soapbox rant about wall mount keypads

[jryan1776]

i've been searching around for a decent deal on a simple wall mount keypad to work inconjunction with a whole house ir distribution system... for the life of me i can't find a simple and affordable (<$125) unit.

it would seem that in a world full of $15 unveriversal remote controls that can handle 8 devices, there should be a wall mount version with the same features except that it transmits via wire versus optotransistor... maybe i'm all wet, but it would seem simple enough to not require that independent purchase of a keypad, keypad base, central control unit, etc.

any help or advice or links would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

[aboyce]

Yeap..

We see things the same way

[DC]

Andrew,

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.nilesaudio.com/products/intellipad.html

I have three in my house and they work flawlessly.

[Rupp]

How about something like this:

http://www.automatedoutlet.com/customer/home.php?cat=29

[jryan1776]

the intellipad looks great, but could the intellipads work on a xantech ir network without some special niles base module? also do you need the intellicontrol programmer to setup?

the best price that i can find on this is still $280 though which will kill me when i need to buy 4 of them.

[Rupp]

Oh, IR Control how about this:

http://www.smarthome.com/8162.html

[DC]

I have my Niles Intellipads connected to a Niles IR repeater but I can't find it on the Niles web page now. It looks like mine has been replaced with a different model. I don't know if they will work with Xantech or not.

You do not need the special programming unit to program the intellipads (unless they have changed since I bought mine - ask the dealer to be sure). I just programmed mine with the remote controls I wanted to emulate. It's a bit tedious but you only have to program one and then transfer the programming to the others with a direct connect cable (included) - assuming you want them all to be identical, of course.

[jryan1776]

the smart pads look good too, but i believe that they require a key pad and base for each location which still may be cheaper than the intellipad. i would love either, but 200 to 300 per location is a little more than i can afford (though i may be force into it).

it just seems like there would be a large market for a lower cost solution.

i do like the intellipad more now knowing it's programmable without the msu.

[aboyce]

To much mony for so little function.

[JLehnert]

As long as they are both 12volt, the Niles and Xantech are interchangable. Most of the Xantech stuff is 12v, but they do have a few 5v items in the "all in one" line of modulators. Don't know if Niles has any 5v stuff.

[jryan1776]

thanks for the input on xantech/niles. btw couldn't view your system via your profile...

the niles and xantech are both still too much $'s. i think AB is right and the function won't justify the price. maybe i'll jsut stick with a simple ir port and rely on hand held zone remote controls to do the trick since i was going to have them anyway...

just thought that it would be pretty slick to have the controls at the zone entrys.

maybe i'll break down and pull a ckt out of a cheap universal remote and try to hardwire a few NO buttons then try to convert the voltage on the optotransistor into something compatible with the ir system... even if it works, i doubt that i could ever make it look as nice as either the xantech or niles system. oh well. thanks.

[JLehnert]

It's in the "biography" now. I should update it to include everything in the house, not just the Homeseer portion. There are some pictures down in this thread.