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Control4 drivers for the kit nobody else supports

Control4 is brilliant until you meet a device it can't talk to. When there's no driver, or the one that exists barely does anything, we write our own, under our Custom Control name, for homeowners and fellow installers.

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What a driver actually does
Diagram: the Control4 app, our driver in the middle, and the device on the right, with messages passing both ways Kitchen TV Sky ✓ Control4 Our driver </> Custom code AV matrix Your device
  1. You tap Kitchen TV, then Sky. Control4 asks our driver to make it so.
  2. The driver speaks the matrix's language:SET RX03 SOURCE TX01
  3. The matrix answers:RX03 SOURCE TX01 OK
  4. The driver tells Control4 it worked, so the app shows a tick, not a guess.

Simplified, but not by much. Real drivers also handle errors, reconnections and the odd device that lies about its status.

What a driver is

A driver is a small piece of software that teaches Control4 how to talk to a device: what to send, what to listen for, and how it appears in the app and on the touchscreens. A good one makes a third-party device feel like it was always part of the system. A bad one gives you an on button and a prayer.

  • Commands that do what the button says
  • Proper status feedback, so the app shows the truth
  • Events you can use in programming
  • Settings that make sense in Composer Pro

Why we write our own

Newer or niche equipment often has no Control4 driver at all, and generic ones cover the bare minimum. Writing our own means we can recommend the right product for the job, not just whatever already has a driver. And because we wrote it, we can support it.

  • No driver exists for the device
  • The existing driver is on and off, and little else
  • One app for the whole house, no second remote
  • We know the code, so we can fix and improve it

What we've written drivers for

Mostly the things that make a system feel joined up: AV distribution, cameras, and other automation platforms. One of our AV-over-IP matrix drivers covers more than 160 commands, because "switch input" was never going to be enough.

Read: custom Control4 drivers, and how we can build one for you

  • AV-over-IP matrix systems
  • CCTV recorders: camera feeds, motion events and PTZ
  • Links between Control4 and Loxone
  • Better versions of drivers that already exist

How a driver gets made

  1. 1Tell us what you need

    Which device, and what you want it to do. A wish list is fine. So is "I just want it in the app".

  2. 2We check it's possible

    If it can be controlled over the network, a serial port or similar, we can usually write a driver. If we can't, we'll say so.

  3. 3We build it

    We write the driver and make sure it shows up properly in Composer Pro, with the controls and feedback you asked for.

  4. 4We test it on real kit

    On your equipment where we can, before it goes anywhere near a client's living room.

  5. 5You install it, we support it

    You get a ready-to-install driver, and we handle fixes and updates as devices and firmware change.

  6. What we'll need from you

    The make and model, any manuals or API documents, your wish list, and access to the equipment for testing where possible.

Installers: our Control4 division has the technical detail. Custom drivers at control4partners.co.uk

Driver questions

Can you write a driver for any device?

Most things that can be controlled over a network or serial connection, yes, especially when there's an API or protocol document. Some devices keep their protocol to themselves. We'll tell you honestly before you spend anything.

Do you only write Control4 drivers?

Control4 is most of it. Some other platforms are open to independent developers and some aren't, so if you're on something else, ask and we'll tell you where we stand.

We're an installer. Can you write a driver for our client's system?

Yes. We work with other dealers regularly. It's your client and your project; we write, test and support the driver.

Can you improve a driver that already exists?

Often, yes. A lot of the drivers we write replace one that only does on and off, with proper status feedback and the features people actually use.

Do you need the device?

Ideally we test on the real thing, either at our workshop, on site or over a remote connection. Manuals and API documents help a lot too.

Shall we call you back?

Tell us the device and what you'd like it to do in Control4. We'll tell you honestly whether a custom driver is the right answer.

Or call 01425 705035 now.

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