Home Automation Info

Control4 gives you control over your home devices, raises $20M
June 18, 2008

Matt Marshall, editor of VentureBeat, met with Control4 earlier this week to view a demo of the products and a briefing on Control4 direction. Among other news, he was told Control4 is preparing to release a new controller priced at $499. In his article published yesterday on VentureBeat.com he said: "The Control4 control box is about the size of a standard set-top box, and sells for $699. It manages everything by an Internet connection. It is about to sell a new version for $499, the company told me last night".

Above Matt was referring to the currently available HC-300 Controller (see product review) which sells for $699. The new controller priced at $499 will be a welcome addition to the product line sold and installed by Control4 dealers, many of whom recommended a lower priced entry-level system on annual surveys. Control4 can now compete on price with popular universal remotes, like the Logitech Harmony 890, and deliver a complete home automation controller in the same price range as a universal remote.

While Control4 architecture is featured in our section on complete home automation systems, Matt Marshall has this to say about the products: "With a single remote control, it lets you manage everything from your video-recording equipment to your thermostat. It even provides a way to let your local utility communicate with your home so that you can take action to reduce costs. For example, the utility can send your Control4 system a signal when its load is at peak, so that your system can automatically turn down your air conditioning, lighting and other energy-hogging devices".

Matt's article also points out Control4 is expanding it's market to commercial sectors with this information: "Today, at the Supernova conference in San Francisco, Control4 will also announce plans to work with electronics company LG to build HDTV sets that allow hotel guests to control lighting, room temperature, draperies and entertainment systems through the television with a single remote control. Control4 is already working with hospitals to give similar controls to nurses and doctors".

Finally, in the VentureBeat article it was also mentioned Control4 has recently secured an additional $20 million in financing, which is probably why Matt Marshall was meeting with them in the first place as his website caters to the enterpreneur community.

In light of the current housing downturn the above moves being made by Control4 should strengthen it's overall market position and improve it's competitiveness in the home consumer arena.

To view the complete article by Matt Marshall click here.