shareez Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 During WWDC keynote when iOS8 was revealed, Apple also introduced HomeKit and their take on home automation. I don't know much about it but from what i understand, i think its a way for iOS devices to consolidate different automation apps to one central location? And with this enabled, siri can be utilized to control different accessories in different rooms? You think this would be something the C4 iOS app developers would be interested in implementing? Is it difficult to do? If anyone can shed some light on this situation, that would be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterwilson Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 It took Google (Nest) and Control4 one year to integrate a single thermostat. Don't hold your breath on this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 It didn't take Control4 one year to integrate Nest. When the Nest protocol was actually available and the green light given, it took much less time. Now, elapsed time from 'demo' to 'release', that may be a record for a 3rd party driver from Control4... :| RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 It took Google (Nest) and Control4 one year to integrate a single thermostat. Don't hold your breath on this one...The problem was Nest announced an API that wasn't ready...how can you blame c4 for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
control4user007 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I'm also interested in the OP question. It sounds like a way for control4 to integrate better with the apple ecosystem rather than a competitive product (which it initially sounded like). Does anyone have any experience using home kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanmark Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 And last week, HomeKit support was added to the AppleTV (3rd gen). http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/09/22/apple-surreptitiously-adds-homekit-support-to-recent-apple-tvs---report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 HomeKit isn't a direct competitor to C4 but it will help to centralize control into one app and should allow your smart devices to work together. This likely will provide some competition to C4. Consider someone who has various smart devices today like Hue lights, Hunter Douglas blinds, a Nest T-stat and an Irrigation Caddy irrigation controller. Today this all require their own specific apps. Theoretically HomeKit will allow these devices to be controlled from one app and they can potentially interact with each other. Some of this type of automation has already been available today with apps that use IFTTT - as in you can have you Hue lights turn on, or turn purple or whatever, when you come home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I find it unlikely that Control4 would integrate with it as it's an *app-level* integration (if I'm getting it right), so it'd only work on Apple phones / tablets. Control4 gives the same 'single-app' solution, but does it on multiple platforms (3 at the moment, iOS, Android, and the Flash-based touchscreens and on-screen). Certainly HomeKit functionality *could* be included in Control4's iOS app, although I don't have any info about whether that will happen or not. RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derickson1472 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 With the new "Hey Siri" funtion when hooked to power, my iPads mounted on my wall with Launch Pad would be AWESOME if there was Siri integration with the Control4 iOS app!If I could be within a few feet of my ipad mounted on wall and say "Hey Siri turn on Rhapsody playlist current in the kitchen" and it would actuall do it would bring the Control4 iOS to a rocking level (at least from one consumers point of view) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterwilson Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 The problem was Nest announced an API that wasn't ready...how can you blame c4 for that? I'm not assigning blame. If you will note my statement, it says that it took Google and Control4 one year. Having said that Control4 isn't exactly fleet of foot. I've been using point and click on the MyHome desktop app since it was released since Control4 doesn't realize that people own keyboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 but i guess the point i am trying to make is it wasn't control4. C4 released the product as soon as the API was stable. It was Nest/Google that had to create an API that c4 could leverage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 HomeKit isn't what you guys think it is. If manufacturers make products that conform to Apple's mfi HomeKit spec those devices can become securely accessible to any app developer who wants to make a HomeKit app. The idea here would be if C4 made their product HomeKit capable any iOS app developer could make a front facing user interface to control devices on the C4 network. Since that's pretty much C4's schtick I don't see much motivation on their part to support it. I could be wrong but I don't see a business case for it on C4's side. Interface, discovery, integration, rules/macros have been their business for more than 10 years. More info here: http://www.hometech.fm/shows/17 (old show but we covered all the info that is really out there to date -- nothing has really changed or been announced) From what I am understanding the mfi spec requires silicon -- not just software. Still looking into it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turls Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Ok, I'll settle for them looking hard at adding the new iOS 8 widget functionality then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I agree with seth_j. HomeKit is designed to help deal with all of the Home Automation apps that you end up getting on your phone. On my iPhone I now have apps for my Carrier MyInfinity t-stat, Hunter Douglas Platinum blinds, Hue lighting and Irrigation Caddy. It would be nice to have this all centralized - Control4 is one way of doing it but HomeKit is another way that will be way cheaper. I haven't bothered integrating this stuff into C4 yet. And that is not even including AV device apps like for my Yamaha AVR, Sharp TV, Xbox One and Xbox 360. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I don't really understand that thought process. Everything you listed can be integrated with Control4 today. You aren't waiting for an app or idea that may or may not happen. Will it be a HomeKit app be cheeper? I doubt it. Why? Because everything you listed most likely won't be supported without a hardware upgrade. So it is really a matter of actually doing something vs. not ever doing anything.. And I guess the latter is indeed cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qVAMPIREp Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I don't really understand that thought process. Everything you listed can be integrated with Control4 today. You aren't waiting for an app or idea that may or may not happen. Will it be a HomeKit app be cheeper? I doubt it. Why? Because everything you listed most likely won't be supported without a hardware upgrade. So it is really a matter of actually doing something vs. not ever doing anything.. And I guess the latter is indeed cheaper. You forget that it is a total PITA for owners to call a dealer every single time there is an app or driver update... It drives owners to say screw it, I'm not integrating anymore stuff. It is the achelies heel of Control4 and will be the cause of it's eventual demise if not addressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 While I agree that for *some* homeowners it's a PITA to call their dealers for updates, I would be surprised if that number were extremely large. I suspect the majority of Control4 installations are 'set and forget' for the most part, until the homeowner updates equipment, which many customers in the CEDIA channel will do by calling their dealer. RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msgreenf Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Don't forget about sddp... Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 And some of the drivers aren't cheap. I started a thread on here about integrating the Hunter Douglas Platinum bridge into my C4 system. The bridge costs $250 and in the thread there was a quote that the driver costs more than the bridge.The Platinum bridge sells for around $250 from Hunter Douglas that would allow IP control from an iOS device. The driver would then need to be purchased through your dealer. Which would cost more then the Platinum bridge. So I just use the HD app and/or the remote control that came with the blinds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMHarman Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 And some of the drivers aren't cheap. I started a thread on here about integrating the Hunter Douglas Platinum bridge into my C4 system. The bridge costs $250 and in the thread there was a quote that the driver costs more than the bridge.So I just use the HD app and/or the remote control that came with the blinds.The driver is free. Developed by EV for HD but free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 You forget that it is a total PITA for owners to call a dealer every single time there is an app or driver update... It drives owners to say screw it, I'm not integrating anymore stuff. It is the achelies heel of Control4 and will be the cause of it's eventual demise if not addressed.I dont know how this applies to the conversation. 1) Control4 integrates today with everything zaphod listed.2) HomeKit doesn't exist for anything zaphod listed and probably won't if what I understand about the mfi process is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 The driver is free.Developed by EV for HD but free.The EV driver has always been free IIRC. There was/is another driver that costs money that has shade level integration but it was reverse engineered. Not an official API which is what the EV driver uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qVAMPIREp Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdvr Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 When Homekit comes out it will likely integrate them all eventually with no hassel. Probably he did not grasp why you believe this to be true with no current empirical evidence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 When Homekit comes out it will likely integrate them all eventually with no hassel. Probably he did not grasp why you believe this to be true with no current empirical evidenceExactly. All of those systems will most likely need to be updated to be compatible with HomeKit (if they ever are). A cost and hassle that is probably more than just integrating today with C4. But Vamp is a one trick pony. He's going to keep riding even though that horse died long ago. (Sent from Tapatalk) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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