New to C4 and Looking for a Dealer in Chicagoland

[RAJ]

Hi Everyone,

I have been browsing the forums here for a couple weeks trying to educate myself about Control 4. I have talked with Magnolia Design Center who say they are operated independently from Best Buy and even Magnolia Home Theater. I have also looked at ABT Electronics both claim to be the largest and best Control 4 dealer in the country which means someone is "spinning" the truth. Not sure If one these is better than the other or if I should consider a smaller shop. Is their a benefit to working with larger dealers when considering Control4 or can smaller dealers do just as good of a job?

[abovedeck]

Hmmmm...  Magnolia Design Center that is not the same as the ones found in almost every BB?  Sounds odd.  I'd stay away from anything Magnolia lol.  They are the equivalent of a "line cook."

 

Use this:

https://www.control4.com/dealer_locator

 

Maybe someone on here is in your area.  I'd stay away from big chain stores.

[RAJ]

11 minutes ago, abovedeck said:

Hmmmm...  Magnolia Design Center that is not the same as the ones found in almost every BB?  Sounds odd.  I'd stay away from anything Magnolia lol.  They are the equivalent of a "line cook."

 

Use this:

https://www.control4.com/dealer_locator

 

Maybe someone on here is in your area.  I'd stay away from big chain stores.

Hi AboveDeck,

To your first question I guess most stores get a magnolia home theater department but a couple select stores get a design center that is suppose to resemble the magnolia brand before Best Buy bought it (according to what the guy said). I bought a new power conditioner that was on sale and sure enough credit card statement didn't even say BestBuy said Magnolia Design Center.

If you recommend to go with the smaller guys would you then source any non control 4 brand equipment from other people or can the smaller shops on that dealer locator get most of the same brands of speakers and other non control4 items the bigger guys can get? Trying to decide if I need to think of my control 4 person as my one stop AV guy or as someone who specializes just in control and I source the equipment I need from somewhere else and he is just my installer. Also on that dealer locator do gold vs plat. mean anything for experience or are they just good or bad at sales to get those ratings.

Thanks

[neil12011]

42 minutes ago, RAJ said:

Hi Everyone,

I have been browsing the forums here for a couple weeks trying to educate myself about Control 4. I have talked with Magnolia Design Center who say they are operated independently from Best Buy and even Magnolia Home Theater. I have also looked at ABT Electronics both claim to be the largest and best Control 4 dealer in the country which means someone is "spinning" the truth. Not sure If one these is better than the other or if I should consider a smaller shop. Is their a benefit to working with larger dealers when considering Control4 or can smaller dealers do just as good of a job?

Magnolia Design is completely different from the Magnolia centers you'll see in Best Buy.  As critical as I am, I've seen some good work come out of some of the Magnolia design centers.  Whoever you go with, I'd say it's important that they ask you a ton of questions about what you want, and they should in turn  present options to accomplish that.  I've seen many companies just out of the gate propose complete overkill on some items.  I'd also ask to see some of their previous work.  Nearly 100% of our on site work comes from referrals, so it goes without saying that we build upon a satisfied client base in that regard.  I've seen smaller outfits turn out killer work, and some large ones as well, I've also seen the complete opposite as well unfortunately.   If Magnolia and ABT want to be technical, the largest and best Control4 dealer in the country is Comet Electric/Comet Smart homes, (Our company of course ).     2015, and 2016 Control4 dealer of the year

 

https://www.control4.com/press_releases/2016/09/18/control4-recognizes-top-dealers-for-2016

[RAJ]

Thanks Neil2011,

For the clarification and the article to back it up for that matter. I wanted to eventual do some cools stuff like shades and lighting etc. I just bought the house and had a bunch of prewire put in for down the road but for right now I wanted to setup the living room with a zone 2 off it with a new av receiver that feeds video and stero sound to the better room. Both Magnolia Design and ABT said to start with a EA5 controller so I don't have to redo work later when adding other rooms and features but between both of them they have spec 2500 to 4000 of just programming labor in addition to any product (16 to 20 hours of work) to program the control4 system for the two rooms sharing a blu ray player and cable box. With the exception of the second zone idea it seem like a barebones setup to me which makes me wonder because both companies I am dealing with a sales person is it really that hard to program C4 system or are they putting a base in place that adding stuff in the future is going to be much simpler, or am I funding the sales guys next vacation. I more than open to looking for someone else just don't want to keep looking if it is this much work and have someone low ball me because it is what I want to hear and then ask for more money once in my place.

 

 

[abovedeck]

1 hour ago, RAJ said:

Thanks Neil2011,

For the clarification and the article to back it up for that matter. I wanted to eventual do some cools stuff like shades and lighting etc. I just bought the house and had a bunch of prewire put in for down the road but for right now I wanted to setup the living room with a zone 2 off it with a new av receiver that feeds video and stero sound to the better room. Both Magnolia Design and ABT said to start with a EA5 controller so I don't have to redo work later when adding other rooms and features but between both of them they have spec 2500 to 4000 of just programming labor in addition to any product (16 to 20 hours of work) to program the control4 system for the two rooms sharing a blu ray player and cable box. With the exception of the second zone idea it seem like a barebones setup to me which makes me wonder because both companies I am dealing with a sales person is it really that hard to program C4 system or are they putting a base in place that adding stuff in the future is going to be much simpler, or am I funding the sales guys next vacation. I more than open to looking for someone else just don't want to keep looking if it is this much work and have someone low ball me because it is what I want to hear and then ask for more money once in my place.

 

 

20 hours for setting up one room is because they are sales people and their programmers don't know how to program.  20 hours is what it takes to program 8 rooms with audio, video, alarm, surveillance, locks, thermostat, touchpads, keypads, etc.  The price they quoted you is robbery.  I'd run!

 

I do agree with starting with an EA-5 so that you can expand later though.  You kinda have to feel them out.  Don't be scared to ask questions or post what they tell you here... But 20 hours/2k+ for programming a controller with two televisions and a blue-ray is insane.  They're milking you.

[msgreenf]

Agree. Seems a little excessive.