Finally a really good reason for the iPad. Take a look at Crestron's app's for the iPad, and Mac computers including their iServers.

Crestron and Apple® - A Magical Combination: iPhone®, iPod®, iPad™ control and more. [Crestron Electronics, Inc.]

Product: XPanel for Mac® [Crestron Electronics, Inc.]

Product: CEN-ISERVER [Crestron Electronics, Inc.]

 

While I absolutely love Creston, and have managed to play with some seriously cool integrations, I have to say, their UI decisions continue to be rubbish, and by extension, most of their installers pump out the same kind of rubbish.

Is it really that hard to hire an outside firm whose sole speciality is designing proper user-interfaces? Sigh.

 

What other product would you recommend? I like Crestron, and have thought about implementing it at our home.

 

Honestly?

There's nothing out there that's better. Which is incredibly sad. But my sadness is only with the UI itself; in terms of the quality of electronics, performance, etc. when installed properly, Crestron systems just can't be beaten. And, to be honest, it's not that the UI is horrible and unusable; rather, it's just not near as good as it can be.

Regardless, you won't be disappointed. Just vett the installers very, very carefully.

 

Crestron is over complicated trash home automation in general is a pain and most friends who have spent endless sums of money dont wind up using it. I have Universal in my bedroom works perfect and easy to set-up

 

Thanks

I know it's something I would like to have. Seems to have gotten less complicated, especially with this iPad software.
BTW I was at Bal Harbor yesterday, didn't see you. What's up with that?

 

Yes the layout does look simpler.

I dont really go during the week too often at the office alot, Saturdays if I am in town its lunch at BH always!

 

You nailed it in your first post. Most Crestron programmers want to get in and out. They don't get paid to make templates, they get paid billable hours on a job site or programming for said job site. Most companies wont pay one of their top paid hourly employee's to make things look pretty when they can get working templates for free off the net.

The ones who do take the time or have the skills to program and make nice graphics in order to make great GUI's get paid at the top of the scale and are in top demand world wide for their skill set. I have a friend who is one of those guys. For me to sub him out for a client would cost me over $200hr and I have to mark that up to make money too. He is smart as hell, he has build a library of GUI's that he can customize easily for his clients. His stuff looks amazing but you have to sign a NDA to even look at samples. His programming also works 100% correctly every time. Most guys who try to copy and paste and modify the last job to the next have nothing but issues. These guys make a good living doing this stuff but take short cuts because there is such a lack of good programmers available and there is so much work out there.

If you want the best of the best, I can get you in contact with my buddy, he travels all over the world because he is in such demand. If you want a good quality programmer who is a notch above the norm because he values his work, I can find you someone local to you. Basically, don't trust your integrator is a good programmer just because they are good system designers and Crestron Certified. It is unfortunate but true that in most cases hire and buy your system from a good integrator and then find a good free lance programmer. You want a artsy, fartsy guy with a passion for electronics and programming to make it look good and work correctly the first time. Also make sure your scope of work is exactly what you want and have a few "tweak" trips built into the proposal or you will end up with a "change order" nightmare in the end instead of a system that looks and works well.

I have started to spec the iPad into my jobs, it is cheaper, better looking and works better than any Crestron Touch Panel on the market. The iphone app rocks too!

 

It is nice to see companies like Crestron trying to make it a little easier to implement their remotes in iPads and iPhones, but honestly unless you have a system to control the whole house, windows, temp, lights, etc., the best music/movie network for the house is spending the $200 for an AppleTV. Works perfect by just plugging it into an HDMI and audio out to a surround sound system, and the remote application for iphone and ipad is free and works seamlessly.

Obviously this doesn't have the kind of power a Crestron system comes with, but it may be worth looking into if you are just looking for music/movies/photos Hernando.

 

Nice I was just looking into Ipad's today. Never been an Apple fan except my ipods but figured we might use the Ipad for travelling and car trips. This would be cool but only my bedroom is set up with Crestron. I didn't want the added headaches of the whole house.

Rob send one of your buddies down to my place. My TV died in the bedroom and the new one isn't programmed into my Crestron remote to turn it on and off........I'll buy you a beer next time I see ya