I agree with Impaqt, this setup NEEDS a control system, Crestron or AMX.

RTI Installer,

Although the new RTI stuff is nice it is no where nearly as powerful or flexible as a true control system. That is why its a fraction of the cost. Yes the RTI stuff can handle RS232 but it cant handle RS422 or RS485 or TCP/IP? No. Is it possible to check and see the status of your home's subsystems from the Internet with RTI? No. Is it possible for the RTI gear to give status feedback of each unit in the system to the handheld unit? No. Is is possible for the RTI stuff to go 'fetch' a 15 day forcast from a website and display it on the screen of the handheld unit for your customer? No. These are just a few of the benfits of a control system, a very few. The RTI stuff has its place as a top of the line universal remote but compared to the other control systems on the market it is very lacking in features. Since more and more we are seeing ethernet ports on gear, for control, I would have to say that its the RTI stuff that is 'becoming old school really fast'.

Frank,

It is a more expensive solution for control but it is a COMPLETE solution. The control system can grow with you and your system. Yes, it takes a skilled programmer to really make the system shine and since you have had some difficulty in programming lower level universal remotes, it is most certain that you will need to hire an installer/programmer. A few of the great things about a control system are that it can grow with your system, (for a fee) you can change how the system operates as often as you like (there is no 'fixed' way of operation like there is with even the best universal's) and (again, for a fee) how the touchpanel looks. On top of the flexibility benefits you also get a solution that will allow you to expand your control to more than just the audio/video system but to the rest of your home as well. I program Crestron systems for a living now and believe that every customer who purchases audio/video equipment as an entertainment solution should also purchase a control system to operate it. I have owned various uni's from various manufacturers over the years. I once made the statement that I could make a Pronto do anything a Crestron system could do; that was before I really knew the true power of a dedicated control system. I was wrong. The new Ford GT may be a great car but it will never be a Ferrari.