I am very curious if anyone has ever controlled the Niles GXR2 with an RTI rp-6. I have been trying for a week now and everything I can think of isn't working. IF anyone has successfully done this please let me know how if possible. Thanks

Have you talked to Niles tech support about it?

I mean, the control from the RP-6 should be able to control anything that has a remote. I haven't worked with that particular unit but Niles has a great reputation for smart design and ease of integration.

I have talked to both niles and Rti. The problem is that RTI can only learn IR codes not RF. And the niles ics only does RF. The Niles gxr2 unit only has Control via the Rs-232G via outside source. Inless there is an IR setup with remote all i can do is somehow hope that it can be controlled via Rs-232.

No remote can learn RF, Looks like your only option is the 232 port for control.

If your not familiar with 232 this might be a challenge for you and take some time

What exactly are you trying to do with the Control? Are you trying to control zone operation or the sources? I have controlled the GXR with AMX and you can do it with RTI. You will need to control the unit using a RS232G and a RTI CM232. You can get the protocol from Niles or at IP in the downloads section.

I am trying to do the exact same thing and am having the exact same result (or lack there of). I have the White Paper from Niles on the protocol and gave it a shot for two days last week. I even tried using hyper-terminal to check for responses but got nothing there as well. I will try more and post results (if any) later.

I followed the Niles ICS3 software step by step and still no results. The wiring diagram for the rs-232g I believe is incorrect, at least to work with the rs232 cable from RTI. The real problem is there is no way to get feedback from the Niles GXR2. It doesn't respond for some reason. If i send you the rs-232 strings i created we can compare and see if they are correct?

Have you tried a Null Modem Adaptor or Cable?

yes i have, still nothing

I have done this at a couple of jobs and it does work. Here's what i know:

You have to use the 232 cable that comes with niles and this has to be directly connected to the rti 232 cable. This took me a day to figure out.

Next you should follow niles' instructions about clearing the firmware of the gateway and then redoing the firmware. There are instructions on their website.

The programming is kind of funky for my taste. However, first you have to tell the gateway which zone it is controlling. Then you tell it what source and commands. I've found that you should get one niles gateway per zone you are controlling.

Lastly, you just have to puzzle out the syntax from their shitty rs232 manual.

Hope this helps.

While it can be done, I think the 232 control of the ICS is poorly implimented and holds little to no value when being integrated. I love them as a stand alone unit, and I am sure it will continue to evolve and maybe become more viable for integration, but i don't know if I would use it again with and outside control system until some changes are made. I felt that when I paired it with an AMX system it was quite underwhelming.

The things stated before about the firmware on the 232 gateway and using one per zone I can attest to.

Don't take this as an ICS bashing post, but more a warning that it will take a lot of work and aggrivation to integrate it with a control system.

You can control the zones by driving the IR output of your control method to the IR input of a keypad assigned to a zone. Using the IR commands from the ZR-8630, the niles R-8 commands are probably already in you library.
And the RS-232 control limitation, of using a 232G for each zone to be controled, yea, It sucks, but, it is what it is!! But I think they now have published the zone selection commands, I think, so that is no longer an issue!!
I Have not even needed to lately
I sell a shitload of ICS with the ICS interfaces, and sources and move onto the next job!! Plug and play!!!
And as soon as those guy start shipping the iRemote TS, that is the bridge everyone is looking for..
Damn it Niles, When,When,When???