I started off as a Prodigy dealer and now just got email that I am now full line Crestron dealer with access to all equipment and training simply because Prodigy has now become available through distribution. Huh?? Sounds great but why do I deserve this?

Hmm...I think I'm finally going to get to go Simpl training?

Suppose I do have access to all Crestron training, which courses should I take to be able to start programming Prodigy with Simpl?

You'll need to start with Essentials

Uh...you may want to farm out the programming with simpl.

I think the learning curve is too steep for most people, and not worth the effort.

But, I'm eager to read others' opinions, as I don't know how much actual programming is needed wihen SB is not used.

Maybe for most people but I should mention I'm a genius so I'll learn it in two days.

Just puzzled as to why - being a Prodigy dealer who hasn't installed a ton of product - they would offer me the full line. I thought Prodigy going into distribution only would mean that I would have to contact the distributor for tech support, thus easing the load off Crestron's tech support crew. I can imagine their work load increasing if they have made this offer all other Prodigy direct dealers.

I don't know if this is opening a can of worms or would help increase our knowledge of programming. Perhaps Simpl has a steep learning curve but at least now I can mess around with it after a few courses then decide for myself if it's something I can handle.

What I like is when I signed into Crestron this morning, all of a sudden I'm able to view online courses that were not available to me in the past.

^^^ This is where the concern should lie. Prodigy-only dealers having access to the full line, spec'ing in equipment and solutions they aren't skilled at, bogging down tech support and ultimately giving the industry a bad reputation due to non-working or poorly working Crestron systems. I run into this all the time with new clients that have been burned by Crestron hacks here in Vegas that are either long gone or refuse to return phone calls. Gives the clients a really bad taste regarding Crestron and some wish to shy away from it due to past installs that ended up being nightmares.

I'm not pointing fingers at the OP here and it seems he is realistic in his skills and recognizes the concerns right up front. To the others considering this please tread lightly and make sure you are 100% proficient in design, install and programming (if in-house) before spec'ing the rest of the line; it's often already an uphill battle selling this stuff.

One of the benifits of being a full line dealer is that Crestron will help you with design. You really only have to know what you don't know in the beginning and there is help. I do my own work in SB, I have help with simpl, and they help with design. You just need to ask.

Well, Configuration and Essentials is a 5 day class so I doubt you could learn it in 2 days, even if you are a genius. I'm sure you were being a little cheeky in your response but programming Crestron in SIMPL and VTPro aren't the only things you need to learn. You also need to learn how to use Toolbox to its fullest potential and depending on your IR learner you may also need to learn how DEAL works. You will need to learn how Engraver works as well because SIMPL/VTPro don't do that for you automagically, like SB or D3. My best advice is to sign up for Configuration and Essentials. Sign up for Resi system design and take all the online courses you can before you go.



I would imagine that all other direct Prodigy dealers would get the same treatment. They considered you good enough to cut your teeth on Prodigy as a direct dealer so I see no reason to push you back to distro only. Welcome to the club. Get to know a CAIP and the pricing from a CAIP. You will need his/her services. If you are curious you may contact me via PM but I am not trying to schill myself here. There are other people here and local to you that are CAIPs. Always good to find someone you like.



As a former trainer I can tell you that you will be able to program a system once you leave Essentials, assuming you have a decent aptitude for programming and pay attention. DO NOT try to get ahead of the instructor, even if you think the pace is slow. You will only confuse yourself and get lost trying to correct your mistakes. Ask questions but try not to get off in the weeds. You have a lot to learn before the end of that week. You can also do 'homework' in your hotel room and come to class a few minutes early to test your homework. I still remember sitting through my first class and how much of a mind bending experience it was.


Take those online courses. Education is key to success with Crestron. In the software F1 will give you your help files. READ the help files, most of your questions can be answered in the help file. As has been mentioned, you can contact Tech Sales for system design or system design review. If you are working with a CAIP that person may be able to help you out with system design (some do, some don't) and even some tech support. Crestron has a TON of resources at your fingertips via the website, help files, the Crestron Yahoo group, RC, IP, ESI and a dozen other forums. Welcome to the club. Don't screw anything up. :-)

They've changed the courses. Now you take:
Intro to Crestron 4 days
Systembuilder 3 days
Essentials 3 days
Intermediate 3 days

Plus lighting Control systems programming , 3 days

You can go straight from intro to essentials, but SB is a great tool for a new dealer as long as you sell within the automated limits of SB built programs.

It's far more complexed than ccp and ID, but doesn't have to be.

Education is not the only key to success with Crestron. I don't care if you took the classes twice. There are countless things you will come to know from experience only that will not be taught in class. There are also endless bugs and quirks with products that can be worked around if you have the experience to know how to work around them. It takes years to get to this level of understanding. Just be prepared for a rough ride getting there.

I am sure your a bright guy and run a respectable business, but the economic climate must really be biting Crestron. Nothing is wrong with changing your business model; just not at a 360 degree angle. I see some really drastic changes in policy in this industry almost every week now and it's really scary. Hopefully it translates to a good business plan and is something they want to do - not over being held over a barrel.

I was thinking the same thing, TCR.

(Except for the degree part.)

Prob a better topic, though, for IP.

When I attended the required classes to obtain programming certification there were many people that were attending the same class two and even three times.

I change my business model 360 degrees all day every day.

:)

My apologies for the misinformation. I was not aware that they had made the change already. I suspect that what you have now is a LOT less marketing in the Essentials class and that has been rolled into the Intro course. Good deal. Regardless, he needs to take the courses and set his expectations accordingly. Geez, three days for Essentials is tight but not impossible. It will require that you be computer literate and that you have an updated machine when you arrive to class. Sooooo many people show up to class expecting the instructor to update the machine for them.

Yep, it's a lot of training classes but you need that much training to really be proficient with Crestron. You left out the Programming for Certification class which I believe is still 3 days, plus Master's classes are 3 days and when the new Design Studio drops there will be more classes, even for those of us that are Certified/Master Certified. A different thread mentioned a new SIMPL# class coming, which sounds awesome, that will be required for all.

I agree that it is more complex and it will take you time to figure out how to make the program you write to sing. You WILL write bad code at the start of your programming career. Ask any programmer who has been doing Crestron for over 5 years and they will tell you they wish they could go back are rewrite those first dozen or so programs. For me, my biggest hurdle was going from Crestron programming back to something like URC or RTI where I was limited in what I could do. I found it exceedingly frustrating to go to a job and try to program some other remote and run into a problem and not being able to apply the same logic I could in Crestron. I finally decided to quit programming remote controls and focus solely on programming control systems. So far my choice has been a positive step in my life.