Monster MCC AVL300-S Home Theater and Lighting Controller with Omnilink

by Monster

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 4.2 x 11.8 inches ; 2.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000CQP5YS
• Item model number: MCC AVL300
• Batteries: 1 Lithium ion batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #45 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Remote Controls > TV Remote Controls
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 22, 2008

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer

Monster Home Theater Controller AVL300

Unique & stylish ergonomic design.

Table-top charging station allows use of remote while charging the supplied lithium-ion battery.

The AVL300 Remote from Monster Cable has the capability to replace all of your existing remotes. Unlike other remotes on the market, the AVL300's Component and Activity buttons send multiple commands to multiple devices automatically, allowing true one-touch control. You can control even the most complex AV systems, and extend their functionality with the special feature buttons. The unique ergonomic design of the AVL300 features an intuitive layout of easy-to-read large tactile buttons. Thanks to the special illuminated backlit buttons, this remote is easy to read in the dark.

One-touch control of any home entertainment system!

Easy to Use

Best of all, there is no complex programming required to use this remote. Use your computer and the online setup wizard to easily configure home theater functions to create home entertainment activities. The Intelligent Monster Tracking Memory remembers what each component is doing, so when you switch activities your gear responds accurately. This functionality is easy enough for the whole family. You don't have to be a technophile to use the AVL300. Everyone from the kids to the babysitter can command home entertainment with ease!

Convenient One-Remote Control and Functionality

The AVL300 provides convenient one-remote control and functionality. This means that you can control multiple systems with one remote. Use in different rooms to control both local and main systems. With maximum versatility, the AVL300 easily commands all of your AV gear, even your room lighting!

Monster Central Omnilink

Control Link Extender Set

Works Through Walls, Cabinets, and Floors Monster Controlnet Technology allows freedom to move around the house and never aim your remote again. Included Monster Omnilink extends operating range up to 130 feet. (Reception and performance may vary based on location of device, and environmental and structural conditions.)

Function Buttons

The AVL300's large tactile function buttons allow complete control of your components. From basic page up and page down functions to Picture-in-Picture and surround sound/DSP mode switching, this remote has you covered. You can even get one-touch access to your lighting system!

Get one-touch instant access to Monster Central Home Lighting System functions.

Control multiple systems for multiple rooms.

Quickly scroll through satellite and digital cable program guides.

Allows direct access to important picture controls like aspect ratio and PIP.

Allows convenient access to surround sound and DSP modes while listening.

Monster Central Control

Monster Central Control is the world's most advanced remote control setup and information source. The web-based setup is fast and easy. The remote congfigurator walks you through your remote setup by simply asking you what home theater equipment you have and how it is connected.

The exclusive online content ensures that you get the most from your remote and home theater experience. You can obtain easy-to-understand technical assistance and advice at Monster Central Control, plus important software downloads and updates.

Make the best connections by downloading the Monster Connnection Guides for everything from PVR to iPod hook-ups.

Web-based setup

Lighting setup

Online content

Connection guide

What's in the Box
Monster Home Theater Controller AVL300, long lasting lithium ion battery, tabletop charging system, Monster Central Omnilink, control link extender set.

Product Description

Customizable Lifestyle Activity buttons simultaneously set IlluminEssence lights and send commands to AV componentsEasy Web Setup Wizard: plain language setup with no complex programming or codes to enterCustomizable AV Activity buttons instantly send complex macro commands to multiple audio and video componentsControls AV equipment through walls floors and doors: roam around the house and never point your remote againIncludes charging cradle with rechargeable lithium-ion battery

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent remote with minor issues, November 26, 2007

By 

Ivan Black - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monster MCC AVL300-S Home Theater and Lighting Controller with Omnilink (Electronics)

I purchased this remote recently after comparing this one to the Harmony 890. I have since had a chance to use the Harmony and as such will provide a bit of comparison.

Pros: Wide ranging support of devices, good button ergonomics, good lighting support, flexible configuration

Cons: Clumsy and slow customization interface

Overall I am very happy with this purchase. The remote controls all of my devices (including a DVD player purchased in Japan) and has the flexibility to allow me to control them in the way I want.

The configuration software provided is very poor. It is essentially a limited web browser used to connect to www.myremotesetup.com. I assume they use the client to allow seamless updates to the remote via the USB interface, but it is very slow and cumbersome. I have found that using the web site directly with a browser is much faster, and you can then use the software simply to perform the update to the remote.

While the customization interface is poor, its functionality is quite good. I have been able to define a number of "Activities" (think macros or series of button pushes) which involve all of my entertainment components. The Activities set up both your components and your remote for a given purpose, for example "Watch Cable" or "Watch DVD". For each Activity, you have the ability to "punch through" buttons. That is, you can map any command to each button, for example, the Channel Up button might change the channel on your cable box while the Volume Up button changes the volume on your receiver.

An important feature is that the remote is aware of the state of any given device that it controls. This is very helpful when switching between Activities. For example, say there is an Activity for "Watch Cable" that turns on the TV when you start it, and turns off the TV when you go to another Activity called "Play CD". If you were to click "Watch Cable" and then press the button for "Play DVD", you do not need to worry about the TV being turned off first (as it stops "Watch Cable") and then turned on again (as it starts "Play DVD"). The remote knows that the TV was on because you were using "Watch Cable" and simply leaves it on for "Play DVD".


Comparison to Harmony 890

To compare this remote to the Harmony 890 is fairly straightforward. The only item that is not well-known is that there are two versions of the Harmony, the 890 and the 890 Pro. The former is the version that is most commonly purchased. The "Pro" version is exactly the same as the 890, but it has better support for the Z-Wave protocol used by many light controllers. As a result, it has slightly better features for controlling outlets and light switches. For controlling regular entertainment devices (TVs, DVD players, etc) they are identical.

The Monster remote is based on the Harmony 890 Pro, so it has better support of the Z-Wave protocol. If that is something you care about, it is worth noting. The rest of the differences are primarily cosmetic. The Monster remote is a bit heavier, with more of it's weight above it's centerline, it is also a bit wider, owing to its rectangular, rather than peanut, shape. As a result, for those with smaller hands, it may not be quite as comfortable to use. The button arrangement is very similar, but there are slight differences.

The Monster remote is centered on a joystick which has the same functions as the "D-pad" style on the Harmony 890. However, surrounding the joystick are the Pause, Play, Fast Forward, Rewind, Stop and Record buttons. On the Harmony, the D-Pad is surrounded by the volume and channel controls as well as Page Up/Down. For those who make significant use of the former set of buttons, this setup is much more convenient. For those who don't use those buttons as often, they are still available on the Harmony, but are located two rows down from the center (under buttons such as Guide, Info, Menu and Exit).

Finally, the software for customizing the Harmony 890 is faster, more responsive and easier to follow than the software for the Monster. That said, it has exactly the same functionality and, in fact, uses the same web site to retrieve and store data.

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The good and the bad after six months, May 27, 2008

By 

John Rawlins (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Monster MCC AVL300-S Home Theater and Lighting Controller with Omnilink (Electronics)

Hi, let me preface this by saying I also have a Phillips Pronto Pro TSU6000 remote. It is a similar but more expensive unit than the Monster. Many of my opinions are based on comparing the two devices. They differ considerably with both having strengths and weaknesses. I've owned both of them for over six months now. I suspect a lot of the people saying this is the 'best remote ever' have not tried anything else in the same price range.

Overall I'm pleased with the AVL300. It is very feature rich. The inclusion of an RF module is an example. With the Pronto RF is an expensive option.

The physical size is also nice. The Pronto is much bulkier and cannot be operated with one hand. It also slips out of your hand easily and you shudder when the $600 device hits the floor. Conversely the Monster is easy to grip and many of the functions can be accessed using only one hand.

The Pronto makes extensive use of 'soft' keys whereas the Monster does not. By 'soft keys' I mean the touch screen rather than actual buttons. It sounds cool and high tech but is over rated. Pressing the touch screen is by nature imprecise. You don't get any tactile feedback so you often miss the key you want and hit the wrong one. The Monster uses true buttons AKA 'hard keys'. It's much easier to tell when your finger is on the button and far less error prone.

The software for programming the two devices is vastly different. I won't try to go into all the details here but here are some highlights.

The Pronto software is very powerful but requires considerable technical savvy. You have to create the entire user interface for the touch screen buttons and panels from scratch. You also have to manually create all the macros to turn on groups of devices. It takes days to setup a moderately complicated home theater. On the bright side there is a big user community that shares what they have created. That can give you a big head start.

The Monster software is wizard based and guides you through the process. The basic setup is pretty straight forward and easy. While it still requires time and technical savvy it's nothing like the Pronto. Fine tunning things is more challenging. Also, the list of home theater components they support is remarkably extensive. They have the codes for just about everything it seems. They have game systems, lighting controllers, stereo components and even had the codes for my Escient Fireball media server. Not having to learn codes from the original remotes saves so much time. One disappointment is they don't take full advantage of discrete codes. These are special codes for A/V devices that typically can't be accessed via the OEM remote but do exist. The discrete codes are huge assets when controlling home theaters.

The software is not without issues. First, it is very slow and clumsy. For example when you click the forward and back button in the wizard there is a noticeable delay before anything happens. Also, you frequently have to go back to the very beginning when configuring multiple settings and devices. It gets tedious. The software could be more intuitive as well. Worst of all you always must have a live internet connection and login to their site to configure the remote. What the heck is that for?? You can't even change the text label on a button without logging into the web. Maybe that's why it's so sluggish going through the wizard.

I hate the charging base for the remote. The remote doesn't snap into the charger it just lays loosely on top. It's very easy to not get it seated properly, or knock it out of position. When that happens obviously it doesn't charge. Many people have reported problems with it.

As compared to the Pronto Pro I would say the biggest strength of the Monster is the hardware. The greatest weakness is the software. It needs more customization capability and an 'advanced mode' so that I don't have to go through the wizard all the time.

Last but not least I have to mention that my unit broke. It recently decided it was not going to charge at all anymore. The support people at Monster were very helpful and I'm in the process of getting it replaced.

Happy remote controlling!

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best remote ever, November 11, 2006

By 

Brian J. Miksic "Happy Pants" (The Berkshires, MA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monster MCC AVL300-S Home Theater and Lighting Controller with Omnilink (Electronics)

I'm amazed... simply amazed. The price is way out there... and this obviously isn't for everyone... but it does everything it says... well.

Set up is super smooth, get the manufacturer and model number, type it in during set up on your computer, and it is done. Thats it.

I do have multiple lighting and heating controls and it is a snap to set up as well. And then you can have the remote send the setup information to other controllers as well.

Tip: Don't buy their lighting controls... WAY over priced. Anything that is Z-Wave will work... Leviton sells a line for 1/3 of the price.