I am hoping I can get an answer on what to expect to pay for an Elan Via touchpanel and the required programming (Via Tools) to synch the panel up with an Escient E-120.

The steps on the Escient side seem very straightforward but it looks like the panels need to be set up by an Elan Tech using Via Tools. Does this make sense?

What should I expect to pay (SF Bay Area) for:

1. The toucpanels and

2. Touchpanel Prgramming?

Thanks for your help.

Thad

You'll probobly end up paying close to $3000 or more in order to do RS232 control of a Fireball with a Via... Not Worth it if thats the only application...

Get the Escient Touchscreen for the Fireball and be happy... MUCH larger screen and the interface is already built into the Fireball... Plug and Play....

You can interface a VIA for far less than $3000, you do NOT need an SC4 (RS232 elan interface), all you need to do is buy a PVIA 1 power supply, plug in the video cable (to a receiver's multizone, or directly to the fireball), program a 'special component' in the VIATools software, hook up the IR from the PVIA 1 to the Fireball, and turn on the 'IR Frame' in the comm port setting section of the Fireball. Much easier than programming a bunch of other products to do it. The Escient touchpanel is larger and even easier to install, but must sit near the component and will only conrtol the Fireball. The Via can control/view lots of other things. The price of the Esicent touchpanel vs. The Via and associated required parts is pretty much the same. Good luck


boat drinks

J

JP... You seem to be making a lot of assumptions here.... The Escient 10" panel is $2000. Complete... Plug and play....

you can buy a Via IN-WALL version for roughly $1850 reatil with the Pvia-1 now, if you can find someone to Install and Program that via for $150, your a better man than I... If you buying from the Internet..... Well... Good luck.... It'll be dificult to find an elan programmer willing to put his name on a mystery piece and still charge a resonable fee to program and install...

The Via REQUIRES Via Tools and Programmer to program it..... So if your planning on doing it yourself, You MIGHT find a dealer to sell you one for $750 or so....

Also....

I've run the Escient panel 100+ feet away from the Fireball with no problems.. Dunno what your distance limitation is there......

THAD.....

If you ARE going touse the Via with other componants, then that may be a better route... If your just woried about the Fireball... Get the Escient screen and call it a day.

On kind of the same subject, does anyone have RS232
commands for the fireball to work with a VIA and SC4 and any overlays that work with it.

Impaqt, I don't really see how I am making a lot of assumptions, in fact I don't realy see how you and I differ much on the subject. I sell/install/program all of the products associated with this topic and I would program a Via for a fireball only application for less than $150.

We do agree on the bottom line. If it is Fireball only, get the Escient, if you want more control for other components then use the VIA.

ATVAS, Elan does not have 232 commands for the fireball that will make it work the way the escient touchpanel does, they cannot create a screen overlay with buttons small enough to work on the fireball GUI. Since I do quite a bit of business with both these products I have asked Elan if they will address this but the response has always been that they are happy with their Escient interface, and would rather tell you to buy their VIA dj.

boat drinks

J

You would actually go to a customers home and program a VIA panel for less than $150?? You must have won the lottery or you are indep. wealthy. I don't care if it is one component or 20. Most of us VIA programmers have the files completed already from other completed jobs. My drive time is worth $150. I don't care if it is the next town over. If your customer actually purchased an Elan system and VIA panel(s) they would pay WAY more than that. Not sure where yoru from. I guess if you from Iowa or the Dakotas maybe $150 is fair. NOT. They have the money.

I have plenty of files for systems, but if you read this thread it is about programming a via panel for a Fireball application. That takes about thirty seconds longer than it does to turn on your computer. Also there is no reason to go to the cutomer's house to program this, there would be no drive time. He stops by my showroom, I take five minutes and $150. I guess you could pass this up, or just find reason to charge more, but it seems like sound business to me.