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Integrators: Which 2-way Remote is the Best?
Universal remotes are becoming universal controllers -- low-cost solutions for home automation and multiroom audio. Which ones are the best for your home systems business?
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12.01.2008 — 2009 just may be the "year of the remote," when ordinary universal remotes come to be used as whole-house controllers, enabling multiroom audio, home automation and more.

The February issue of CE Pro magazine will focus on these new remote CONTROLLERS, based on input from integrators.

We're looking for handheld remotes (including the ones that require two hands) with two-way capabilities for metadata and control. The products should be operable as standalone devices, or with a low-cost hub that provides connection to third-party systems.

With that in mind, which of these new products has the best potential for your home systems business and why?

Control4 HC-200
Logitech Harmony 1000
Niles iRemote TS
Philips ProntoTSU9600/TSU9800
Remote Technologies Inc. (RTI) – Touchscreens/remotes with two-way capabilities
Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) – Nevo S70
Universal Remote Control (URC) - MX-6000
Any iPhone-based remote
Other

This just in:
Crestron reminds me that they have a low-cost handheld remote package (ML-MC2W-PAK) with an MSRP of $2150. Any Crestron dealers want to chime in?


Kindly email your thoughts on these or other products to

Please include your name, company name, city and state.

DEADLINE: Friday, December 12


Thank you for your time.

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Comments

Posted by DeAnne  on  12/03  at  08:28 AM

I thought that was an oversight on your part Julie, Crestron’s entry level system just smokes the rest of the field. The biggest advantage is in the upgrade path, there is virtually nothing that can’t be accomplished with some level of Crestron, and “adding to/upgrading” a system is a much more sensible path than “replacing”. The last thing I want to do is tell a client that the programmable universal remote I sold them has limitations.
Second advantage is in their unwavering support of dealers and clients.  I have not seen the kind of field support at ANY pricing level that Crestron offers, no matter the size of the system.
I would however go to the TPMC-4XG/QM-RMC at a retail $2540. (just add a WAP)for 2-way control per your criteria.

Posted by Yale Brown  on  12/15  at  12:15 PM

Really. Smoking? For anyone serious in this field the RTI stuff, from the basic T1 to the T4 and K4 units, provides the complete solution at a reasonable price with the easiest implementation. No contest with the others.

For the Customer:
o Low price (even the sophisticated T4 is reasonable)
o Easy to learn to use with both standard function keys and programmable functions.
o Upgradability from the simplest hand held to complex multi-room system without throwing away components, inculding waterproof units.
o Extraordinary battery life on remote units.

For the Integrator:
o Easiest to make changes AFTER THE SALE, and if and when the customer adds/deletes/replaces components.
o Flexibility in design and interfaces (ir/rf/TCP/RS-232/Wifi/Zigbee, in any combination, etc).
o Great Technical Support for both H/W and S/W
o Easiest implementation from small to complex systems using many different H/W manufacturers
o Easiest software (Integration Designer) to learn and use.

We have tried Universal, Crestron, Philips, AMX, Logitech, etc. and RTI is hands down the best.

Posted by Chris  on  12/18  at  05:21 PM

Yale as much as I love the RTI prosucts they do not have two-way available and shouldn’t even be mentioned in this article. Yes RTI has two-way coming but at their own admission it won’t be until late in the summer at the earliest. I love how you also say that they have great interfaces in any combination and you mention TCP and Zigbee and yet they have no Zigbee interfaces available right now and the WiFi is so flaky on the T3V and T4 that I don’t even tell people it has it anymore.

I will say that RTI has some of the best support I have ever had in any industry! And they listen to what us integrators are saying about their product and what we think should come out.

Julie as much as I love RTI, and I am a very active member on remotecentral, I wouldn’t put RTI in a two-way remote article without a very large banner stating that RTI is currently not selling anything with two-way.

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