Hi RCers! I have a question about replacing a Crestron ML-600 remote whose volume button has gone bad. I do not have access to the original program and have no way to get it. This remote is part of a fairly complicated whole-house Crestron system, so I don't want to undertake reprogramming the whole system if I can avoid it.

My question is this. If I purchase a replacement ML-600, is there a way for me to physically combine the two units so that I end up with the memory and programming from the existing remote and the buttons and touch-sensitive controls of the new remote? I could either move the buttons to the old remote, or move the memory/mother board to the new remote.

Contact your local Crestron rep and see about getting it repaired?

With newer panels you can pull the compiled project off the remote and load it to a new device (of the same type). Not sure if this is an option on the ML600 and don't have one nearby to test with.

its an ML-600.

if you have access to VT-Proe and Toolbox you can program a new one in about 5 min.

+1 @ thecynic315

Although you will also need to investigate and match the RFID.

which is what toolbox is for

RFID is settable from VTPro-E itself, toolbox has no value in this instance other than to upload to the remote.
Toolbox cannot tell you what channel (RFID) the remote is supposed to be transmitting.  If you don't have the program, you might need to experiment to find that out (00, 10, 20, 30, 40, etc...).  Not a big deal as single remote installs are many times RFID 00 or 10.

he has the functioning remote, press one working button and done.

I'm sorry, I must not be getting it.  How would pressing a button on the functioning remote tell you what channel you need the new remote to be on?  And how would Toolbox help?

toolbox has an Identify transmitter option.

Open System Info (i icon) and then go Function->Identify Transmitter...

all you do is press a button on the remote that should work, and toolbox tells you the ID of the gateway the RFID of the remote and the press of the button.

What I am saying is go on site, read all the labels off the old remote and program the new remote in VTP.

Use toolbox to figure out the RFID and then load the remote. This should take ~5-10min

Nice!  Even an old dog like me learns something new every day.

That option has been there since Viewport, but its one of those things that you can easily forget about since its not an everyday thing.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure I understand how I can easily program the new remote without access to any of the underlying system information. I don't have any of the original Crestron files, for this remote or anything else in the system. Don't I need that info to easily program a new remote? That's why I was hoping to use the memory from the existing remote and the button control board from the new remote, to avoid reprogramming.

So, two follow-up questions. (1) Does the method outlined above to program the new remote from scratch still work if I have none of the current programming files? (2) Is it possible for me to combine parts from my old and new remotes to get a working ML600 without having to reprogram anything?

The ML-600 is a very dumb remote and doesn't use join numbers like the newer Crestron remotes/touch panels. This enables the possibility to easily copy the screens from the old remote onto the new remote.

Providing you do an exact copy of the screens on the old remote into VTPro of the new remote and ensure your RFID is the same (as mentioned above) there is nothing else that is required.

Lets start from the start, are you a Crestron Programmer/Dealer?