MX-980 Universal Remote Control

Universal Remote Control, Inc. released their MX-980 Remote Control today at CES in Las Vegas. A winner of this year’s CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards, the MX-980 is a powerful wand-style custom control designed to advance the state of the art of Home Theater programming and integration.

The MX-980 has many highlights including a big, bright color LCD display, an open programming architecture, Narrow Band RF capability, and seamless integration with other control devices.

The MX-980’s display shares the vibrant color capabilities of URC’s popular MX-3000 Remote Control with an active matrix LCD that offers a 320x240 pixel window to any graphic an installer would like to provide, including BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF and animated GIF files, all of which can be assigned to any of eight adjacent activity buttons.

The MX-980 is programmable by any Windows-compatible laptop or desktop PC with a USB port. The port provides access to a vast array of custom solutions, available free of charge using URC’s proprietary Complete Control Suite programming software, available online at the URC Control Room.

WATCH and LISTEN buttons on the MX-980 display activities users can control. When a user wants to watch something else (a DVD, a videotape or an HDTV broadcast), he or she simply presses the WATCH button and selects the new activity. When a user wants to listen to the radio or a CD, he or she touches LISTEN. Then, with the press of the button, the MX-980 automates the entire routine of turning on components, selecting inputs and favorites, even resetting the lights to the optimum scene for the selected activity.

The MX-980’s OpenArchitectureTM PC Editor provides professional installers with new solutions to the age-old problem of automating a central system as well as local TVs, cable or satellite receivers, and even local surround systems in secondary rooms like bedrooms and offices. Using the MX-980, installers can simply select an appropriate solution for each equipment location.

In the central system, for example, the MX-980 can trigger smart macros, RS232 and relay controls via a centrally installed MSC-400 Master Controller. At each local system location, the MX-980 addresses an RF Base Station, like URC’s new MRF-260, which extends the remote’s range to 50 to 100 feet, and eliminates the line-of-sight requirement. In any room with a projector, lighting switch or other IR-controlled device not connected to a central MSC-400 or local MRF, the MX-980’s built-in IR signal is effective at a range of 30 to 50 feet.

The MX-980 is packed with practical features for users as well as installers. These include a motion sensor that automatically turns on the display when the remote is picked up and refreshes when it’s moved, and automatic blue backlighting for all the buttons to ensure the remote can be used easily in dim or darkened rooms. A small integrated speaker optionally beeps in response to button pushes, indicating the MX-980 understands an instruction. A built-in time/date display, a low-battery alert, a rechargeable lithium ion battery, and a supplied USB programming cable further enhance its ease of use.

The MX-980 Remote Control is available now from authorized Universal Remote Control dealers at a suggested retail price of $599.

About Universal Remote Control, Inc.
Headquartered in Harrison, New York, Universal Remote Control, Inc. is a world leader in the design, engineering, manufacture and distribution of high-quality remote control devices. Since its establishment in 1991, the company has become highly regarded by consumers and professionals alike, and won numerous industry awards.  It supplies millions of remote controls each year to consumers around the world through four primary distribution channels: consumer retail, custom professional, subscription broadcast and OEM.

Universal Remote Control products are manufactured in Asia and North America in factories that meet rigorous CE, ISO 9001, ETTS, IQNET and TQM certification requirements. For additional technical information, please visit www.universalremote.com.

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