If this statement is true, then you know exactly what we are all trying to say.
There is a system available to the DIY crowd. It's called X10.

I have nothing to add to this topic other then to point out that there's no such thing as a dull Control 4 thread.

This has made me laugh from time of post till now.....Thanks been a long time.... As of this moment I feel no sympathy for you what so ever. Gee, why did you get out of the business? Thanks for sharing.

LMAO

JJ...
Well... Yes, early adopters I guess are risk-takers. Especially with control systems... Frox, Phast etc..
It's just a shame that these guys have to financially share so much of the burden at times, but maybe they should know better...?
But your point is well taken... Maybe when we are out there bidding new control systems like these we should build in a little extra margin to help offset the initial pain involved.
I guess there is something to be said for being conservative when taking on new systems... It's not like taking on a product that doesn't have such a huge overall impact on the homeowners' electonica... If a DVD player dies... no biggie... if the heart of the sytem goes down... well that's a little different. We can't bill the homeowner for the time to t-shoot etc. remove & install etc.
How about this... What if a company could be put together that would be kind of an underwriter... i.e. similar to a consumer service warranty company for the end user... Only this would be for the CI company... The CI company would pay a certain premium, let's say to install an ACME 1000 control system ($500)... just to throw out a number... Then if the CI company has a problem with the ACME 1000... they have a certain amount of coverage to cover them in the event of losses due to product or software problems??? Just a thought... :)

Philips tried this about four years ago. They found underwriters who were willing to write insurance polocies for equipment based on category, ie projectors and price range 10K-15K etc. For example for the said projector it would be $125 per year. They even had a seperate bulb policy. It went over like a lead balloon once it got implemented. Because warranty service had to be performed by an authorized service center so it always had to be sent somewhere. The only good part was that the company who installed the system got paid for their time to remove said equipment and snd it in and re-install. I don't think these policies are available anymore but someone should be able to provide it.

I got out of business because I was bought off by a big company. I was offered an nice amount and don't have to worry about the problems of being in business.

You guys are missing the point. If I wanted to dish out the money for the programming it would be a small expense of my finances, but the case is I want to install it myself because it is a project that I enjoy doing. Why spend $10,000 when I can do it myself, it is a waist of money that I can spend the $10,000 on my wife.

For those of you that are JEALOUS because you are dealers and don't want the competition GET OVER IT AND DEAL WITH COMPETITION. Your probally just mad bacause your bsuiness is doing bad and that is why you are complaing here.

Maybe when we have issues we want to deal with a company that will support US, not some moron who thinks he has a clue. When I make a call for support, do I want to be on hold while tech support is helping end users. Kinda hurts the bottom line while on site. Ever try to get support form Philips or Sony to name a few companies.

You know the line " Hire a Pro!! "

I think we got the point. But I don't think you understand what we are saying. If you were a dealer/installer before you should understand exactly where we are coming from. I don't think that you have answered a previous question which was did the dealer promise you the software and then renig?

I don't mind competition, I mind DIY's like yourself that will eventually clog the tech support lines with questions that a pro would know.

I equate your rants here with a person telling GM they want to buy all the parts for a car, but gets mad when a wrench is not included.

When I had Crestron I hardly called tech support because I knew my stuff. Get an education and you won't need tech support.

Besides I understand if I get the hardware I don't get tech support.

Well, aren't you special.

I have been messing with electronics my entire life, I sold computers for 7 years, I have been custom installing for 6, I have been installing security systems for 5 years, and I still call tech support. There will always be something that you don't count on.

I would suggest an "educated" person like yourself should be able to find the Control4 software without having to come here and whine to us.

With your "smarts" and your previous foray into the industry I would also think that you would have contacts in the industry to help you out. Your story has changed over the length of the thread and you still haven't answered some basic questions.. Have you actually purchased the stuff? Did you have a contract with someone to install and program the system or did you only have an agreement to purchase EQ? and are you now trying to get out of it and do it yourself? If you were a Crestron dealer at one point surely you would know how to pick up the phone and call Control4 and speak to the right people to answer your questions rather than covertly try to gain access to dealer only software on an internet forum.

First off if you READ the thread I said I can buy the hardware but not the software. (so I don't have the hardware). Where has my story changed? I was a dealer 7 years ago, I have been out of that business along time ago. You guys are make a bigger deal out of nothing. If I can't get the software, it's not a big deal. I simply asked a question and you guys have made it a huge deal. I am really getting a kick out of the way you guys are getting pissed off for no big deal. I asked a question, I didn;t ask to start a fight. Stopping reading these threads and sell Control4. If you stoped reading these threads you would sell Control4 and would stopping bitching about me getting software. Competion is great, get use of it.

after further review........

hire a pro and shut the hell up........

i was i was i was....but your not ....... you have all the right answers and know marketing and have rich friends and ran a custom shop and and and.....


why cant you spend 10k on your system and 10k on your wife......ohhh i know ! cuz you dont have it.

best wishes and have a nice day

ed

After ATOH answered your question, YOU kept coming back for more. Instead of just accepting his answer, you kept prodding for why? You explained your extensive markting and sales knowledge and technical education for us all to marvel at. But in all that you missed that the question was answered a long time ago.

Just as a side note, it has been my experience that the clients that "talk" about how much money they have to spend don't! You are talking to guys that sell $100K systems everyday (unfortunetly I am not one of them), so a simple $20K system, no matter how elaborate on your end, is nothing to them.

I have to agree with the others, if you WERE in this business, why did you not use your contacts to get the program yourself? Why did you not call Control4 and try to become a dealer yourself? With your extensive technical education it should be no big deal.

Isn't calling tech support, which we had to do today, getting an education?? Guess I am just uneducated, so I have to call our suppliers for help, guess you never had a defective product before. I only wish I was so lucky. You should direct your questions at AVS, they have all the answers over there.