In reply to:
Is there any comparison at all between the Denon's remote and the MX-700?
I have the 3805 and the MX-700. Once I programed everything that I needed into the 700 I put the Denon remote in the drawer and never looked back. The Denon remote, while looking kind of cool with it's blue lights, is no match for the capabilities of the MX-700. It's like going from a Dodge Neon to a 500 series BMW. The Denon remote was ok for operating the receiver but not very intuitive for the rest of the HT gear and I grew tired of it very quickly.
By programing the the MX-700 using the MX-Editor program, I know exactly where everything is when I need it because
I set it up myself. The MX-Editor is easy to use even for the computer illiterate like me. There is seemingly nothing this thing can't do (although I haven't figured out what to do about devices that don't have discreet on/off codes but I'm sure there is a work around. I just haven't taken the time to look for it.)
I didn't like the psuedo touch pad of the Denon remote (not really crazy about touch screens at all). I absoultly love the hard button layout of the 700 and it is easy to speed through the pages for each piece of equipment that
you've setup. You can program up to four pages of functions for each device if you wanted to. I find that I can get all of the most used functions on the first page and use the remainder of the pages for the less used functions. I don't have to spend a lot of time switching pages for day to day operation.
I hated the way the backlight on the denon would go off as you were trying to figure out what you were going to do next and then have to shake it again to get the light to come on. The 700 has a hard button to turn the backlight on/off and if you leave the light on it will turn itself off after a generous amount of time. It does not burn batteries like the Denon remote did either.
I like the way the 700 feels in the hand but because it is a somewhat large remote it is sometimes easier to use two hands. It has a hefty feel to it (unlike the Denon remote) and the surface texture of the 700 feels good to the touch.....no touchy/feely jokes please
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I bought my 700 at bluedo.com as open box for $189.82. I have spent a lot of crazy money on HT/audio gear over the years and I can honestly say that the 700 is one of the top 3 best purchases I've ever made.
Before I bought mine (and even after), I got a lot of help at the remotecentral.com message boards.
Lots of very remote savy folks (and a few bonafide experts) over there willing to help.
Having said all this, and at the risk of stating the obvious, I don't think this remote and many others of it's high end ilk (Pronto,Harmony, etc.) is for everyone. I think it would be hard for the nonaudiophile to appreciate the capabilities of these kinds of powerful remotes as they are designed for the true enthusiast who is passionate enough to put in the time and effort on these things. Most people if not all in my circle of friends are just as happy with the 8-in-1 "universal" that they bought at Wal-Fart.
It's too bad there is no try before you buy 30 day return policy on these things.
