1) HTM is not worried about supporting the MX-700. They would support it just as well as they have the MX-500, which according to most reports, is exemplary. Obviously, though, they would want the custom installer to support his customer, and HTM would support the custom installer.
2) If all of this complaining keeps up, HTM will go back to their original program of selling to certified custom installers only. The $499 price reflects SOME of the programming that goes into the remote. Obviously, the installer can include this all in the whole installation, or provide the cost out separately and increase or reduce that $499 depending upon the complexity of the programming.
3) Again, if you keep complaining, the etailers will not be allowed to even sell the MX-700, so if you don't have a B&M near you, you are out of luck.
4) So, all of this talk about price fixing, etc. is only because HTM went away from their original policy of selling only to custom installers. This is no different than any electronic component company giving a certain chain of stores an exclusive on a component.
I haven't heard of any custom installers being told to sell it at $499 or else. Etailers are being included only as a courtesy to them, again because the original marketing strategy was exclusively for custom installers.
5) Sure, I agree that it would be nice to see an MX-700 without the SideKick selling in the $329 range, with a street of $225 to $250, but that is up to HTM to decide how they want to market the system.
They decided originally to market a Dual Remote Control System to the Custom Installer industry.
6) Example: A lot of your complaining is like going into a Best Buy store (e.g. etailers) and having a canary fit because they aren't selling the component you want (MX-700) at the price you want when that component is only available at another electronics chain (custom installers), which chain (custom installers) has the exclusive rights to the component.
Some of you don't know when you are hurting yourelves in the long run.
