NZ TV & HiFi Control4, C-Bus & KNX Site Slides

Why Should I Use Control4?   

          Because Control4 is all about the end user and making entertainment and home control simple and intuitive in a single app.

Control4 is not a product or technology company. They're a lifestyle company, inspired by ideas that promise more comfort, convenience, security and fun for people just like you! They partner with highly-trained system designers and installers who share our vision and passion for excellence. The combination of everyone's professional expertise and Control4 award-winning solutions offer more comfort, convenience and control for all.

Control4 Thinks Way Beyond a Box:

Control4 revolutionized home automation when they introduced the first affordable intelligent control solution. Every year, they innovate more with new products that speak directly to the needs of their customers such as video intercoms, access control, security, entertainment, lighting and electrical control.  You can expect the great ideas to keep on coming...

Control4 is a Proven Leader:

Control4 trains and certifies all authorized dealers to install intelligent, open, and affordable automation solutions that will work in homes, businesses, and major hotels all over the world. You can be confident we’ll be a great addition to your home too.

Control4 Believes in Choice:

Control4 is an open platform. That means they embrace standards and work with the industry’s most innovative third-party developers to ensure you always have choices when it comes to the devices, apps, and products you want to control. It also ensures you’ll enjoy your investment well into the future.

Why Do I Need a C4 Dealer?

The Control4 Dealer you choose will listen carefully to assess your automation wants and needs and together you'll be able to design the system of your dreams. We will establish a solid foundation that works for what you want today and one that is equally ready for what you may want in the future. Many of our customers maintain longstanding relationships with their dealers—turning to them to add more automation to their home over time.

While a Control4 home automation system will be easy for everyone in your house to use, its actual design is quite complex, linking multiple devices in your home to make it possible for them to communicate over a network. This is the kind of work that requires a professional—an authorized Control4 dealer. Certified by Control4 after rigorous training, your dealer is there to support you and your system every step of the way.

Other Automation Brands we Support and specialise in creating hybrid solutions:

KNX - Founded in 1990 - Originally known as the European Installation Bus, KNX is actually a standardised building automation platform which individual manufacturers can utilize to allow their products to be integrated with other KNX compatible and approved devices.  Due to this there are now hundreds of manufacturers building KNX devices which equates to thousands of KNX devices.  One benefit of having the KNX standard is that all KNX compatible devices have seamless integration and put that together with the utra-reliable 2 wire bus that is the typical KNX media you get a system that just works.  If you want a lighting automation system that is ultra reliable and has some stunning wall plates that are normally only seen in movies, KNX is an option you should not look past.  We would normally use Control4 as an intuitive overlay on top of a KNX electrical control system for reliability as the KNX communication bus is independent from the home network so it is less likely that a general system fault will effect the lighting system but it does take longer to program than C-Bus or Control4.

C-Bus - Made by Clipsal from 1994 - One of NZ and Australia's original electrical automation systems, C-Bus offers reliable lighting automation hardware and some nice designer wall plates which are very user friendly.  C-Bus gains it's reliability by utilizing a 2 wire bus which powers C-Bus devices and allows them to talk though only 2 wires.  Once set up, C-Bus does not normally require servicing unless changes are to be made.  We have systems which are older than 15 years that are still running today.  We would normally use Control4 as an intuitive overlay on top of a C-Bus electrical control system for reliability as the C-Bus communication bus is independent from the home network so it is less likely that a general system fault will effect the lighting system.

Side note:  For the most streamlined automation system we typically would use a complete Control4 system as this avoids the chance of having a sync issue between systems and also allows for better remote management as the Control4 electrical control system is on the IT Network.  The decision is normally made based on function vs aesthetics vs reliability vs cost.