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crestron programming/pricing? - Page 4

post #91 of 146
9/11/09 at 1:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahwoo View Post

I know this but I think somewhere earlier in the thread someone said they were working with a tps-1700 or something like that

I think it was an STX-1700.
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post #92 of 146
9/11/09 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahwoo View Post

Uhhh no... lol but it did make me want to ask for a raise.

speaking of that I remember one time(a very long time ago) where I needed to control power on a VCR and it didn't have discrete codes I ended up using like 15 symbols(and about 3 hours) to make it work.. it was hilarious when the senior programmer came over and said why are you doing that trashed the whole thing and showed me a more reasonable approach in less than a minute. That's what you call back to the drawing board

He he he, But just the fact that you were able to think you're way through those 15 symbols and make it work is enough to make you feel like King Schit
My first home brewed module was for my own irrigation system. It must have 25 symbols in it. I know it's a mess but it works perfectly so I'm still using it.
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post #93 of 146
9/12/09 at 1:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stefuel View Post

...I know it's a mess but it works perfectly so I'm still using it.

This applies when I look back at some of my old projects!! They're a mess and a real chore to make changes too but they work and are still doing their thing years on!
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post #94 of 146
9/12/09 at 4:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Syphon Filter View Post

This applies when I look back at some of my old projects!! They're a mess and a real chore to make changes too but they work and are still doing their thing years on!

That's kind of the beauty of Crestron. I know that many will insist that there's only one way (their way) do do things, but in fact Crestron affords many ways to get things done. Some ways are just better than others.
If it's been working perfectly for many years it can't be to wrong.
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post #95 of 146
9/12/09 at 10:14am
You're quite right, as with all programming, there's definitely more than one way to skin a cat with a Crestron system.

The issue I have is that the first couple of systems I programmed were before I had had any formal training. I was given a few pointers by some chap who had figured out the basics for himself and then I was onto my first job, which happened to be a 17 zone, 21 touch-screen system!!! The system works for sure, the family (who I have gotten to know very well over the past 5 years) have been living in the house and using it on a daily basis to control their AV, HVAC and lighting but from a programmers point of view, especially now that I have a few years experience and much more training and a certification under my belt, it's a bit of a birds nest! Also that project was a pain and there was a real issue about site presence, as such most of it was programmed on-site whilst the place was still a building site which is not an ideal location for programming of a system!!!

Hey ho, you live and learn and as long as the system works I see no issue. My more recent work is constructed in a much more methodical manner and is much easier to manipulate "after the fact" as it were.
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post #96 of 146
9/13/09 at 1:35am
What is the simplest and most cost effective crestron solution for a one room HT room, one zone, just looking to control my AV components and the room lighting? Also would like a touchscreen wireless control panel. A lot of the crestron stuff seems complex and pricey. Thanks
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post #97 of 146
9/13/09 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gamelover360 View Post

What is the simplest and most cost effective crestron solution for a one room HT room, one zone, just looking to control my AV components and the room lighting? Also would like a touchscreen wireless control panel. A lot of the crestron stuff seems complex and pricey. Thanks

Couple of options but it depends on what you need the system to control. What is this single zone going to consist of? How many items of HT equipment (displays, sources etc) are there that need to be controlled? Do you intend to control other things such as lighting or A/C in the room?

There are a number of solutions and while none of them are what I would consider cheap they do vary greatly in price.
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post #98 of 146
9/13/09 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gamelover360 View Post

What is the simplest and most cost effective crestron solution for a one room HT room, one zone, just looking to control my AV components and the room lighting? Also would like a touchscreen wireless control panel. A lot of the crestron stuff seems complex and pricey. Thanks

Assuming that this is a typical home theater/ media room with 2 display devices (TV or PJ) maximum and you already have or are willing to purchase products that have serial control or discrete IR. TPMC-8X or TPS-6X will cost you apx $8000.00 installed & programmed. This includes gateways or wi-fi gear, user interface design and control system installation.

It may cost more if you require installation of your AV hardware. The $8000 estimate i gave assumes your AV gear is installed and functioning properly.
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post #99 of 146
9/17/09 at 9:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gamelover360 View Post

What is the simplest and most cost effective crestron solution for a one room HT room, one zone, just looking to control my AV components and the room lighting? Also would like a touchscreen wireless control panel. A lot of the crestron stuff seems complex and pricey. Thanks

I'm on the verge of doing exactly what you describe using the TPMC-3X wand remote (it has a 2.8" touchscreen). Were you thinking more of a two handed touchpanel? I was going to mate my 3X with an MC2E and do the programming myself all for under $2k. I can't speak for how much programming a system that simple would cost, I've only paid for auditoriums and larger in the past.

My Equipment:
Epson PJ
Denon AVR
HTPC
PS3
DTV
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post #100 of 146
9/17/09 at 10:22am
Depending on the complexity of your interface, or any "special features", a system like that could be programmed in anywhere from 2 to 8 hours. That assumes it's an experienced programmer, using graphic templates they already have, or are familiar with. Custom graphics could increase sthe time required, significantly.
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post #101 of 146
3/26/10 at 1:09pm
im thinking of purchasing a crestron home controller off ebay does anyone have any advice on the equipment i may need for home theater control
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post #102 of 146
3/26/10 at 1:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowman21 View Post

im thinking of purchasing a crestron home controller off ebay does anyone have any advice on the equipment i may need for home theater control

You'll get plenty of advice but you should put in some details about what you are trying to achieve, like level of control(lighting, climate, none, etc..) number of zones (audio and video), If you want to use a basic looking remote, touch panel, in wall panels? You may also want to start a new thread.
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post #103 of 146
3/26/10 at 1:49pm
thanks for the feed back! im thinking of starting with just a home theater setup moving on to home automation in the near future. what do you think of a cmnsx-pro and a touch screen remote any suggestions.
equipment list:
pioneer elite receiver
sony 400 disc changer
sony blu-ray
htd whole house audio
panasonic projector
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post #104 of 146
3/26/10 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowman21 View Post

im thinking of purchasing a crestron home controller off ebay does anyone have any advice on the equipment i may need for home theater control

If you aren't a Crestron dealer / CAIP / etc. - before you spend a dime on Crestron equipment on ebay, make sure you've figured out a way to program it as the software isn't legally available to end users. We've had more than a few people show up on the Yahoo Groups Crestron list who have gotten themselves into this unfortunate situation...
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post #105 of 146
3/26/10 at 3:34pm
i take it you woud'nt suggest buying crestron from ebay? im looking to break into the home automation game. i've wired the house with 2 strands of cat5 wire in every room,
put in a whole house audio system and have a home theater im looking to bring everything together with a home controller thru rs232. crestron items on ebay came to mind
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post #106 of 146
3/26/10 at 3:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowman21 View Post

i take it you woud'nt suggest buying crestron from ebay? im looking to break into the home automation game. i've wired the house with 2 strands of cat5 wire in every room,
put in a whole house audio system and have a home theater im looking to bring everything together with a home controller thru rs232. crestron items on ebay came to mind

I wouldn't suggest buying Crestron equipment anywhere if you don't you have a way to program it. Without access to Crestron's software (you can't download from their web site without a login), the hardware will be completely useless to you. If you do have access to the software, you can find some great deals on ebay.

If you want to program it yourself and have no Crestron programming experience be aware that it's a lot more difficult than programming a Logitech Harmony or a Pronto.

You could always pay a dealer to program it for you, but they aren't likely to be thrilled about using hardware you bought on ebay and some dealers probably won't even take on such a job. A non-trivial part of the profit comes from selling the hardware and if they sell it to you there's no confusion over who's responsible for what if something doesn't work.

I'm not trying to scare you away - I just don't want to see you get stuck with a pile of hardware that you can't use. If you haven't done so yet, research the programming side of the equation before you buy any Crestron hardware.
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post #107 of 146
3/26/10 at 3:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowman21 View Post

i take it you woud'nt suggest buying crestron from ebay? im looking to break into the home automation game. i've wired the house with 2 strands of cat5 wire in every room,
put in a whole house audio system and have a home theater im looking to bring everything together with a home controller thru rs232. crestron items on ebay came to mind

What are the 2 strands of Cat5 for?
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post #108 of 146
3/26/10 at 5:44pm
i ran 2 strands of cat5 for expansion, first strand for house audio keypads, second one is for cat5 balun to video matrix switcher (yet to be purchased)
ideas for system but nothing to pull it all together. crestron control with RS-232 very good option but no programming know how
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post #109 of 146
3/26/10 at 6:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowman21 View Post

i ran 2 strands of cat5 for expansion, first strand for house audio keypads, second one is for cat5 balun to video matrix switcher (yet to be purchased)
ideas for system but nothing to pull it all together. crestron control with RS-232 very good option but no programming know how

For HDMI routing, you need two cat-5 (better yet cat-6). And for Crestron version of the same, you need a cresnet for control.
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post #110 of 146
3/26/10 at 6:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snowman21 View Post

i ran 2 strands of cat5 for expansion, first strand for house audio keypads, second one is for cat5 balun to video matrix switcher (yet to be purchased)
ideas for system but nothing to pull it all together. crestron control with RS-232 very good option but no programming know how

I think at best what you have described is an underwired system and that you want to purchase Dated/obsolete equipment in which you've never dealt with. You are better off doing a little more research before you purchase anything. and you may want to try and run a few more cables if you are looking for "expansion". Sorry so short I'm heading out the door.
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post #111 of 146
3/26/10 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by amirm View Post

For HDMI routing, you need two cat-5 (better yet cat-6). And for Crestron version of the same, you need a cresnet for control.

There are some single CAT5e / CAT6 HDMI baluns. I've got one of the Laird balun pairs that I've been playing around with to connect a PC in my basement that will be serving as my DVR once the Ceton CableCard tuner ships to my home theater system. So far, it seems to be working just fine with a CAT6 cable.

But it is true that most of the current HDMI solutions require a pair of cables and a pair of CAT5 cables definitely doesn't leave much, if any, room for expansion.
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post #112 of 146
7/28/10 at 8:12pm
Thread Starter 
So after over a year away from here...Im back.

First off I would like to thank everyone who participated and provided helpful input on this Crestron DIY thread,thank you all.

After many night of Mt Dew fueled programming sessions and lots of help from you guys,i managed to get a very simple and basic system up and running(CNMSX-pro/ST1550). Majority of logic is just IR.

Now I'm currently trying to upgrade to a 2 series processor and a better touchpanel and include xpanel.Im looking at either an mp2e or av2 with tpmc10 touchpanel with possibly a tps-???? as well.

so being out of SIMPL programming for a year,im having to start back at the basics and re-learn everything all over again.
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post #113 of 146
7/29/10 at 1:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabledawg View Post

So after over a year away from here...Im back.

First off I would like to thank everyone who participated and provided helpful input on this Crestron DIY thread,thank you all.

After many night of Mt Dew fueled programming sessions and lots of help from you guys,i managed to get a very simple and basic system up and running(CNMSX-pro/ST1550). Majority of logic is just IR.

Now I'm currently trying to upgrade to a 2 series processor and a better touchpanel and include xpanel.Im looking at either an mp2e or av2 with tpmc10 touchpanel with possibly a tps-???? as well.

so being out of SIMPL programming for a year,im having to start back at the basics and re-learn everything all over again.

I say pass over the tpmc-10. I've never heard of a high customer satisfaction with it. Unless you need the big size, I say look for a 4x or 4xG. You might spend a little bit more, but its a much better remote IMO.

For your system, an AV2 would probably be overkill. It's basically a Pro2 without the front panel, and its designed for many different subsystems working together. An MP2e or CP2e would give you Xpanel control and cost a bit less.

If you need any programming help, feel free to PM me. I can't say i'm the most advanced-level programmer here, but i'd be happy to take a look at your program or answer any questions to help you get back into the SIMPL game.
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post #114 of 146
7/29/10 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the input on the TPMC, I do like the size and the prices on ebay are within range(under $500 for most)

I was thinking on the av2 that it would be overkill but i would rather pay an extra 400 or so and have it in place if I ever get carried away with control.

I was reading through a SIMPL PDF guide to refresh and noticed something.'equipment crosspoint routing'. I looked in my logic folder and its not there, even the 'signal routing' subfolder that its supposed to be in isnt there.anyone have any ideas why im missing this folder?
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post #115 of 146
7/29/10 at 7:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabledawg View Post

So after over a year away from here...Im back.

First off I would like to thank everyone who participated and provided helpful input on this Crestron DIY thread,thank you all.

After many night of Mt Dew fueled programming sessions and lots of help from you guys,i managed to get a very simple and basic system up and running(CNMSX-pro/ST1550). Majority of logic is just IR.

Now I'm currently trying to upgrade to a 2 series processor and a better touchpanel and include xpanel.Im looking at either an mp2e or av2 with tpmc10 touchpanel with possibly a tps-???? as well.

so being out of SIMPL programming for a year,im having to start back at the basics and re-learn everything all over again.

I've also been playing around with simple IR programming in Simpl. My issue is a lack of time to take it to the next step. I do hope to purchase a better controller than the ML-600 I've been playing with. I can't decide if I should go with a TPMC 3x, 4x, 8x or a TPS-6x. The 3x and 6x are the lowest markdowns (since they are typically only sold new) but it also seems like an 8x would be a much bigger endeavor than the 4x. What other touchpanel/remotes do people around here recommend (preferably older ones which can be purchased cheaply used)?

Also, thank you to all the programmers around here and on the Yahoo Group (I'm sure some people here answer questions there). There is so much great information which lets me know that if I ever can invest the time to take it to the next step, I certainly can do that.
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post #116 of 146
7/29/10 at 7:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabledawg View Post

I was thinking on the av2 that it would be overkill but i would rather pay an extra 400 or so and have it in place if I ever get carried away with control.

If you end up going with an AV2 (or PRO2) just remember that an ethernet card (C2ENET-1, C2ENET-2) is not included and must be purchased separately at additional cost.

Quote:


I was reading through a SIMPL PDF guide to refresh and noticed something.'equipment crosspoint routing'. I looked in my logic folder and its not there, even the 'signal routing' subfolder that its supposed to be in isnt there.anyone have any ideas why im missing this folder?

Goto Options>>Preferences>>Program Editing and select 'Special' under 'Symbol Set.'
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post #117 of 146
7/29/10 at 8:36pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys,i was able to get to the crosspoint logic finally with both your help.

I have seen several AV2's with the 1net going for as low as $850 and most under $1100 so I wouldnt mind spending a little more on it than trying to replace a mp2e or cp2e later.unless i win the lottery,i would never need more than an av2.if i did,i would be able to afford a top of the line system anyway .

* on a side not * my programming involves the use of modules created by other programmers so any upload of my program will not include those modules out of respect for their developers.
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post #118 of 146
7/30/10 at 9:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabledawg View Post

I was reading through a SIMPL PDF guide to refresh and noticed something.'equipment crosspoint routing'. I looked in my logic folder and its not there, even the 'signal routing' subfolder that its supposed to be in isnt there.anyone have any ideas why im missing this folder?

Unless you are utilizing a large number of rooms/devices/interfaces you can probably save yourself a lot of time/headache by largely ignoring crosspoint routing...in a small/basic system you're generally better off using buffers/interlocks to accomplish the same thing.

Better off may not be the right words. It is just simpler.
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post #119 of 146
7/30/10 at 11:12am
Thread Starter 
I am building my house as a homeowner contractor(with help of friends in different trades) and saving thousands,its just a slow process.I just had the footing poured last week so it is just underway.

It will be a moderately sized house(3225sf) and with systems to match.I am wanting to implement an AV2 as it will handle majority of systems without a hitch.If it comes down to it I can always slave another processor to it.

At some point I would like to have all systems under Crestron control or at least monitored by it to some extent.You will see in the program attached my system/sub-system folder tree.I did the tree and folders first so I start organized.Before anyone gets worried about the 'fire alarm' folder I want to point out that Crestron will not be controlling it,I have a Silent Knight panel for this.I just want to maybe include monitoring/annunciation/equipment shutdown.

I have a grid-tie solar system to be installed and at some point i would like to have touchpanels to be able to display status/condition.I just did research on Crestrons Greenlight system and it seems like a viable option to add at some point.I still need to research more 3rd party modules that might be able to provide status indication to the Crestron system.

I know it might seem like a lot for a DIYer but I have the time and desire to get it done, with the help of experienced programmer's/designers her of course.

Mark

 

new av2 7.29.10.zip 6.341796875k . file
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post #120 of 146
7/31/10 at 8:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabledawg View Post

I am building my house as a homeowner contractor(with help of friends in different trades) and saving thousands,its just a slow process.I just had the footing poured last week so it is just underway.

It will be a moderately sized house(3225sf) and with systems to match.I am wanting to implement an AV2 as it will handle majority of systems without a hitch.If it comes down to it I can always slave another processor to it.

At some point I would like to have all systems under Crestron control or at least monitored by it to some extent.You will see in the program attached my system/sub-system folder tree.I did the tree and folders first so I start organized.Before anyone gets worried about the 'fire alarm' folder I want to point out that Crestron will not be controlling it,I have a Silent Knight panel for this.I just want to maybe include monitoring/annunciation/equipment shutdown.

I have a grid-tie solar system to be installed and at some point i would like to have touchpanels to be able to display status/condition.I just did research on Crestrons Greenlight system and it seems like a viable option to add at some point.I still need to research more 3rd party modules that might be able to provide status indication to the Crestron system.

I know it might seem like a lot for a DIYer but I have the time and desire to get it done, with the help of experienced programmer's/designers her of course.

Mark

The av2 is a good choice. I started out with a cp2e but am now upgrading to an AV2 as once you start implementing mobile pro devices you can run out of memory pretty quickly. I've got my room almost done DIY with a cp2e controlling a few devices over rs232 and ir, a tstat, and a c6 rf lighting controller. I need the additional memory to get into the rest of the house.
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