HobeSoundDarryl - I'm running Windows using Fusion and I understand your point about the frequency of updates. However, the fact that I don't update that often makes it even more bothersome that I have to keep another OS on my Mac. It seems like a waste of hard drive space. Besides, our remotes are so old that I have to use a USB to serial adaptor which presents its own set of problems.
I appreciate everything you're saying. If you want a new remote, get one. However, you have a fully functional (good) remote now and you have your Mac set up so you can run Windows AND you already have that USB-to-serial adapter. While you can certainly spend some money to buy a new remote, if the problem is that you want to free up the space Windows is taking on your Mac, you could buy an external drive and dedicate it for Windows.
Personally, I find it handy to have Windows even though I don't use it that often. Inevitably, somebody is going to need something that only runs on Windows or I'll get some attachment that needs to be opened on Windows or I need to review and edit OR save something in the most fully compatible version of the Office programs, etc.
To replicate all of what that MX850 can do, you'll need to buy the higher-priced models from Logitech Harmony. That's more than you would need to buy an external drive to dedicate to an occasional need for Windows AND doing that would mean you would be covered for any other times you might need Windows (even if you never need it right now).
Again, I fully get the desire to buy some new tech so do that if you want. You came here looking for recommendations and you've got a number of them. Most of them are good ones. Mine basically costs you either nothing or the (lower) cost of a dedicated hard drive. The MX850 you already have is a learning, macro-capable, remote capable of managing upwards of 20 AV devices. You have to jump throw a Windows hoop to program it but how often do you have to program it?
TV). Programming the Harmony to do this is easy peasy.