The Via is cool, but can be tedious to program.
It takes a variety of skills to be able to make a
smooth GUI, with efficient control of the system.
Just because some people don't know how to program, doesn't mean its a bad product. Its a truly custom piece.

Build4u, where are you located?

On the same note; I have a customer that wants to buy his own Via Interface to do his own custom programing as he changes his equipment. We did the installation for him in Houston and we are based out of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and it costs him major service call $$ to have his Via updated, etc. I will be glad to sell you the Interface but it does cost hundreds of dollars.

Jim

I am in central NJ. Sorry I missed your post.

build4u,

I'm in your area. E-Mail me I can help you out.

Well on one side of the coin I can see a cusomter's frustration of not being able to get Support via A manufaturer, but on the other side you must be able to gleen the concept that DYI is brutal for not only our industry but for manufacturers as well. Sometimes plugging in wrong wires or hooking things up in a non educated way can result in Equipment failure. Now that being said 95% of DYIers tend to blame the equipment and are usually not content with their own opinion, but tend to like to spread the gosspel about what crap product it is and how it never worked right. I would say that to buy electronics that requires any kind of professional knowledge or programming you should expect to use that equipment to about 75% of it's full capabilities. I don't know how many times I have went on calls from a proud DYIer that has wired and rigged up his own theater system but "it just doesn't sound quite right" Only to find he has no digital cables or never assigned the inputs in the receivers programming. I would expect that a local dealer of Elan might have been hesitant to help you program or hook up your own equipment becuase it's almost a slap in the face to ask him to do so. The way this whole industry is turning equipment is going to have to get to the point where it is so user friendly and idiot can wire and use it or companies are going to have to start curbing internet sales in some way. Anybody in this business knows that if you are trying to run a business of any size off labor coasts alone you might as well shut your doors know and save yourself some headaches.