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Topic:
How do people program Control 4 for bar systems?
This thread has 16 replies. Displaying posts 1 through 15.
Post 1 made on Wednesday July 19, 2017 at 23:15
mrtristan
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I'm asking because a competitor is bidding on a Bar AV system using Control 4 while I am doing RTI.

Is the Control 4 going to look like a home system controller or is there some special way of customizing the interface to make more sense in a bar installation. I know with RTI I could have control of multiple TVs and multiple audio zone volumes on the same page. Could this be done with Control 4 or does the user have to jump hoops - like do they have to select a zone before controlling volume every time?
Post 2 made on Wednesday July 19, 2017 at 23:42
tweeterguy
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It can somewhat be customized but this is really not the market they should be installing in. Multiple audio zones can be joined/grouped and adjust volume via the zones page but full customization of the UI is not possible. Handing multiple video zones is less easy and not as intuitive as you would have with a fully customized UI. I think if this was an audio only gig, C4 would be ok. But introducing multiple video zones, swapping between them, joining and syncing them up with audio can be cumbersome. There are some third party drivers that may assist with this but I am not all that familiar with them. IMO C4 belongs and does quite well with residential or hotel/MDU but not all that well in commercial gigs like bars.
Post 3 made on Wednesday July 19, 2017 at 23:54
BlackWire Designs
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It depends on what they are specing.. there are ways to do bars with c4. Email me and I can show you the options
BlackWire Designs
Post 4 made on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 00:55
IRkiller
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On July 19, 2017 at 23:15, mrtristan said...
I'm asking because a competitor is bidding on a Bar AV system using Control 4 while I am doing RTI.

Thing is, given an experienced RTI programmer vs. C4, RTI can blister anything a C4 can do (if it doesn't involve wand-type controllers).

Email me. I'll reject the email and tell you to figure it out on your own.
how in the hell does ernie make money?
Post 5 made on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 03:04
Ernie Gilman
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It's important for you to share these opinions, at least the helpful ones, with your client. The thinking behind the way the products work, and the goals of the designers, affect the user's experience. If you find that C4 can definitely do it but will always seem clumsy, say so.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything.
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Post 6 made on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 07:50
andrewinboulder
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On July 19, 2017 at 23:54, BlackWire Designs said...
It depends on what they are specing.. there are ways to do bars with c4. Email me and I can show you the options

I would like that email.

I haven't done C4 in a bar for the reasons others have expressed, although I know you guys have come up with a GUI using the Control4 touch screens I believe...
Post 7 made on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 13:39
cshepard
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Check out SAVI Controls.....I don't have any experience with them but C4 put out a write-up about using SAVI to control the C4 system at one of the big TopGolf centers.
Chris
Post 8 made on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 23:41
Dave in Balto
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You can use favorites and custom screens and make it pretty straight forward. There are experience drivers that can be easily be used to make an easy home page layout. There was one called start here (I think) that let you make an easy custom home screen.

I spent all last summer fixing C4 systems in DC Apartment Buildings and college dorms that had Touch screens available to the public.

Took some work figuring out, but it all worked out.

I could have made perfect interfaces in RTI, and maybe with Apex !!Finally!!!!, even though I haven't seen the webinar, it would have been quicker than ID, but not as quick as with C4.

In my experience with both, once they are installed and the bugs are worked out and they are done right, both are solid.

It would come down to how big the system is to know what kind of interface it would need.
Hey, careful man, there's a beverage here!

The Dude
Post 9 made on Thursday July 20, 2017 at 23:53
gwstudios
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On July 19, 2017 at 23:15, mrtristan said...
I'm asking because a competitor is bidding on a Bar AV system using Control 4 while I am doing RTI.

Is the Control 4 going to look like a home system controller or is there some special way of customizing the interface to make more sense in a bar installation. I know with RTI I could have control of multiple TVs and multiple audio zone volumes on the same page. Could this be done with Control 4 or does the user have to jump hoops - like do they have to select a zone before controlling volume every time?

How many TVs total and how many receivers?
OP | Post 10 made on Friday July 21, 2017 at 09:57
mrtristan
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Thank for the replies. I just wanted to be sure whether or not there was some sort of special interface for commercial installations.

The installation consists of:

7 discrete audio zones
5 TVs in one room
1 Projector and motorized screen
Band interface for house audio
Lutron lighting
Security Cams
Post 11 made on Friday July 21, 2017 at 10:30
adamav
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As stated above Control4 alone for this aplication would not be a best choice ( or not a choice at all ). However, if you couple that with Savi controls you may end up with a pretty good results.
At the end the end of the day you would spend 3-4 times as much for hardware and all necessary licencing with C4/Savi combo vs. RTI and your customer will still end up with somewhat limited GUI options vs. RTI. Unfortunately, once you get into custom programming and time involved in making it work, that's when C4/Savi wins.
I would have a hard time choosing between those two options, but given the fact that RTI is a lot more flexible and customizable I would probably lean towards their solution
Post 12 made on Saturday July 22, 2017 at 23:59
gwstudios
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The problem with Control 4 is you do not have a completely customizable UI. You will have to rely on multiple pages and text based buttons to manage of this, if it is even possible.
Post 13 made on Sunday July 23, 2017 at 07:29
Total Control Remotes
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There is really no shortcoming or lack of features. This is done by design. C4, like Savant for example, is simply not aiming at the commercial markets. If they were, there would be a way to do it. I am sure situations like Board Rooms, Podiums, and some of the less complicated systems can be done, but clearly, that is not their target market.
Post 14 made on Sunday July 23, 2017 at 12:10
3PedalMINI
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i have been told by quite a few insiders that C4 is becoming more friendly to the commercial market and ways to deal with multiple screens in a single location. Im expecting something at cedia.


I do know that if you call your rep up C4 will work closely with you to design a UI and project around that commercial space. I know they want into the commercial market, this cedia may finally show us what they want.

without savi/C4s help/custom UIs (like dave did) C4 really isnt a commercial solution. it all depends on the dealer though and if they use the tools available to them it can be powerful in a commercial space!
The Bitterness of Poor Quality is Remembered Long after the Sweetness of Price is Forgotten! - Benjamin Franklin
Post 15 made on Sunday July 23, 2017 at 13:03
BlackWire Designs
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If you run a Microsoft surface tablet you can still use my commercial interface for C4



[Link: blackwiredesigns.com]
BlackWire Designs
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