Free version of composer or something to allow music transfer

[stevemcd]

Hi I am new to this Control4.

Was wondering if there is a Free version of s/w to allow the transfer of music to my Control 4 500.

I might actually get the Composer HE but want to see if I really need it first.

Thanks

--Steve

[henniae]

There is software included with the HC-500. It is called Easy Importer. You can also use Windows Media Player and copy the files to the hard drive of the 500.

[stevemcd]

There is software included with the HC-500. It is called Easy Importer. You can also use Windows Media Player and copy the files to the hard drive of the 500.

Thanks. Actually I had the HC-500 just installed within the last couple of days... I see no Easy Importer that came with the unit.. The dealer is sort of strange since he gathers all of the boxes at the end to clean-up.. maybe some s/w was there??

He is also attempting to get the Speaker Access points to work.. but not had any luck yet.. They only seem to support WEP and I use WPA which is more secure.. Any idea if they will ever be updated to WPA?

Regarding the s/w - maybe I just need to get the Composer.... I am a s/w coder so do not think I would have any problem with any of it.. (even the pro version! ).

Thanks

-Steve

[trippinbillies4]

You won't be able to have access to the Pro version, but you can purchase Composer Home Edition from your dealer. There's really no coding involved, it's all based on a GUI. Pretty easy stuff!

[henniae]

There is software included with the HC-500. It is called Easy Importer. You can also use Windows Media Player and copy the files to the hard drive of the 500.

Thanks. Actually I had the HC-500 just installed within the last couple of days... I see no Easy Importer that came with the unit.. The dealer is sort of strange since he gathers all of the boxes at the end to clean-up.. maybe some s/w was there??

Thanks

-Steve

Yes, there is a CD with the Easy Importer included with the HC-500. Composer Home Edition can do the task. It also gives you access to a bunch more features and abilities. About the only thing you can't do with Composer HE is change the system design (Add new devices and make connections)

[jbs]

I recall there's a Composer Media Edition that I think does exactly like this. Has it not been mentioned because it's no longer available? Does it require a 4sight subscription? Or would it fit the bill here?

[slemay]

Composer ME is free and download able on their web site (though it may have been temporarily removed as they get ready for the 1.6 release).

Call your dealer and get your copy that came with the HC-500 of Easy Importer - it's much more user friendly than Composer ME.

WEP is all that is currently supported - so if you don't want to lower your security, you'll have to either hardwire the Speakerpoint (ethernet) - or purchase another WAP and set it to just WEP encryption - but then I'd also set it up on it's own VLan so not to intrude in your other network (if it's hacked).

[stevemcd]

Thanks to all that responded...

I found the users manuals for the HC-500 and it had the Easy Importer inside.. It was under some papers so this time I cannot blame the dealer...

I installed the Easy Importer.. NOt too much but to get music into the system.

I searched for the Composer ME on the Control4 site but cannot find.. maybe they took it down?

So will still attempt to look for it later.. and probably buy the Composer HE (would like the pro edition since I want to re-assign my keys on the remote.. this seems to me a function that the user should be able to do and not just the dealer!)

Thanks Slemay for the info on the WEP Speaker points. I have already installed a AP on my network where I will setup MAC Filtering to only allow these 2 Speaker points.. this should work.

Thanks again!

--Steve

[slemay]

Composer ME - I think was taken down temporarily - but I don't know for sure about that - I believe it's coming back up after 1.6 is release (I'm only guessing though).

Mac filtering can be easily hacked / spoofed - FYI - granted it's one more layer of defense, but just like WEP can be easily broken, so can MAC filtering as well as hiding the SSID. Best defense is to go WPA2 - but Control4 doesn't support that - so using a mix of all 3 (WEP, Mac filtering and hide the SSID) will all help.

Composer HE, I believe, will let you re-assign your keys on the remote if you'd like. It won't let you edit the driver, but you can certainly re-program some of the keys that don't do anything or even add programming to them (for example, ABCD keys can be programmed to do just about anything you want) - and Composer HE will allow you to do that.