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rchawla80

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It's obvious that you've had a pretty disappointing experience with this dealer, and I'm sorry that that's soured you to the overall C4 value proposition. Being realistic, though, I'm guessing you're too smart to throw out your $25k investment and the functionality home automation gives you and trade down to a few Logitech remotes. You mention wishing that you had access to some of the dealers on this board. As I mentioned in my earlier post, you DO have access to them. Any of those dealers, should you choose to do business with them, can log in remotely to your system and make these changes at whatever price you all agree to. I've purchased services from dealers on these boards and been very happy with the result. To me, this is a very big step C4 took to PREVENT people getting gouged by an exclusive dealer in their region.

As to Composer HE, I think that you're a bit too hard on it:

C4 as a whole has devised a product that like "home" edition that is utterly useless. I cannot even change zone names in it. The only thing I can do is schedule and add media.

A better way to put it is that C4 Home Edition will allow you to do everything a dealer can do EXCEPT for changing in and out equipment and progamming "loops" (a little used feature). And yes, you can't change zone names.

I'm no expert in Home Automation, but I shopped Crestron, AMX, Lutron and a number of other systems. No one came even CLOSE to putting the kind of prorgamming control in the hands of users that C4 HE does. I've been THRILLED with everything it allows me to do, and in fact there have been only two or three items in the last year and a half where I needed my dealer to log in or show up with Pro. Mostly a system upgrade to 1.6.

I hope you'll take up some of the dealers here on their offers to work with you. Once you get this one situation ironed out, I think C4 is, far and away, the best value and best solution for a home automation enthusiast who wants a smooth-running professional-quality system, but also wants to be able to get in and do some of the programming and tweaking on their own.

Good luck!

--Jason

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I understand your frustration with not being able to add equipment, etc. However, many of our better dealers offer a warranty their work, and that includes a warranty on all the installation of the equipment in the rack(s), and a warranty that all the connections are secure, that the IR emitters are not going to fall off, etc.

Allowing end-users to change systems by adding equipment to the rack themselves is something those who warrant their install are not going to want to happen under any circumstances. Many dealers will refuse to do work for a client if the client 'messes with' the rack (even to add equipment). I personally have gone to installs where the ONLY issue was an issue with the wiring (the Control4 system would have worked fine if the wiring had been 'up to spec'), so I can understand their point.

That said, I'm certainly *not* saying that you personally can't do a quality job, it's very possible that you can. However, Control4 sells through dealer channels because that's where the installation experience is.

I'm sorry you got what you consider a bad dealer.

RyanE

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I wish I had the dealers on this board in my area, I would switch in a second.

The goal isn't to nickle and dime customers, you will not build a base that way. Infact, if you help along like a good dealer, you will get tons of referral. We are in the process of building 5 new houses now for sale, no way we are contacting this dealer for any services.

I'm sure you can find a competent dealer in your area.

Wish I were in your area! 5 houses sound pretty good.. :D

My issue is with this process. I can appreciate the need for a dealer for installation, troubleshooting and issues. But simple changes to the system a user should be able to make whether that be adding or removing devices and changing IR codes. I am not saying that every consumer can do that but the ones that can should be allowed to AND if they do screw up something in the process, they should then have to PAY for it.

C4 as a whole has devised a product that like "home" edition that is utterly useless. I cannot even change zone names in it. The only thing I can do is schedule and add media.

I hope someone from C4 is reading this and passes this on to management.

You had me up to here.. I have customers that are more than competent to utilize Pro. Not one of them have asked for Pro and utilize HE.

There are No other automation/integration companies out there allowing the end user the software to do what their dealers do.

Home Edition is very good for the end user.

Dealers have a lot invested with Control 4 and have to take the training prior to even receiving their first order.

Knowledge of a programming is not all that is involved with Control 4.

Hopefully you can find a Dealer that you will find confidence in.

Good Luck

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