URC, the newly renamed company previously known to most as URC, has introduced two new IP-based products to their lineup today at EHX. First is the KP-4000, a hard-wired in-wall keypad sporting a 3.5” 320x240 color touchscreen display, which is live on the network and can directly control IP-based components without requiring a back-end processing system. The KP-4000 fits into a standard dual-gang box and uses regular Cat5 cable for communications and PoE (if not using PoE an external DC adapter is optional).

For integration with everything else audio/video, URC is also offering the MRX-1 network base station, which provides interfaces to IR, RS-232 and relay components. It includes 6 adjustable IR outputs, dual RS-232 interfaces, plus a sensor input. New to the MRX-1, each IR output uses its own IR engine and is capable of completely independent operation – so when used with the KP-4000, the MRX-1 can handle multiple simultaneous commands without collision or crosstalk. The unit is also designed to integrate with other URC RF products such as the MSC-400. Also available is the accessory RTFX-1 transmitter, to enable control of URC’s RF-based lighting products.

The KP-4000 will be available in April in white for $599 MSRP, with black and light almond versions arriving May to June. The MRX-1 is priced at $399 MSRP.

Further details can be found in the original press release, below.

URC Adds Two New Products to its IP-based Control Lineup

Orlando, FL – Electronic House Expo Spring 2010 – Booth 602 – March 24, 2010 – URC, The Pioneer in Control Technology, this week introduces its Network Keypad System, consisting of the KP-4000 2-Way Network Keypad and the MRX-1 Network Base Station.

Like URC’s existing MX-5000 Wand Remote and MX-6000 Touch Screen, the KP-4000 communicates with components via a home’s local area network. While the MX-5000 and MX-6000 are portable controllers that perform IP communications via WiFi, the new KP-4000 is URC’s first hard-wired, in-wall IP controller. With the KP-4000’s simple, tasteful design, built around a 3.5-inch, capacitive touch color screen, installers can provide clients with a customer-friendly, intuitive, in-wall touch screen keypad interface that possesses the macro horsepower to automate any system.

The KP-4000, like the MX-5000 and MX-6000, is optimized for IP network applications, while still working both with traditional A/V gear and URC’s RF controllers. No scripting is required, so installers and their clients can save time and money. The KP-4000 keypad is well-suited not only for residential applications, but also classroom, boardroom and hospitality installations.

“Other brands require ‘black boxes’ that allow their devices to join an IP network; we are taking a simpler approach by making products that are native to the IP network,” said Eric Johnson, URC’s vice president of technology. “These products by nature are live on the network. They speak IP, are quicker and more reliable, and easily communicate in a 2-way fashion with any other networked device via hundreds of free preprogrammed modules from URC and from our installers-only URC Toolbox, which features modules from URC installers and partners.”

In a changing home entertainment and automation environment, IP control is crucial. “Every day, every model year, more and more devices are IP network-ready,” said Johnson. “Our new line of network-native products fits into this new world, while still being able to communicate via IR, RF and RS-232 with legacy components and subsystems. URC is providing dealers with a smooth transition to networked installation environments.”

The KP-4000 can control virtually anything on an IP home network—including A/V components like multi-zone A/V receivers (AVRs), energy management devices, PCs, iPods and whole house lighting—via preprogrammed, drag-and-drop 2-way modules.

The KP-4000 makes it easy for installers to deploy the second or third zones of an AVR in order to maximize the customer’s entertainment experience. The KP-4000 user can enjoy full control of an IP AVR’s AM/FM/HD tuners, XM/Sirius, status and volume pop-up. When a user adjusts volume on a KP-4000, a pop-up appears on the screen, labeled for the zone that’s being adjusted. The user will always know which zone they are adjusting. Essentially, the entire front panel of a networked AVR is now available on an in-wall URC keypad.

The KP-4000 offers 2-way control of an iPod via URC’s PSX-2 Personal Server, and 2-way control of PC- or Mac-based iTunes music collections via pre-built modules. The KP-4000 can display metadata such as lists of artists, albums and songs, as well as “Now Playing” cover art.

Via the popular URC modules for News, Sports, Weather and Stocks RSS feeds, KP-4000 users can stay connected at a glance to the information they need via customized views. URC is currently developing additional modules for climate control, energy management, IP cameras and security panels.

Like all current URC controllers, the KP-4000 is programmed using URC’s powerful and easy-to-use Complete Control Program (CCP). With CCP, installers are not forced to use any buttons, text or images that the customer may find confusing. Buttons can be programmed to be any size, color or shape; they can even be images. Text can be as simple as “Zone 2” or as descriptive as “Turn on Music in Master Bedroom,” and one-touch macros of up to 255 steps can be programmed.

The KP-4000 opens up whole house control possibilities for a customer’s entire digital music library. When used with URC’s PSX-2 Personal Server, KP-4000s can deliver unprecedented control of a docked iPod from numerous locations in the home, with features such as “Play more from this Artist/Genre,” “Shuffle Genre/Artist/Album/Composer,” the ability to build jukebox playlists on the fly, rich macros, and more. Using URC’s PSX-Link Software, the iPod can stay in the dock and sync with any Mac or PC in the house that is running iTunes, which means no more “white wire” issues for the customer.

In addition, URC’s free My Music module, powered by Autonomic Controls Inc., merges iTunes content with Windows Media Player content, so it doesn’t matter where media is stored, or from whom they are purchased. My Music is perfect for customers with large digital music collections who would like to queue up playlists. My Music can even play lossless FLAC files. Further, installers can even use Apple’s Airport Express to wirelessly connect PCs, Macs and Apple TVs to the A/V system and control iTunes music and video through the KP-4000.

The MRX-1 base station, also announced this week, enables the KP-4000 (along with the MX-5000 and MX-6000) to issue commands to IR, RS-232 and relay components. “While everyone waits for the custom electronics industry to complete the transition to network control, every custom installed system needs a way to ‘jump off’ the network to control conventional components,” said Johnson. “Our competitors are still trying to ‘jump on’ the network. We are pleased to be able to say that URC is doing exactly the opposite of that.”

Via the MRX-1, most RS-232 components can display 2-way volume pop-ups on the KP-4000. Via another new URC accessory, the RFTX-1 transmitter ($39.95 MSRP), the MRX-1 can allow the KP-4000 user to control single-room or even whole-house URC RF lighting scenes and paths, and even create new scenes on the fly.

The MRX-1 features six adjustable IR ports (Port 6 can be used to control URC Lighting via the optional RFTX-1) and two 2-way RS-232 ports. RF collisions and crosstalk are eliminated because each IR port has its own IR engine and can operate totally independent of the others. When used with the KP-4000, the MRX-1 can handle multiple simultaneous commands over the LAN, and make sure that each component gets routed its correct command.

The MRX-1 Relay controls motorized projector mounts, screens, drapes/shades and TV lifts. Its RF input connects to RFX-250 and RFX-250i RF sensors, and enables RF control from standard URC RF remotes. Its RF output passes incoming commands to additional RF base stations, while its IR input receives incoming signals from other RF base stations, including the ZigBee-based MRZ-260. The MRX-1’s Video/Voltage Sensor ensures 100 percent reliable power management of a standard component that requires initial Turn-on Delays, or a TOAD component which only has a “Power Toggle” command. The KP-4000 features 2-way RS-232 Status Request Macro Capability; it can request the status of an RS-232 device like a TV, and based on the reply, execute an if/else macro (for example, If: TV is “OFF”, issue the “Power On” command, wait four seconds, and then issue the “Input 1” command/Else: just issue the “Input 1” command).

As part of a growing system, the MRX-1 is optimized for use with the MX-5000 and MX-6000 as well.

The KP-4000 fits in any standard dual gang box or P-Ring; mounting screws and cover plate are included. It can be powered by the same Cat5 cable it uses to communicate with the network using Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology. Installers can employ a third-party PoE switch when installing several KP-4000s, or purchase a PoE injector ($40 MSRP) from URC when installing a single KP-4000. Installers do not need a USB cable to install and configure the KP-4000; these tasks are all performed via the network. MAC addressing enables installation of multiple KP-4000s and MRX-1s for control of as many components as needed throughout the house.

The KP-4000 is available now for $599 MSRP. It will be initially available in White, and subsequently in Black and Light Almond. The MRX-1 is available now for $399 MSRP.

Visit URC at www.UniversalRemote.com.