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zaphod

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  1. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from Shoe in Best RGBW Light strip solution for Control4?   
    They work well if you just need a small strip but if you are doing long strips Hue becomes very expensive compared to generic strips and controllers.
  2. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from neil12011 in Intrinsic Dev and myQ announce official partnership   
    It seemed to me that RATGDO really took off when Chamberlain integration was removed or disabled from Home Assistant late last year. 
    See https://community.home-assistant.io/t/the-current-state-of-myq-from-the-codeowner/630623
    Or https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2023/11/06/removal-of-myq-integration/
  3. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from RyanE in Intrinsic Dev and myQ announce official partnership   
    It seemed to me that RATGDO really took off when Chamberlain integration was removed or disabled from Home Assistant late last year. 
    See https://community.home-assistant.io/t/the-current-state-of-myq-from-the-codeowner/630623
    Or https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2023/11/06/removal-of-myq-integration/
  4. Like
    zaphod reacted to Shoe in Intrinsic Dev and myQ announce official partnership   
    Their commitment is to make money. In my opinion they are myopic and clearly don't understand the software world. Why would they? They make hardware.
  5. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from BY96 in C4 Connect and Assist - new CIaaS offering   
    Lifetime license fees are not a sustainable business model over the long run.  We have seen that with apps or other software.  Everything is moving to a subscription model, both because the economics work better for valuing the company, and it makes for a more sustainable business.  Especially if growth levels out and the company isn't acquiring a lot of new customers, but still has a large installed user base.
    One would hope that with an annual license fee that C4 would be less incentivized to EOL their hardware.  In the past how would they make revenue from existing customers?  To do that they had to sell more hardware and one way was to make them drop $10k on new controllers every 5-10 years - not that I am saying that they did this on purpose.
    Even think of Apple today, they are trying to purchase their service revenue because the market for phones isn't really growing, new phones are generally replacing existing phones.  So they are trying to grow services like music, video streaming, news, games, fitness, etc.
  6. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from South Africa C4 user in C4 Connect and Assist - new CIaaS offering   
    Lifetime license fees are not a sustainable business model over the long run.  We have seen that with apps or other software.  Everything is moving to a subscription model, both because the economics work better for valuing the company, and it makes for a more sustainable business.  Especially if growth levels out and the company isn't acquiring a lot of new customers, but still has a large installed user base.
    One would hope that with an annual license fee that C4 would be less incentivized to EOL their hardware.  In the past how would they make revenue from existing customers?  To do that they had to sell more hardware and one way was to make them drop $10k on new controllers every 5-10 years - not that I am saying that they did this on purpose.
    Even think of Apple today, they are trying to purchase their service revenue because the market for phones isn't really growing, new phones are generally replacing existing phones.  So they are trying to grow services like music, video streaming, news, games, fitness, etc.
  7. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from South Africa C4 user in Transferring data between Residences   
    You don't need routers to create VPNs, you can do that with other PCs that you may have on your LAN.  I used to run OpenVPN on my router, but now I use either OpenVPN in a docker on my unRAID server, or Wireguard which is built into unRAID.  I also use unRAID, which is a linux NAS-centric OS, as a file server and to run docker containers for stuff like my Unifi controller, Plex, etc.
  8. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from drmark12pa in OS3.4.1   
    Does this happen to all systems or only some?  If it is the former then how does this get past QC?
  9. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from BY96 in Audio/Video Syncing   
    Exactly - I haven't ever seen these in person, but it does save needing an adapter.  And for US$10 or so who cares if it doesn't work so well.
  10. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from BY96 in Audio/Video Syncing   
    Your cheapest solution would be something like this https://www.amazon.ca/LINESO-3-5mm-Stereo-White-Extender/dp/B01HHO8382/.  There are a bunch of similar devices on Amazon.
    Kind of low risk if you want to try it out.  I have a few pair like this, although mine have RCA plus on both baluns and are likely a different brand.  And they work fine.  I actually use them in both directions as I have some rooms with amps but don't want to have a C4 controller just for an audio source, so I send audio from my rack to the room over ethernet with this type of balun.
  11. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from wnpublic in Hardware Ad blocker compatible with C4   
    I am not sure that you really need special hardware.  I have PiHole running in Docker container on my unRAID server, along with my Unifi Controller, Plex Server, Home Assistant, Linux and Windows VMs, etc. 
  12. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from Kinros in Composer HE: Changing configurable keypad bindings   
    No.  If you want to be able to do all of the programming yourself ask him to remove the bindings and do the programming in other ways, such as programming against a press, single tap, etc.  You can lose some functionality, but at least you have full control, I have older keypads and with a binding you can press and hold to ramp lights up or down which you can't do with non-bindings.
    IMO it is annoying AF to not even be able to see bindings, never mind change them, from Composer HE.
  13. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from RyanE in Composer HE   
    Yes, so far media support and playback is the biggest drawback from what I can tell. It doesn't seem to have anywhere near the functionality of C4 in that area.
    But it was pretty easy to get up and running quickly.  I installed Home Assistant as a docker on my unRAID server and it found a whole bunch of my smart devices, including Rokus, Plex servers, my SolarEdge solar power inverter, outlet switches, Govee and Magic Home LED light strip controllers, Harmony remotes, Unifi devices, Tasmota MQTT devices, Carrier Infinity Furnace, etc.  And they were working within 15 minutes of downloading the docker.  I then added my C4 devices and it found all my lights.  I was also able to add stuff for which there may not be a proper C4 driver, like "unoffical" APIs - such as for a Tesla.  I probably have more third party devices in HA than in C4 without actually looking too hard.
    I must say that as an end user it is nice to be able to easily add a new device, like an outlet plug, or LED light strip, and use it in your HA system immediately without having to pay $75-100 for a driver and without needing a dealer to set it up for you. 
    And HA works well through a web browser - I keep waiting for Composer to becoming a web application and for there to be a Web Navigator.  That is somewhat less necessary by running the Android app under Win11 in WSA.
  14. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from neil12011 in Presence/Identity Detection   
    Thanks, interesting stuff.
  15. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from neil12011 in Presence/Identity Detection   
    But would the iBeacon technology work to be able to tell which room you are in within your house, rather than just saying if you are in the house?
  16. Like
    zaphod reacted to macosr in Irrigation Controller for 2022 ?   
    Many of the newest controllers allow your sprinkler professional to have access via the apps to your system. I switched two “dumb” sprinkler boxes to one of the latest rainbird controllers. I can say that features you absolutely want to have are: smart watering time adjustment where the controller automatically adjusts run time based on your local weather. You’ll also want to have an advanced rain sensor that can be programmed to do what you want it to do based on the amount of rainfall you set. And, internet and app access. The newest systems are so advanced and I’m sure that hunter has similar controllers to rainbird. Honestly, the rainbird app has been so solid for me that I haven’t even worked on integrating it with C4. 
  17. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from ChzBurger in Can someone explain Zigbee 3 and Control4   
    Agreed, and this is why I am still a fan of the SR-260 remotes.  I don't know what HA supports in terms of remotes.  But I do like the fact that I can add a new smart outlet switch by myself in two minutes without having to buy a driver.
  18. Like
    zaphod reacted to dinom in New Flo Device Coming! Kitchen Faucet?   
    Haha, I was born and raised in Salem, MA. Old houses for me are from 17th and 18th century. 
  19. Like
    zaphod reacted to prabeau in Alexa / Control4   
    It should be automatic 😇
  20. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from prabeau in Alexa / Control4   
    Thanks, but it should have been there yesterday, or even Saturday.  Wouldn't C4 have monitoring to know immediately when something like this breaks?
  21. Like
    zaphod reacted to Leighm0 in Tasmota devices in Control4   
    I believe it was mentioned that CORE controllers will get it first, followed by EA controllers.
  22. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from Time2Jet in rumors   
    It's pronounced Samsquanch, Ricky!

  23. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from BXTR in rumors   
    It's pronounced Samsquanch, Ricky!

  24. Like
    zaphod got a reaction from neil12011 in rumors   
    It's pronounced Samsquanch, Ricky!

  25. Upvote
    zaphod got a reaction from Don Cohen in Apple Music and Control4 Integration   
    Another option is Spotify.  I prefer Spotify despite the lack of full integration with C4 because I prefer the Spotify app UI for selecting and playing music.  I am used to using this UI on my phone, PC or tablet when away from home so then using the same UI at home, and using the play to device feature to send the music to C4 works for me.  The only issue then becomes if you want add other zones to the music then you also have to open up the C4 app.  But this could be easier for your wife once she gets used to it and if she likes the Spotify app.
    But not sure about the audio quality as Spotify Hifi was "announced" over 2.5 years ago but is still vapourware.
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