What Do I Get With Control4 Automation?

There’s no one-size-fits-all package. The beauty of Control4—and what sets it apart from other automation solutions out there—is that you can design an automation solution that truly meets your lifestyle, needs and budget, not someone else’s idea of what you might need.

Perhaps you want your home to lock itself at 10 pm, and the shades to close as the sun hits. Or maybe you want automation to enhance your new home theater system with a single remote that handles the picture, sound and lights simultaneously. Or add beautiful lighting control to your renovation project. Of course, there are also those who will want to trick out everything in the home, James Bond-style. What you “get” with Control4 automation, then, depends on your personal lifestyle, home and budget.

What Makes Control4 Different?

Control4 automation is an all-in-one solution that’s capable of endless customization: Start with just a smart thermostat or just one room like a home theater. Expand throughout the home when time or budget allows. Your needs change throughout your life, and Control4 can grow with you.

You may have noticed some cable and security companies offering “automation” packages including lights and security monitoring service—this is not an automated home. In fact, these services are very limited in terms of the functionality and the flexibility they offer. Customers quickly realize they want more personalization that incorporate best-in-class entertainment systems, streaming music, room-to-room audio/video communication and other lifestyle functions to enhance their life. With Control4, you have a flexible platform to grow with you.

And Control4 is compatible with brands and products you already have—Apple, DirecTV, Sonos, and more—as well as those you may consider buying in the future.

What Does an Average Control4 System Cost?

It depends. Some of our customers have been able to get started for around $1,500 for a home theater/family room solution and then expanded from there. More than half of our customers that have a Control4 system with one controller as the foundation spent an average of $3,500, including installation costs. Things to consider are the size of the room or home, the number of devices being automated and the complexity of the networking and programming requirements for your installation.

Contact a Control4 Dealer to set up a consultation and receive a personal quote for your automation project.

What Do I Need First?

It all starts with a controller, powered by the Control4 Operating System (OS). You can think of this as the brain behind all of the automation magic.

The controller makes it possible to control and automate virtually any home function, including your TV, music, lighting, climate control and security. Every Control4 controller comes with the Control4 MyHome app (which lets you use your smartphone or tablet to control the system), the TuneIn service (so you can enjoy music from over 70,000 radio stations), and software for intercom functionality (so that you can communicate throughout your home through Control4 touch screens and door stations).

Control4 offers hundreds of products to support virtually every aspect of automation in the home or business. You and your dealer will design a system to meet your needs and then he or she will prepare a detailed proposal listing the additional hardware you’ll need.

How Do I Control My System?

It’s entirely up to you. You can use whatever “interface” is handy, including a TV remote, touch screens, your smartphone, tablet and any computer with Internet access. And now, with Control4 4Sight with Anywhere Access, you can check in on your home or business from virtually anywhere in the world, as long as you have 3G/4G or Internet connectivity.

And remember, with automation, there are some things you’ll never have to worry about “controlling” again—things just happen automatically. You can “set it and forget it.” It’s an entirely new way of thinking about how your home should work.

I Have an Older Home.

Will a Control4 Automation System Still Work?

Absolutely! Control4 systems are often installed in existing homes. Much of our equipment is designed specifically to work wirelessly, and any elements that require a wired connection can generally be installed with minimum fuss and mess.