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  • Jim Arnold

    Jim 10:45 am on August 19, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Audio, Builders, , Controller, Holmes Homes, Safe and Sound Systems, , ZigBee Locks

    The Future is Now

    When George and Jane Jetson alighted on the door step of their home for the first time they surely had expectations of the level of automation their new home would have. While it may be some time before we all get in our personal air craft and travel with 500MPH speed limits, some new home buyers’ right here in Salt Lake City are finding some similarities between the amenities of their new home and those of the Skypad Apartments.

    That reality is coming to life today in Holmes Homes at Daybreak on the west side of town. Working locally with Control4 dealer Safe and Sound Systems, the staff at Holmes Homes is now putting a basic Control4 home automation package as standard equipment in all of their homes in this new subdivision. The basic package includes a controller, 2 zones of audio, control over 6 – 8 lights, an in-wall touch screen, controllable door locks, an Ipod dock, a thermostat and integration with the security system. There are also a couple keypads to allow full control from the great room and the master bedroom.

    At the opening of model homes from 16 builders, only the Holmes Homes model home had the Control4 automation package…or any automation package as standard. And it was a hit. Customers loved it. Still do. This is just the beginning. As home automation goes more and more mainstream, we will see lots of builders offering standard packages. And for now, right here in Salt Lake City, Holmes Homes is blazing the way and delighting customers. Maybe the makers of the Jetson’s were more prescient than they knew at the time. We have come a long way!

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  • Eric Smith

    Eric 5:08 pm on August 16, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Apps, developer contest, Eragy

    Developer Challenge Update

    We are more than half way through the 4Store™ application developer contest and some really interesting applications have been submitted.  One of the newest applications, from Eragy, is an energy monitoring system that not only shows how much energy your home is using, but can actually help you save energy and money.  There are also lots of fun games and applications like “Today in Disney History” (for those of you that know me, you know that this app is near and dear to my heart).  If you are working on a cool idea of your own, be sure to submit it soon as time is running out!  The deadline for submission is August 31, 2010. Find out more at http://www.control4.com/developer-contest/

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  • Paul Williams

    Paul 4:34 pm on August 12, 2010 | 2 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: capacitive glass, , Infinity Pool, InfinityEdge, intercom,

    An infinity pool…for your fingertips.

    The first time I experienced an infinity pool I was in Cancun, sipping a margarita while looking out over the Caribbean.  Bliss. The great part about an infinity pool is that you cannot see the edge as you look out over the horizon, which makes you feel like you’re a part of your surroundings.

    Our new InfinityEdge Touch Screens are like an infinity pool for your fingertips.  They were designed with seamless, edge-to-edge glass and a very low profile against the wall to better blend into any décor. The InfinityEdge products will be available in both 5” and 7” versions and will be available in white or black, to further help them blend-in with their environment. Now customers can have access to all of the Control4 technology in the home without detracting from the home’s beauty.

    The touch screens have capacitive glass, just like most of the smart phones on the market today, including the iPhone.  This feature makes the touch panels ultra responsive and improves the user experience.

    The feature I am most excited about is the integrated intercom. Now I can communicate with one room or broadcast a message anywhere in the house, all from the same touch panel. Very cool!

    So, let your fingertips jump into the pool, the water is perfect. Find out more at http://www.control4.com/infinity.

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    • Tim Heidel 2:37 pm on August 23, 2010 Permalink

      How does the intercom communicate between InfinityEdge touch panels? Is it using Wi-Fi or RF?

    • theintern

      The Intern 11:58 am on August 24, 2010 Permalink

      Intercom voice data is transmitted over the IP network (either WiFi or Ethernet). Not RF.

  • Troy Holtby

    Troy Holtby 4:57 pm on July 29, 2010 | 4 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , International

    Square peg…round hole.

    One of the fundamental objectives for any product is to meet customer expectations.  This principle is alive and well in the home automation industry and one of the more challenging things to tackle because every home is different, and every customer has different things that are important to them.  Add to that a global product shipping into 50+ countries and it’s a daunting task.

    Fortunately, the recent release of 2.0 makes the proverbial square peg a lot more round.

    Every country is different; Different languages, different values, different ideals and different demands.  2.0 bridges those differences allowing more people than ever to experience “the connected home”.

    The first and most obvious bridge built by 2.0 is language support.  The Control4 interface has always been easy to use.  People always ask me what I mean when I say “easy” - and I like tell the story of how when I first started with Control4 my then 4 year old son loved to grab a touch screen and turn the lights off in the bathroom when his older brother was showering.  He couldn’t read at the time, but he quickly figured out how to use the system to make his brother yell.  Now THAT’S easy.  But regardless of how easy it is with icons, the words are still important.  With eight languages already available, and more on the way, 2.0 is making a splash internationally.

    The next major bridge internationally for 2.0 is the 4Store.  Talk about flexibility!  Do you want your touch-screens to update when your favorite football team (that’s soccer for at least some of you) makes an announcement?  You can write an app for that!  Does your apartment complex want its own “social networking” group to post available tennis court times?  You can write an app for that.  Does a local company in your area offer a service unique to your community?  You can write an app for that!

    You get the idea.  It doesn’t matter where you live, what language you speak, or what’s important to you.  2.0 gives you the flexibility to interact with your home the way YOU want to.

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    • Iain 3:45 am on July 30, 2010 Permalink

      To be truly international, here’s a suggestion… how about some C4 wall socket switches for other countries than just the US? I’ve just finished control4ing my new house in Australia but I am told by my dealer “No Sockets for You.” - Sorry to say this but this missing bit of hardware is your first and biggest missing link to keep your international customers happy…

    • theintern

      The Intern 1:28 pm on August 10, 2010 Permalink

      Iain - We do in fact have just that now. It may not yet be available in you area but it is coming. Ask your dealer about the DIN Rail solution for international markets.

    • Ron 6:09 am on August 11, 2010 Permalink

      Multiple devices? I am not sure where to post this, but our house has multiple mobile devices (2 iPads, 2 iPhones, 2 laptops, a Droid), you get the idea. Do we have to have a license for each device or is the license tied to the system it is controlling?

    • theintern

      The Intern 1:52 pm on August 13, 2010 Permalink

      The licenses are tied to the devices not the system.

  • Eric Smith

    Eric 8:00 am on July 7, 2010 | 2 Permalink | Reply

    4Store Developer Challenge

    Opportunity is knocking…

    …Are you going to answer?  Now that Control4® OS 2.0 has shipped, tens of thousands of consumers will be able to enhance their homes through our 4Store™ Application Marketplace.

    This is an unprecedented opportunity in our industry. For decades companies like Microsoft, Google and Oracle made lots of money selling applications for personal computers, and in the last few years it has become possible for independent developers to make lots of money developing applications for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad, and the bevy of new Android phones. Now, the 4Store brings development opportunities into the fast growing smart home market.

    Never before has it been so easy to develop, market and sell applications for a control system. You don’t even need to learn some weird proprietary programming language.  If you know Adobe® Flash, you could be posting your first applications within hours, and even if you don’t know Adobe Flash, there are lots of ways to learn it.

    Any application posted on the 4Store can be accessed from touch screens and TVs throughout the home.  The real opportunity is in what we call “Control Applications”.  These are applications that interact with the Control4® system to enhance the customer’s life. One of our 4Store developers is already working on an “Occupancy Simulation” app that will make it easy for a customer to configure and use a vacation mode for their house without any complex programming.  The possibilities are endless.

    Control4 is also running an exciting developers contest with lots of prizes including $5,000 cash and free Control4 gear. Find out more at http://www.control4.com/developer-contest.

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    • Daniel 11:02 am on July 7, 2010 Permalink

      It would be great is the first year developer fees will be waived, $299.00 USD for the first year will discourage many indie developers.

    • theintern

      The Intern 12:28 am on July 13, 2010 Permalink

      Thanks for the feedback Daniel.

  • Will West

    Will West 6:43 pm on June 29, 2010 | 1 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , Platform,

    OS 2.0 is Here!


    At Control4 we have always considered it to be our mission to bring the amazing benefits of the connected home to more  people in a way that creates sales and profit  for our dealers and partners.  After years of development we are finally at a point where the platform for that growth is ready.

    Control4 OS 2.0 streamlines the user experience, but most importantly it provides the foundation and tools for dealers to add features and applications to drive user experiences that were simply not possible before (unless you happened to be the Sultan of Brunei).

    We have entered the new age of home automation.  During the next twelve months our dealers will be able to integrate devices faster and more powerfully than ever before.  Our collective challenge is to think in terms of every device that is available to the consumer.  This isn’t about forcing consumers to buy everything from just one manufacturer,  it is a question of how we make the best in class devices work together to make life simpler, safer, and more eco-friendly.

    At Control4, we are committed to the philosophy that life really is better when everything works together.  Our new 2.0 platform is the foundation that makes that possible.  We are excited to work with our dealers to bring the new connected home lifestyle to our mutual customers.

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    • Darryl Moore 11:12 pm on July 29, 2010 Permalink

      Version 2 is they way forward, but there should be a way to turn the graphics back to the old version for customers who haven’t got another £1000 to add an hc1000 to what could have been a relatively cost effective system in the first place. My understanding is the GUI is the problem, for the graphics chip in the hc200s and 300s when running director at the same time. This will make simple 1-2 room systems cheaper to do with a Pronto system. Not as good but easier to sell. Just a thought.

  • Antonio DiMilia

    Antonio DiMilia 3:21 pm on June 29, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply

    HITEC 2010

    It is June and for most people involved in hospitality technology it is a special time of the year – while everyone in the country starts to plan summer vacations, hospitality technology professionals prepare for the most important event of the year, HITEC! HITEC is in fact the world’s largest hospitality technology exposition and conference, and this year, it was even more special as many companies participated with renewed optimism in the industry’s future.

    From June 21-24, 2010 thousands of people gathered in beautiful (albeit warm) Orlando, FL for three days of networking, education, and trying out new and innovative hospitality technologies, from energy management solutions to self-flushing toilets.

    Control4 joined over 300 companies from all over the world showcasing  their products and services in more than 130,000 square feet of trade show space. The Control4 booth, which was designed to look like a hotel guest room, allowed attendees to try first hand all of the energy management and guestroom automation products that Control4 offers, along with some great products from partners like Control UI, Axxess Industries, MechoShade, Concierge Solutions, Card Access, Safelok, Enseo, and LG to name a few. Attendees that had read or heard about our recent installations at City Center, Las Vegas or Trump Soho were excited to get an opportunity to try our products at HITEC and were lined up for a demonstration. The feedback from attendees was very positive.

    While many people in the industry consider Control4 one of the best guestroom automation solutions for luxury hotels like Mandarin Oriental or Montage, most were surprised to learn about how affordable and unique Control4’s energy management solutions really are. As the leader in offering affordable home automation solutions, we are focused on bringing the same level of affordability and value to the hospitality industry.

    Control4 was also proud to have been selected to be part of the prestigious Guestroom 20X, a display featuring technologies that are expected major impact on guestrooms and hotels in the future.

    After such great success and feedback at HITEC, we cannot sit on our laurels. The real work now begins so plans for summer vacations will just have to wait a bit longer!

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  • Glen Mella

    Glen 10:58 am on June 9, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , Control4 Commercial, , , Project Spotlights, ,

    Control4 Commercial Systems

    Today Control4 announced a Commercial product line, which will bring our affordable control and entertainment systems to commercial applications, including boardrooms, restaurants, hotels and green buildings.

    Bringing Control4 solutions to the Pro AV market is a natural move for us. Our dealers have already successfully implemented our residential solutions into commercial projects across the country, including restaurants, bars, houses of worship, corporate offices and even bowling alleys! We also have a thriving business in the hospitality market, most notably evidenced in our CityCenter installation in Las Vegas. CityCenter is currently the largest IP control system in the world.

    In addition to having numerous projects under our belt we have unmatched experience with standards-based technologies, having shipped over one million ZigBee devices.

    Control4 Commercial Systems projects will enable easy control and system management in commercial spaces as well as provide an opportunity to earn valuable points for USGBC LEED certification.

    For more information, follow our updates from InfoComm on our Facebook page, via Twitter, or visit http://www.control4.com/commercial.

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  • theintern

    The Intern 12:17 pm on June 1, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Bowling Alley, , Digital Residence, Fun, HC-200, , Iowa, ,

    Project Spotlight: Perfect Games Bowling Alley

    In years past, bowling alleys included hazy smoke, tacky décor, and bad food. Perfect Games in Ames, Iowa, wanted to create an entertainment experience that put other bowling alleys to shame. To perfect their entertainment options, the owners of Perfect Games approached Digital Residence during construction. With 24 bowling lanes, a laser tag facility, arcade games, party rooms, and a combo restaurant/bar/pizza parlor, Perfect Games is the place to be.

    From anywhere in the 32,000 square foot facility, staff can manage the entire system with a Control4 SR250 remote. Using an HC-300 and two HC-200 controllers, Digital Residence set up a system to support 13 cable boxes, seven LCD screens, and 12 projectors. Staff can also call out information via an integrated Shure 550L microphone.

    Perfect Games 12 projectors and projection screens are set up evenly between the league lanes and family lanes. Staff can trigger streaming video to any or all of the screens to complement game play. When bowlers aren’t filling up the lanes, they have the option of watching the six, Toshiba 37-inch LCDs over the bar. Known for its homemade, stone oven pizza and pasta, Kingpin Pizza, the Perfect Games’ restaurant, also offers a 42-inch LCD and four JBL Pro Control 28T speakers.

    Using Control4, Digital Residence created the perfect AV setup for Perfect Games to manage its systems efficiently while keeping players happy.

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  • Paul Williams

    Paul 4:11 pm on May 18, 2010 | 1 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Channel Surfing, , Control4 SR-250 Remote, Old Folks, , Zenith Remote Control

    Remember When?

    OK, so I remember my parents and grandparents telling me the stories of their childhoods and how “rough” life was in their day.  These stories tended to go in one ear and out of the other.  After all, “walking up hill to school both ways.. in the snow” didn’t really sound all that bad :)!

    Fast forward a few years, OK maybe a few more than and few, I found myself in a conversation with my children about my own “rough” upbringing.   In my stories however, being born on the leading edge of the X Generation, I don’t have any stories of uphill walking, except maybe to pick up a Big Mac from McDonalds or a Big Gulp from 7-11.  Along with the irony I felt in having this conversation, which I told myself at the age of 10, I would never have with my own children, it suddenly hit me how far technology has come in my lifetime.

    Consider the following. Remember when:

    Every home had a pair of needle nose pliers, not for home repairs, it was used to turn the channels on the TV after the channel knob stripped out and was no longer usable.  This little tidbit of information seemed to baffle my children, and for that matter I suspect the entire Y Generation, as they can’t imagine a life where you had to actually get off of your butt to turn the channels on the TV.

    Channel surfing?  Well, with a selection of 5 fine channels, 2 of which were PBS channels, what was there to surf?

    During my life, the experience of turning the channels on the TV went from a pair of pliers, to an audible clicker, to a wired remote, to a wireless remote.  Today, as I sit in the comfort of my home using my Control4 remote, which not only changes the channels on the TV (without pointing the remote at the TV, I will add), but also can adjust the temperature in my home, browse and select media, and adjust the lighting in my home, I realize just how great technology is, and how attached we have become to technology!

    If you have any more of these “remember when” stories as it applies to technology, I welcome your responses to this blog post.  If nothing else, they will help to further baffle my children.

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    • Michael 11:50 am on June 5, 2010 Permalink

      How about putting the scotch tape over your mom’s crappy Chicago Tape so that you could record that new song off the FM radio? I certainly don’t miss that one!

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