Pronto or not ?

[Mad Mr H]

Hi,

Ive never been in the remote forum before so forgive me if I ask well answered questions - I did check the FAQ first .


I have the usual bunch of remotes and think its about time I got myself a single remote to do everything.


What I am trying to achieve :

Dedicated Home Cinema room.

HD DVD player - Stop, play, pause, up down left right etc.
Blu Ray player - as above
CD player - stop play pause skip etc.
Lexicon MC12B - Preamp - on/off vol source select
PC - able to turn on via IR remote
(Possible media server in another room, but that not essential)
2 x Projectors (Barco)
Gefen HD SDI to DVI convertor - basic remote control ONLY required as a "service" menu, not required in daily use.

Bryston Amps - These are all controlled by a trigger system that provides delayed power on (So the guys at the nation grid are kept happy!)

I could also do with RS232 control of a TVONE Scaler, the Barco projectors are also able to run via RS232 (maybe the Lexicon I would need to check)

Control of the TVONE scaler is essential, it does not have a remote control IR or any other type, RS232 is the only remote control option.


I was looking at a Pronto TSU 9600 - any opinions ???

Crestron is an option but I feel the quality of the product vs price lets it down.

[hornydragon]

9600 will do the RS232 stuffbut look at RTI as well havent used an RTI yet but like the look of them...... they use a similar 2 part system with a controller box that sits in the rack 9600 is £1200 with the WIFI base stattion that does RS232 RTI is closer to 2 grand for XP8 and T2C/T3 handset but offers 8 RS232 port (bi-directional) opposed to 3 on the philips both have lots of triggers RTI http://www.rticorp.com/products/t2c.html http://www.rticorp.com/products/xp8.html

[Mad Mr H]

Hi HornyDragon,

Many thanks for your input.


I was looking at a second hand 9600 to keep costs down........


The RTI T3 would appear to be my prefered remote "look" , the T2-C has too many buttons for me.

Looks like the T3 can be used with the CM-232 (Mini jack ro 9 pin D type) RS232 connector and linked to the RP-6

http://www.rticorp.com/products/T3.html
http://www.rticorp.com/products/cm-232.html
http://www.rticorp.com/products/rp6.html

That would then appear to be the complete system.

Ive not looked at the prices yet as I think I might get scared .

(NOTE TO SELF : Next time keep all your Crestron kit even if you think you wont need it, chances are sooner or later you will )


Although at these prices maybe I should look at my PC as the master control system?

[Mad Mr H]

Prices for the RTI items are as follows


T2C - £650.00 + VAT (remote control)
T3 - £885.00 + VAT (remote control)

(either of the above not both required)

RP-6 £450.00 + VAT (system extension)
XP-8 £1,250.00 + VAT (system extension)

(either of the above not both required, different specs - adds RS232 and other control options)

CM-232 £55 + VAT (rs232 cable)

This cable uses a 4 pin 3.5mm jack as I understand - well for £55 a cable I will be making my own for sure !!!!


ALSO in the range is a waterproof and "floating" remote - £225.00 + VAT called the "U1"



So it looks like 1xT3, 1xCM-232 & 1xRP-6 will cost £1390+ VAT = £1633.25 inc. VAT

The pronto option would be 1xTSU9600 £700, 1xRFX9600/05 £400 = £1100 inc. VAT
(Correction of price - thank you HornyDragon for pointing out)

The above pronto option offers 4 RS232 outputs, and is able to "sense" if a device is on/off to enable correct "macro" operation.

(For those that dont know a "Macro" is a set of instructions that might for instance power on every unit in your system - Infra Red (IR) remote control is not always 100%, ever had to change the channel twice to get a TV/Tivo/PVR etc. to react - well the "sensing" system will check items are correctly on/off and if not as they should be re issue that command - semi intelligent device control.......)

The RTI version needs option "power sensing" modules at £55.00 each + VAT.........

I think I need to look more into the specs of these units, and this already appears to be a control system that needs
thought and design, much more than "all in one" remotes I have bought in the past .

I will write more when I work some things out, as these prices increase I do get closer to a Crestron system - Which I am trying to avoid (as I sold mine , and mine was a fairly large system Silly Silly H!)

[welwynnick]

Hi Andy,

High end remotes are a bottom-less pit of learning; there is no end to the amount of things you'll want them to do once you get into it. And every one of them will dissappoint in one way or another when you get down to it.

I'd suggest getting one of the more modest pronto, harmony or home theatre master models first, and play with that for a while you decide what you want from it. It gets addictive......

Nick

[hornydragon]

Originally Posted by Mad Mr H

The pronto option would be 1xTSU9600 £700, 1xRFX9600/05 £400 = £1300 inc. VAT

Erm check your Maths H.......... PRonto will do it but you use pretty much everything it has to do so, RTi can go beyond Pronto and allow control to other rooms if needed there are cheaper ways you could do it, but they are messy something that may be worth a look is IRtrans IP IR and control system

[Mad Mr H]

Originally Posted by welwynnick

Hi Andy,

I'd suggest getting one of the more modest pronto, harmony or home theatre master models first, and play with that for a while you decide what you want from it. It gets addictive......

Nick

Nick,

Seriously you've been here a few times now, does that sound like me .

Coming from the guy who is gonna loan me his Sony Blu ray player just to torment me into buying one as attempt number one with the samsung blu ray failed . And im gonna use YOU as the reason for buying one .

"Addictive" you say.........So having 15 Barco projectors is normal?

(No need to answer that!)

See you soon Nick .

[Mad Mr H]

HornyDragon - I think the T3 does seem to be more suited to me. Thanks for maths lesson (note to self - its a simple sum try and get it right!)

I will try my best to wait till cedia and decide then, My friends on the Crestron stand are gonna try and beer me up, some of them know my system but it aint gonna go their way thats for sure, But I will take the beer bribe .

[hornydragon]

BE interested to know what you think of the RTI stuff if you get to have a play

[Mad Mr H]

RTI are going to show at cedia - I think I will wait till then and see what it can do in the flesh.

not long now........

[mat1110]

Im am going to be buying a setup soon as the onkyo 605 is out with mordaunt short 908i, 905i, 902i. I have been looking at the philips pronto 9600 remote and the harmony 1000 . I cant see many differences which will be best. I have 32" bravia kdl-32s2030, sky plus, ps3 and amp

Many thnks in advance

[Mad Mr H]

Tick Tock, Tick Tock............

Tomorrow im at the show.......................

Leaving my wallet at home .

[hornydragon]

Are you going to the seminar Mr H if you do you may bump into a known person.... (not me)

[Mad Mr H]

I tend not to go to seminars, so I doubt I will bump into the person that I dont know who you are talking about !!!


Just a quick list to help me on my way of what I might need.

HD DVD : IR & RS232
Future Blu Ray : IR & RS232?
PC : IR & RS232
CD Transport : IR
Scaler : RS232 only
Lexicon processor : IR
2 x Projectors : IR & RS232 (These have RS232 in & out)
LED Lighting : IR & DMX

[Mad Mr H]

Well I learnt some things at the CEDIA 2007 show today.


RTI will produce the T3 remote in BLACK as well as silver by the end of the year .

RTI will very soon (days) have their website more up to date and the software for the remotes will be available on it, So you can "try before you buy"

And lastly RTI remotes (some) are able to control Crestron processors.

So.......


the Crestron system I prefer would cost around £1900 for the remote (a Nevo remote running Crestron firmware), £2500 for the AV2 processor (why did I sell the two I had & Crestron touch screen ) & and RF gateway - So thats £5000.00 to control my current cinema system, and would also be able to use a waterproof Crestron control for my future outside use.


I also looked at the Philips TSU9600 pronto - I will be honest and say I dont like the finish on the remote, I also found it difficult to use as buttons on screen were very small - Im sure all of that can be changed but this was a "Philips" demo so I have to assume they know what they are doing. One of the guys there had little time for me so im not impressed with the service, Other guy who was not a pronto "specialist" did very well to help. So for £1100.00 this system will allow 4xRS232, 4xIR and would suit my system (future expansion is also available)

IR control
Air conditioning : IR only
LED Lighting : IR only
PC : IR only
Lexicon processor : IR only

RS232 control
Scaler : RS232 only
2 x Projectors : IR & RS232 (These have RS232 in & out)
HD DVD : IR or RS232
Screen : RS232 or IR

Future Blu Ray : Finally decided against getting Blu Haze
CD Transport : IR only - Decided to move this to stereo room so no longer in this list.


RTI T3 & Crestron AV2 - This is a combination of RTI remote and Crestron processor cost for my system would be about £3750 (also needs an RF gatway)

RTI - The guys at RTI I found very helpful. They were the final group I met and right at the end of the day. T3 & RP6 seem to be my prefered combination at £1600 ish inc a few extra needed cables.

The T3 will also be wireless sometime next year . But unable to find out if the price tag will change.



So whats best for me.................


I think the RTI system wins as I prefer the remote station, The Pronto TSU9600 comes with autosense inputs, the RTI needs extra expense for those. Crestron & RTI guys were the most receptive to my needs and I felt would offer the best backup service. I will wait till the "Black T3" is available and that should fit well with my current time scale for completion of my cinema.

I have to say that I find the value placed on ALL of the remote units to be high, the additional processors, cables and "gizmos" seem more realistically priced. It appears we are paying a high price for the software R&D in the price of the main remotes. My Orange M5000 phone only cost me £100 (on contract) and thats a 2"x3" colour touch screen and a baby compluter in one box.


OH! - Unusual cool things to do with remote control i saw at the CEDIA 2007 show.......


A bath that runs under remote control to fill and at set temperature and adds an aroma system - Then in addition to that you can use your mobile on the way home to call your crestron system and tell it to run the bath.............(Bath starts at about £5K and the Crestron bit - well thats gonna be loads so I did not bother to ask!!!)

Thank you HornyDragon for the mention of the RTI products .