Despite being launched at the CEDIA Expo in August Control 4 products will not be launched in Australia until early in 2006. The problem appears to be certification and quality.
According to Nick Liebertone Managing Director Convergent Technology interest in the product is still high despite the absence of the product with in the market “Australia and the UK are the only two Countries outside of the USA that will get the Control 4 product and a great deal of effort has gone into making sure that that the products that are shipped into this market meet all the specifications and certification” said Liebertone.
“I am confident that we will have around 50 to 60 installers from day one with this growing to over a 100. I don’t think that the launch of the product has been impacted by the lack of availability. I don’t believe that the delay will impact the take up of the product in Australia” he said
Control4 makes automation equipment that uses wired and Wi-Fi Ethernet connections to control audio, video, climate, and lighting into a single user-friendly remote device or several wall-mounted LCD screens throughout a home. A touch screen pad and remote device to control media with infrared blasters, wireless lighting keypads, and a smaller mini-touch screen in the bedroom will retail for around $6,000 and take just over three hours to install and program. CEDIA members who take on the product are expecting significant interest in the product from consumers looking for bottom end low cost automation solutions.
