Ion Remote

[jonverse]

Hey Folks,

I thought I would paste this IM my friend sent me today regarding the ETC Ion remote, he just got his Ipad;

 

when you buy your IONs, dont get the ****ty $1800 remote, you can buy 3 ipads and the remote app for that price and the app can do more than the remote itself.

[Big Jay]

Should also point out that this remote works with EOS, ION, Congo and Congo Jr.

 

It's hardly fair to make that comment on here and other forums as I have just found, it's not ****ty as you put it.

 

1. It's a ETC production therefore under warrenty by ETC

2. When your iPad brakes, you have to wait god knows how long for Apple to fix it, and I know personally being a mac and iPhone owner, they take forever to do repairs.

3. If your RFR was to fail you could get a replacement within hours, sometimes at no charge.

 

Im not gonna argue their is a cost difference, but their must be a reason for the price!

[JDLX]

When I went on the training course for the ion even some of the guys running the course said get an iphone or ipad with the software, instead of the remote! I think that says it all!

[madorangepanda]

Custom remotes are now rather old tech considering we have networkable desks and computer software.

 

I believe Zero 88 don't produce remotes at all for their newer consoles and instead push the phone/tablet/PDA software.

 

I suspect manufacture of remotes is minimal at best for the current generation of consoles.

[richard]

While I think the etc remote is a bit rubbish (buttons are fiddly, response is slow) there is a benefit to having a specific piece of hardware as the remote - it makes it a lot less nick-able, and they are a lot more solid and resiliant than an iPad..

[chelgrian]

While I think the etc remote is a bit rubbish (buttons are fiddly, response is slow) there is a benefit to having a specific piece of hardware as the remote - it makes it a lot less nick-able, and they are a lot more solid and resiliant than an iPad..

 

Put it in an Otterbox iPad Defender :D

[Ben Couch]

The RFR is a great device in my opinion, and then of course you have the back up of ETC's great customer service if it were to go wrong, although if you was going to go the app route, surely, would't it be better to get the app for an iPod touch or something, the way I see it, fits in a pocket for climbing up ladders etc, rather than carrying a cumbersome iPad around and then it would work out even cheaper, around £200.

[nickjones]

Hardware RFR's are a thing of the past these days, there is still a use for them, but it's a lot cheaper as you said, to just get an iPad (even if you do give money to Apple) another option (And one I prefer) is to simply get 3 or 4 netbooks for the same price. Most have SSD's these days and are pretty tough, and with the help of the Kensington slot on the side, you can have one locked to your belt, as well as running the full version of the EOS software, you can also keep on it all of your manuals for gear, the plot and even WYSIWYGs. All for the same price. If I remember rightly the iRFR app was about $50 USD or soemthing? So it's still not free whereas the offline editor / remote console is.

Nick

[jonhole]

The other factor is that a remote for your SmartPhone / iDevice is seen as cool.

I know this shouldn't be seen as a reason for a purchasing choice, but I think in reality it often is.

 

At the end of the day, when trying to choose between two very similar desks, it's the little things like this that can sway a user.