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Topic: URC MX-880Z remote RF Fail! (Read 669 times) previous topic - next topic

URC MX-880Z remote RF Fail!

Making this thread so if others have this problem they  will know what to do.

Last weekend Wife tried turning on the back bedroom with the remote.  Nothing happened and she told me remote was saying FR Fail!.

Now back home and started to troubleshoot.  In my coach I have 3 MX-880Z remotes. 1 for front & Slide TV, 1 for bedroom TV, and 1 for patio TV.  These remotes talk via RF (wireless) to 3 MRZ-260 receivers.  These receivers then send the signal via wiring and a IR blaster that is attached to the different equipment. Such as TV, Sat Receivers, HDMI switcher, Audio receiver and DVD player. The remotes are programed. Such as when you push the button on the Front TV remote for Sat1  The remote then sends RF signals to the 3 MRZ-260, which then sends different signals to turn on the Front TV, selects HDMI2 input on Front TV, turns the Audio receiver on, then to the Sat1 receiver audio inputs, and turns on the Sat receiver.  When it works it is great.  Only push 1 button and everything starts up and connects correctly.  That is unless you get a RF Fail! message on the remote.  When I first started trouble shooting I did not know if I had a bad remote or a bad URC MRZ-260 RF receiver.  After doing more research in my coach each of the 3 RF receivers have 4 ports so they can connect to the different components. I have a list below of what the different RF receivers ports go to.  If you have this set up there is a good possibly that yours might be different but I am guessing they will be the same since FT can use the same program in the different coaches.  When I would operate the different remotes and watched what components did what I figured out I had a back RF receiver.  URC came out with the MX-880Z remote and MRZ-260 receiver in 2009.  These parts have been discontinued for a few years now.  I was able to find a new MRZ-260 on ebay so ordered and should have Monday  if all goes good.  I was looking at my options if I was not able to get  this part and I would then have to replace all 3 remotes and get 3 new RF receivers. Then program the remotes to work with my components.  That cost was close to around 1 coach buck for parts for a new system.  Thankful I was able to find a RF receiver.

In my coach the 3 receivers are in the 3rd back from front compartment on passenger side. The are located up high on the left side.

I will follow up with pictures of the parts and how all worked out when I get time to get back to repairing.

List of ports and items they operate

MRZ-260
Unit 1 Port 1 = Living room TV
Unit 1 Port 2 = Audio receiver
Unit 1 Port 3 = Blu-Ray1
Unit 1 Port 4 = Satellite 1

Unit 2 Port 1 = Bedroom TV
Unit 2 Port 2 = HDMI Switcher
Unit 2 Port 3 = Blu Ray 2
Unit 2 Port 4 = Satellite 2

Unit 3 Port 1 = Patio TV
Unit 3 Port 2 = Patio Audio receiver
Unit 3 Port 3 = Slide TV
Unit 3 Port 4 = spare

Re: URC MX-880Z remote RF Fail!

Reply #1 –
Got the new URC MRZ-260 and got time to go and install it.  Before I change out the unit I wanted to verify exactly which one was not working.  In the software you can verify the different units when you are connected to the remote control.  I go and verify the mac address of the non working MRZ-260 in the software and instead of it saying that it could not find the one that was not working it connected to it.  So I then go and try turning on the TV in the back bedroom and everything is working now.  Since I last worked on this and the MRZ-260 was not working I have taken two short trips to the other side of town for 3 nights.  When I was testing the unit and it was not responding I had powered it down and repowered and that did not get it to come back to like.  The only things that I can think that have caused it to start working again, is maybe the warm temperatures now, we are in the low 70's to  mid-high 80's, I had the coach out on the driveway washing it last week and coach was unplugged with the inverters off so the receivers were off for around 3 or 4 hours, or the movement on the trip.  Since everything is now working I am going to leave everything alone and hope it stays working and take the part and add to my spare part box.

First picture is the 3 MRZ-260 in the lower outside compartment, Second is the software showing what I thought was a non connecting MRZ-260 when I tried to verify it before replacing, and last picture is remote showing RF Fail! when the MRZ-260 was not working.

The down side to a coach owner doing his own repair, replacement is you have to have the URC software in order to change the the mac address in the MX-880Z remote control.  My company was a dealer so I was able to get the software.  I do not know how easy it would be able to get the software so you might have to find a URC dealer to update your software. in your remote if this happens to you.  It is not a big deal and they should be able to have it done in an hour or so if they know what they are doing.
 

Re: URC MX-880Z remote RF Fail!

Reply #2 –
Turbo,
I have URC problems and after a search found your post. My remotes are working on but my iPad Total Control has lost it program or something. The Cannot Find message comes up. Is there anything you can tell me to resolve  this?  Brad Perkins