New AVA remote for Control4

[RyanE]

Just now, Cyknight said:

Well he did go on to 'star' in Waterworld a few years later

True, he built it, they didn't come.

RyanE

[therockhr]

6 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

Well he did go on to 'star' and produce in Waterworld a few years later

waterworld wasnt that bad of a movie. the press did a hit job on it.

[OceanDad]

13 hours ago, Amr said:

BTW, there are 5 diffrent chinese remotes moking Neeo and other designs at $200 - $300 range, no andriod yet, but am sure they will hit the market before end of the year.

Indeed.  I would think that the supposed advantage (automation-system agnostic) is potentially the Achilles heel of the AVA.  It's essentially just an android tablet in an unusual footprint, without any proprietary moat.  In that case, it will be easy to imitate.  I might even buy one or two for $200 if that's what emerges.

Similarly, I'm not sure who the  'ability to run multiple automation apps' is supposed to be a benefit for.  Any end-user only generally has one system, so it's not a real benefit to them.  Any automation pro would need to see a massive economic benefit to be recommending the AVA over each of the native solutions, which doesn't seem to be the case.  Seems more like one of those rather contrived situations where a page in an investor deck is able to claim a massive TAM (total addressable market) simply because it can run a bunch of different apps.

[RyanE]

RE: $200 Chinesium Android Remote:

You get what you pay for.

RyanE

[ekohn00]

On 3/10/2022 at 9:44 AM, Control4Savant said:

Agreed… Control4 went from the best to worst in the category…fell asleep with its success. 

I almost went Savant all those years ago.....now that I see their remote, I am sad.

Just thinking about it, for the most part the remote is the only part of the system anyone really sees. (ok there might be some displays), so having the best remote, or more choices in remote, is something no one should ask for.

[Cyknight]

20 hours ago, therockhr said:

waterworld wasnt that bad of a movie. the press did a hit job on it.

Not saying anything about the quality or 'enjoyability' of the movie, but we're talking about the business end of it - and it TANKED.

[therockhr]

5 hours ago, Cyknight said:

Not saying anything about the quality or 'enjoyability' of the movie, but we're talking about the business end of it - and it TANKED.

Yeah I think it went crazy over budget. I thought I did read that it ended up not being that big of a bust. I think it was that people expected more at the time from him. 

[Neo1738]

Yeah so basically you load the c4 app on this remote and use it like your phone......def not worth it and take a NEEO over this any day. Also can't imagine that charging setup won't get hit for a patent infringement. 

[Mark HT]

This is the best remote I've come across so far:

https://www.unfoldedcircle.com/remote-two

Oled touch screen and backlit buttons.

The best feature is you don't need c4 

[BXTR]

5 minutes ago, Mark HT said:

This is the best remote I've come across so far:

https://www.unfoldedcircle.com/remote-two

Oled touch screen and backlit buttons.

The best feature is you don't need c4 

And it only exists as a remote on a nice website. 
 

It has a few more hurdles to clear before it qualifies as “best”

[Mark HT]

15 minutes ago, BXTR said:

And it only exists as a remote on a nice website. 
 

It has a few more hurdles to clear before it qualifies as “best”

There are functional prototypes: 

 

 

 

[Control4Savant]

33 minutes ago, Mark HT said:

There are functional prototypes: 

 

 

 

Logitech and URC have proven there is no longer a supportive market for a consumer level smart handheld, especially a costly OLED option. The Neeo’s only future was acquisition. 

[Mark HT]

Maybe the market was just waiting for a decent product? They blew past their target on kickstarter.

It is capable of operating stand alone, but will also have full integration with home assistant which obviously gives them a huge customer base.

Anyway, I spent a lot of time searching and settled on the remote 2. Just thought the op might find it interesting.

Sent from my XQ-AT52 using Tapatalk

[RyanE]

Time will tell whether the Yio remote will end up being a good standalone solution.

RyanE

[DanITman]

Based on a recent moves from Control4....AVA isn't going to get far on the android app running on this remote.

[neil12011]

C4 could nuke everything with a better NEEO.  Mine has sat in a cabinet for months.  The SR-260 functionality wise, is just much better.  Wow factor is the NEEO, but I digress.

[WisC4]

5 minutes ago, neil12011 said:

C4 could nuke everything with a better NEEO.  Mine has sat in a cabinet for months.  The SR-260 functionality wise, is just much better.  Wow factor is the NEEO, but I digress.

The 260 is like using dial up internet at this point.  but as you noted it's the only functional remote.  our neeo hasn't been taken off dock more than a couple times.  every day we're forced to use antiquated tech, i keep thinking of switching everything over to crestron home or savant.  Forget cutting edge, i just want what crestron and savant were able to deliver for their customers 3 years ago.

[DanITman]

17 minutes ago, WisC4 said:

The 260 is like using dial up internet at this point.  but as you noted it's the only functional remote.  our neeo hasn't been taken off dock more than a couple times.  every day we're forced to use antiquated tech, i keep thinking of switching everything over to crestron home or savant.  Forget cutting edge, i just want what crestron and savant were able to deliver for their customers 3 years ago.

Im only neeos in my house. I do have problems with accidentally screen presses but for the most part they work very well. We only use Roku so the neeo has plenty of buttons. In fact, I’ve repurposed the channel rocker for volume control in a second Sonos zone. 

[neil12011]

17 minutes ago, WisC4 said:

The 260 is like using dial up internet at this point.  but as you noted it's the only functional remote.  our neeo hasn't been taken off dock more than a couple times.  every day we're forced to use antiquated tech, i keep thinking of switching everything over to crestron home or savant.  Forget cutting edge, i just want what crestron and savant were able to deliver for their customers 3 years ago.

I love the Control4 platform as a whole.  I've spent nearly 15 years with it, professionally and personally.  That being said; the NEEO could've been great.  If they would've just backlit the buttons, added some more buttons, could've been a grand slam instead of a base hit.  It felt rushed, and I subsequently could not recommend it.

[RyanE]

Even with it's limitations, I use the Neeo more than the SR260 myself, but I'm mostly Roku.

I use it over my Android phone app, 100% of the time.

RyanE

[Control4Savant]

1 hour ago, Mark HT said:

Maybe the market was just waiting for a decent product? They blew past their target on kickstarter.
 

 

It is capable of operating stand alone, but will also have full integration with home assistant which obviously gives them a huge customer base.

Anyway, I spent a lot of time searching and settled on the remote 2. Just thought the op might find it interesting.

Sent from my XQ-AT52 using Tapatalk
 

 

It is interesting. Appreciate the input… You aren’t considering the logistics of developing, manufacturing, supplying and supporting a consumer product with this type of tech. 

HA isn’t a huge customer base, its niche and supported by inexpensive (in comparison) and readily available products that can sell on their own merit.  

[eggzlot]

1 hour ago, WisC4 said:

The 260 is like using dial up internet at this point.  but as you noted it's the only functional remote.  our neeo hasn't been taken off dock more than a couple times.  every day we're forced to use antiquated tech, i keep thinking of switching everything over to crestron home or savant.  Forget cutting edge, i just want what crestron and savant were able to deliver for their customers 3 years ago.

C4 isnt perfect but its a bold move moving off the platform just for a better remote control.  The SR260 may not be pretty without a cool color screen but how is it antiquated tech?  What can’t it do that a remote should do to cover 90% of required scenarios?

and for what its worth I am all for a better version of the NEEO with some 0-9 buttons, backlighting, etc. But getting rid of C4 for another platform just for a remote?  Unless you are only using it to control a theater room set up and not your whole home

[zaphod]

2 hours ago, neil12011 said:

I love the Control4 platform as a whole.  I've spent nearly 15 years with it, professionally and personally.  That being said; the NEEO could've been great.  If they would've just backlit the buttons, added some more buttons, could've been a grand slam instead of a base hit.  It felt rushed, and I subsequently could not recommend it.

I don't know if rushed is the way to describe it as Neeo was a standalone company with an existing product when C4 bougt it in 2019.  I believe the hardware component of the C4 Neeo remote pretty much the same?  It sure looks like it when you compare photos of the Neeo pre-acquisition.

[RyanE]

6 minutes ago, zaphod said:

I believe the hardware component of the C4 Neeo remote pretty much the same?

it is largely the same hardware.  Unused palm print reader was removed, and RAM and Flash amounts were doubled.

The software architecture is of course quite a bit different.

I wouldn't say it was rushed, but the decision was certainly made to release the Neeo remote using largely the same platform in order to facilitate an earlier release vs. starting with a new hardware platform.

RyanE

[Cyknight]

33 minutes ago, RyanE said:

it is largely the same hardware.  Unused palm print reader was removed, and RAM and Flash amounts were doubled.

The software architecture is of course quite a bit different.

I wouldn't say it was rushed, but the decision was certainly made to release the Neeo remote using largely the same platform in order to facilitate an earlier release vs. starting with a new hardware platform.

RyanE

I never got hte impression it was rushed - they bought the company and the rights to the remote, boosted it, made a matching software for it and done. Hardware wise the product was 'done' (now if it was was the 'right' remote is another discussion)

 

I'm no fan of the Neeo, then again I'm no fan of ANY touchscreen remote.

It just feels utterly unnecessary to me. A full colour screen with feedback (such as icon media display, permanent volume feedback) is nice and would be welcome, but I would MUCH rather have an SR250/260 style remote with a touch PAD (for swipe and gesture control) than a touch screen. I don't want, need or in any way care to have to look at a remote while using it.

I could sort of see a use for a screen that allows setup of specialty buttons/icon. But to me, that could be the home screen on a feed-back screen as described above with 3-4 hard buttons on the side to activate that (in other words, if room is off, have a few 'quick actions' to start: Cable box, Netflix, Disney+, 3 favourite radio stations/playlists....) Again, once you get the remote's muscle memory, I don't want to have to look at the remote to use it....

 

But to each there own.

Oh and yes I have a Neeo. Even my kids (who grew up knowing touchscreens on phones, tablets and indeed C4 screens) don't use it unless the other remotes are not (easily) found.