To me it seemed the big wow at Cedia this year was the Control 4 type IP based home automation systems and the media server technology. If I was a manufacturer and didn't have something to offer by next year I'd be real concerned about marketshare.

The jury is still out for me as far as reliability for the actual C4 product but I see that technology as the direction the smart money will scramble to. What do you think?

Yeah, I agree and suspect that media server, lighting controllers, touchscreens and IP everything are about to become more and more competitive.

1. Why would any intelligent CI company decide to beta test products designed to go into the large discounters? Perhaps for the same reason so many shop at Walmart?

2. The alternatives to wireless IP systems are better and not much more expensive.

3. Netstreams is the only one of the IP systems that seems able to do IP correctly and note the price of the system.

4. Other wireless protocols are being used.

5. I suspect you are on the money. But why would any self respecting A/V firm want to help Walmart and Best Buy get into the CI business? Who you partner up with ought to matter, n'est pas? I guess not.

That's twice I mentioned that.

Alan

This message was edited by Audible Solutionns on 09/12/05 08:20 ET.

Ask one of your Control4 guys how TODAY we are to change aspect ratio on dsiplays. That includes the DirecTV HD10-250 which has a toggle aspect button. When on other sources you might just need to change the aspect on the display itself. STILL can't remap our own IR codes to certain buttons even today.

Seems Control4 cut the advert dollars by about 1000% this year at CEDIA. Too many limitations. Hey you know when you advert products one year and the next you still aren't shipping that product next year. That might be a problem.

Control4 lost respect over the last year and still is on the decline IMO>

Dave

Dave,

Not sure if this helps but DirecTV anounced this at CEDIA :

"DIRECTV Provides a Simplified Solution for Custom Installations"

El SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 9, 2005 – In an effort to make high-end, custom installations less time consuming, DIRECTV is now offering a new installation manual that includes discrete IR (Infrared) and RS232 serial commands for DIRECTV set-top receiver models D10, D11 and H10. This documentation manual, which offers higher level commands for the DIRECTV set-top receiver data port, front panel, and remote control commands, will serve as an aid for installers and enable them to better control select DIRECTV receivers.

"DIRECTV created this manual to help better serve the needs of custom installers who are looking for more efficient and cost-effective ways to install DIRECTV receivers," said Jim Arnold, senior vice president of Sales, DIRECTV, Inc. "Providing this manual clearly separates us from other multichannel providers because we are able to offer custom installers information that comes directly from DIRECTV manufacturing partners, eliminating the need to search for our commands from other industry resources."

Installers who are interested in obtaining this manual can send their requests to [email protected]. This manual is relevant to DIRECTV receiver models D10-100, D10-200, D10-300, D11, and H10. The award-winning DIRECTV H20 HDTV satellite receiver, an Electronic House Product of the Year 2005, and other DIRECTV satellite receiver models are not currently supported by this document, but will be added in future document releases.

They even gave me a copy of the protocol. Only problem is it will not be on the new HD-DVR.

Alan

It sounds like other receivers will be added later .

At least they're acknowledging the existence of C.I. and the actual possibility that their receivers may be used in installations more sophisticated than just sitting on top of the TV using the RF output . :)
I hope that Dish does the same .

Not to mention they gave away free Heiniken beer on saturday.

Control4 is a joke.

I sat through five minutes of the demo Friday and three things failed. His response...."you saw that work a few minutes ago"....I would like to use that response to all service calls I get.

My business does not do HA and limited lighting control, per business plan, and those that do you are crazy to use Control4. History does repeat. I would listen to Alan on this.

Stevan

I missed the DTV stuff, must have been distracted by Tanya Memme. I am still apprehensive about everyone going to IP based systems, AMX is doing away with it's ICSnet and going IP as well, as an AMX installer/programmer I can't tell you how many times a cable modem or access point has brought down an entire system, or how many times an IP connection to a device has been lost or locked up and needed to be rebooted. Yes IP is nice in theory but in the everyday world I would much rather have a dedicated control buss just for the system with no chance of outside interference.

Control4 was laughable...

There sales reps were so arrogant, probably a symptom from all the attention they were getting.

I personally witnessed their light control product NOT WORK on their sales display. The salesman's backtracking was probably audible downstairs. You could almost see the fear and sweat dripping from their collective brows with each button push...

too funny...

Crestron will eat their a$$es with their new lineup. Ta Ta Pfast, err, C4.

I didn't spend much time at the explosive C4 booth cause I went to the 1 day seminar last month. It is extremely enticing stuff. My point is that if this sort of technology can become reliable (and I do beleive it will in time) it will be the next step in the industry's evolution.

I was intrigued by the mediaservers as most of my customers (and me) do have zillions of DVD's and CD's. Kalidascape seemed to be the coolest and most reliable (and really expensive). Any others?

I for one walked out of a few seminars after discovering product for the time wasting 2 hours would not ship before end of 1st quarter 2006. My definition of VAPORWARE. To me, that has always been the biggest joke. THIS is why you would NEVER bring a client to Cedia

Why worry about bringing clients to CEDIA??

I heard that there were tons of consumers there who were NOT with dealers...

My Niles rep told me that some jackass tapped him on the shoulder and started asking really dumbass questions... no biggie, right?? happens all the time...

But this jerk did this to my rep while he was in the middle of an appointment meeting with a dealer, AND he admitted he was a consumer and wanted to know what to put in his own house!!

Either CEDIA needs to acknowledfe that consumers love these shows and have an official "open to consumers" day like CES, or we need to have roving CEDIA personnel scaning badges and kicking companies out of CEDIA for allowing consumers to register...

They did, about 5 years ago.

Please explain . I know they have some descretes but do they support RS 232 ?
On their dual receivers and DVR's (322,522,625) you can't even control TV2 using anything but the Dish UHF remote (no IR control) .