Honestly I have no idea. I do know that RTI's T1B is quite a bit cheaper then a T2C, so based off of that I would say yes. It could be significant.

I am not sure why Elan could not create a similar remote, or why it would be confusing to press a hard button labeled "Cable" or Blu ray.

Again this would only be used in secondary zones, like a guest bed, or kids room. If its not half the cost though you are right it is not worth the effort.