I originally posted this thread under "Which Remote Should I Buy?". I didn't receive much feedback there so I'm trying again here.

I am trying to decide on a remote control and/or touch screen system and I've been looking into Philips, URC, and RTI.

My main concern is reliability, especially in the area of RS-232 serial commands and, where applicable, Wi-Fi connection. Also, build quality.

If you have experience with any or all of these product lines, including the rack-mounted processors, the hand-held remote controls, and the wall-mounted touch screens, I would love to hear the pros and cons of each.

Ease of integration with Lutron HomeWorks, HAI OmniPro II, Apple TV and/or iTunes running on a Mac, and security cameras a plus.

Thanks!

personally, I think you should be looking at the big boys for the types of integrations you're listing. (Crestron or AMX).

I agree with Matt and you then if you like URC or RTI handhelds you can always use them along with it.

I think Pronto TSU-9800/9600 would suit his needs nicely. I am not a huge fan of Pronto but they have a pretty good HAI package among others. The 2-way is pretty good for the price point.

Homeworks though? I'm not up on the latest Pronto products so I have no idea. Just seems that if a client is busting out the wallet for Homeworks that a lot is left on the table for control if you are only doing a Pronto.

Yes, I agree and I understand where you're coming from. However, due to budget, those systems are not possible, and due to design criteria, not really needed. Just need some hand-held remotes that can reliably send out IR/RS232. A wall-mount touch screen would be nice, but it would have to be affordable.

The main thing is that it needs rock-solid reliability. I've narrowed it down to those three (URC/Pronto/RTI). I have programmed many Prontos and MX850s but I've never worked with any RTI or with any URC and/or Pronto rack-mounted extenders. I'd like to choose after I hear about any issues and/or problems with any or all of these products. Thanks!

If it helps I have a couple dozen MSC in the field, no problems whatsoever. Of course as you've noticed they do not currently have a true in-wall touchpanel, just the KP-900. Does Philips have a true in-wall touchpanel? Looks like the one they have is their tabletop version mounted on-wall not in-wall? If that is your requirement then it follows that RTI with the XP-8 is the way you need to go.

Thanks, tweeterguy.

It helps a lot. This is the kind of information I am looking for.

I've been looking at the B&K CK2.2 keypad as a wall-mount solution and I like the fact that it mimics the MX-850 quite well. From what I gather at the URC website, the MX-850 is able to control the MSC400. I guess that the CK2.2 can't control the MSC400 but that's okay. It will only need to control the Apple TV & CCTV which can be handled directly with IR from the B&K.

Do you have any experience with B&K?

Thanks

David,

I have not used the MX-850 with the MSC so I cannot verify its functionality. I stopped selling the 850 when the 900 was introduced and have been using those and the 980's almost exclusively when I do a URC system.

I also just checked the URC spec sheet for the MSC and the 850 is not listed as a compatible remote, however I feel this may be a misprint (or a lack of a print in this case) in that as long as the 850 is the newer version with narrow band it should work. Of course if you goto the 850 spec sheet and click compatible basestations they indicate it will work as long as it is narrow band. This makes sense and I can verify that the newer 850s do work with the MRF-350 basestation which uses the same antenna as the MSC.

As for the B&K keypad, I don't have any experience with it. That being said you could use the IR output of the B&K to go to the IR input on the MSC to act like an IR connecting block. The only drawback to this would be the commands from the B&K into the MSC would not have port routing. You would basically be using the keypads as an IR repeater system and all IR ports on the MSC would output each command.

Why the B&K? Looks very similar to the KP-900 and if you use the KP-900 you would retain the URC RF transmission, port routing, 232, etc. The thing I don't like about the KP-900 is the fact that out of the box it's not a fixed and permanent solution. That and the fact that it's just a keypad not a touchscreen.

I don't believe that the MX850 will work with the MSC-400. I believe that the MX-850 editor software will not allow you to import the smart macros from your MSC file.

I would imagine that this is by design, that there is perhaps some architectural reason why the MX-850 is incompatible with the MSC-400. So URC probably disabled the ability to import smart macros into MX-850 editor. Or maybe URC marketing just wanted to push people to use the MX-900 and higher model remotes.

Darnitol from URC frequents this forum, so he might be able to comment.

You are correct, I just verified this. No MX-850 and MSC compatibility, you can't drag the triggers over. But there is evidently a way to create the trigger in a 900, change that device to IR and then teach it to an 850.

If you go here:

[Link: universalremote.com]

The MX-850 is listed as one of the remotes for the MSC400. Is there a software update that you don't have?

Well, I suppose it is possible to use an MX850 with an MSC by treating the MSC as if it was an MRF base. By adding a basestation with the same ID as the MSC in the "RF Control" window of MX850 editor, you could send RF triggers for device IR codes and take advantage of the MSC's IR routing capabilities. I suppose this will work.

However, you won't be able to use any of the MSC defined smart macros, which would eliminate a lot of the advantages of using an MSC. Without smart macros you won't be able to take advantage of MSC functionality such as RS232 control and using a single RF trigger to invoke a MSC macro containing a sequence of mulitple IR commands. Any macros would have to reside on the MX850 rather than in the MSC.

Why would you pay extra for an MSC if you are just using it as an MRF basestation? The only reason I can think of would be if you had an installation with multiple remotes where some of the remotes are fully MSC compatible, and you just wanted to add an MX850 as an additonal low end remote.


I may be wrong, but I don't think you can use an MX900 to "teach" the MSC smart macro triggers to an MX850 since the triggers themselves are RF.


I have the latest updates for the URC software suite, and the universal browser in the MX850 editor will not allow me to drag MSC smart macro triggers onto a button or into a macro window.

Thanks tweeterguy and snarfshark!

I'm all up to date with all of the editors and when I tried dragging MSC triggers from panel view over to an 850 project it was a no-go. I then tried to drag from the action list just for fun and it crashed the 850 editor.

The part that I mentioned about creating in a 900 program and learning over to an 850 was mentioned by someone in the Control Room. I don't have a way to verify if this is true or false as I don't have any 850's sitting around. As I stated I've never even tried an 850 with the MSC and since the 900 came out that has been my goto cost effective solution. Lately we've been using the 980 almost exclusively.

Here is the post I am referring to:
____________________

drop msc triggers to mx900 or whatever remote you have laying around
set device, where trigger is stored, to IR
teach IR command to mx850
change trigger back to RF in mx850
and presto, you're mx 850 now triggers your msc
____________________

I checked out that link, David, that's the one I was referring to that links from the 850 data sheet. I believe the wording indicates that yes (and this is true) the 850 will work with the new narrow band receivers after the new build date but it really makes no mention of compatibility with the MSC editor despite the MSC using the same receiver as the MRF-350.