Control4 is now delivering the Control4 Operating System v2.3 (OS 2.3) – providing a new lighting user interface, new features enabling customers to personalize their own experiences, new applications for commercial installations, and feature enhancements and updated certified drivers to boost performance and interoperability.
OS 2.3 represents a next significant step in the breadth and depth of the Control4 automation platform, according to the company.
“OS 2.3 brings a new level of performance, reliability and capability to Control4 systems,” said Control4 CEO, Martin Plaehn. “Our new software packs a punch, delivering an exceptional experience for consumers and includes enhancements and purpose-built features and tools for our dealers, including hundreds of updated device drivers supporting both residential and commercial installations.”
Now, homeowners and business owners can add or swap out smart phones and tablets within their Control4 MyHome account. The MyHome app also boasts additional customer-friendly improvements, including optimized start-up and reconnect time, better Rhapsody Music Service integration, and additional language support for Control4 non-English speaking customers.
One of the key attributes of the new Control4 OS 2.3 release is the introduction of a new user-experience for lighting. The UI makes it easy for consumers to control lighting throughout a residence or business from almost any device-TVs, Control4 Touch Screens, smart phones, and tablets. In addition to the visual design refinements, consumers will benefit from new personalization and editing capabilities, Control4 says, including the ability to directly edit and manage specific lighting functions from Control4 Touch Screens and the MyHome PC app, eliminating the need for an on-site dealer visit to adjust settings when homeowners would like simple changes.
Additionally, Control4’s new Advanced Lighting Scenes Agent also streamlines dealer programming-making it even more efficient to design and program sophisticated lighting scenes.
Control4 OS 2.3 adds new tools to simplify installation and programming for dealers. The new Control4 Driver Editor enables dealers and developers to create and test new drivers without requiring a fully installed onsite Control4 system—making it much more efficient to quickly design and develop drivers for third-party products.
OS 2.3 also includes support for Control4 Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP), a new capability which will automatically identify and load the correct driver for Control4 devices, as well as an expanding roster of third-party devices. Control4 systems will now be able to automatically discover and add devices to projects without requiring the typical driver search and binding. Using SDDP, a device’s IP address also will be automatically discovered and configured, streamlining installs and eliminating hassles.
In conjunction with the OS 2.3 release, Control4 has delivered nearly two dozen new drivers and provided updates to over 300 drivers—with more being added weekly.
