URC MasterControl RF10 Universal Learning Remote with RF Capability

This is the business, with first class layout and good quality. It always sends both RF and IR signals together but the accessory 'URC MRF100B PowerBlaster' only works in a single range of radio frequencies. It is said that interference may be a problem, which we did not experience, but different MRF100B systems for different rooms will not work.There is a red backlight which illuminates the text on all the buttons, with an on-off switch on the side, but after a short while you don't need to look. I much prefer this to having to peer at and navigate an lcd, and also find the hard buttons better than a touch screen. Compared to Harmony remotes it requires neither programming with PC and endlessly obscure and inflexible menus, nor maintenance of `synchronisation' of inputs and power states between remote and boxes.We did also order 'URC MRF100B PowerBlaster' and found that control with RF worked fine. Installation/positioning the blaster and one of the provided six mini-flashers was trouble free and in our case there was no interference from other immediately local sources such as HDDs on the shelves. We did not notice it but, if confusion should be caused between IR and RF with any components which are in the line of sight, tape can be used to cover the RF10's emitters.Learned commands take precedence over commands based on any preset codes so setting up with a combination of codes and learning is quick and easy. The buttons are well labelled although there is no conventional set of four coloured buttons, but the top row of the eight 'spare' arrow buttons at the bottom of the RF10 seem ideal for that. There is also a spare 'Tv/Vcr' button, making an additional five buttons for other commands which do not fit elsewhere, and all buttons can carry shifted functions for another layer of functionality.Macro functions can only go on the eight 'component selection buttons', of which we had three spare, and on the pair of 'power on' and 'power off' buttons which can otherwise be set up with simple commands which are specific to the current device. In any case macros can be set only to operate when a button is pressed and held for a specified time, so that a single command (such as an input) can be issued when a button is just pressed and released. It seems to contradict the rather cryptic manual that macros can change devices too, which can be very useful.Macros are fast in execution and very flexible with regard to timing. This is especially useful because delays/'pauses' do not count towards the maximum of 50 steps. The screen keeps count of the total pause time in a string of up to 60 secs per block. There is no apparent upper limit and after 10 consecutive pauses they are specified in seconds rather than half seconds. When a receiver or PVR/DVD player might need 20 to 50 seconds to get ready for an input command from a mains power down, which would defeat a lesser remote, this is no problem for RF10's macro functions which really sets it apart.A typical use for a macro is to automate a well trodden path through some tedious menus, for example in Uk when deleting a recordng on a Foxsat box, or accessing BBC i-Player by navigating three menus on a satellite receiver. For most remotes it is impossible to do BBC i-Player with a single macro because the 15secs-worth of individual 0.5sec pauses alone counts towards the permitted maximumum, quite apart from the additional 9 other essential commands. This would usually add up to 39 steps and exceed a lower limit, but RF10 counts only 9 steps with 41 still in hand out of the 50 step maximum.As usual some trial and error is involved but setting it all up is relatively simple and can be modified as you go along. While learning commands, varying the time for holding down the sending button can help to reduce skipping in menus or enhance the effectiveness of commands which need to repeat, like the volume controls. Because there are so many possibilties you may want to start with a few temporary stick-on labels, or draw up a plan of exactly what is to go where and update it to keep track of changes. A chart like this can be useful until the position and alternative functions for each key become familiar, which does not take long. A record of macro steps is also worth keeping in case anything needs to be redone or replicated.Taking everything into account this is a super simple but well developed remote, which is also capable of handling complicated set ups. It is outstanding value if you need RF instead of IR controls.

I've had one of these for several years and it's been a treat and a workhorse. Does everything I could hope for, and does it well, and for so little money I can hardly believe it. I finally wore the thing out after so long, and replaced it with this one. Only differences I can tell between the two:- Cosmetic appearance. Silver top instead of black; some slightly updated labels on the surface -- I consider this a neutral as I don't care much.- Slight added delay in the way it transmits to my VCR that's slightly annoying, but easy to get used to. A negative, but minor. If I weren't too lazy to do it, I might try replacing all the buttons with learned codes instead of relying on the pre-programmed set and see if that fixes it. Meh.- I have an oddball component the old one couldn't learn for some reason, but the new one learned easily. This is great, since the component's original remote is horrible and weak. Major positive.I also finally paired it with the blaster unit when I made the switch, and that's also a major success. Highly recommended, the both of them.My hat's off to the designers and engineers over at URC.There is one thing about the old one I hope the new one does better at, but it will be quite some time before I will be able to tell. The old one, after a considerable time, started having problems with the button contacts working unless pressed hard. I was able to open it up and wash them off, and it would start working fine again. Then, after more time, this would happen again, and so on. Eventually I couldn't get some of them working again no matter what I did or how hard I pressed. This is what finally pushed me to replace it. Of course, this could all just be the fault of something we're doing in our house (Maybe cooking fumes? We don't have a range hood.).One tip I learned the hard way: when doing the learning step, hold down the original's button till this one shows it's finished learning; some remotes send something different when you just "click" the button briefly vs. holding it down, and if you teach the click this one might not be able to perform that hold-down action and you'll end up having to press the button repeatedly instead (like volume up/down, etc.) till you fix it.