Is Leviton Bitwise still a thing?

We're an extremely low volume dealer, a few conference rooms a year, so we wouldn't qualify for any of the other manufacturer dealer programs, so Bitwise looks like it could be a good platform for us. We set up a BC1 in our conference room and it seems like everything works pretty well, in initial testing all the basic functionality is there, and we had good luck creating 2-way javascript drivers for the devices we standardize on. The Aleera template from Blackman Signature Design is awesome.

However, the total absence of discussion about Bitwise on any forums, coupled with the complete lack of development from Leviton makes me wonder if it's going to be around much longer.

It seems like they had tremendous momentum going with a great features and functionality getting added all the time, and then after the Leviton acquisition it just came to a halt. The shutdown of the dealer forums seems like a huge loss for any collaboration and best practice sharing.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts on this.

I think Leviton is where a few automation companies have gone to die. They dont seem to do anything to innovate new products once they acquire an automation company.

I’ve ripped out a few BitWise installs. The owners that had them always had issues with trying to get the app to connect.

If your looking for a product with no dealer programs you can take a look at RTI. I’ve used them for conference rooms and media rooms in apartment complexes. The interfaces are customizable and they have all kinds of different touchscreens you choose from. I haven’t used them in a bit except for servicing my old installs, but you used to be able join their developer program and get the software to make your own drivers.

Leviton bought HAI and then let it die. Now there are thousands and thousands of OmniPro II systems all over the globe that don't have any upgrade path or spare parts available. My guess is that they'll do the same with BitWise.

second this.

Thanks everyone, this kind of confirms my fears. RTI looks interesting, I don't mind joining dealer or dev programs and paying a reasonable fee. But I just assumed that RTI had minimum revenue numbers like the rest, so I didn't want to get caught unable to support my installs a few years down the road. Are they cool with low volume dealers?

They are available thru distribution, so you could literally just sell 1 remote a year and be fine. Or go a year with no RTI being sold at all and be fine.

Note however the latest programming software for RTI (APEX) has a step learning curve. It will most likely take you awhile to get proficient at it. Those who use it often seem to like it. I could never figure it out and said screw it.

Leviton was going to try to get into the home automation market a second time with Bitwise. They developed software to make the OnmiTouch 7 work with Bitwise. I have one, and I flashed it to the new firmware / OS.

It just sort of died after that. Bitwise (basic IR) could be programmed by just about anyone with no training. They stopped updating the app a while back, so it will eventually stop working with newer versions of iOS.

I keep a bunch of BC4s around for friends, family, and myself. They are dirt cheap and super easy to replace all of someone's IR remotes with. Plus, I developed most of the templates ever released for Bitwise, so graphics will never be an issue for me.

I really likes Bitwise and had installed several dozen of them years ago. The only "failure" I ever had was a wall-wart power supply died on one. That's it. They were rock solid. But after they were bought out by Leviton, they just let the Bitwise ecosystem die. It's unfortunate. I still use mine and have a few customers that still use them. Oh well.

As it is designed for customizable control of sub-systems within home theaters, retail, restaurants, boardrooms, classrooms, houses of worship, and much more, it should still be a thing.

I just heard from my distributor that Leviton is pulling out of the automation game all together this year, probably a good thing, is RTI the only viable option for gear like the BC4? Anyone got any other options?

RTI would be a good option. You'll need to invest some time learning the development tool, but it's a good investment. The grumpy comments that you encounter are coming from longtime RTI programmers who must give up old habits and learn new, better habits. You don't have any of this old baggage to unload. Large, multiroom projects are much easier to manage with Apex.

Leviton has a history of spending money to buy companies to only shut them down. Never could figure out their logic.

Did Leviton start labeling the BC4s with Leviton on the front? I pulled out of a job that I thought looks like a BC4 but didn't may much attention to it as it was a full system overhaul.

yes