Control4 IPAD App

Control 4 App gets Make over

Not long ago Apps were called programs. Then Apple came along and took over the world. Apps are still programs but now come with a lower price tag or are even free. We love the change; Custom Install has benefited enormously from small apps that control large, complicated systems. The customer is no longer ringing every five minutes when the complicated control system fails to switch on.

With the app usually controlling the system over a wireless network, dropping the codes for dimming the lights, turning the amp on and playing the movie are a thing of the past. One such app that we love at INSIDE CI is the Control4 app for the iPad and iPhone. It's gone through a couple of facelifts and now at version 2:1, produces a sexier onscreen display and offers a marked improvement in navigation - it all seems logical.

There are also a couple of bug fixes to this revision but the main improvement in is undoubtedly the GUI, which is cleaner and easier to use. 

The ultimate test comes down to the fact if my 10-year-old daughter can use it without asking me a single question; I know my customers are going to embrace it.

Technology should be easy to use. That's why the iPhone was a great hit; it worked how you expected it to work, no digging through instructions or throwing a paddy when you couldn't find the ring tone menu.

So if you have got a Control4 system what do you have to do to get this slick app? Easy, go HERE and download it, then ring your friendly Control4 dealer and buy a license. They will then get you into the magical world of Control4 from your iOS device or PC based tablet.

There are two different licenses available:

• Device License: A device license is attached to a single device of any type. If you purchase a device license for an iPhone, and then switch to an iPad your license will be transferred to the tablet and the functionality will no longer be available on the iPhone. If you have a license for your desktop PC and then switch to a laptop, the license can be transferred to the new product in the same way.

• Site License: A site license enables functionality on up to 50 devices, of any combination, that can be attached to a project using the MyHome application.

The natural home for the Control4 app is the iPad. Where Apple's tablet comes into its own is the TV room or cinema setup. Unlike the iPhone, it's the perfect size (no messing about hitting two buttons with one finger anymore). I still prefer to use Control4's SR 250 remote if I'm going to turn the TV on and watch Sky, but I now turn to the iPad if I want to select media from my NAS - and with apps a plenty from different manufactures I can listen to music, close my blinds and dim my lights.

One aspect of the Control4 app that looked amazing was the security camera monitor. The picture was pin sharp and gesture control worked well when it came to panning and tilting the cameras.

The iPad also makes the system more responsive. There are a couple of sub menus that take a while to get used to, like the Zones menu that allows you to control different rooms, but once you get the hang of them you'll never use your 7-inch touchscreen ever again.