Please someone tell me if I am offbase here, but..

how can any system possibly claim to be "total control" if they do not measure pH, chlorine, alk, etc? How will the "total control" system take "control" when the chemistry is all out of whack? I just can't see paying $2600 for a system which drips something in I can just as easily dump in every once in a while manually (using my legs to walk out to the pool and arm to pour -- total cost, $0!).

I want something that constantly monitors the chemistry and adds chlorine, baking soda, acid, CYA, calcium, etc when needed. Does such a system exist that is reasonably priced for residential pools?