Which brings to mind a question I've pondered for years. Why can't universal remotes learn and transmit RF commands like they do IR? I've run into this problem multiple times with different products that use RF remotes and it makes it impossible to program them into universal remotes. Many RF devices use BlueTooth, a universal standard. Why can't URC or any other universal remotes use it?
Open standards, such as Bluetooth, are excellent for cross platform control, but it also is open to interference issues and can be open to range issues. Bluetooth is typically 30 feet or so, which may not cover a large house.
URC, uses the 418mhz range for their remote, which they have some level of license for, and this range can allow for very good reliability at 100'+ in range. But, this is from their remote to their receiver. You want another RF frequency... more money. You want another? More money. Zigbee? More money! Bluetooth? More money!
And all that stuff needs to be built into the remote you are holding in your hand.
Do we want it? Darn straight I know I do! I would love a box I could hook up to my control system that could hit those RF frequencies on the fly. I just had Hunter Douglas motorized blinds installed. They use up to 4 different RF channels for up and down. BUT - how do I control them from my universal remote, or (more accurately) my control system? I want them all to go down at sunset, and come up at 11:00AM, but I still want my universal remotes (RF) to control them locally whenever I want to.
I'm not on the design side, but I think this is a huge engineering near impossibility or cost issue. Or both. But, I do still want it!