dgbrown Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Automation/Industry/H7B3W3R8To put this in context for those that can't connect the dots, Alan works for Convergent in OZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Wow...Alan Chow is a Convergent employee. He's a huge contributor of drivers for C4.Crazy. I feel bad for all the Aussie's out there with C4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgbrown Posted June 18, 2010 Author Share Posted June 18, 2010 Yep. My understanding is that Control4 AU is Convergent. Sad, right.Check the footer here: http://www.control4.com.au/Some other links google turns up:http://www.channelnews.com.au/Automation/Industry/F4N9E9R7http://www.channelnews.com.au/Automation/Industry/G4D7W6J3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccray Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 There has to be a big announcement coming from Control4, I assume associated with 2.0.First there was this post from RyanE (might have to scroll down): http://www.c4forums.com/viewtopic.php?id=5373&p=2and lately there have been comments from dealers here that 2.0 will be coming very soon. Some have alluded to before the end of June, but I'm not confident. I'm quite sure we'll see something before CEDIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 And what does 2.0 have to do with Control4 suddenly dropping their Aussie distributor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smccray Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 And what does 2.0 have to do with Control4 suddenly dropping their Aussie distributor?Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but it seems to me that between the price decline of the HC1000 and the momentum that Control4 is gaining with its third party developers, I suspect the company is about to launch a major growth phase. I can only assume that changing their relationship with Convergent is part of that plan. It doesn't make sense to me, but I assume Control4 has a reason for the change.As an end user, however, I'm very sorry to see the change. Alan has made what I understand is a significant contribution to the expanding the capability of C4 around the globe. I've been thinking about putting together an XBMC box for a while so I could take advantage of that driver. There's not doubt in my mind that the community would be better off with Alan's talents (and presumably other experts at Convergent) involved with the brand.I doubt we'll evern know the details with the company dropping Convergent, but I suspect this was driven primarilly by $. Last I heard control4 was still venture owned- the VC/PE firms that I've seen will do things that don't always make sense in order to drive profitability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automation1tmai Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Alan Chow,Will you feel bad now when you ask a question in the forums and the reply is "Sorry dealer only"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tumult Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Wow! My best to Alan. With his talents, I'm sure he'll land on his feet. It's just a matter of time until the lawsuit and all the dirty laundry. tum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 I'm not assuming this is bad news. I have nothing against the current team, but I'm hoping this means better price parity for Aussies...I look forward to comments from c4 and the new distributor on what they will do differently.As a side note, the website above has received advertising revenue from convergent, so not sure that this would be considered unbiased reporting in the war of words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Ok. :/ This news woke me up from my self detention...Not real happy about this. Alan Chow has been an amazing help to me getting my set up going.In fact without him, I'm not real sure I would have ever committed to the instal. There were several pre purchase email inquiries, even an onsite visit to CT's showroom. It actually took me 3 "dealers", before I could get anybody interested in my project. (1 was trying to push another product, the others couldn't even be bothered to return phone calls) It was Alan who tirelessly helped me. Not the initial "dealers". You have to understand Australia is a very small market. And no doubt a difficult one to "crack" with such new technology. There are only 20Mill of us. And of those, only really 13 or so Mill live in cities. Basically it was he who clinched the deal...now up to a spend around 15K US. Not to mention his ongoing help with my eventual dealer, holding his hand through all the difficulties with any drivers etc. Let alone his enthusiastic development of all the drivers you love to use....most at his own time and cost. He has even spent the time answering direct emails. On a macro picture, Convergent Technologies have never failed to deliver on time. All the products have arrived in sound condition. Case in point I was one of the first to get a new HC1000. No trouble. I can't speak more highly of them. I personally don't know Nick Libertone the MD of Convergant. But all I can say is Nick, I only have a deep regard for what you have done with Control4, and getting it established at my place. I will follow with interest just exactly why this has occurred. It's my local knowledge of things, that can perhaps lead me to say as a customer, that Control4 Australia will be severely affected if Nick, and especially on a more personal note, Alan leaves the scene. If Control4 in the US thinks that a bunch of "Audio" guys can do a better job at getting such a complicated product as a networked home auto system established here, then perhaps they should take a visit over here and look for themselves...REALLY travel the country. Not just Sydney and Melboure.But back to Alan. Unless he plans to move with the new deal... only he can tell us....(in his own time). Who knows Alan might wind up in the US. If he does. I wish him well, and anybody in the C4 community over there would be crazy not to be on the phone to him right now stitching up a package for him all expenses paid to a new job in the US. That's how highly I regard him. I'll also add that if there is a real shake out and the new kids on the distribution block "fail to deliver" to use an old management cliche, then everyone has to remember it is now a global market place, and there would be nothing stopping people like me continuing to get support direct form the US (say with the Soho shop model). Even importing the goods directly. I've been happy to pay a premium for good service to date, but if this was to waver...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt4gps Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 The company's gone not the people. Wait for the dust to settle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 The company's gone not the people. Wait for the dust to settle.That's good to hear. 'cause the "people" over here ARE Control4. Without them: No product..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil12011 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Alan Chow,Will you feel bad now when you ask a question in the forums and the reply is "Sorry dealer only"?I assume you said this out of pure ignorance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgbrown Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 ^ I was going to just ignore that Neil but I'll give you a give +10 on that and up the ante - ignorant and anserine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanchow Posted June 21, 2010 Share Posted June 21, 2010 Hi guys,Alex (wappinghigh) alerted me to this post. Thank you for all your supportive comments. Yes it is true that Convergent Technologies (my employer) has lost the rights to distribute the Control4 Product Line. Advanced Audio Group, who also runs one of our current dealers, will be the new distributor as of october.We at Convergent have not been given a reason as to why we've lost the product. Its sad and unfortunately as a result i will lose my job in October. Currently i have not thought about whether i should stay within the industry or move back to my roots (IT industry).Regardless business will be as usual until the very last day and i hope that my contributions help you guys out.-Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidV Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Hi guys,Alex (wappinghigh) alerted me to this post. Thank you for all your supportive comments. Yes it is true that Convergent Technologies (my employer) has lost the rights to distribute the Control4 Product Line. Advanced Audio Group, who also runs one of our current dealers, will be the new distributor as of october.We at Convergent have not been given a reason as to why we've lost the product. Its sad and unfortunately as a result i will lose my job in October. Currently i have not thought about whether i should stay within the industry or move back to my roots (IT industry).Regardless business will be as usual until the very last day and i hope that my contributions help you guys out.-AlanBest of luck. It's not the first time a company made an incredibly stupid decision for no reason and will probably not be the last time. Not much loyalty nowadays from manufacturers and many must pay the price. Convergent Technologies was a benefit to the community and a valuable asset to dealers and consumers alike. When one door is closed, another opens. I know that you all will move on to bigger and better things. No looking back. Products do not make a success, people do. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Hi guys,Alex (wappinghigh) alerted me to this post. Thank you for all your supportive comments. Yes it is true that Convergent Technologies (my employer) has lost the rights to distribute the Control4 Product Line. Advanced Audio Group, who also runs one of our current dealers, will be the new distributor as of october.We at Convergent have not been given a reason as to why we've lost the product. Its sad and unfortunately as a result i will lose my job in October. Currently i have not thought about whether i should stay within the industry or move back to my roots (IT industry).Regardless business will be as usual until the very last day and i hope that my contributions help you guys out.-AlanThanks for all your hard work and your support for the product, i Hope things come to a better resolution, But best of luck with whatever you decide to do, with your skill and dedication any company is lucky to have you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3fingerbrown Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Wow, this is crazy. How could a totally unexperienced distributor compare to what convergent has done, which was really take control4 to an unprecedented level? This is a serious brain drain in the control4 world that will be felt worldwide. Alan, I just hope that some other control4 dealer out there (maybe here in the U.S.?) will give you a job, because you obviously have talent. Perhaps you should start your own business writing and selling drivers? They need a new driver for the version of XBMC, and you deserve a few bucks for every download... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil12011 Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 Seriously, Alan you have been invaluable, and we all appreciate your efforts and hard work making Control4 work. I was furious when I found out what happened. Best of luck to you sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.