Chris, I had the MX-500 and liked it alot. I now have the MX-700 and LOVE it. The 700 is more powerful and more flexible than the 500. The 500 is very good, the 700 is excellent. Kind of a Chevy to Lexus comparison.

Aside from the additional capabilites of the 700, it also allows you to set up/program/revise/tweak using the MX-Editor software. Not only can you use the 600+ files for the 700 at Remote Central, you can use the 7,000 .ccf files for Philips Pronto & Pronto Pro. I like the Pronto files because you can drag & drop the commands into the 700.

IMO, this is a no-brainer if $$ aren't an issue for you. The extra $100 would be money well spent for the hours of simplicity and enjoyment the 700 will give you.

Ray