Unfortunately, if you want to program it yourself the only way to go is south in quality. Consider Harmony, or the many iPad control solutions that are available for DIYer. As far as your service calls, that seems like a raw deal. We sell service contracts to our clients that allow for more affordable upkeep of any control system. See if your dealer or another dealer will offer you a service contract that is more affordable. Then you can switch over to RTI iPanel and control your system via Ipad or iPhone.