I have a meeting with the Crestron rep next week to talk about Prodigy but there are a few questions I'm anxious to get answers to:

1) Is there a fee for remote monitoring and control?

2) Can I have control of the zone 2 output of a surround receiver?

3) Can I control any multi-room amplifier? If so is any kind of feedback available?

4) Is there going to be a light switch or keypad that will allow me to set lighting scenes - besides the touchscreen.

5) Are you able to create graphics, or move buttons around? Or what kind of flexibility does it have for customizing graphics?

6) Can an iPhone/Touch have full control of the system?


6) How does the system integrate with a security panel?

Tristan,
James was into my shop today and here are some of your questions answered......


The IPHONE APP is free

The inital database is limited so he wasn't sure yet what learning capabilty the prodigy system will have. He's going to get back to me

Probably not initially. Presently the device database is limited to a few devices per skew but the rep wasn't able to tell me what will be added and when. I imagine Crestron will be adding devices as time goes by. No feedback unless it is a Crestron device which will be the IPOD Dock and an AM/FM/XM tuner at present.


Yes, there are wireless dimmers and a thermostat in the lineup

Yes, and it also supports Xpanel as well

Doubtful that they have a module .

This is really a one room solution. A 4 zone audio processor will be coming out at a later date.......

This system is about a year 6 - 12 from beaing ready for more than a one room solution.

My rep was in today..

Here's the scoop..

Main unit WILL control a second zone output from a receiver. If my particular receiver is not in their database, my local office will learn it for me at no charge.

Main unit will do 3 T-stats and 18 light switches. There will be an expander for the lighting down the road.

There is a 4 zone audio expander, which you can add up to three per system for a total of twelve zones.

The 4 zone audio piece will ship in October. which means November or so in Crestron language :)

Saw the Prodigy line today too. Considering that the majority of my projects are mid sized, consisting of high end vacation homes, I can see this being a better replacement for a basic RTI system. Clients love the idea of off site control and monitoring. Once cameras are integrated into the line it will be unbeatable. RTI's 2 way seems a little unstable from what I gather in recent threads, hence the perfect timing of the prodigy line. It seemed pretty responsive in the demo I saw today.

The Prodigy Composer software was posted on the Crestron site this morning. I suggest you download, run through the software and export into SB to how much can be customized.....

I just tried to download it thru master installer and it aborts the download. Anyone else having problems downloading it?

Someone told me you need a new computer

The IR learner box (DEAL software) can be used to generate the User database, however problems may arise when extra buttons are needed (see Custom graphics comment below)

No feedback unless it's a Crestron device (ie: stat or light)

No. VTpro is not used. Prodigy generates the graphics automatically.

Whoa, that's a change. I hope that they are better than the ones that SB generates!

CJ

I didn't use my existing master installer, but downloaded the new SB/Prodigy master installer and it worked fine.

Didn't need a new computer:)

I did a text program with Prodigy composer last night and then was prompted to open it in System Builder... where i was able to access VTPro-e.

Whats confusing to me (without having hardware to test it) is... will i be able to edit it (heavily) with system builder and still have it function properly with prodigy hardware.

FYI.. once edited with System Builder you cant open it with Prodigy Composer.

I just did a quick project with prodigy composer and my suspicions were confirmed. I will be using simpl to program a prodigy if I do a prodigy. What gives with the Destiny stuff? it looks terrible.

I'm told yes.

I'm also led to believe that there is feedback from non Crestron devices via serial port.

There is also the ability to integrate with your security system as someone above said they didn't believe so.

Wow, I think that succesfully confirms absolutely nothing ;)