Install Crestron Audio System

[FACTplayers]

Is anyone familiar with Crestron home audio systems? We got a quote from a local audio company, but it seems extremely high for parts and labor ($1,500 /hr to program the system). There are four zones in the house and they are all wired up already from our previous system. The house is only three or four years old and it has the necessary cabling for the crestron system already installed.

My question is how hard are these to install and program? I'm assuming it's not as simple to program as a universal remote, but also that is doesn't take learning some type of language to program either.

If it's not possible to install without a professional company, can someone recommend something else that is more affordable.


Zone 1: Kitchen
In ceiling speakers already mounted. Cat5e in place for touch pad.

Zone 2: Patio
Existing outdoor speakers. Crestron Adagio wall mount lcd controller.

Zone 3: Garage
Existing outdoor speakers. Crestron Adagio Wall mount lcd controller.

Zone 4: Office
Crestron Adagio Wall mount LCD controller. Sonance visual performance rectangular (in ceiling speakers)

Gathering Room (Seperate system) (and another zone for crestron system)
Canton Lcr home cinema sound bar (room isn't a good match for surround sound, that's what the theatre in the basement is for). Sunfire Dual 10" subwoofer. Universal remote with 2" color LCD, computer programmed. universal remote Rf basestation. Denon 7.2 AV multizone receiver with network streaming, anchor bay video processing, front usb, 6 hdmi in and 2 hdmi out. Apple TV. Crestron ipod touch/ipad crestron control. computer xpanel crestron control. crestron Adagio balanced audio receiver with out power supply.



We thought we could eliminate some on the LCD touch panels on zone 1 and 4 since the wifi reaches these locations. Zone 2 is sketchy for wifi, but if you walk into the house you can access it, so we might be able to eliminate an LCD touch panel in this zone too.



Edit: Doing more research it seems I won't even be able to get a hold of the Crestron programming software, and even if I did, it is NOT easy to use. So, can anyone suggest a system that might work?

 

[cpf]

Crestron (and Crestron dealers) know which side their bread is buttered on, hence the exclusivity and complexity of the software. There's really no way around it while remaining with Crestron, apart from finding a cheaper dealer.

 

[FACTplayers]

I see that... Smart people working there. Is there another company that can offer the same/similar results?

 

[ScottT]

AMX - AMX.com - It's Your World Take Control®

 

[museav]

My experience, with the exception of a Crestron system for a past employer's home, is all with commercial systems but having worked with both AMX and Crestron for 25+ years and having at one time been a certified programmer for both, there is good reason for their software being the way it is and for things like certified programmers. I'll put it this way, I was once working on a project for a major telecommunications company and they assumed their people could figure out how to program the AMX system that ran it. They looked at it with the result that I spent many days over the next few years on their site handling their AMX programming. In fact despite having programmed AMX and Crestron systems for about 7 years, it has been long enough since then that I would not even attempt it now, I would hire someone currently certified.

Similar with the installation, there are some aspects that are probably relatively simple but there may also be some aspects that require specialized knowledge or equipment. I have seen professional installers let the magic smoke out of control system devices and used to carry spare driver chips with me to replace ones that would get fried from some common mistakes, if you were to do that yourself you might spend more on repairs and replacements than you could possibly save.

I will say that $1,500 per hour is more than a bit extreme. Are you sure that is not a lump sum amount or a per day amount or $150/hour?

 

[FACTplayers]

I will say that $1,500 per hour is more than a bit extreme. Are you sure that is not a lump sum amount or a per day amount or $150/hour?

Your reply was excellent and to answer your question, I'm not sure exactly what it covers, but the estimate states it is per man per hour and there is a fee of $1,500 with a quantity of 1.

For the record, there is no way I am going to attempt to program this on my own, but I do want to find an alternative to instal in my house. I was looking up Sonos, but can't find much information on their website about installation.

 

[Chris15]

As someone who has done the first level of Crestron programming in the last 6 months, I can tell you it took all of the 4 days of the course and some time beyond that to get my head around it...

And yes, programming Crestron DOES involve learning a new language - Crestron SIMPL (Symbol Intensive Master Programming Language) - though with the 3 sersies processors that are starting to roll out that will eventually be replaced by some C derivative. Shame, SIMPL makes much more sense once you get your head around it to start with...

There will be little price differential between AMX & Crestron, there is enough market to keep both their pockets well lined...

 

[museav]

And yes, programming Crestron DOES involve learning a new language - Crestron SIMPL (Symbol Intensive Master Programming Language) - though with the 3 sersies processors that are starting to roll out that will eventually be replaced by some C derivative. Shame, SIMPL makes much more sense once you get your head around it to start with...

My programming was back in the days of SIMPL-C, a symbolic logic based language, and AXCESS, which was Boolean logic based. I still have a "book of Jeff", the original compilation of Crestron's programming symbols.

Unfortunately, I don't deal with residential applications and products enough to really help FACTplayer. There is a large difference between the consumer/residential and pro/commercial worlds, differences that many people and companies trying to cross over between the two markets discover the hard way.

 

[fx120]

There are a number of other solutions out there, but I don't really see the function on having LCD touch panels if all you're controlling is audio.

You should go into more detail about what exactly you would like to accomplish.

 

[FACTplayers]

There are a number of other solutions out there, but I don't really see the function on having LCD touch panels if all you're controlling is audio.

You should go into more detail about what exactly you would like to accomplish.

We have four zones which need to operate independent of each other. Each zone needs to be able to select from a few different sources: vhs, bluray, 100 disc dvd/cd changer, single disc cd player, am/fm tuner, xm/sirius radio, iTunes library (on iMac).To control the zones, we want one control panel mounted in the wall which can control all of the zones. Also, we want to be able to control each zone via an iPod touch or iPad.

Yesterday I had a guy who installs control 4 come out and take a look. The bid should be coming in late this week.