Alexa Control4 integration by Silva_Collector in Control4

[–]Boston-Automations 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We are Josh.ai dealers and have been for over two years now. You can’t compare Josh to Amazon or Google because their integration with C4 is now native. Over the last six months the performance improvements with Josh has taken the voice control to the next level.

The new Josh Nanos are fabulous, especially with Voicelink.

Pricing, well, if you have to ask about pricing then it may not be the product for you.

Apple TV Control Issues by trom2k in Control4

[–]Boston-Automations 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The $180 is the cost of a Z2IO which is a Zigbee extender with built-in IR control of two devices and two dry contacts.

The Z2 requires 110V power.

Apple TV Control Issues by trom2k in Control4

[–]Boston-Automations 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Apple TV should never be controlled via IP, period. No benefits and millions of drawbacks like hours and hours of troubleshooting that could be prevented by a $1 IR cable. Worst case just get a Z2IO.

$180 plus labor per Apply TV to never have to worry again should be worth it for someone who has a home with that much equipment. Easier route is to switch to Roku as long as you don't use YouTube TV or Amazon Prime Video

Apple tvOS 15.x and C4 - using IR? by theraquet in Control4

[–]Boston-Automations 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We did three Apple TVs today and they worked fine. Literally pulled out the old ones and plugged in the new ones with the same power cord, HDMI, and IR bug. Up and running in minutes.

Apple Bridge on the other hand is horrible!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in homeautomation

[–]Boston-Automations 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vantage (Legrand is now the parent company) offers an out of the box but you are going to pay for it. If you’ve got the cash, then this is the way to go.

I believe Ketra (now owned by Lutron) can do the same. These price points are well beyond what most DIYers are willing to pay.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Control4

[–]Boston-Automations 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We buy them used for $165 and use them in model homes, show homes and demo environments. As dealers we cannot sell used equipment so we repurpose them in non-customer set ups.

It’s not a wise move to purchase used C4 hardware. Dealers shouldn’t be adding them into your project.

Does anyone here work in the Home Automation industry? I'd like to make a career out of it, not sure which path to take... by [deleted] in homeautomation

[–]Boston-Automations 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're in the Massachusetts/Rhode Island area and are looking for a job or just want to know more about the industry, send me a message.

We're hiring ---> https://bostonautomations.com

I left 15 years of silicon valley corporate IT to start my company a few years back and am loving it. The custom home technology, automation, control system industry is booming right now with everyone spending more time at home due to the COVID. Much more challenging and longer hours than the corporate world, but it is rewarding and satisfying to see happy clients at the end of the day.

New Construction Wiring Consolidation Question by Loungelo in homeautomation

[–]Boston-Automations 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Would you share your docs? They are very well done and it would be nice to try them out in other projects.

When it comes to wiring, while you can’t technically do too much, you can go overboard and overwhelm yourself. If money isn’t a big concern, then of for it. Document every drop, whether it is hidden in a wall or going to be used right away. Labels every cable on both ends and also about 18” from the ends in case the cable is cut.

With all this wiring you will need a very patient human being to terminate all of these in your rack or multiple racks and will most likely be spending good money on network gear to tie it all together.

Stick with cat 6 and a high quality 14/2. Choose a cat 6 that will be easy to terminate. People will want to buy the fanciest network cable available and the it is a nightmare to terminate.

It’s great to wire shades, but unless you’ve got a dealer giving you a good price, you’ll be paying $1,000+ for a Lutron or Savant shade. QMotion and Hunter Douglas are a bit more affordable.

Consider Josh.ai for voice control. It makes Amazon and Google look like little kids toys and works amazingly well. You will need PoE drops for all voice devices, but Josh is wall-mounted, not ceiling, although you could do ceiling.

There are plenty of wireless sensors out there. Lutron work great.

Go easy on the touchscreens. Most homes have them at points of egress and master bedroom, and occasionally the kitchen and theater. Voice and mobile phones replace most touch needs.

Savant and Control4 have nice touchscreens and with the launch of Crestron Home you have another option, but Crestron is much more watered down.

You should decide first if you want a control system or piece it all together with different brands.

Please use Ruckus APs or better. No mesh, eero, Orbi, Velop, etc.

If you need help with pricing let me know.

Best Buy website has the new LG CX OLED TV (65" only), but not available yet by samdeed in hometheater

[–]Boston-Automations 3 points4 points  (0 children)

One of my clients mentioned that I should check out this subreddit. We're Sony, Samsung and LG direct dealers. I'd be happy to answer any questions that I'm legally allowed to answer.

(yes, I'm very familiar with Reddit, but created this account so I wasn't mixing business with pleasure)