. ""This designer software program allows programming of activity-based macro commands with hundreds of steps within minutes versus the hours we typically take with other products,"" said Eric Johnson, a home theatre industry remote control training consultant. ""This time-saving benefits both the expert installer and the new user with little field experience."" The new software revolutionizes home theatre installation with the world's first one-click Discrete Code IR Database. This database enables programmers to program all of the IR codes and LCD labels for a component with one mouse click. The database represents the culmination of Universal Remote Control's ten-year research program collecting the infrared codes of all brands and models of home theatre components (televisions, projectors, VCRs, CD players, DVD players, personal video recorders, surround receivers, preamps, cable and satellite receivers, etc.). ""The inclusion of secret, discrete 'ON,' 'OFF' and input infrared codes makes programming bullet-proof one-touch macros incredibly fast and easy for the programmer,"" said Johnson, adding that ""This is an extraordinary database, extending back over twenty years and including hard-to-find codes.""The software includes two programming interfaces, the Editor and the Programming Wizard. The Editor enables experienced installers to quickly make changes or customize existing systems, while the Programming Wizard steps inexperienced programmers through the process of automating a home theatre. ""The Programming Wizard actually automatically programs 'Power On' and 'Power Off' macros for the programmer,"" said Fred Bolton, Director of Sales. ""Via the Programming Wizard, an inexperienced programmer gets hints on how to automate difficult brands and models.""The Home Theater Master MX-700 system (including the Master MX-700 remote, the SideKick remote, serial cable, Duracell Ultra batteries and CD-ROM software) will be available in the fourth quarter of 2001, for a suggested retail price of $499.95. For information on Universal Remote Control, Inc., visit www.hometheatermaster.com.

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