Universal Remote Control Aurora MX-950 Owner's manual

MX950 Programming Manual
MX-950 RF/IR Color LCD Remote Control
COMPLETE
CONTROL
™
Universal Remote Control
BY ®
WATCH?
HDTV CABLE
DVD MOVIE
VIDEO TAPE
TIVO TV
SATELLITE

MX-950 Programming Manual © 2005 Universal Remote Control, Inc.
The information in this manual is copyright protected. No part of this manual may be copied or reproduced in
any form without prior written consent from Universal Remote Control, Inc.
UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL, INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR OPERATIONAL, TECHNICAL OR EDITORI-
AL ERRORS/OMISSIONS MADE IN THIS MANUAL.
The information in this manual may be subject to change without prior notice.
Complete Control is a registered trademark of Universal Remote Control, Inc. Entertainment Made Simple is a
trademark of Universal Remote Control, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies or organizations.
500 Mamaroneck Avenue
Harrison, NY 10528
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

INSTALLING, LIVE UPDATING AND CONNECTING 1
INTRODUCING MX-950 EDITOR 3
PROGRAMMING OVERVIEW 4
CREATING, NAMING AND ARRANGING DEVICES 5
Open the Create and Name Devices Window 5
Creating Devices 5
Setting the Backlight Color of Each Device 6
USING THE IR DATABASE 8
Applying a “Set” of IR Commands to each Device 8
FINDING DISCRETE COMMANDS FOR RELIABLE MACROS 11
Discrete Commands versus Toggle Commands 11
Use the IR Database Navigator to Find Discrete Commands 11
Use the Universal Browser to find Discrete IR Commands 13
TEST ALL COMMANDS AND RELABEL FOR EASY OPERATION 15
Using the LCD Button Editor to Relabel and Re-arrange Buttons 15
Hiding Pages in LCD Button Editor 17
Using Page View to Relabel and Re-arrange Buttons 17
Hiding Pages in Page View 19
LEARNING 20
Tips for Learning from Unusual Devices 20
Learning IR Codes One at a Time 20
Learning a Batch of Buttons Quickly 22
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Table of Contents
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Standalone Learning 23
MACRO PROGRAMMING 24
Bullet Proof Macros or Point N Pray? 24
Finding Workarounds When There Are NO Discrete Codes 24
Using the Macro Window 25
Programming a System Power On Macro 26
Programming a Power Off Macro 29
Copying or Importing Macros for Activity Macros 29
Push and Hold Macros 30
Variable Macros 31
USING SOUNDS 34
Setting the Default Sound 34
Using the Sound Gallery 34
USING THE IMAGE GALLERY 34
PROGRAMMING PUNCH THROUGH 35
PROGRAMMING RF CONTROL OPTIONS 36
The RF Setup Window 36
Adjusting Signal and IR Output Options 36
Adding RF Base Stations, Conguring ID#’s and Front Blasters 37
ENABLE OR DISABLE STANDALONE EDITING 38
DOWNLOADING TO MX-950 39
USING THE SETUP MENU 39
ii Table of Contents
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Installing, Live Updating and Connecting
Installing, Live Updating and Connecting
You Need a Personal Computer With a USB Port
MX-950 Editor will run on any Pentium II or faster Windows PC. Your PC should be equipped with an ade-
quate amount of RAM for the operating system you use. MXEditor is compatible with the Windows ME, 2000,
XP and XP Pro operating systems. It is not compatible with Windows 98 or previous versions of windows.
MX-950 Editor is installed via a self extracting installer file downloadable from www.universalremote.com.
You need a connection to the internet to download the file or to update MXEditor.
Installing MX-950 Editor and Microsoft ActiveSync
MX-950 Editor installs with a companion program for communication, Microsoft ActiveSync. You must install
both programs and if uninstalling, uninstall both programs. To install the two programs, follow these steps:
1Connect to the internet and go to this website address:
http://www.universalremotes.com/mxeditor/downloads/MX-950setup.exe
2A file download Window will open. Click on OPEN.
3A warning will appear that the publisher is not verified. Click on Run.
4The Installshield Window will then open. Click on NEXT.
Installing, Live Updating and Connecting

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Installing, Live Updating and Connecting
5The Destination Folder Window will open. Click on NEXT. The program will install and then show
new small window will open asking, "Install the Microsoft Active Sync 3.7". Click OK. If you already
have Active Sync, skip to step #10.
6A new set up window will open for ActiveSync 3.7. Click on NEXT.
7The Select Installation folder window now opens. Click on NEXT.
8After the Active Sync Installed window opens, Click OK.
9The InstallShield window will appear indicating that installation was successful. Click on Finish.
10 Open MX-950 Editor.
11 Check for a LIVE UPDATE by connecting to the internet normally, then clicking on the HELP menu,
then selecting LIVE UPDATE.
Tip - Keep Your Database Up to Date — USE LIVE UPDATE
The IR code database is constantly growing with the inclusion of new devices every month. Keep your soft-
ware up to date by using the Live Update feature. Rather than un-installing and re-installing the software, you
download updates to the software from the internet. Simply follow these steps:
aConnect to the Internet normally.
bOpen MX-950 Editor
cFrom the Communications Menu, select Live Update
dIn the Live Update window, click on Update Now.
eWait for the window to indicate the download is
completed. Close the Window.
fClose and re-open MX-950 Editor. You do not need to
restart Windows.
12 Once you have re-opened MX-950 Editor, connect the MX-950 to the PC via the included USB cable.
ActiveSync will chime and the icon in bottom right corner of your PC’s screen will turn green , indi-
cating that the remote is correctly communicating with MX-950 software via Active Sync. Should an
ActiveSync window offering to synchronize “personal information” appear, click on CANCEL (the MX-
950 is not a personal information manager).

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Introducing MX-950 Editor
Menus and Shortcut buttons for common tasks. The Program Menu activates each task in the correct order.
Tree View of the MX-950 configuration. Double clicking on any page enables you to quickly display that
page on the simulator view. Right clicking on a device or page activates a context menu.
The MX-950 Simulate View is used to navigate and to select a button to program, edit or record a macro.
Edit and Label Buttons window is used to control a buttons graphics, text and activation.
The Macro window is used to view and edit macros.
The information bar displays whether your keyboard is cap locked or num locked.
The important thing to remember as you program is that most Windows conventions hold true in
MX950 Editor. Explore the program menus. Hover your mouse over most of the buttons and controls
and a balloon will appear with a hint as to purpose. Navigate around the program window and
explore a little before you begin programming.
Introducing MX-950 Editor
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Tree View
Simulate View
Macro Window
Edit Buttons
Window
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Programming Overview
A. New File, Existing File on PC or in Remote
NEW - Starting from scratch on a new job, go to the File Menu, choose New from the File Menu and
pick the type of template you would like to use to program with. None of the templates have any IR
codes, just prelabeled empty devices. It’s just personal preference whether you rename a list of
devices or create new ones in an empty configuration.
OPEN - Open a configuration that you have worked on before and saved onto the PC hard drive.
UPLOAD - Get a file from a client’s remote control that another installer created. Now, you can save
the file on your laptop, make any edits or changes as the client requests or the jobsite requires.
B. Use SAVE AS
The templates files are simply configuration files that have been preprogrammed for you. They will keep any
changes you make. Utilize Save As to make a new file with a new file name. All configuration files are saved
with the file extension .rcc; all device files are also saved with the extension .rcc (see D. Save and Export,
below).
TIP — Always use File | Save As to rename the file before doing any programming!
Use the customer’s name and a rev # (i.e. SmithTheaterRev1.mxf)
C. Use the Program Menu
The Program Menu is your lifeline to a fast, easy programming experience.
Follow the steps in the order shown in the Menu for best results. Typically, you
will download to the remote control several times throughout this process and
test what you have done so far. You’ll need to download after finishing all pro-
gramming. For macro playback to work, you need to have downloaded. These
downloads are not listed in the steps here in the Program Menu and are not
automatically done for you.
It is important that you do all of the tasks for each step before moving on to the
next step. Keep this manual handy so that you can verify that you have com-
pleted all of your tasks.
D. Save and Reuse Customer Files
Archive and save your customer files.Programming systems with similar components gets even faster when you
don’t have to redo your work over and over. You have your own ideas about what buttons should be labeled
and how they should be arranged. You’ll save all of your work and reuse it on the next job with similar com-
ponents and devices.
E. Download to both Remote Controls
For once, you have a pre-printed summary sheet and an instruction manual for the entire Home Theater! Enjoy
a brief training with your client and get home on time tonight!
Programming Overview

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Creating, Naming and Arranging Devices
A device is the basic grouping of a set of hard buttons and up to 255 soft button pages. You will need one
device group for each remote control that the MX-950 is replacing. You can have a maximum of 255 devices
in your configuration. When you create devices in the Create and Name Devices window, every device is
automatically linked with a jump-link to the device via either the WATCH or the LISTEN menu. If you create
devices manually you have to create a jump link from either the WATCH or the LISTEN menu button to each
device manually.
Open the Create and Name Devices Window
You can open the Create and Name Devices window by clicking on the first item of the Program Menu or by
clicking on the Toolbar icon as shown here:
Creating Devices
1After the Create and Name devices window appears, select the WATCH or the LISTEN menu from
the Device list box:
2Select the button position you’d like to create a new device name in by clicking on it. Now, decide
if you need a combined or a splt label. A split label can have up to 5 characters, a combined label
up to 11 characters. When you combine a button, IR command or Macro programming will be
duplicated automatically on both the left and the right button.
Combine both left and right buttons
into one 11character button.
Separate a combined row
into two separate buttons.
TIP - Use combined row LCD buttons to type user friendly labels for important activities.
3Now, select the LISTEN menu from the Device List box and create all the devices for listening.
Creating, Naming and Arranging Devices

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3You must hit the SAVE button to create all the new devices.
4Tree View reveals the new devices you’ve created and the simulator shows the new WATCH page,
with all the new device buttons displayed.
5Select SAVE from the File menu or click on the SAVE icon on the toolbar.
Setting the Backlight Color of Each Device
1Right click on any device in Tree View (including the WATCH or the LISTEN device). Select Backlight
Color from the context menu that appears.
Creating, Naming and Arranging Devices

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2Uncheck the Use Default Color checkbox, by clicking on it.
3Adjust the sliders to the new color setting, then click on OK to save your changes.
TIP - Use two colors or more for the brightest backlighting!
4The new color now shows on the simulator.
Creating, Naming and Arranging Devices

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Using the IR Database
Applying a “Set” of IR Commands to each Device
1 Open the Database Window - Select IR Database from the Program Menu or the Toolbar.
2 Device - In the first list box, MX-950 Editor lists the names of the devices you’ve created and named
in your configuration. Select the device you would like to program from the list box.
2 IR Data From - Select the type or category of component (i.e. TV, VCR or DVD player) via the “IR
Data From” listbox.
3 Brand - Select the company that made the component (i.e. B & K, Sony, Krell) by clicking on the
correct brand name in the scrollable Brand window.
Using the IR Database

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Using the IR Database
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4 Model - Select the exact model number from the scrollable Model window.
If the MODEL number isn’t there, DON’T test the other model numbers! Instead...
Scroll to the bottom of the list of model numbers for your brand. There you will find a number of “Inclusive”
Code Sets. These code sets are always labeled BRAND1, BRAND2 (i.e.. Motorola1, Motorola2). Each will
operate many different model numbers. Generally speaking, if your component is a recent model, test the
higher numbered Inclusive code sets first. Here’s what the inclusive code sets look like:
5 Test the Code Set
A. Verify the MX-950 is charged and connect it to the PC via the USB port.
B. Point the connected MX-950 so that it is in range and within line of sight of the component.\
C. Power On the component.
D. Select the model number or the Inclusive Code set in the model window.
E. Click on the Test button as shown above. The only code you can test is the Power command.
F. If the component DOESN’T power off, try the next Inclusive code set.
6Once the component powers off, click on the Save button.
TIP - If you’d like to drag one code to a button or test one code , use the IR Navigator, page 11.

0Using the IR Database
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7After you click on the SAVE button, the LCD Button Editor appears, revealing the pages and codes
that will be created. Re-arrange the codes by clicking and dragging any label to any blank position.
In this screen shot, you can see that the Live TV DVR command is being dragged to an empty posi-
tion on page one. This empty position was created by dragging some less important commands to
page three.
8Once you have placed the most important commands
on page 1, and the less used commands on the other
pages, click on the APPLY button.
9Continue with the rest of the devices you need by clicking on the NEXT DEVICE button and repeat-
ing steps two through eight.
10 When you have finished all of your devices,
click on the CLOSE button.

Finding Discrete Commands for Reliable Macros
Discrete Commands versus Toggle Commands
When a remote control’s only button to turn on and off a TV set is labeled Power, it is usually a “toggle” com-
mand. Test it by pressing the button twice. If the power button turns on the TV, then turns it off, it is a toggle
command. You cannot predict whether the component will power on or not. That is a big problem when you
are programming macros! Basically, your client will feel that the macro only works half the time, and will
probably blame you for the problem.
Discrete means that the function of the command is “separate and distinct” from any other function. On a
remote control with “discrete” power commands, there are two power buttons. One that only turns the com-
ponent on, and another that only turns the component off.
The most commonly sought “discrete” commands are for power on, power off and for TV and Surround Sound
Receiver INPUT selection. These discrete commands will make your macros work every time for your cus-
tomer.
“Secret” Discrete Codes exist for some components. Why are they secret? Because the manufacturer
wants the remote control that accompanies the component to have the simplest appearance (fewest buttons).
Since toggles reduce the number of buttons, they make the remote control appear easier to operate. Many
manufacturers understand the needs of custom installers and build their components to also respond to dis-
crete codes. They distribute the discrete codes via service remotes, etc. For the first time, those codes are col-
lected and integrated into our database.
Not all components respond to the discrete codes in the Database. A component has to be BUILT to
respond to discrete codes. The fact that other models from the same manufacturer do respond to discrete codes
is the reason the codes are added to a code set. However, some models will not respond, because the manu-
facturer did not build it to respond through budgetary considerations, time constraints or a simple oversight.
Use the IR Database Navigator to Find Discrete Commands
1Open the IR Database Navigator by clicking on the CUSTOM button in the IR Database window, or
by clicking on IR Database Navigator in the TOOLS menu.
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Finding Discrete Commands for Reliable Macros
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2Select the IR DATA FROM (category of component), then the BRAND, then the MODEL. If you do
not see the model number, utilize the INCLUSIVE CODE SETS (i.e BRAND1, BRAND2, etc). Once
you see a command that has a promising sounding name, click on it so that it is highlighted (select-
ed), then click on the TEST button. You can test any IR command in the list.
3When you find a command that you want, simply click and drag it to the button on the simulator.
2Finding Discrete Commands for Reliable Macros
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4After you’ve dragged it to its new position, the new label and a pre-programmed code flag (the red
dot) is placed on the button.
TIP - Vary the number of REPEATS to sustain an IR command for a few seconds.
Many projectors require a two or three second burst to power on or off. You
can program this to occur without the customer having to press and hold the
button for several seconds by utilizing the repeat window in IR Database
Navigator. Simply experiment with different numbers of repeats and test the
command until it works as you want it to. There is no predictable relationship
between the number of repeats and seconds from one brand to another, so
start experimenting with 10 repeats and time the burst. Once you’ve pro-
grammed a button with this extended IR command, you can use it in a macro.
The timed burst will occur as a single macro step.
Use the Universal Browser to find Discrete IR Commands
Using the Universal Browser Window you can import LEARNED IR codes from a .ccf file, an .mxf file or an
.rcc file. You cannot import any kind of Database codes, only LEARNED codes.
On the internet, you can find many unusual discrete codes by browsing the files section of a website popular
with other custom installers:
www.remotecentral.com
You can often find discrete codes by posting at one of many other sites popular with custom installers by post-
ing on an online bulletin board. If any other custom installer knows of a solution he/she will email a file to
you. Whether your download a file or if you are emailed a file from another installer, the Universal Browser
enables you to import learned codes into your MX-950 configuration.
After you’ve saved the file to your PC, you use the Universal Browser as follows:
1Open the Universal Browser by clicking on the Universal Browser in the TOOLS menu or by clicking
on the shortcut button on the toolbar.
2Click on the File icon to navigate to the folder that contains the file you’d like to get codes from.
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Finding Discrete Commands for Reliable Macros
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3Use Tree View to Navigate to the Panel containing LEARNED IR codes you want. Click on the panel
name in Tree View to make the panel appear in Panel View.
4Click on a button in Panel View and the Action List view will reveal whether it has Learned Data or
not. Only buttons with Learned Data can be transferred.
5Click and drag the button to the MX-950 simulator.
6After you’ve dragged the button, the blue indicating a Learned IR command is
displayed on the button.
4Finding Discrete Commands for Reliable Macros
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Test All Commands and Relabel for Easy Operation
Before programming any further, you should rigorously test all of the codes you have programmed
using the IR Database and label the buttons with names that the customer will find easy to under-
stand. The best approach is to download, test all the commands, and as you test, use MX-950 Editor
to modify labels, and hide or delete unnecessary commands.
MX-950 Editor enables you use two methods to relabel and re-arrange commands and labels. Use the
LCD Button Editor method if you are most comfortable with MX-850 Editor. Use the Page View
method if you are most comfortable with MX-3000 Editor. Both have their advantages as you will see
in the descriptions below.
Using the LCD Button Editor to Relabel and Re-arrange Buttons
Begin testing the codes you downloaded to the MX-950. Make sure that you test all buttons (hard
buttons and the LCD buttons on each page or every device). Don’t try to learn new commands yet,
wait until you can do all of them at once systematically. First you must delete commands that don’t
work and change the labeling so that your client instantly understands why you’ve made the button
available to them. Good practice is to simply delete commands that the client will never use, or to
arrange them on the last pages of a device. Certainly, your most important goal is to place the most
useful commands on the first page of a device, so that the client has everything they need without
pressing a PAGE button.
1From the Program Menu, select Edit Buttons.
2 From the Device list box, select the first device you’d like to test and edit.
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Test All Commands and Relabel for Easy Operation
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3Now drag any unimportant commands from the first page to the last page of the device.
4Take a look at all the other pages, drag any buttons you consider important to the first page.
5Select a button you’d like to convert to Single Column and click on the Single Column button at the
top of the window.
6Test All Commands and Relabel for Easy Operation
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