konieczn Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 The reason I ask is because I'm building a home and have begun to piece together a Control4 system, but I hate to buy a ton more than what I need right away, and then 6-9 months down the road, they update their products and I have the old models in our house. I appreciate any help I may receive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Their cycle is in years, usually around 5 years but it's not strict. If you can hold off for about a month till CEDIA and if nothing is announced you're likely to be good for at least a year (though it's no guarantee) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konieczn Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 Thanks for the response. I'm trying to hold out until CEDIA for a few things, but as I come across deals, it's hard not to pull the trigger. Thanks again, that answers my question about product cycles for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 When it comes to controllers, the hC800 should be able to handle a good size system for years to come. Touchscreens were just recently renewed so those should be good for some time. So were remotes. Overall UI devices are the most volatile though. The new' lighting has been out for some time, but expect at least a decade on that (at least for a full redesign). Other gear, while it receives new models and types sometimes get added or cancelled, every last one of them as of yet works fine on the current system software (Amplifiers, Matrix switches, Lighting devices) so if you buy 'current' gear you should be fine for a long time yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konieczn Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 Thanks Again, that helps me out a ton! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blub Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 When it comes to controllers, the hC800 should be able to handle a good size system for years to come.Touchscreens were just recently renewed so those should be good for some time. So were remotes. Overall UI devices are the most volatile though.The new' lighting has been out for some time, but expect at least a decade on that (at least for a full redesign).Other gear, while it receives new models and types sometimes get added or cancelled, every last one of them as of yet works fine on the current system software (Amplifiers, Matrix switches, Lighting devices) so if you buy 'current' gear you should be fine for a long time yet."Long time" is sort of relative expression, it really is.As C4 is "Home automation" the term "home" is close to house and those are built to last long and I would actually expect C4 gear to exactly do that.Sadly quite some devices are unsupported after a short time frame in relation to houses -I.e. 3.5" TS and speaker point - I am leaving the HC1000 out of here as that one provides processing power which goes up with OS features and so on.Do not get me wrong here ! - I don't expect them to still be sold but OS support should have continued to support them in the last current state so that they can be used for years to come - and the TS prevented recent upgrades, so either buy new ones or don't upgrade !I do not like that product EOL policy but that is due to the fact that C4 makes revenue almost solely on hardware sales and which leads C4 to make customers to buy new hardware - and that is also bad for the environment!For that to change the business model has to change, some sort of subscription for a year to get entitled to OS updates..... Etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 the 3.5" TS stopped being supported 8 years after it's eol - up to 2.5.3The speakerpoint is STILL supported. My only real grief was with the OLD 7" being cancelled from 2.6 on. Though even that was years after it's EoL. PLUS the 'support' is only stopped by the inability to update to newer operating software - all new current controllers CAN still be set to 2.5.3 and be used with all those old devices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blub Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 the 3.5" TS stopped being supported 8 years after it's eol - up to 2.5.3 PLUS the 'support' is only stopped by the inability to update to newer operating software - all new current controllers CAN still be set to 2.5.3 and be used with all those old devices. Ok point taken in regards to the speaker point. But the other two points are exactly the ones I am criticizing: 1) 8 years is just nothing for equipment of a house - a reasonable lifespan is 15 years for electronic components here (at least) 2)Therefore I would expect C4 to support keeping those legacy devices in the project with newer software releases (just to keep them working at the state they were last updated (2.5.3 in this case) ) - and not instead just stopping the ability to upgrade to newer versions of the system OS - which, if you ask me, is only done to boost hardware sales as the customers want the new OS to use newer hardware, a SR260 for example, but if they want the SR260 they need to replace 25 3,5 TS which are actually still working fine - making them spend $$$$ totally unnecessary and polluting the environment..... I just don't believe that 2.7.2 can't run the older TS it is in all basics "just s driver" and all my older driver from 3rd partys are still working fine...so the most likely reason is the one stated above PS:For crying out loud they just could let the systems upgrade to higher versions without official support for legacy HW - just with a note that EOL devices are officially not supported anymore and that on the owners risk...blababla.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 PS:For crying out loud they just could let the systems upgrade to higher versions without official support for legacy HW - just with a note that EOL devices are officially not supported anymore and that on the owners risk...blababla.... Yes? What's your point? The intrinsic problem using them is that many of their FUNCTIONS cease to work. For example, a MTS screen could not:-trigger advanced lighting scenes-control tunein-control updated thermostat proxy-control media proxy devices (Sonos)-control any C4Z format driver/proxy-view newer camera drivers This is why the statement is that they cannot be part of your system programming anymore. And one can argue just as easily that C4 screens are part of your house as that they are electronics. And 8 years for electronics is a little short of forever. Again - you can still use those older devices in full as long as you do not choose to update your system. I said you do not choose to update and NOT you choose not to update specifically - C4 does not auto-update - updating is a choice. No product C4 has released at any point in time is not supported in some form or another in software version 2.5.3, which is still a fully supported system version at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turls Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 1) 8 years is just nothing for equipment of a house - a reasonable lifespan is 15 years for electronic components here (at least) I'm lucky if I get 15 years out of a dumb appliance, in fact the only thing I can think of that is that old is a chest freezer. No manufacturer usually carries parts for more than 7 years. I think you are dreaming a little here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggzlot Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I'm lucky if I get 15 years out of a dumb appliance, in fact the only thing I can think of that is that old is a chest freezer. No manufacturer usually carries parts for more than 7 years. I think you are dreaming a little here...I have to agree. 20 years ago maybe appliances lasted a long time. Today, you are lucky to get a decade out of a refrigerate, range/oven, toaster, microwave, etc. If I could sign up that all my C4 hardware would work and be supported for 7-10 years, I'd sign up on the dotted line right now. And talking about OS and hardware support, Apple basically supports hardware for 3 years, then you start to lose the ability to upgrade the OS. Android is the same, and sometimes worse. I paid $299 back in the day for a brand new, just released, Droid Charge phone. Within 6 months, 4.0 came out. Verizon/Samsung decided not to upgrade this phone, which was a flagship phone 6 months prior, and I was stuck on 2.3, no upgrade path, apps that stopped working, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blub Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Most of my/our house appliances lasted longer than 15y or still do...but I agree that some stuff is just build to break sooner than it should.But I still stand to my opinion that the HW could be kept longer in service but obviously I am on a lonely road here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodeman Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I still use my NES from 1989 but don't expect the graphics to look good or to be able to easily hook it up to my HDTV and have surround sound or be able to play Gears of War 4 on it. There are still systems today running on Media Controllers and Home Theater Controllers that are 10 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 And that's just it - that hardware hasn't FAILED, but you'd have to not update.You can't really expect to put a modern filtered ice maker into a 20 year old fridge, or convert your electric range to gas without replacing the range itself. The true problem is plain and simple, the old hardware cannot run the new software, it will work as such, but you cannot expect it to control all the new features.If that is alright with you, nothing's stopping you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blub Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 The true problem is plain and simple, the old hardware cannot run the new software, it will work as such, but you cannot expect it to control all the new features.If that is alright with you, nothing's stopping you...I know that and I wasn't talking about the old HW that should run the new software... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 I know that and I wasn't talking about the old HW that should run the new software... ......................... Read between the lines then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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