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At the bottom end of the range is the $99 USD MRF-250, which we reviewed alongside the MX-950 (click here for the relevant section). It provides basic IR routing capabilities and upgraded internal circuitry over the original now-discontinued MRF-200. A step up is the $199 USD MRF-300, which enhances RF reliability by moving RF reception to a separate RFX-150 antenna module. The next upgrade is the $249 USD MRF-350, which further enhances the MRF-300�s reliability by utilizing special narrow-band RFX-250 receiver modules, and is generally the recommended model between the three for this remote. A new narrow-band version of the all-in-one MRF-250, called the MRF-260, is also available.
MSC-400 Master System Controller
But what we�re going to cover in this review is the cr�me de la cr�me of Universal Remote Control�s RF systems, the $799 USD MSRP MSC-400 Master System Controller. More than a simple RF extender, the MSC-400 is an entry-level backend control system that can route IR, send RS-232 and USB keyboard commands, operate contact or voltage relay devices, and evaluate input from different types of status sensors... all of this combined with a sophisticated onboard macro system that guarantees reliable transmission for even lengthy sequences.
For when a remote just isn�t enough.
It�s no surprise that as home theaters become more sophisticated they also grow more complex. Common system devices are no longer limited to just a television, cable box, DVD player and receiver � now a decent home theater is expected to include at least a high definition DVR, DVD jukebox, media player, game system, PC and automated lighting, to name but a few. When the sheer number of interconnection possibilities increases, so do the resulting synchronization problems.
Even with a greater number of manufacturers implementing full discrete IR codes these days, chances are high that most systems will be stuck with something that just doesn�t integrate well. Be it a cable box with no discrete power, a display that needs to be turned on before any other HDMI devices, a game console with limited commands, a projector with a long warmup cycle, or some awkward legacy device that just can�t be lived without. Even with a correctly configured system a power or input code may not be received due to interference, a user could turn something on manually and throw your carefully planned variables out of whack, or you might just be dealing with the dreaded �multi-remote environment nightmare�... no matter how smart and sophisticated your handheld remote control is, issues can and will occur.
But it�s not just reliability and synchronization situations where the control system of a home theater could stand a little boost. What about making the system genuinely easier and more intuitive to use? How about doing things automatically before the user even thinks of it? If you�re looking to get a grasp of what fully automated system control means, then the entry-level MSC-400 is the perfect place to start.
Capabilities, priced right.
As system controllers go the MSC-400 is something of a bargain, especially considering that it can be paired with a remote control as inexpensive as the MX-900 (note that the MSC-400 will currently only work with the MX-810, MX-900, MX-950 and TX-1000, plus MX-3000 units built after April 1, 2005).
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