bog Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Where can I find technical documentation on Control4 architecture, components and software?I am a technical person and capable of programming in various languages. I'd like to understand how a Control4 system is programmed and how to develop drivers for components I wish to try and integrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danlevine Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 The only way to do this is to become a dealer. They will teach you in training how to use their "Composer" software.Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bog Posted December 2, 2006 Author Share Posted December 2, 2006 This is the answer I was worried about.<rant>I understand the business model of generating revenue by offering training and discouraging competition of third-party development (thinly disguised as a desire to control quality via dealers and ensure that only qualified people install the system). However, this really limits, my ability as a consumer to be informed about the product and makes me question the ability to obtain third-party support and products.I'm insulted at how condescending Control4 is to tell consumers "don't worry your pretty little head about it". I think I am capable of understanding technical literature and even developing drivers to integrate products I'm most interested in. It seems the entire community suffers as a result.</rant> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panamagixxer Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 This is the answer I was worried about.<rant>I understand the business model of generating revenue by offering training and discouraging competition of third-party development (thinly disguised as a desire to control quality via dealers and ensure that only qualified people install the system). However, this really limits, my ability as a consumer to be informed about the product and makes me question the ability to obtain third-party support and products.I'm insulted at how condescending Control4 is to tell consumers "don't worry your pretty little head about it". I think I am capable of understanding technical literature and even developing drivers to integrate products I'm most interested in. It seems the entire community suffers as a result.</rant>Dude,Could not have said this better!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danlevine Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 I understand your desire to DIY. Control4 business model is not built on that plan at the present time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingzz Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 It's not even a DIY issue for me, I am a get into the nuts and bolts type of guy and I want to know how it works and look at other things I may not have thought of doing with the system yet.Along those same lines, is there some way to look at the state of variables?? I have some counters and things like that and would like to know the status of the variable by just looking at the composer interface Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slemay Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Dan is correct from an end user point of view - but if you're building components to integrate with Control4 - they do encourage this and allow it. They DO partner with many different companies and DO offer a SOFTWARE DEVELOPER KIT (SDK) to help as well. The SDK goes for $1995.00... so if you're NOT an end user and really are looking to integrate, then this should be no problem / simple drop in the bucket. If, however, you are an end user, then the $1995 is meant as a discouragement and will keep most people away. As for 3rd parties already building / intergrading for Control4, they are starting to emerge all over (for example, check out Card Access, who recently built the inHOME module for integrating with Control4 systems).What you're forgetting, is that even though it is a low price point product, it is NOT intended to be the end user be all do all. You don't see AMX or Crestron opening up their product to end users - so why would you expect this from Control4? Either become a dealer and sell the product, spend the money and get educated. Or become a partner, purchase the SDK, and start writing software / hardware for the product.I don't see Control4 being condescending at all, but I do see a large technical community out there that wants to get into this product, and just as Crestron and AMX won't allow it, neither will Control4. If that's what you want, then you need to find a different product to play with... may I suggest X10? Just kidding.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slemay Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Wingzz - if you're a dealer, then you should have taken the training - and YES - you can see the states / values of variables in the Composer software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingzz Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Wingzz - if you're a dealer, then you should have taken the training - and YES - you can see the states / values of variables in the Composer software.Where is it that you can see the state of the variables?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slemay Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Click on Agents --> Variables --> Click on your variable in question - look on the middle pane, you'll see it's current value (and can even change it if you'd like). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingzz Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Click on Agents --> Variables --> Click on your variable in question - look on the middle pane, you'll see it's current value (and can even change it if you'd like).Thanks, I missed that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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