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Sony, Control4 to Release Multiroom Entertainment/Control Solution
The system will be available this spring with a fully-installed price that will vary based on the selection of components, according to Sony, adding that typical installations will range from $40,000 to $85,000.
The announcement was made to CE Pro during Sony's "Open House" event for press and dealers in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Neal Manowitz, director of marketing for Sony Electronics' consumer systems and applications division, adds that the systems will only be sold through authorized dealers and will not be sold through big-box stores.
"This is truly an installation product."
Sony says the NHS-130C provides consumers with a whole-house entertainment and control solution that's cost effective and saves installation time.
"The NHS-130C model pairs a top of the line home theater system with whole home automation that can be fully integrated and installed in a fraction of the time normally required for custom installers to build and integrate the system themselves," says Manowitz.
"Because the system is already pre-racked and pre-integrated, installation becomes extremely simple, saving integrators significant time and money."
To the consumer, Manowitz adds, "this is very custom; to the dealer, he knows exactly what to do. The first job and the 50th [NHS-130C systems integrators will install] will be similar, with just a few tweaks."
John Yoon, vice president of marketing for Control4, calls this "repeatable customization" and says it's among the keys to effectively bringing control to the middle market.
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"We like partnering in the NHS [Sony's New Home Solutions division] to do the repeatable customization that we've told our dealers they need to be successful."
The basic system, according to Sony, includes a home theater, 12 high-definition video zones, popular source components and an integrated Control4 HC-500 controller for controlling systems like lighting, thermostat and security.
Keypads and touch panels can be added on as can lighting, temperature controls and a local zone controller for on-screen navigation zones.
To facilitate installation, Sony says all components are pre-integrated into the custom-designed HC-500.
Since the basic systems come pre-racked and pre-programmed, Yoon says it's easy for integrators to add touchpanels, keypads and control of additional systems for customization. "Dealers can easily add components," he says.
Sony chose to work with Control4, in part, due to feedback from its dealerbase, according to Manowitz.
For Control4's part, the venture with Sony is reflective of its continuous efforts to bring elevated control of home systems to a broader market, Yoon says. He concedes that this "pre-integrated" system doesn't carry the level of control that more customized, more expensive control systems offer.
He maintains, however, that their is a market for the levels of control that the NHS-130C offers. "It's kind of like Lamborghinis and Acuras," he says, indicating that everybody appreciates Lamborghini's superior performance, but there is a big market for lower-cost, high-performance cars.
"We are extremely pleased to work closely with Sony on this innovative approach to simplify installation and bring to life the digital home for a broader market of homes," says Will West, chief executive officer at Control4.
Visit Control4 at EHX Spring, March 12-15 in Orlando, booth 1112.
The home theater is 7.1 system that includes HDMI output and upscaling up to 1080p. The Middle Atlantic rack allows for a easy access to pre-wired auxiliary trays, according to Sony.
In addition to the Control4 HC-500, the NHS-130C's components include a 400 disc DVD player (DVP-CX777ES) with Internet lookup and content manager, a built-in 160-GB music server, a Blu-ray high-definition DVD player (BDP-S300), XM/Sirius tuner, built-in iPort iPod port, 12-zone HD component video switch (CAV-CVS12ES), two six-zone matrix switch with 12-channel amplifier (CAV-M1000NR x2) and the flexibility to add three additional components.
The system will be available this spring with a fully installed price that will vary based on the components added. Typical installations will range from $40,000 to $85,000.
At CEDIA 2007, Control4 announced it would be distributing Sony's 12-zone video system to its dealers.
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13 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
It is interesting that Sony is selling a component HD dist. unit when they will be the first to turn on the ACS Flag (possiby this summer, thus limiting the HD output to 480P.
Hmmmmmmmmmm
Could it be that the many facets of Sony do not talk to each other.
Jim,
C4 is certainly not horrible. The product is only as good as the installer that puts it in. I have many installs out there that work flawlessly!!
Oh look, an HCiB: Home Control in a Box!
This will be fun to watch unfold.
Jim,
What systems do you put in…in the last 6 months we have ripped out Crestron, AMX, and Niles systems….all to put in Control4 system…all these Brands do what they advertise…just like lippavisual said,,,its the installers/programmers…
I like the idea because it give installers a powerful brand to leverage in categories that are still emerging.
It it should also simply the system component choices for installers.
There are Sony haters out there that are going to find something they don’t like about this, but look at it from a business perspective. There are probably a handful of brands that consumers know—-Sony, Bose, Panasonic and Samsung—and beyond that they have no idea. This gives installers the opportunity to sell clients into systems that some consumers may not buy, but because it carries Sony’s name it may make the difference between a lost sale and a sale.
Jim,
I am speaking as an end user of Control4, I don’t think you have used the system or taken the time to see what it has to offer. I can tell you I would not remove my system for any other home automation system on the market!
More of us need to listen to our end-users.
Thanks for jumping in Rick. The fact is control is often way oversold, fifty points has become blinding. It seems many of our brothers in the industry don’t have an issue with taking clients money and not delivering a working system. For this reason, packaged custom systems are where the industry is going. (Like it or not)
If we don’t do it- Best Buy will… Would you rather compete with Sony and Control4 or Best Buy?
Mark, are you kidding me? With Control4 getting Home Depot on board it’s just a matter of time before Best Buy gets on the C4 bandwagon too. I say more power to them myself! : )
The more threads I read, the more I find that Crestron installers always seem to have a bone to pick and are very closed-minded when it comes to praising other products. Most Control4 installers will concede that, money being no object, Crestron is the way to go. Unfortunately for most of us, money is a very big object, and most people want bang for their buck. That’s where C4 comes into play. In my opinion, I see the MAJORITY of Crestron installers as snobby elitests…very similar to the Crestron company itself. Again, I have no beef with anyone but am calling it as I’ve seen it time and time again.
I have to disagree…“Most control4 installers will concde that…Creston is the way to go.”
NEVER..
With the correct skillsets and knowledge, I have been able to blow away any crestron “proposals” and would never think of suggestiong anything else. I would concede that most crestron installers will not recommend any other solutions…no matter how much Crestron does not fit in.
Control4 is simple enough and has the right price point to be used in the smallest installs…and also has the power and can be customized to be in HUGE, COSTLY installs too…
You left out the “money being no object” part of the sentence! : ) I agree amazing things can be done with C4 that would blow away people who are unaware of its tremendous abilities. Also, I’d like to qualify the comment in question by adding “all other things being equal” meaning your skill set is the same as the the next contractor’s. Ultimately, you’re right in implying that a given project’s outcome is only as good as the installer’s skillset. Such a thing should never be underestimated.
Still can’t DVR Cable TV and distribute it to 12 zones with this thing. CableLABS won’t let it happen.
Do dealers really by this stuff? A one size fits all rack? Wouldn’t work for our business. Not to mention Control4 is horrible. We just removed a C4 system from a house that was installed six months ago and they claim the factory had even sent people out and couldn’t make it work.