My first project with RTI involved a T4.

Now I have a friend/customer that I installed a simple Home theater setup that also is connected to an existing ABUS system. The receiver is a Harmon K which enables switch of the sources for the Abus.

One of his relatives has an the MX-850, which he says he likes. I love the functionality of RTI and I do not feel like having to go backwards and program an MX-850. So I want to give him something In RTI.

I was looking at the T2+ as an option. I have been jaded with the color of the T4 and the selection of bitmaps and not sure of the choices on a T2+. I really wanted to use a T2c but not sure I get him to cough up the $$$ for that.

Looking to your opinons on what "lower end" RTI works best.

I have several clients that are happy with their T2+ systems. I've found it to be a great way to keep the control interface easy, and still have the power of the RP-6. You can use up to 12 frames per page, so plenty of room for the necessary controls, but I still keep it fairly simple for the user, often starting with only 3 buttons per frame. I've also spent some time making B/W graphic buttons for a more consistent appearance (far less time than color graphics!!!).
Don't let the lack of color or resolution keep you from using it. My client/users are very happy.

If you plan on continuing with RTI, buy a T2C to carry around with you. It will sell itself many times over. Believe me.

If it's not color, we won't do it. T2c is my go to remote.

I also keep a T2-C with me at all times, it does sell itself, and i also created a slide show on the demo remote of jobs we have completed, so when i give the customer the remote to look at, they scroll through some nice jobs we finished.

Whoa, that's a great idea!!

Great Idea. Sorry, but I might have to steal that one.

As for which RTI, I'd stick with the T2+ or T2C if the client had a button type remote. If they ask for touch screen, these days I'd tell them I can do that but that I find it easier to use real buttons and have the screen for things that don't fit on the buttons.

And, yes, the day I bought a T2C for demo use, I sold one.

The T2+ can't be said to have graphics because the pixels are so large. I think it's cruder than the original Pronto TS1000, and each cell can only hold so much. The T2C is ten times better in detail and brightness, then has color as an added plus.

EDIT: I just used my T2+ and the graphics are much more crisp than the Pronto, perhaps mostly because RTI did not bother with anything between black and white. I mostly use squares two cells high by one square wide, so two short lines of text will fit. So it's ok for some text, but it's still pretty crude for graphics.


Wow, what a great idea!

What does it take to do that? I haven't experimented with this kind of thing, ever. The last time I dealt with a picture, my son messed with a photo of a client's daughter for a Crestron SmarTouch remote where he had to mess with dithering to get the thing to look right. I'll bet we've come a long way...but how hard is it?

Not very hard.

You can make any page a pic. Just right click on a blank page, click page properties, then click the green +. Now you can add any jpg file to the page.

Now create a series of page flips or just use left and right to scroll through.

You will want to resize pic in photo editor before adding to remote.

I do the majority of my work in a ski town and, during macros, I always link to a page with a snow or nature scene along with a message "Please wait while the system sets up" It's a different scene with each macro and the customers love it.

To get these pictures I just go to google and search images for "snow scenes". I download the JPEG file and resize it using the simple Windows paint program to fit the pixel count required. Takes less than two minutes to do.

Right now I'm working on a whole development of weekend chalets. At lease five of the customers there have purchased T2Cs and all I have to do now is take new clients to finished jobs at their neighbours homes to see my installations and remote programming. I can order a T2C at any time and know I will sell it within two weeks.

I adopted this rule back in my Pronto days... it still holds.

Use the T3 all the time for 2 dealers. But one insists on the T2c and all his buttons just seem too small. I go round and round with him about what remote to use. He telsl me that when/if the T3v comes out, then I can have a form factor I like.

if customers go cheap they get the M2, after that straight to the T2C. im not a fan of the T2+ white rubber buttons and the touch screen gets very dirty looking quickly. if the updated its style to have more of a T2C look but with the monochrome screen i'd sell more of them. but IMO the should scrap it all together and make a M2 thats color instead and then go up to a T2C from there.

I give my customers the following options:

M2
T2c
T3
T4

I've never sold a T4, but the first three are great options with $400 steps in price.

It's a little bit harder to sell M2 knowing its short battery life. If it could even have better LCD contrast without the light, it would be a much better remote.

After doing a few installs and then getting a few calls my rules with RTI:

1. Color Remote Only
2. RP6 if RF is requested as it can do RS232 and you can add RM433's as needed for any interference issues you may have (thanks Fujitsu and their 63" plasma)

Good luck,

BisyB