Crestron vs. Control4 - Which One is Right For You?
So I get this question fairly frequently. Which home automation system should I go with? Crestron is regarded as the best, but it's a lot of dough. Should I consider Control 4? Well the answer is easier than you think it is.
Let me preface this by saying we at DSI Entertainment Systems, are dealers for both products, so I feel this blog post is pretty objective.
First of all, what is the square footage of your home? If it is above 5,000 square feet the answer is almost always Crestron. If it is less than 5,000 sq. feet, than perhaps Control 4 is a good alternative. Why 5k square feet? Well, when the guys at Control 4 formed their company (they were a bunch of former Panja/AMX guys) they opted for a business model that was "home automation for the masses". The goal was, and still is, product that is affordable for the guy building the 3,500 square foot home in the middle of Iowa.
Crestron's approach has always been that they are a "best in class" product. Where Crestron positions themselves as a Mercedes, Control 4 is a Toyota (but not the kind that takes you on an involuntary joy ride).
The upside to Crestron is incredibly high hardware reliability and the ability to control almost anything you throw at it. When you are dealing with a luxury home of 8,000 square feet or more with hundreds of electronic components and widgets, you need the most reliable system you can get or else you are doomed to an endless parade of technicians in your home. You also will probably need a lot of product solutions and customization to handle all of the unique needs of a home that is technically a facility. Plus, with Crestron, a good installation company will be able to truly customize the user interface to your liking.
The upside to Control 4 is that it does not require an incredibly sophisticated 
installer (ie; you may save some labor dollars), it controls most major brands, and is very affordable. A Crestron Lighting Dimmer can top out at $360 where a Control 4 dimmer is $99. You will not be able to control your new LED cove lighting with a Control 4 dimmer (at this time anyway) but it will have no problem handling all the lamps in your house. You also may deal with more small glitches on a Control 4 system since it is primarily a Wifi-based system, but if you keep the system small (15 lighting dimmers, 2-3 thermostats, 6-8 zones of audio), and you are modestly tech-savvy, the glitches should be very manageable.
To answer the 2-5k sq. foot home market, Crestron has released a product line called Adagio. For the first year or two, we were definitely in a "wait and see" mode on this product, but now that Adagio has a proven track record, I think it is a great competitor to Control 4 and something that you may want to consider if you don't own an uber-mansion. Crestron's Prodigy line also offers an affordable alternative to the larger Crestron control systems; again, assuming that the home is not very large or if you just want to control a room or two on its own (not part of a whole home automation system).
If you would like to learn more about home automation and control systems, please download the "Top 8 Home Automation Must Know Tips" by clicking the orange box above. You may also see more at our website's home automation web page. Feel free to call at 866-692-8489 for a free consultation.
