Universal Remote Control (URC) has today officially announced their new MX-810 Pro remote control. Labeled as the “Wizard Remote” (with appropriate matching domain name) the USB-programmable MX-810 Pro initially reads as both wizard-driven and web-enabled, although a closer look reveals that URC is instead offering web-based archiving of configurations and promises Custom Installers that they won’t need to be connected to the internet for actual programming.

The MX-810 Pro is a traditional hard buttoned remote control with a full-color LCD screen at the top, used to custom-label 6 adjacent buttons. Features include 32 megabytes of memory, control of up to 24 devices and 24 activities, multi-room capabilities, RF control via optional extenders including the MSC-400, MRF-350 and new MRF-260, a pickup sensor and rechargeable lithium ion battery. Priced competitively at $399, the MX-810 Pro is more sophisticated on the hardware side than the more expensive MX-900 and MX-950 models, however the company appears to be differentiating the products both by reducing overall capabilities and making the MX-810’s PC software less versatile.

The MX-810 will also eventually be released as the consumer-oriented RF-70, presumably at a lower price point and with different software, although details are not yet available. If you’d like to see more of the MX-810 and RF-70 check out our CES 2007 video report.

The full press release is below:

HARRISON, NY, July 9, 2007 — Universal Remote Control, Inc., the leader in control system design and manufacturing for home and professional entertainment systems, introduces the MX-810 Pro Wizard Remote Control, bringing a new level of programming sophistication to the operation of Home Theaters.

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Stylish and state-of-the-art, the MX-810 provides Home Theater owners and professional installers with dedicated, custom control over single-room Home Theaters or AV entertainment systems. It’s an ideal remote for single-room Home Theater systems, as well as homes with multiple AV systems and more than one remote control, as each MX-810 remains dedicated to a single room’s equipment, complete with a user-changeable label identifying the room.

The MX-810 is also pragmatic — as easy for owners to use as it is quick for installers to program, achieving a unique synergy of power and flexibility that automates and simplifies the operation of even the most complex Home Theaters.

Featuring Radio Frequency (RF) addressability and a bright, color LCD display, the MX-810’s readiness for programming allows custom installers to put any command on any LCD page, and fully personalize the screen’s iconography for any and every user. The RF capability also eliminates the need to point the remote at whatever it’s activating, or even remain in the line of sight of any equipment. It can control components up to 100 feet away from locations throughout a home, even components concealed in cabinets or behind doors.

Power Plus Compatibility

Equally important, the MX-810 is fully compatible with URC’s pioneering MSC-400 Master System Controller. The MSC-400 seamlessly harnesses the power of sophisticated home entertainment systems, providing installers with options and advantages not otherwise available. It offers triggered macros, RS-232 and relay control, video and voltage sensors, rock-solid Narrow Band RF and many more features — taming systems’ complexity, while delivering unmatched flexibility, automation power, installation speed, and diagnostic capabilities.

The remote’s addressability feature lets it communicate with a specific location or device, like the Master Controller, and comfortably co-exist with other RF remotes in a home, and AV systems in other rooms.

Custom programming a complex Home Theater is one of the most challenging aspects of an audio/video installation. Setting a Theater system to play a DVD with just one button, for example, can require programming a macro that instructs the screen to lower, the lights to dim, window shades to close, the projector and sound system to turn on, and the DVD player to start, while also making sure the cable box and iPod dock are turned off. The MX-810’s compatibility with the MSC-400 makes such tasks easy for installers to program and easy for clients to use.

Built-In Versatility

With or without the MSC-400, the MX-810 is a powerful, versatile remote that revolutionizes the remote control experience for anyone who prefers a light, hand-held interface. The newest member of URC’s family of Complete Control products, it delivers automation solutions for every purpose and superior entertainment for everyone who prefers to operate their systems as they wish, not as the equipment seems to dictate.

The MX-810 features a big, bright, active matrix LCD, larger and more vivid than comparable remotes, and a broad array of snappy, iconic graphics readable at a glance. It provides access to a vast array of custom control solutions, available free of charge on proprietary software online at the URC Control Room.

The MX-810 is PC-powered, programmable by any Windows-compatible laptop or desktop computer with a USB port. An installer can set up the remote by connecting a PC, then following the instructions of an onscreen programming Wizard. This can be done in advance or onsite, with a laptop in the Home Theater being programmed. The laptop need not be connected to the Internet.

The programming Wizard guides the selection of operating instructions for any combination of A/V components, in part through effortless access to the world’s best library of professional control codes. Afterward, installers can archive their programming instructions on the Web by accessing URC’s dedicated Wizard website (http://www.WizardRemote.com). Even if the installer suffers a future hard drive crash, their MX-810 programs will be safe and available.

The MX-810 can also be customized with a broad array of graphic “themes,” including one-of-a-kind graphics provided by the remote’s owner. Installers can ask the remote for Help at any point in the process, and be guided to an answer through an intelligent, context-sensitive response process.

Once programmed, the MX-810’s color screen labels the six adjacent buttons with whatever functions are needed at the moment. The labels for the buttons change based on what the user is watching or listening to. If a user selects “Watching TV,” he or she will see a list of buttons useful for watching TV. If a user selects “DVD,” the buttons will control the DVD player.

Fully programmed, the MX-810’s powerful 32-megabit flash memory can customize controls for up to 24 activities on eight LCD pages for each of 24 different devices, for a total of 384 pages.

The MX-810’s built-in IR signal is effective at a range of 30 to 50 feet, depending on room conditions. It converts to RF “No Rules” Operation, with the addition of URC’s MRF-350 or MRF-40 (Editor: now MRF-260) Complete Control RF Base Station, both of which extend the remote’s range to 50 to 100 feet, and eliminate the line-of-sight requirement.

Additional features include a motion sensor that automatically turns on the LCD screen when the remote is picked up, and a one-touch blue backlight that ensures the MX-810 can be used easily in dim or darkened rooms. A small integrated speaker optionally beeps in response to button pushes, indicating the remote has understood the instruction. A built-in time/date display, low-battery alert, rechargeable lithium ion battery, and a supplied USB programming cable further enhance its convenience and ease of use.

The MX-810 Pro Wizard Remote Control is available now from authorized Universal Remote Control dealers at a suggested retail price of $399.

Update 1: added a better photo of the MX-810.
Update 2: learned that the MRF-40 has been renamed the MRF-260.

Talk about the new MX-810 Pro!