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Composer


dgtlman

Question

We are moving to a new house. I am planning on installing a control4 system. While I have yet to pick a dealer, I am planning on buying a ea-5, security system and a few other things from the dealer. 
One thing I would like to have is composer (not the home edition). I have read of other people who have got it through the dealer. But I did not know if that was common or very rare to impossible to get unless you have an in with the dealer.

I am not trying to do anything unethical, so I suppose the best way to ask this question is as such:

does the the dealer agreement with control4 say the dealer can not give the client composer, or is it totally at the dealers discretion to do (or not do) this?

Also, as far as I understand the only difference between composer and the home version is largely the home version can not add devices into the program. Is this correct?

 

(I appologize about the highlighted font.  I am not sure what caused that)

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Some dealers won't talk up Composer HE, from either inexperience with it or not wanting to support it.

He is incorrect about its abilities. It gives you access to the full media, agents, and programming tabs of Composer. It allows full IF/THEN programming capabilities.

Just ask for the license anyways (or find another dealer who cares to help with it).

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37 minutes ago, South Africa C4 user said:

I must say that I regularly sit with my dealer on Composer Pro (and think I know almost as much as he does in terms of how Pro works). But I only really need this when I am adding a hardware device to my house. Apart from that I can do everything on HE and it really is powerful if you know what you are doing. Don't  get me wrong, I'd love full access to Pro but a good dealer and HE give one a real decent solution.

And the fact that Control4 is the only platform with this level of flexibility. There's nothing like Composer HE in other platforms.

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I must say that I regularly sit with my dealer on Composer Pro (and think I know almost as much as he does in terms of how Pro works). But I only really need this when I am adding a hardware device to my house. Apart from that I can do everything on HE and it really is powerful if you know what you are doing. Don't  get me wrong, I'd love full access to Pro but a good dealer and HE give one a real decent solution.

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So if I understand, the dealer has to specify not only what devices are in the system, but what is connected where.

Once that is correct, composer he can program for lack of a better way of describing it, if then actions, sequences, triggers, etc.  but any changes to infrastructure would need to be done by the dealer (composer pro)

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Connections are anything from saying where an HDMI cable is going, to what IR port is used for what device, via what button is (directly) controlling what light (the 'best' way of doing such, though that one COULD be done via programming if preferred from and end-user standpoint).

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Just now, Cyknight said:

you cannot make connections (a/v, control or otherwise)

 

Note that I was not intending to point fingers - just clarifying the standpoint Control4 (not me) is taking.

No worries on C4's perspective. Sometimes it is difficult to know how the other person is responding. I appreciate your help. 

Could you give me a little clarification on what connections are? I appreciate the assistance. 

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Yes, I'm aware of some dealers refusing to hand out HE - and yes whomever you spoke to understated the use of HE.

It's largely as simple as I stated - you cannot add new devices, you cannot make connections (a/v, control or otherwise) but you have no less or more access to agents, schedules, programming and more than I would as a dealer.

Is it limited - sure. But it's still a powerful tool.

Note that I was not intending to point fingers - just clarifying the standpoint Control4 (not me) is taking.

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Some dealers don't want you to have HE since they want to contract them for any/all changes.  Had a friend's brother who has Control4 and hated it since he couldn't make any changes.  I mentioned HE and said that his dealer discouraged it.  I told him to get a new dealer.  It's sad since he was about to get rid of C4 all together until I told him about HE.

To answer the OP questions - get HE and you'll be fine.  

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12 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

As for being unethical - well that's debatable because ethics are debatable, changeable and flexible - but you are trying to do something that is against the existing agreement (and no no change in the books that I am aware of).

 

Appreciate the comment about the differences, between pro and home. 

To clarify my position, I am not trying to do anything. Since I was not sure what the dealer is allowed to do, I was just inquiring to see what is permissible. Since I have now found out that a dealer has contractually committed to not give it out, I won't ask for it. I was just trying to understand what is and what isn't a reasonable expectation. 

For example, I spoke with one dealer since posting this, and they all but said that there is no way for the end user to do any programing. When I mentioned the Home version of composer, they said well that can be used to do very minor adjustment to lights and temperature. So is the answer that the person I spoke to was trying to mislead me? Or was it that they don't fully understand the capability of HE? From my perspective, before putting down this amount of money on this product category, i want to not only know what I am getting into, but also know what my capabilities are. Then as I work with a good dealer, I will be educated to make the best choices for my needs. 

That said, regardless of how my initial question came across, I am not trying to be difficult or cause problems for any dealer. 

Thanks again for your help!

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The difference is that you cannot add devices and you cannot make connections.

Any dealer that hands out ComposerPro takes the risk of being shut down - with no warning. Yes that has happened.

Pro is NOT available to anyone who is not a dealer/employee of a dealer.

 

As for being unethical - well that's debatable because ethics are debatable, changeable and flexible - but you are trying to do something that is against the existing agreement (and no no change in the books that I am aware of).

 

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Composer Pro is only for dealers, and it's a violation to the dealer agreement to distribute it. No dealer can distribute Composer Pro. Control4 is dealer installed and maintained. You can add and edit programming using Composer HE.You cannot add devices and certain features are not available in HE.

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