CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Rodsphere · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 2

Sorry to be a nubie here, but this is my first post...

I have a Crestron CNMSX-AV controller for my home theater, that I originally got circa 2000 with a Color wireless touch screen remote (ST1500 I think). Over the years I have upgraded most of the gear in my rack (that counts), some multiple times, and I got tired of paying thousands to get the remote reprogrammed for a $500 new player in the rack, not to mention thousands more for a new proprietary touch screen. Now the Crestron, essentially already $5000 Remote control, only controls the power to the amps and the rack monitor, and the curtains open/closed.

Over the years, my installed has been overtaken by the economic woes, so even if I wanted to upgrade, I am stuck in the wilderness.

I have now seen some beautiful iPad based control systems even with links to Crestron control units. My unit is perfectly functioning, but needs
1. an Ethernet card (called a CNXENET +)
2. possibly a software update
3. the new modules to control my new gear (the list is in my signature), and
4. A recommendation for a nice iPad App that puts all the graphics together beautifully and functionally to make it fly in the hands of the users.

Does anyone know how I can get the above done without spending (another) fortune?

I am an engineer, and could do a bunch myself, if I knew where to go to get all the pieces.

Thanks,

ecrabb · Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 4:57 am Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, Rod!

I know zilch about Crestron, but there are several threads here where people are DIY'ing their Crestron setups. You'll probably want to check them out - they're in the HT Accessories forum. There might be one or two others trying to do something nearly as complex as the setup you want.

http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3581
http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8856

Like I said, I don't know if anybody is trying to do anything quite as advanced as you are with iPad control, though.

If you go that route, and you want a really high quality graphics library, check out GUIFX...
http://www.guifx.com

They're not cheap at $800+, but it would cost a small fortune to try to hire someone to build something comparable, and the UI elements are custom-designed for Crestron and specifically iPad.

....

I'd also suggest you check out this thread:
iRule - The iPhone/iPod touch/iPad remote solution

iRule is an app for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad designed to be relatively easy for a DIY'er to program, uses inexpensive hardware gateways to control IR and serial devices, and comes with a nice library of pre-designed graphics already set up on device panel and pages. Of course, you can customize from there.

It's not as powerful as an AMX- or Crestron setup, but for most people it does 90% of what they want to do for 10% of the cost, it runs on devices that most people already have laying around already, and you don't need to be an engineer to make it work.

I created the thread here to introduce the guys in this forum to the product because many of them don't frequent AVS Forum where iRule's main support thread is housed. It needs updating, since the app has been updated since I last posted. If you're interested, I suggest following the link to the AVS thread and asking questions there, or contacting the developers directly through their web site.

Cheers,
SC

Rodsphere · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 2

Thanks SC,

I'll take a look at those links, they seemlike much of what I am looking for. I especially like the iRule concept with the inexpensive HW interface boxes. But I'd like to use the Crestron hw interface crontroller in my rack if I can, since it already has many programmable IR drive channels, relay channels, and RS-232 control ports. It does need to be upgraded to add the Ethernet port though. So sourcing that may be an issue since it seems to be discontinued now on Crestron's web site.

But if I can get the Enet port and the SW to connect to IP, then I'd love to use some iPad SW like the GUIFX, or even somethng less expensive if it already has modules built to control the gear I have, or at least most of it.

It would be interesting to know how forum readers rate the various iPad AV control Apps, in Overall deign Atractiveness, completeness of device drivers, Flexibility, compatibility with HW interface modules, customization, breadth of features, and support. Doing this rating for GUIFX, iRule, Crestron, iRemote, and others...

Thanks again for the insight.

Cheers,

Rod

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10273

I'm also considering iRule--if the wife lets me touch her iPad once I've given it to her.