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Crestron Adagio - The good, The Bad & the Ugly

post #1 of 12
6/20/09 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
So I decided to just dump system builder for even basic programming of adagio all together. IMHO System builder is not at all what its supposed to be, I think they missed the mark completely on that. For that reason I was totally against using adagio units all together... I dont like having a bunch of prebuilt logic that I may never use... However I have been using the cp2e(or any 2 series processor) and adagio combo and programming them both with simpl and I've been happy with that combination.

Pro's:
Price Point is very good
you get preamp and amp built in to one box... along with IR, RS232 etc, ethernet control, XM tuner(optional)... Lot of bang for the buck..
all in one solution for most homes... especially DIY types



Con's:
Not as powerful as a 2 series processor.
Uses a lot more memory & Logic (meaning there's a lot of unnecessary programming that has to be done compared to a 2 series)
APADS seem to be like "the thing to buy" when you get these units.. they suck. I can't stand them... I'd rather have a 12 button keypad
Not a total DIY solution... you can do mostly everything yourself with the exception of the programming...

Tips (personal oppinion)

Do not use system builder to program these... if you are you will be pulling your hair out.. system builder is horrible and if your "programmer" ( loosely used title) says he is using it then find yourself another programmer. I believe Spinsic (AVS member) wouldn't mind the work.

Do not use APAD's they're just not that great. its the in between for having a touchpanel or a keypad... It's kind of like the old ipods except you're now trying to navigate more than just music and there not as cool.

Do not over do it... the more you add to these things the slower they'll run

Get the XM or sirius card.. just incase



anyone else got anything they'd like to add?
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post #2 of 12
6/20/09 at 10:44am
Thread Starter 
oh yes and avoid the TPS-4L if possible too.. the screen is just really small... older people especially have a hard time with these.

They're not the worse thing but if you can get the 6L or 6X you'll be much happier I promise!
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post #3 of 12
6/20/09 at 8:03pm
The 6L and the 6X are great touchpanels. Theres a bit of a price jump from the 4L but WELL worth it.
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post #4 of 12
6/21/09 at 1:01am
I agree, the 6x is a great panel. But with the in-wall dock coming out soon for the 6x, I think I will be specing even more in instead of the 4L's.

As far as the adagio, I took the same steps. If the budget calls for an adagio style system, then I use the audio expander and a cp2e for processing. This helps out especially if you start adding security integration/lighting/hvac. SystemBuilder also is an awful way to program. I have to admit that for the inexperienced user, it seems to fulfill their needs, but once you need to start customizing it's such a pain that you wish you would of just created the program in simpl.

I wonder if systembuilder will work with crestron's new product line?
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post #5 of 12
6/22/09 at 5:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahwoo View Post

...I believe Spinsic (AVS member) wouldn't mind the work.

Thanks Dahwoo! I'm fairly busy these days, but I'll take what I can get.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahwoo View Post

Do not use APAD's they're just not that great. its the in between for having a touchpanel or a keypad... It's kind of like the old ipods except you're now trying to navigate more than just music and there not as cool.

I personally agree with Dahwoo....would never want an APAD in my home. On the other hand, 90+% of the people I've programmed them for love them. In one case, a client pulled out a couple 4Ls to put in APADS after living at the house for a while. Nothing to do with $ either. I guess I better make my 4Ls cooler
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post #6 of 12
6/23/09 at 8:21am
Theres nothing wrong with APAD's when used with just the stock Adagio sources from the cards. It is when you start trying to control external sources that you run into problems. I went through a debacle even to get the CEN-TRACK information to show up properly.

+1 for no Adagio or APAD's here. Get yourself a CP2E, a PAD8, an amp and a few 6L's and you will be much better off. Albeit a little more expensive, the headache you will have with the other system is not worth a few bucks.
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post #7 of 12
6/23/09 at 4:27pm
System Builder does the dirty with the dog. It's just cheating (poorly)as far as I'm concearned. But that's OK cause Adagio is no better and they compliment each other. Why are there so many apads and Adagio's on fleabay at any given time?
I suppose I shouldn't pick on Adagio as I haven't tried it yet but I have no reason to try it.
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post #8 of 12
6/24/09 at 6:03pm
Adagio is not a bad product. i don't like it mostly because people/integrators try to do too much with it. It is an affordable crestron solution. But people think they can run 12 or 18 rooms of audio, video, hvac, & security on a single adagio processor with a ton of APAD's (which i hate) and touchpanels. If one keeps it within its capabilities, then it's ok. Not all that bad. I never program those in system builder even though you can. I did do one demo system with AES,AAE,TPS4L,Apad, CEN-IDOC,AAS-2 and AMFM card in about under 1 hour (about 45 mins total time). In simpl that would've taken some hours to do. And can you believe... it worked flawlessly. Since it was a demo system for a dealer, i broke the cardinal rule of never using system builder since i had no intentions of ever re-doing or adding to it at a later date. It's when you try to mix and match Escient Fireballs with APAD's and add in HVAC and try to control entire home automation system when adagio is not the brightest ideas but i often see people mix and match adagio components with 2-series processors and that works great because it save the customer some $$$
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post #9 of 12
6/30/09 at 11:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blowne30M3 View Post

Theres nothing wrong with APAD's when used with just the stock Adagio sources from the cards. It is when you start trying to control external sources that you run into problems. I went through a debacle even to get the CEN-TRACK information to show up properly.

+1 for no Adagio or APAD's here. Get yourself a CP2E, a PAD8, an amp and a few 6L's and you will be much better off. Albeit a little more expensive, the headache you will have with the other system is not worth a few bucks.

LOL so then there is something wrong with APAD's.. just razzing but this is ONE OF the reasons I hate them so.. more negatives than positives for me with these things
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post #10 of 12
6/30/09 at 11:19am
Thread Starter 
I just want to add that when you start a sentence out by saying "there's nothing wrong with it, IF...." that there are some things wrong with it... I like the product the number one problem with it is that the salesman have no idea of what the capabilities are. With that being said if you can get to them while or after the crestron rep has sold them on "all its glory" then you're in good shape
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post #11 of 12
6/30/09 at 12:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dahwoo View Post

I like the product the number one problem with it is that the salesman have no idea of what the capabilities are. With that being said if you can get to them while or after the crestron rep has sold them on "all its glory" then you're in good shape

well in a perfect world... but generally, being that i'm a sub contractor, by the time i'm brought in, it's usually when they give me an equipment list and say program this... By this time, they have the deposit check from customer and have already begun installation. So to change it, it cost the dealer money because it is super hard to go back to the customer and say well i designed the wrong system for you, at this point they would look like the "not so bright" salespersons they are

Usually at this point the person that suffers is the customer because they depend on us to design the correct system. I always bark and let them know before i start to programming that this system is going to suck, and they always say why and tell them why, then they usually say... "let's just try it and see" at this point i don't really care when it does suck, i just refer the customer to the sales people and let them handle it since this is not my customer and i don't want to get in the middle of it. I keep my opinions to myself because i do value everyone's business. Besides, this usually results in more income from me because i'm not going to reprogram for free when i told them of the mistake in design before hand...
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post #12 of 12
6/30/09 at 1:10pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by da_pirate View Post

well in a perfect world... but generally, being that i'm a sub contractor, by the time i'm brought in, it's usually when they give me an equipment list and say program this... By this time, they have the deposit check from customer and have already begun installation. So to change it, it cost the dealer money because it is super hard to go back to the customer and say well i designed the wrong system for you, at this point they would look like the "not so bright" salespersons they are

Usually at this point the person that suffers is the customer because they depend on us to design the correct system. I always bark and let them know before i start to programming that this system is going to suck, and they always say why and tell them why, then they usually say... "let's just try it and see" at this point i don't really care when it does suck, i just refer the customer to the sales people and let them handle it since this is not my customer and i don't want to get in the middle of it. I keep my opinions to myself because i do value everyone's business. Besides, this usually results in more income from me because i'm not going to reprogram for free when i told them of the mistake in design before hand...

True indeed
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