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New Control4 Controller, C4-CA1


chuddy117

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What would the purpose of this controller be?  A Zigbee repeater?  A cheaper way of getting a serial connection to something like an alarm system?  Why would it have an RJ45 serial port rather than DB9?

It also has an optional Zwave module.

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A (presumably) cheaper way to get people into automation that don't care about audio/video distribution and automation? This thing could do lights, door locks, shades, etc. I have a friend who is doing a DIY system for lights and locks - he's not into A/V at all, has 1 TV in his house, and couldn't care less about that side of automation. EA-anything is 50% wasted on him.

The RJ-45 serial port isn't too strange... DB-9 has been falling out of favor. When Laptop/PC makers dropped serial ports it led to USB/Serial adapters, which came with RJ-45 terminated cables. It didn't take long for the device manufacturers to start switching out DB-9 for RJ-45. It's cheaper and smaller. Most serial console ports are now RJ-45. RJ-45/CAT is everywhere these days.

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Ok thanks - I haven't seen RJ45 for serial on anything that I own, either C4 controllers or AV equipment.  It is still DB-9 - but that does make a lot of sense.  The only issue is to not confuse the ethernet port with the serial port.

What you describe in the first paragraph is how I used C4 until recently - no AV, just lights, blinds, fireplace, locks, etc.

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RJ45 for rs232 has been around for a long time, but I can't say I've seen it outside of 'pro installed' gear often (one I can think of is the 'not-so-pro'  Hunter Douglas Platinum and powerview bridges). But yeah it's neither new or strange really.

3 hours ago, zaphod said:

The only issue is to not confuse the ethernet port with the serial port.

Guessing this is why you're not seeing on 'big box store devices' often

 

As to why this, if it even exists, would not have DB=9 is easy - SPACE. Why they wouldn't do the 3.5mm though....maybe to allow it to have tx/rx- and + as well?

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This is very interesting for me. I currently have an HC-250 that I use for my whole home but I don’t use any of the AV and only use 1 serial connection for my vista alarm panel. All my AV is either IP controlled natively or through global cache devices. This would be perfect for me. 

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This product reminds me a lot of Crestron Pyng. I think this is aimed at security dealers, hence why the serial port is included. 

I like this a lot. Not every installation needs audio. Especially with Sonos, Alexa and other audio options out there. 

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8 hours ago, Cyknight said:

LOL you're all assuming it even exists beyond paperwork....and that the paperwork is even real.

This isn't Apple; No one is faking that document.

They very well could have cancelled the product but I don't see why. Looks awesome to me. Let security dealers sell these for $199 and add a lock and some lights. 

Having a controller in their portfolio without AV makes a lot of sense.

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1 hour ago, therockhr said:

This isn't Apple; No one is faking that document.

Maybe not, then again it would take, what 10 minutes to do? This isn't Apple, it wouldn't get anywhere near the scrutiny.

1 hour ago, therockhr said:

but I don't see why

But you don't see why they would keep it either

1 hour ago, therockhr said:

Let security dealers sell these

Dear lord I hope not. No I'm not 'afraid' they'd invade my dealer space. I'm 'afraid' I'm too busy to clean up the mess.

 

 

Note that I'm neither saying the device is real nor fake. Just saying to not get over excited about something that is nothing but a drawing and some words for all of you know.

There's a lot of speculation on what this one little device may or may not do which is resulting in speculation on what direction the whole company is potentially going. That's fine as such, just keep in mind that it IS speculation. :lol:

Note that I know there was a thread on this same document, for the same reason, back in august. You're all basically just repeating yourself.

 

Inception....

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4 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

Maybe not, then again it would take, what 10 minutes to do? This isn't Apple, it wouldn't get anywhere near the scrutiny.

Did they fake these images as well?

image.png.200054d4d81b0b9f8c941773a3bf6c

image.png.f45e13533d4ec5c6b44445d2c343da

4 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

Dear lord I hope not. No I'm not 'afraid' they'd invade my dealer space. I'm 'afraid' I'm too busy to clean up the mess.

This is not a customer you would have ever had or will have. This would have been someone who got a security system installed and asked them about getting remote access, door locks, lights, thermostat and some wireless sensors. That security dealer would have tried to sell them a Honeywell Lynx (Total Control), Honeywell Lyric or even maybe something like Smartthings or Wink.

I'm sure you do great work as you have lots of knowledge about lots of things on here, but not everything you do is that difficult. A technician for a security company could be trained to use Composer Express to add door locks, lights, thermostats and the like in a couple of days. They are doing it now with other products.

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Oh and they would have to have faked the reference to it in the Control4 Z-Wave Setup guide as well:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi_16D9l8vYAhVK44MKHa33DKwQFghLMAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fproducts.z-wavealliance.org%2FProductManual%2FFile%3Ffolder%3D%26filename%3DManuals%2F2447%2FDOC-00228-B%20Z-Wave%20Setup%20Guide.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1nmf3maIDbz8SybEthBNpO

Again,. not saying this product gets released. It may have been cancelled, but it definitely isn't fake.

And it looks like it just got submitted to the FCC at the end of last month:

https://fccid.io/document.php?id=3684393

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3 minutes ago, thegreatheed said:

FCC filings are super unreliable.

Let's say they are extremely unreliable and can't be trusted.  That doesn't change the fact that a picture of a new controller was submitted, along with a detailed manual.  I don't see how the FCC being unreliable would have any effect on that?? 

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This is a strange forum. End users stumble across some information that leads them to believe a new product is coming out. Users start talking about how they like or dislike the potential product (because that is what you do on a forum) and here comes the dealers and employees acting like wet blankets telling them they shouldn't speculate or to not get their hopes up. Just weird...

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