All Articles Tagged Control4

Jason Knott | 05/15 11:11 AM, 0 Comments

Seems everyone is talking about voice control these days. Nearly simultaneous to VoicePod’s release of its speech communication system for Control4, an IT specialist has developed Voicer, an Android app that allows integrators and homeowners to control a Control4 home automation system with definable natural voice commands. The app, which comes in two versions - Voicer (free) and Voicer Pro ($9.99) - was developed by Mitch Greenfield, a Certified Ethical Hacker. (Yes, it’s a real title that designates a person who has the same skills as a hacker to purposefully… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 05/13 11:49 AM, 6 Comments

VoicePod by HouseLogix, probably the first viable voice-control solution for Control4 home automation systems, made its debut at CEDIA Expo 2012 and begins shipping today. Integrator and CE Pro Blog Mobster Joe Whitaker has a hands-on review below. But first … here’s how it works. The ZigBee-enabled VoicePod ($649 retail) is a self-contained controller with a speaker-independent speech-recognition engine built in. Out of the box, it communicates two-way via ZigBee with a Control4 system. Since all of the processing is done in the box, it needs only to send a… View this story

Jason Knott | 05/07 11:02 AM, 0 Comments

Control4 has seen the light. Just a few short months after announcing its panelized hardwired lighting control system, Control4 is unveiling a new family of wireless lighting control products aimed at both residential and commercial projects. Control4 Wireless Lighting control products, which are compatible with the new Control4 Panelized Lighting products, will be available in early June 2013 on an a la carte basis. The line provides a range of ZigBee-based solutions, including adaptive phase dimmers and combination keypad/dimmers, 0-10V dimmers for LED applications and configurable keypads for control. Other… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 05/05 09:08 AM, 4 Comments

As we wrote earlier, new bots like Shodan automate the search for IP addresses – virtually everything connected to a network. Proactively guarding dealers and customers from such threats, Control4 issued a notice to dealers (below) warning about the dangers of port forwarding and urging all integrators to employ secure VPNs or use the company’s new Anywhere Access: Mobile solution via its 4Sight subscription service.  Control4 launched that cloud-based service to simplify the security and remote access of home networks including home control. “It’s an instant improvement as it acts… View this story

Lisa Montgomery | 04/15 07:33 AM, 0 Comments

When a house is blessed with some of the best views of La Jolla, Calif., having a comfortable, convenient outdoor vantage point is a must. Already outfitted with a large hot tub, lighting and comfortable seating, the roof of this 6,500-square-foot home was a prime candidate for the addition of an entertainment system. Although the setup that was installed is fairly basic - a 46-inch TV and two outdoor loudspeakers - it serves the small, intimate space well, says Shawn Worst of San Diego-based Evolution Home Theatre. A 46-inch SunBriteTV… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 04/11 07:41 AM, 3 Comments

Control4 has unveiled a new update to its Operating System, version 2.4, along with enhancements to its HC-800 and HC-250 Controllers. Control4 says the upgrades “simplify networking configuration, eliminate the hassle of license management, and reduce the need for dealers to make on-site support visits.” Among the most noteworthy features in the new operating system is the enhanced functionality to the company’s 4Sight Service enabling remote 3G/4G connectivity, in addition to the previous Wi-Fi connectivity, to a customer’s system via an iOS or Android mobile device. OS 2.4 also also… View this story

Rachel Cericola | 03/28 09:25 AM, 0 Comments

It’s a bummer when you go to use gadgets, only to find dead batteries. Imagine if you need that gadget to turn on lights! Something like that should always be ready at a moment’s notice, which is probably why Control4 has introduced the Remote Recharging Station. The new Recharging Station is designed for use with Control4’s SR-150 and SR-250 System Remote Controls. Instead of having to replace batteries all the time, this option adds in a lightweight, high-power-density rechargeable lithium polymer battery. The rest of the package includes the recharging… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 03/25 09:37 AM, 0 Comments

It took a few years for Control4 —best known for wireless home automation—to perfect its first ever hardwired centralized lighting system but “it’s really here,” says Paul Williams, VP of security and communications products. The system, which Control4 calls “panelized” lighting, was shown in its finished form at ISE 2013 in Amsterdam in January. The solution is Ethernet-based, readily integrated into an IP-enabled automation ecosystem. The panels and termination blocks are “ready to go,” says Williams, “so dealers can start spec’ing it.” Control4 added a few niceties to the system… View this story

Robert Archer | 03/21 06:38 AM, 1 Comment

The Garden City Park, N.Y.-based company Vidabox manufactures a wide selection of home control, automation and digital audio/video solutions. Just prior to the official start of the 2013 spring season the company announced its latest audio/video product: the new NiivNAS media system. Vidabox says the new NiivNAS represents a complete redesign of of its older generation NiivNAS and the company says the new product supports a variety of media management and distribution activities, including Sonos Controller and iTunes installation support. “We’re excited to offer this new model as it meets… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 03/12 10:34 AM, 0 Comments

IC Realtime now has Control4 drivers for its Dual Core series of NVRs, DVRs and HD DVRs. The drivers, developed by Extra Vegetables, bring enhanced functionality to the recorders in the Control4 environment - namely CCTV picture previewing and streaming video. Installers can also take advantage of technical support from IC Realtime should they need assistance loading the driver into Control4’s Composer design software. According to IC Realtime integrated technologies manager Christoffer Callaway, the driver is designed to be extremely easy to load. “Drag-and-drop the driver into your project, point… View this story