Control4

Control4
Public
Traded as NASDAQ: CTRL
Industry Home Automation
Founded 2003
Founders Eric Smith, Will West, Mark Morgan
Headquarters Salt Lake City, Utah
Key people
Martin Plaehn, CEO; Mark Novakovich, CFO
Number of employees
400
Website control4.com

Control4 develops smart home automation systems to control lighting, entertainment, security, energy, and other connected devices.[1] The company's 2013 initial public offering was considered to be the 'first pure-play home automation IPO ever.'[2] Control4 is based in Salt Lake City, Utah with offices in York, England; Shanghai, China; Bangalore, India and San Jose, CA.[3]

History

Founded in 2003 by Eric Smith, Will West and Mark Morgan, Control4 debuted at the CEDIA 2004 home technology trade show and released its first products later that year.[4] The company received funding from Foundation Capital, Thomas Weisel Venture Partners, Signal Peak Ventures, Frazier Technology Ventures, and Cisco Systems[5] prior to its August 2, 2013 IPO.[2][5] Current CEO Martin Plaehn joined Control4 in September 2011.[6]

Products and services

Control4’s home automation systems have been likened to an operating system for the home.[7][8] The company develops a branded line of products and services to control home lighting, multi-room audio, and HVAC systems that utilize communication protocols such as ZigBee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Z-Wave.[9] Control4 also supports more than 8,000 devices[10] from third-party manufacturers, including the Nest smart home thermostat, [11] CoolMasterNet for seamless integration with VRF & Split HVACs,[12] Sonos music system,[13] and products from Sony[14] and Sub-Zero.[15] For example, with Control4, a homeowner could control “the ventilation in his garage, the music streaming to speakers in multiple rooms of his home, every light, the TV, the thermostat, even the Blu-Ray player in the guest house” from an iOS device.[16]

In 2012, Control4 released its Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP), which makes products embedded with the code automatically discoverable on a Control4 network.[9] The company licenses the protocol, which is similar to Universal Plug and Play,[17] to other vendors for their products (such as Sony Bravia TVs).[14]

As of January 2015, over 100 developers supported SDDP in more than 500 devices, including Panasonic, Dish Network, Bose, TiVo, Epson, Harman Kardon, Denon, Pioneer, Sony, Sharp, and Yamaha.[9][18]

As of February 2015, Control4 was selling its products through a network of 2,676 North American and 787 international authorized dealers in 88 countries.[19][20]

Additionally, Control4 partners with national homebuilders, including Toll Brothers, to provide optional home automation packages to homebuyers.[21]

Proprietary products

References

  1. "The Control4 Experience". Control4.com. Control4. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 Jacobson, Julie (5 August 2013). "Control4 Up 25% on First Day of IPO; How Did They Get There?". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  3. "About Control4". Control4.com. Control4. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  4. Jacobson, Julie (1 June 2014). "Introducing Control4: Automation Vets Plan ‘Unrivaled’ Product Launch". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  5. 1 2 Fehrenbacher, Katie (1 July 2013). "Connected home startup Control4 files for an IPO for up to $60M". GigaOM (GigaOM). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  6. "Control4 Names Martin Plaehn President & Chief Executive Officer". Control4.com. Control4. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  7. LaMonica, Martin (15 February 2011). "Cisco ties knot with Control4 for smart home". CNET (CNET). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  8. Jacobson, Julie (8 May 2008). "Control4 Aims to Be ‘OS’ of the Automated Home". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 Jacobson, Julie (17 January 2014). "Control4 CEO on Home Automation Standards, DIY, Pro Install". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  10. "Control4 Uses Embedded SDDP Technology to Provide Smart Home Solution for Panasonic’s New 4K Ultra HD Series TVs". Control4.com. Control4. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  11. Jacobson, Julie (8 February 2011). "Control4 Loves Europe: New Drivers, London Tube App, KNX". CEPrp (CEPrp). Retrieved 8 Feb 2011.
  12. Burns, Matt (9 September 2014). "Nest Finally Works With Control4, Crestron, RTI And URC Home Automation Systems". TechCrunch (TechCrunch). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  13. Jacobson, Julie (25 January 2010). "Integration at Last: Sonos Wireless Audio and Control4 Automation". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  14. Trout, Christoper (21 January 2011). "Control4, Sub-Zero get in on the home automation game". Engadget (Engadget). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  15. O'Brien, Kelly (16 March 2015). "Can Comprehensive ‘Smart Home’ Systems Go Mainstream?". Boston.com (Boston.com). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  16. https://lilin.zendesk.com/entries/58683848-SDDP-Simple-Device-Discovery-Protocol
  17. Jacobson, Julie (6 January 2015). "Panasonic’s New 4K Ultra HD TVs Get Control4 SDDP for Integration". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  18. Knott, Jason (6 February 2015). "Control4 Reports Higher Revenues, But Below Expectations". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  19. Palenchar, Joseph (29 May 2014). "Control4 Sees Connected-Product Growth Boosting Its Sales Potential". Twice (Twice). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  20. Knott, Jason (4 February 2014). "Toll Brothers Adds Control4 as Home Amenity Option". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  21. "Control4 Branches Out with New A/V Switches, Amplifiers". CE Pro (CEPro). 5 September 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  22. Burger, Dennis (7 May 2013). "Control4 Vastly Expands and Updates Its Wireless Lighting Control Lineup". Technology Tell (Technology Tell). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  23. Jacobson, Julie (12 February 2015). "Control4 Intros Much Smarter Thermostat, Way Better Interface at ISE 2015". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  24. "Control4 Introduces New Whole-Home HD Video Intercom, Smart Climate Control, and New High-Performance Touchscreens". Hidden Wires (Hidden Wires). 2 February 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  25. Palenchar, Joseph (10 February 2015). "Control4 Adds Products, Upgrades OS And App". Twice (Twice). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  26. "System Overview". Contrl4.com. Control4. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  27. Knott, Jason. "Control4 Launches Wireless Lighting Control Line". CEPro (7 May 2013) (CEPro). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  28. Jacobson, Julie (10 February 2015). "Control4 Builds Better Video Intercom, Sexier Touchscreens, Next-gen Remote". CEPro (CEPro). Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  1. Official website
  2. Wilkinson, Darryl (February 2006). "Control4 Media Controller System". Home Theater Magazine.
  3. Sciacca, John (February/March 2006). "Control4 Whole-House Music Server/Automation System". Sound & Vision Magazine.
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