I'm curious if anyone is the MTX-2 or MLX-3's two-way RF ability with a PC based home automation setup (or some other non-Crestron control system)?
I'm in desire of the two-way functionality they offer, but with hard buttons. I want a hard button remote I can send messages to and customize RS232 commands for each hard/soft button. To implement this, I want to write a custom ascii protocol and interface my PC with a Crestron controller (probably the MC3 controller), where the Crestron controller would only act as a bridge between my PC and the remote.
In this manner, my current PC based HA setup would handle sending all IR/RS232 commands, macros and etc; the Crestron controller would just TX/RX ascii commands to/from the remotes and my PC. I can already do this with tablets, but I really want real buttons and a remote I can operate with one hand.
As an example of how things would work: when you are on the "Theater" page using the MTX-2, and hit play, "TheaterPlay" followed by a carriage return would be sent to my PC from the Crestron controller. Vice-verse, when the PC sends a WeatherAlert packet, I'd want the remote to beep or display a message. The communication between the PC and the Crestron controller can be over IP or RS232, doesn't matter.
I already have a working one-way URC setup that I'm over all happy with. I just want true two-way RF with the remotes. The URC MSC-400 and MX-900 solution I designed is discussed here.
I'm curious what the range of the MTX and MLX remotes are like, what the battery life is and how feasible such a setup similar to what I'm doing with the URC MX-900 remotes would be. I also prefer not to have color LCD screens due to battery life, so I'm most interested in the MTX-2.
I'm in desire of the two-way functionality they offer, but with hard buttons. I want a hard button remote I can send messages to and customize RS232 commands for each hard/soft button. To implement this, I want to write a custom ascii protocol and interface my PC with a Crestron controller (probably the MC3 controller), where the Crestron controller would only act as a bridge between my PC and the remote.
In this manner, my current PC based HA setup would handle sending all IR/RS232 commands, macros and etc; the Crestron controller would just TX/RX ascii commands to/from the remotes and my PC. I can already do this with tablets, but I really want real buttons and a remote I can operate with one hand.
As an example of how things would work: when you are on the "Theater" page using the MTX-2, and hit play, "TheaterPlay" followed by a carriage return would be sent to my PC from the Crestron controller. Vice-verse, when the PC sends a WeatherAlert packet, I'd want the remote to beep or display a message. The communication between the PC and the Crestron controller can be over IP or RS232, doesn't matter.
I already have a working one-way URC setup that I'm over all happy with. I just want true two-way RF with the remotes. The URC MSC-400 and MX-900 solution I designed is discussed here.
I'm curious what the range of the MTX and MLX remotes are like, what the battery life is and how feasible such a setup similar to what I'm doing with the URC MX-900 remotes would be. I also prefer not to have color LCD screens due to battery life, so I'm most interested in the MTX-2.
