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This leads to another issue with Universal Remote’s decision to completely separate MSC-400 Editor from the remote editors: it results in two completely unlinked files, with changes to one configuration not reflected by the other. If, for example, a few of a Connected Device’s learned input codes turn out to be bad, updating them for the MX-900 won’t fix its entry in the MSC-400’s file. And since a Connected Device can’t be modified and only imported anew, all Smart Macros making use of that device would have to be corrected. I suppose this is why there’s the Universal Browser and also why any sort of code learning is allowed in the first place, but using these options as emergency workarounds can quickly result in a disarrayed configuration that’s hard to edit and won’t be useful as a base for future jobs.
A few years ago at a trade show Universal Remote Control staff were wearing buttons that read “ask me about simple”...
Combining the two systems.
Once the MSC-400 is fully configured – or at least templates created for all of the base macros, they can be tweaked later without directly impacting the MX-900 – it’s time to jump back to MX-900 Editor and start integrating the two devices.
To add triggers for the MSC-400 to an MX-900 layout, the saved MSC-400 file must be opened using the Universal Browser. Then, drag-and-drop the desired macro onto any button’s macro editing window. It will appear as a preprogrammed code with the original Smart Macro’s name. Don’t drop the trigger directly onto a button (which will show up as a small red dot) as this won’t work right – when done correctly the button should display the “M” icon, even if no other macro steps are desired.
One item to keep in mind is that the MX-900 only sends out a short digital trigger for the macro, and doesn’t know how many seconds it will take the MSC-400 to actually finish. So, it’s a good idea to time how long it takes your MSC macros to run and then add a delay to the MX-900 of an appropriate length before the final page jump. This will prevent users from trying to control devices before they’re ready.
Do you USB?
With home theater PCs so commonplace, it’s nice to see that Universal Remote took the initiative to place a USB port on the back of the MSC-400 specifically to emulate a keyboard. It’s not obvious in either software program exactly how to make use of this port, but the answer lies in MX-900 Editor’s IR Database Navigator.
AUX database codes 501 and 502 feature commands that, when set to a device with an RF ID that targets the MSC-400, will be automatically routed through the USB port. No further setup is necessary in MSC-400 Editor. Basic commands from a 101-key keyboard are available, including modifiers such as CONTROL, ALT and SHIFT. Notably absent are the numeric keypad (which is often treated distinct from regular digits by media programs), the Windows key, the Context Menu key, ACPI functions and any popular multimedia keys.
While the MX-900 with its 6 custom-labeled buttons isn’t exactly an ideal replacement for an entire keyboard, this capability is invaluable for reliably sending non-standard commands to multimedia applications, or dealing with PCs that don’t have a CIR receiver. And when the MSC-400 is combined with a remote control that has a fully customizable display, such as the MX-3000 touchscreen, this feature really comes into its own.
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