Home Automation
Control4 Announces New High-Performance Automation Controllers
30/01/12 23:32 Filed in: Home Control
New one-room and whole-home controllers dramatically enhance consumer experiences with fluid on-screen control, blazingly fast media access, and instantaneous responsiveness.
Las Vegas, NV– January 9, 2012 at 9:30 AM PT – Control4, a leading innovator in residential and light commercial automation systems, announces two new models to its award-winning family of automation controllers: the flagship HC-800 and the versatile HC-250. Designed to harness the power of Control4’s award-winning operating system, the HC-800 and the HC-250 provide the ultimate Control4 experience for speed, performance and flexibility at an exceptional value for homeowners and businesses.
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Homeowners Are Turning to Smart Technology to Streamline Their Lives and Reduce Energy Use
04/12/11 15:33 Filed in: Home Control | Integrated Media | Security | Energy | Trends | Home Theater | Blog | By Harry Saini
Article by Amanda Ash, Contributor for eHow
Long gone are the days when we read by candlelight and cooked dinner on a wood-burning stove. And for many North American homes as of 2011, the acts of flipping light switches and manually controlling thermostats are going the way of the dinosaurs.
The Green Revolution, coupled with incredible technological advances, has spawned tech-savvy "smart homes": digitally outfitted dwellings that may be programmed to do just about anything you can think of, except maybe clean your room.
Harry Saini, who owns Digital Smart Homes of Canada and has wired his Vancouver condominium to the hilt, believes that automating your home not only simplifies your life but also reduces energy consumption. Home automation technology is becoming more accessible every day, allowing the average person to transform a home into something straight out of "Star Trek."
"If you were looking at home automation five years ago, you'd easily be looking at 10 times the cost compared to now," Saini said. "And the number of dealers and retailers that are able to support that technology compared to five, six years ago has doubled---tripled, even.
"People used to think home automation is for lazy people, but that's not what it is. Essentially, everything talks to one another. Your lights talk to your stereo. Your alarm knows what your garage is doing. All your devices know what's going on."
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What is Home Automation or a Smart Home?
04/12/11 15:32 Filed in: Home Control | Integrated Media | Security | Energy | Trends | Home Theater | Blog | By Harry Saini
In today’s ultra-complicated and fast-paced world, home automation and smart home technologies were developed to simplify life! Thanks to revolutionary devices, you can now link and control all of the electronics and systems in your home from a single digital interface.
Digital Smart Homes links together onto one operating platform the following technologies and more:
- Home theatre systems
- Multi-room music & video
- Smart lighting & shades
- Advanced temperature control
- Safety and security devices
Transforming your living environment into a “smart home” not only makes life more manageable, it makes it more secure. For instance, let’s say that you head out of town for a weekend trip and you realize a few hours out of town that you forgot to arm the security system and program the porch lights to illuminate at dusk. All you have to do is pull out your iPhone, bring up the Control4 interface, and push a few buttons to secure your alarm & program your lights.
Is Home Automation Scalable? As you revolutionize and grow your home technologies, you may be wondering if home automation is scalable. This is actually the beauty of a system like Control4. You can begin with one or two technologies and then scale out to meet additional needs. For example, if you have an amazing home theatre setup and a security system, you can begin there and then add to your setup as time progresses.
What’s in a Smart Home Console? This is where the fun begins! Just to give you an idea, here are some of the things that Control4 can accomplish:
- Control your home theatre
- Dim the lights as the opening credits roll
- Turn off all your TVs when your kids should be studying
- Alert you when the garage door is open…and then close it
- Manage your lights, window coverings, and thermostats
- Monitor your locks, lighting, and security cameras
- Allow you to play music in any room of the house
Visit our fully featured hi-tech showroom in Vancouver at 1385 West 6th Avenue.
Control4 Panelized Lighting—powerful lighting control for home and business
Home and business owners can direct complex lighting events from elegant user interfaces while the system is centralized “behind the scenes”
Indianapolis, IN – CEDIA Expo 2011 – September 8-10, 2011 – Booth #2302 – Control4, a leader in IP-based home control systems, today announced the new Control4® Panelized Lighting Solution. Panelized lighting systems enable complete control over whole-home and commercial lighting systems using sophisticated keypad and touch screen interfaces, rather than a collection of light switches on every wall.
The Control4 Panelized Lighting Solution is Ethernet-based, providing simple and robust communications from the home controller or Control4 Touch Screen to the light. The Control4 Panelized Lighting Solution is also one of the first centralized lighting systems to offer energy monitoring capability for each load, which allows energy management applications to monitor and control individual lights. This empowers high-end customers to enjoy the privileges of whole-home lighting control while still being energy conscious.
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Control4 Announces New Addition: MyHome App for Android
08/09/11 13:02 Filed in: Press Release | Home Control
Unveiled at CEDIA EXPO 2011, the new app provides whole home control from today’s popular Android devices.
Indianapolis, IN – CEDIA Expo 2011 – September 8, 2011, 8:00 AM ET – Booth #2302 – Control4, a leader in affordable IP-based home control systems, announces their new Control4® MyHome - Android™ app for Android-enabled mobile devices. Developed by Clever Controls for Control4® systems, the app is currently in beta testing with select Control4 dealers and release is currently slated for Q4.
The Control4® MyHome family of software apps allows homeowners to access and control lighting, temperature, security, music, movies, and so much more from a wide range of devices in a Control4 enabled home. The new MyHome - Android app is a robust solution that will allow homeowners to access, manage and control their Control4 system from their Android-based devices built on Android OS 1.6 or higher.
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Cool Motion Sensor Ideas for Control4
31/08/11 15:39 Filed in: Home Control
Check out this CardAccess video for some cool motion sensor ideas to go from centralized control to true home automation.
What is Smart Home Control? Control4 Automation Systems Explained
10/08/11 09:44 Filed in: Home Control
What is home control and why the buzz?
Home control is pretty simple. It's taking the technology that already exists in the home and making it work simply and easily for the people who have to live with that technology, which is you the homeowner. Let's face it life has become complex. We bring this electronic gadgetry into our homes with the hope of enhancing our lifestyle and what it leads to is frustration. You're sitting there with the goal of watching a movie, you've got 5 remotes now sitting in front of you and now you have to figure out which sequence of events you need to do in order to just watch a simple movie.
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Home control is pretty simple. It's taking the technology that already exists in the home and making it work simply and easily for the people who have to live with that technology, which is you the homeowner. Let's face it life has become complex. We bring this electronic gadgetry into our homes with the hope of enhancing our lifestyle and what it leads to is frustration. You're sitting there with the goal of watching a movie, you've got 5 remotes now sitting in front of you and now you have to figure out which sequence of events you need to do in order to just watch a simple movie.
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Complete Control! - Control4 Review by 'Home Theater Magazine'
31/07/11 11:04 Filed in: Home Control
Control4 Software Release Announcement - OS 2.1
07/06/11 23:47 Filed in: Press Release
Control4 is pleased to announce that OS 2.1 is available for immediate download. This release improves the quality of the operating system. OS 2.1 includes enhancements to most areas of the system and user interface, brings back important features and capabilities, and provides significant new diagnostic and support features to make it easier to support clients without doing a truck roll.
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Control4 Home Automation System Demo of Smart Home Technology
Join us on a tour of a Control4 home automation system in McKinney, Texas. Control4 dealer Byron Baird of Diem Digital Interiors & homeowner Jeff Layn provide a home automation demo of Jeff's townhouse located on a golf resort called Craig Ranch.
Jeff's smart home technology controls multiple zones of audio, multiple televisions with DVRs for every family member, fireplaces, ceiling fans, thermostats, & IP cameras. He started small and has been adding on to the system over time.
What's great about this Dallas palace are the endless custom touches. When Jeff arrives home and opens the garage door, his home control system turns on the lights & the television turns on to his favourite channel (ESPN).
Jeff also has a personalized microchip key chain that has his personal settings programmed into it. He waves it over the 'wand' behind the door which then brings up his personal settings of how he wants to live his life when he comes in the house.
Want this for your home? Contact me for a personalized quote.
What is the Control4 MyHome app for iPad?
20/05/11 17:01 Filed in: Home Control
Enjoy control from your favorite devices. Now you can control your lights, temperature, music, movies, energy, security, and more from your iPhone, iPad, tablet or laptop. With the Control4® MyHome app, you can now turn your favorite screen into your favorite control system.
Want to enjoy Control4 MyHome App in the comfort of your home?
It's easy!
Control4 Partners With Sub-Zero and Wolf
Control4 can now connect to Sub-Zero and Wolf high-end kitchen appliances for convenience, energy savings and the perfect meal every time.
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Enhanced Lutron Home Control+ App Version 3.0
20/04/11 08:26 Filed in: Home Control
Now available in the App Store, version 3.0 brings a wealth of added features to the popular total home control app, including full functionality on iPhone®, iPod touch®, and iPad® devices.
• Full functionality on iPhone®, iPod touch®, and iPad® devices
• Thermostat support including scheduling
• Support for Venetian blind control and editing
• Pico™ wireless control support
• Support for RadioRA 2, HomeWorks® QS, and HomeWorks systems
• Full functionality on iPhone®, iPod touch®, and iPad® devices
• Thermostat support including scheduling
• Support for Venetian blind control and editing
• Pico™ wireless control support
• Support for RadioRA 2, HomeWorks® QS, and HomeWorks systems
Purchase a Control4 System and get a free iPad2
15/04/11 15:07 Filed in: Home Control | Promotions
’That's right, you heard me - FREE iPad 2!
Between April 15th 2011 and June 30th, Digital Smart Homes is offering a free iPad 2 to any client who signs up for a Control4 home automation installation including the following system integration elements:
- Home Theater
- Distributed Music
- Surveillance Camera(s)
- Climate Control
- Automated Door Locks
- Lighting Control
These packages are more affordable than you may think. We have packages ranging anywhere between $5k - $100k+. Start simple, or automate your entire home. We are happy to work with every client!
If you haven't seen the iPad Control4 Home Automation app in action yet, please visit our custom showroom at 1385 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver for a demonstration.
Also, check out this video for a brief demonstration:
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New Apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch Now Available!
15/03/11 00:17 Filed in: Home Control
It's a new look, a new feel, and a new level of control! New releases of the MyHome app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch include myriad performance improvements that make it even easier to access and control lighting, temperature, music, movies, energy, security and more-all using the glorious new OS 2.0 interface.
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Control4® MyHome App for MAC,PC, Linux & Tablet Now Available!
15/02/11 23:21 Filed in: Home Control
The Control4® MyHome - PC/MAC/Tablet application announced at CES is now available for download so you can allow virtually any laptop, desktop or tablet device that is capable of running Flash* to be used as an interface for managing a Control4 system.
By turning existing smart phones, tablets and PCs into additional interfaces, Control4 MyHome offers homeowners an affordable way to access and manage their system, while offering dealers an additional platform to deliver greater flexibility and portability for home control to your customers.
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New Driver Mates Crestron Lighting with Control4 Automation
14/02/11 22:28 Filed in: Home Control | Lighting
Just in time for Valentines, new driver mates Crestron Lighting with Control4 Automation. Especially valuable for retrofit jobs, Extra Vegetables® Control4® driver for Crestron® lighting allows you to integrate a Crestron lighting system with keypads into Control4. This provides the same features and customer experience as Control4's native lighting control. You can dim and switch loads and there is also the facility to represent Crestron relays as motorization devices within Control4. The driver is IP based.
Crestron keypads are fully supported by the driver. It is possible to add custom programming to key presses on the Crestron keypads within the Control4 system. So keys not used for lighting operations could be used for AV or other control purposes.
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Control4 Announces Kwikset SmartCode, ZigBee Deadbolt Locks in a New Contemporary Style.
20/01/11 17:08 Filed in: Home Control | Security
The Kwikset SmartCode, ZigBee Deadbolt Locks add enhanced security and convenience to any Control4 system.Designed with a sleek contemporary style to complement home interiors and exteriors, these locks make it easy to secure entry doors and never again have to worry about carrying a key. View the status and lock or unlock the lock from any room in the home from any Control4 interface, or monitor and control the locks remotely through Web Navigator. ZigBee Pro provides 128-bit encryption for secure communication within the Control4 system. Read More...
Card Access™ Ceiling-Mount Wireless Motion Sensor
Card Access is pleased to announce the new Ceiling-Mount Wireless Motion Sensor. Using the same Control4 driver and providing all of the same functionality as our wall-mount Wireless Motion Sensor, the Ceiling-Mount Wireless Motion Sensor allows for convenient ceiling mount applications. This new product is a great way to add occupancy sensing capabilities to any room. We offer two versions of the Ceiling-Mount Wireless Motion Sensor: battery-powered and line-powered (9-24v AC/DC)
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The Security Sensor Bridge V2 is now shipping.
16/01/11 01:13 Filed in: Security
Card Access is pleased to announce the new the Security Sensor Bridge V2. An update to the Sensor Bridge previously offered by Card Access, the “Security Sensor Bridge V2” is an easy way to utilize small security sensors for home automation purposes. Compared to its predecessor, this fully updated product is smaller, more rugged and comes at reduced pricing. Read More...
And Now You Know - Control4 iPad & Kwikset Door Lock
10/01/11 17:52 Filed in: Home Control
Watch Akash Sablok on TELUS TV’s MyVancouver Show, with host Simi Sara, talking about the latest tech for your home. In this segment Akash demonstrates how Control4 can operate your electronic devices using your iPad or iPhone.
New Control4 "MyHome" Extends Control Wherever You Want It
06/01/11 19:44 Filed in: Home Control
Software apps extend Control4 functionality to virtually every screen in the home.
Las Vegas, NV – CES 2011 – January 6-9, 2011 – LVCC South 21407 – Control4, a leader in affordable IP-based home control systems, today introduces Control4® MyHome, a family of software apps that allows consumers to access and control lighting, temperature, music, movies, energy, security and more from a wide range of devices in Control4® enabled homes. Consumers need only purchase a Control4 MyHome license and download the application to their iPhone®, iPad®, PC or Mac® laptop, desktop computer, or tablet to enjoy all the features of their Control4 system.
“Consumers expect choice and convenience, so by offering our customers the ability to access and control their home automation system from nearly any screen in the house, we make it easier for them to integrate Control4 into their everyday lives,” said Control4 CEO Will West. “Now, whether you turn on your TV, pull out your phone, turn to a touch screen in the kitchen, or power on your laptop in the office, you’ll always be in control of your connected home.” Read More...
Control4 InfinityEdge 5" In-Wall Touch Screen
06/01/11 19:42 Filed in: Home Control
Announcing affordable total system control in a sleek 5" in-wall design!
Edge-to-edge capacitive glass combined with the elegant Control4 user interface reveals the most visually stunning Control4 touch screen to date. With new optional intercom capability, a choice of AC power or Power Over Ethernet, wired or WiFi connectivity options, and four programmable buttons for customized commands, this flexible solution is perfect for every room in the house. Read More...
Card Access Wireless Smart Pressure Sensor
12/10/10 17:44 Filed in: Home Control
Card Access is pleased to announce the new Wireless Smart Pressure Sensor Package. A replacement for Bed and Chair Sensors previously offered by Card Access, the Smart Pressure Sensor is an easy-to-use occupancy sensing solution for chairs, beds, and sofas. This next generation sensor provides better results through customizable sensitivity making it more suitable for a variety of home automation applications.
The sensor works by measuring the change in distributed pressure when a chair, a bed, or a sofa is occupied. Proprietary “learning” technology allows dealers to calibrate the response of the sensor to suit a wide range of furniture and occupants – with just the push of a button.
By using this technology, the sensor delivers superior control and flexibility when compared to other similar sensors on the market, which are not adjustable and are only reliable in limited applications.
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The Anywhere Button
23/09/10 01:20 Filed in: Home Control
Have you ever said to yourself, “If only there was a simple button that could….” Well, now you can have that button. We have a limited supply of Card Access "Anywhere Buttons." It is a button that you can put virtually anywhere in your house to make anything happen through Control4 programming. Wish there was a button to call the kids to dinner? Wish there was a goodnight button you could hide behind the headboard of your bed? Wish there was a romance button hidden away in your sock drawer? Make that age old “if only there was a button…” dream come true today. Talk to me to order one and for more "Anywhere Button" ideas.
Lutron Releases New Apple iPhone and iPod Touch App
Light control manufacturer Lutron Electronics is pleased to introduce the Lutron Home Application, which provides control of lights and shades, including the new RadioRA 2 total light control system, via an Apple iPhone and iPod Touch. The Lutron Home Application provides control of a RadioRA 2 system over a Wi-Fi network and requires RadioRA 2 Software version 3.1.14 or higher. RadioRA 2 Software is available only to qualified installers. The application is available now, free of charge, on iTunes®. Read More...
Control4 2.0 is Here!
30/06/10 17:06 Filed in: Home Control | Integrated Media
We are excited to to announce the release of Control4® OS 2.0. This next-generation OS offers new home-control functionality, updated SDKs, support for additional hardware products, integration of third-party applications, and improved media management. Featuring an elegant Flash-based user interface, Control4® OS 2.0 will provide Control4 integrators with the most powerful Control4® solution to date. Read More...
Social networking comes to the world of home-control systems
09/06/10 14:22 Filed in: Trends
Home Automation companies like the one we carry, Control4, are increasingly building social-networking functions into their product lines. Control4 is developing a system that will allow users to tap into websites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube right from their home-control interfaces. Read More...