03.19.2008 — Lantic Systems has one of the nicest handheld remotes I've ever had the privilege to hold.

I'm especially fond of the $55,000 solid-gold version, but even the standard model is impressive.

Unless you're a yacht owner, you've probably never heard of this company, which demonstrated its wares for the first time to the residential channel at the Electronic House Expo, March 13-15 in Orlando.

The RF remote looks and feels like a rounded hockey puck, with just the right size and heft to hold in your hand.

It feels so good you won't want to put it down.

On the remote, eight buttons surround a jog wheel (so smooth) which encircles a navigation pad (up, down, left right). The wheel controls volume for audio, and dimming for lights, along with other functions.

The pad helps users navigate through on-screen menus for entertainment, automation, surveillance, photos, and other options typical of higher-end control systems.

Lantic is no newbie to the high-end automation business. Its products come standard on all Palmer Johnson yachts.

"We're on yachts all over the world," says Lantic president Gerald Berton.

"We've also done some hotels and cruise ships. We're just coming to the residential market."

All Lantic systems are built to order via an online system-specification service. The company makes its own media servers, entertainment clients, and controllers that interface with third-party lighting, HVAC and other systems.

Besides the TV interface, users can interact with the system via Lantic touchpanels, PDAs or other browser-based devices.

Berton says that Lantic is well equipped for the residential market. "Boats are the most difficult environment to serve," he says.

"There's salt water, and they're always moving."

The home should be a piece of cake.

About that Remote

Unfortunately, the RF remote doesn't do anything without the Lantic control system, so you may as well stop drooling over it.

I can't mention this product without also giving props to Savant Systems, which offers a similar remote for its Rosie automation and entertainment system.

But Savant hasn't yet made a solid gold remote like Lantic has. Berton says Lantic created one of the $55,000 remotes as a lark, but lo and behold people bought it.

The company has sold several of the hand-crafted units thus far.