Your very first post and you start out attacking a fellow member. I would say that the idiot in this room is you.


You are so wrong here. RTIs processors have been automating for years. The added house music systems and upcoming video distribution just enhances their automation capabilities.


It is also a control system, otherwise how would it be controlling other equipment?


That's probably because you suck as a programmer. C4 is great for plug-and-play programming type, where as RTI has to be programmed with some skill since it is wide open programming.


I wonder if all the Geeks at Best Buy did the 4 day training to be C4 certified?
I know three dealers who do both and like both. Your hatred of RTI and DrumFX is unfounded. Try getting out of the house once in a while. Go for a bike ride. Hang out with some friends. You need to get rid of the hate.


This made no sence. I know you know what a comma is, just appearantly not how to use it. On top of that, the structure of this long run-on sentence makes o sence.


It's funny how much you love Control4 but don't respect it enough to capitolize their name like you do with all the other companies you mention.


To compare C4 with the likes of Crestron and AMX is like comparing Onkyo with Krell.


Lastly, since this thread is over three months old, the op has probably already made his decision.

Have a nice day, troll.

Mits4u came off very harsh, but he did have a good point.

RTI is a control system. A control system can control a whole house and can be customized extensively but at its heart is made for control of audio video systems.

Control4 is an automation system. An automation system can control an AV system, but is designed for automation including lighting, HVAC, and a slew of other systems control systems adapt to control.

I think both lines can coexist with a dealer as they both have different applications and neither one will serve every need

I guess you don't know much about RTI. There is nothing C4 can automate that RTI can't. Look in Lutron's literature, you will find RTI, not C4. RTI is and has been about automation and control from the beginning.

This made me laugh. Numerous times.
I chose rti over control 4 and glad I did.
Allows for much greater customization and you can do just about anything with it. Control 4 is much more of a their way they deem is the best way closed solution.

So what is the difference between a "control system" and an "automation system"?

They both can "Control" and "Automate".

Anyone can become a control 4 dealer. Opening order $$ and commit to doing 40k.

And if you do not, maybe they "fire" you. BFD, RTI does not hold you captive.

RTI can be a remote control and can be a complete automation system.

I am sure both are good systems. RTI probably needs more expertise to program and control 4 is the easy button.

;-)

Good question, this is not a definition, just my honest interpretation on the matter.

A control company takes 3rd party equipment and simply controls it. Be it playing your DVD or opening your windows. Turning on the tv or shutting the blinds. You are controlling.

An automation system does all the above but can take it one step further. Your blinds automatically shut 1 hour before sunset. The sprinklers turn on during summer time. The alarm goes off you get email and notifications that the alarm is sounding. You go away on holiday the lights turn on and off a set periods. Your system starts to behave oddly, you call your installer, he already knows about it and is currently logging in to assess the situation.

That's just my opinion anyway please feel free to agree or disagree.

I agree 100%. And by that reasoning, RTI is an automation system. Just because you don't use it as one doesn't mean it isn't one.

TRC Exactly.

You get behind the product that you like and you roll with it. If it proves to work well and do what you need it to do and be mostly "reliable" and gets good "support" then you are golden.

I am an RTI dealer and am biased, but I have put in a lot of time and effort to evaluate if C4 was worth taking on. Here is what I tell my clients and potential clients which is my honest opinion:

Control 4 is an extremely well marketed and canned control system. For the money, C4 can give you excellent value if you are looking for some basic control and has some excellent drivers in audio systems which make it extremely easy to sell and compete with other control systems. However, RTI, while carrying a higher cost on the buy in, will allow any custom integrator to not only customize the interface to do exactly you want, but more importantly, make it look exactly like you want. At the end of the day I don't have to sell my customer the same interface every Tom, Dick and Harry have - it can be made to look and act based on their input and desires. Of course, not every customer is like this and that is why C4 does very well. Most customers have an outlook like "show me something cool and I will buy it". In reality, I would rather do some extra work and be able to do all the above with an RTi system.

Another point is that I want to be able to sell (and my customers want to buy) their own lighting systems, HVAC systems, energy monitoring, amplifiers, etc. and have me integrate it. They should not be forced or encouraged to buy all the same products from one company. Especially since it is impossible to be the best across the board. With RTI you could utilize Lutron RadioRa2 for lighting, Aprilaire thermostats for HVAC, Sonance Amplifiers, several great matrix choices, and a host of other options which can integrate into one singe interface developed by your RTI dealer. I have found that in many cases the price differences are much more narrow when adding on lighting and HVAC options.

Let me close by saying that control / automation systems should have some type of a wow factor. The amount of shops selling C4 (not to mention the big shops) is overwhelming. While options could be added on, each system is not unique enough. Not everybody wants the same control system as their neighbor or friend. There are some politics that also play in that shouldn't be considered here, but all in all RTI is a better choice in my opinion for a customer who wants to be more flexible in the options, appearance, functionality and features of his control system.

RTI is an adaptable hybrid system of interchangeable components. Rather than a proprietary one brand handles it all sort of arrangement. RTI can be anything you want it to be.  "Home Automation" "Whole home control system" these are just buzz words and phrases.

I am finding it increasingly difficult to find anything that Crestron for example can do that RTI can not. Company's like Crestron do have an assortment of prepackaged components bits and pieces that RTI does not have its brand attached to, however similar performing 3rd party parts are interchangeable with RTI which fill in all the specialty gaps.

The benefit of this is that if you need a replacement component and that part is no longer available you just use the next closest thing sourced from what ever company builds it. You are not stuck in the proprietary one day you will be screwed category which is what happened in control 4's former life when they called it phast/landmark

ya i'm really liking RTI. setting up the whole house with it now and learning it and programming it. great stuff.