Hi everyone. I have a Sunfire Ultimate Receiver with original remote (rebranded URC MX500 I believe) and the "Menu" and "#3" button stopped working. I've tried opening up the remote, looking around for anything that looks off, cleaning all the rubber button contacts and circuit board contact gently with a q-tip and rubbing alcohol, and it still does not work. I can't seem to figure out how to fix it so I bought a used MX-500 on eBay. Someone was helping me "clone" my Sunfire remote to the new MX-500 and it appeared to successfully clone, both remotes flash "Good" after cloning, but the MX-500 will not work or control the Sunfire Ultimate Receiver after cloning. I tried using "Learn" to program the MX500 to turn the Sunfire Ultimate Receiver on and off and that worked. So I know I can manually and successfully program individual buttons on the MX-500 but obviously not the "menu" or "#3" button which is what I need to access the Sunfire OSD (On Screen Display). Is there any other way to program these remotes? What else could I be missing? Can someone help me reprogram or troubleshoot? Thanks in advance.

It's the button membrane that's stops working, if buy second remote just switch membranes.

I just swapped out the membrane for the fully functioning MX-500 membrane (assuming the membrane is the rubber button part?) and the "menu" and "#3" key are still not working. Excuse my ignorance but the membrane is the clear rubber button part right? Not the thin metallic looking part that goes in between the buttons and the circuit board?

I tried swapping out the thin metallic part between the rubber buttons and circuit and that did not work either. "menu" and "#3" button still not working

The codes for that receiver are in the remote's database already.
Try Sunfire codes = 246, 344, 345

You could also try some Carver codes = 006, 022, 028, 029, 061, 071, 077, 180, 185, 201, 214, 226, 284

None of these work unfortunately. When I hit “RECAL” on the Sunfire remote it shows it’s set to 001 to control the receiver, but that does not work on the new MX500 unfortunately. Also when I do clone and “DEVIC” it fails but when I do Clone and “ALL” it says “good” on both remotes. Shouldn’t it just work after a successful clone? I can manually “learn” the buttons on the MX500 from the Sunfire remote except for the “menu” key which is what I need.

If all the buttons work but those 2, then you need to repair those 2 buttons. Review the button size against the sizes available at this site:
[Link: buttonworx.com]

and get the one that has the right size for the repair.  Unfortunately they do not have a complete set for the MX-500.  They do have ones for the MX700 - MX850 but they will not work with the MX-500 because the buttons are actually in a different position.  You'll need to get individual "buttons" and repair yours as needed.

I've used the MX850 ones and these things DO work.

BTW, heed the comments in the video and do not push down on the button fix when you install it. If necessary, use a small object (i.e. very small screwdriver) to press lightly on the corners of the tab once applied. You just want it stuck until you get everything back together as it will set itself then. If you press across the entire pad, you could deform the pad fix and the button may act as if the button is continuously pressed.

Hi, thanks for this, watching the video now. The only thing that I'm confused about is I did swap out the entire rubber button pad on the Sunfire Remote for one from a fully functioning MX500 and those two "menu" and "#3" buttons still did not work. Which leads me to believe something else is going on.

Not sure what might have happened with your rubber pad swap but normally programming isn't "lost" on individual buttons.

So, you did try the codes that Brad commented about (Try Sunfire codes = 246, 344, 345) on the new remote?

Do you have another device on the old 500 that uses the menu button so that you can check to see if the button is actually working?

Hi there, so I have 2 remotes. An OEM Sunfire remote which is a rebranded MX-500, and a fully functioning MX-500 that I just bought off of Ebay to reprogram or use for parts.

The Sunfire remote "menu" and "#3" buttons do not work. When I press them and look at the IR with a camera there is no purple light. There is also no "wifi" looking logo on the remote LCD screen. I do not believe that programming was "lost" on these buttons, I don't know why they do not work anymore. I purchased the fully functioning Ebay MX-500 with the hopes of cloning the Sunfire remote. When I clone it, and they both say "good", the new cloned MX-500 does not work with my receiver at all. But, I can "learn" the keys (except "menu" and "#3" from the Sunfire remote and that works immediately.

I mentioned above that I tried Sunfire codes = 246, 344, 345, as well as Carver codes = 006, 022, 028, 029, 061, 071, 077, 180, 185, 201, 214, 226, 284 and 001. None of them worked.

I have swapped the fully functioning MX-500 remote button pad over to the the Sunfire remote and that also does not work. I'm not really sure what else the problem could be.

Ok, you didn't answer my question about "Do you have another device on the old 500 that uses the menu button so that you can check to see if the button is actually working?" If the menu button works for another component, then the issue isn't with the button itself but the programming connected to it for the Sunfire. If the programming was lost on those buttons for Sunfire control , you won't see the purple flashes.  If you don't then can you temporarily add a device and learn a command to those buttons to test?

If the receiver came with a rebranded mx-500 then it must be around 2010 or earlier. I use MX-850's (PC programmable) and looked at the software. There are commands for Sunfire Theater Grand I through IV, TGR-401 along with 8 other groupings of Sunfire codes. I checked a few and they do have codes for the Menu button. Now whether or not the codes changed between models of their receiver, I don't know. However for other manufacturers (such as Yamaha), they generally use the same codes unless new functions are added on newer receivers and then new codes are used for that.

To try, you would need an MX-700, MX-800 or MX-850 (last iteration of the remote) and the software. The software can be found here: [Link: files.remotecentral.com]

It was for a NX Technologies receiver remote that used a rebranded MX-800 but is the same software used for MX-700 through the MX-850. Buying MX-700's, 800's & 850's through eBay can be a hit and miss.  Lots will be well used and may no longer work (rubber membrane issues or dropped numerous times and the backlight no longer works).  Some may be listed as new.  There is one listed now as New (other) with condition as Open box.  Extremely reasonable price.  This is not my listing nor do I know the seller.
[Link: ebay.com]

and a Buy It now reasonably priced:
[Link: ebay.com]

There may be some others but i stopped looking.
They require a serial cable (be sure it is included in what you buy) and if your computer doesn't have a serial port then you'll need a Serial to USB adapter.  The one most recommended for these remotes is the Tripp Lite Keyspan USA-19HS.

The good thing about getting something like the MX-850, the software and "program" will be on your computer should you ever need it. (I'd back both up somewhere too :). Also, if you change any components the remote will still be good and can be reprogrammed.  If the codes are not listed in the software database, you can learn them to the MX-850 and save them along with the program.  So you won't be out anything if you replace the Sunfire receiver.  And as a good thing, the buttons are located in the same places - with the exception of a couple that have been moved slightly.

If the Menu & #3 buttons work for other components, then I think you may be out of luck with that remote.  A universal remote may be your only option unless you contact the manufacturer and they happen to have one of the remotes.  Also, don't try to get a URC remote other than the 3 I mentioned because they will require software (Complete Control aka CCP software) that you will not be able to get.

Feel free to PM me if needed.

+1 to everything hdtvluvr said above.

The only thing I'll add is this: Something seems to be screwy in your setup. The codes for the Sunfire are in the MX-500 database, I'm sure of it. The fact that none of the codes worked is very puzzling.
Either you got a bad MX-500 (but the learning worked) or their is something going on with your Sunfire receiver. Check to see if the Sunfire can be set to use 'alternate' code sets.
Many receivers back in the day, would allow you to switch to an alternate IR code set. The remote would then need to be switched to that IR code set as well.
This is the only thing I can think of that would perfectly describe the problem you are experiencing. Although I would think some of those IR code sets in the MX-500 would also be for the Sunfire alternate code sets - but maybe not???

[edit]: I found the manual to the Sunfire and just read thru it. There are no alternate code sets for the receiver. Not sure why the code sets are not working on the MX-500. I did note that the firmware is different from the MX-500 and the factory Sunfire remote. Note: the 3 digit codes for Sunfire on the factory Sunfire remote are different from the Sunfire 3 digit codes in the MX-500.

I'm just worried that you could get one of the nicer MX-850 remotes with the software, and still run into this same problem. Because none of the codes in the database will work that Sunfire for some odd reason.

Sorry I missed this when I read your initial response! Yes I have a tv that the MX500 controls. I just tried and the #3 and menu buttons also do not work on the tv.



This receiver is old, like 2003 old! It's possible the Theater Grand III commands work with this receiver (the firmware updates from Sunfire are the same file for both the Ultimate Receiver and Theater Grand III). I purchased another used MX500 coded and tested to work with this receiver and it should be arriving in a day or so. I can test that unit out and clone it to the other MX500 (I have a collection of these now). I'll checkout the 850. URC was telling me to buy an MX-490 but they also want me to go to a licensed dealer to have it programmed which sounds like a hassle and unnecessary spending. I like the idea of having software on my pc and coding it myself!



Hopefully this new coded remote will just work when it arrives but will pm if anything comes up. Appreciate your time and response!

Interesting.. I know several users back in the day used to buy MX500's and code them as replacements for their broken Sunfire remotes so there must be something screwy in my setup somewhere. I'm curious what the 3 digit codes on the factory Sunfire remote are (they show to be coded to 001 on mine). Also strange I can "learn" every button from the Sunfire on the MX500, but when I clone they do not work. Something is definitely off here. I just bought another used MX500 but it is already coded to work with the Ultimate Receiver so hopefully problem solved and it works when it arrives but we'll see!

OK, so this indicates the buttons are bad. While "programming" on a button shouldn't be lost, the fact that the buttons don't work for another device indicates to me that the physical buttons are bad. The button fix I posted about above should fix that.

NOTE:  When you tried the code #'s that Brad posted, did you try buttons other than Menu and the #3 with each code?  

So your MX-500 is 20 years old too! They were built like tanks. I've been using my 850 daily for over 15 years and it is rock solid too.

If this happened to me and if the 500 with programming that you just ordered works, I would still get an MX850 and if necessary learn the Sunfire commands to it if they aren't already in the database. Then save that onto your PC. The software is a lot easier to program than doing it on the 500.

Let us know how it works out.

@Brad Would the firmware be different between the Sunfire remote and the 500 because the Sunfire remote would already be programmed and perhaps that program is part of the firmware? This would prevent a user from overwriting the buttons when trying to add a TV, DVD player, etc. Looking at the manufacturer code list posted here on Remote Central ([Link: remotecentral.com]), Sunfire isn't listed.  Wonder if the codes were added in a later version of the 500 database? Or it was simply left out of the list here.