Smart home technology gives fantastic benefits to everyone who is able to use it, but some may find the cost of a complete system to be prohibitive.
Control4 system
There are some well-known brand names within the home automation sector, and with name recognition comes a price. So how would you go about building a home automation system on a budget?
One of the big players in home automation technology, Control4 provide control panels (among other items) to keep your smart home on track. They have touchscreens, keypads, thermostats, security locks, sensors, cameras, lighting systems, speakers, and much more all under their own brand.
In many cases like this, you’d be tied into a choice the moment you chose a control panel. Luckily, Control4 is much more open-minded than this, and allows connectivity to a multitude of devices made by other manufacturers.
The Control4 system actually works with a staggering 12,000 plus third-party devices – if that doesn’t show that this is an open technology, nothing will!
Big Names that you might already own
The Control4 system will happily connect to devices manufactured by Sonos and others. This means you can play your music wherever you want, on whatever device you want, and don’t have to invest in Control4-approved speakers. Connectivity to streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and TuneIn means you can listen to and watch almost anything you like.
A partnership with the Yale company allows the installation and control of security devices to keep your home safe – automatically. If you want to have lights that come on automatically or can change color at the touch of a button, Control4 provide their own lighting systems, but are also compatible with products from Lutron and others.
Nest compatible products work with Control4, and partnerships have been established with the likes of Sony, Apple, Panasonic, Yamaha, Samsung, and many others. If you have a device or are looking to buy a device, that works in a smart home environment, the chances are that it will be compatible with Control4.
Build the system you want, not the one you are forced to
By integrating and partnering with so many different and diverse products and brands, Control4 have created a virtual ecosystem of devices that can work in unison to provide smart home features. Sticking with one brand could limit your choices, and would certainly have an effect on your wallet, but the freedom of choice means you can build your home automation system with Control4 using exactly the products you choose.
