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While there are two version of Crestron, today we will stick with the custom solution, as it's the most common system available through large Crestron integrators. For this type of system, there is no custom loaded template as such, the user interface is designed by the programmer, integrator.  This can be good or bad, depending on the integrator, so be sure to ask to see their interface before you commit. Make sure the Crestron interface is easy and intuitive to use, rather than something that looks cool but no one can figure out how to navigate.

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Music

One of the most popular functions in smart home system is Multi room audio & Video -- the ability to play different streams of music throughout a house in any particular grouping. Control4, Savant, and Crestron can each do this.

Control4 has Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Napster, Deezer, Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal all native to every Control4 system. For those who use Spotify, there is a special interface to enable Spotify that is a little bit different.

Savant has also built streaming services into its platform, including Pandora, Deezer, and more.

Crestron, mostly works through third party devices for multi room audio Instead. They generally use hardware such as Autonomics.  The benefit to this is that when you integrate a third party system, you can get more services and other advantages. A slight downfall on this is that the functionality of this is only as good as the integrator

In the past Sonos was the better solution for mulitroom audio but in the last few years all of the pro systems can deliver results and now even in higher quality. All three of these systems can do multi-room audio and video, meaning one room can be playing jazz music, the other listening to spotify and someone else playing music streamed from their phone

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Lighting Control

The ability to control all of the lights in the home is probably the second most used and most requested capability in a smart home. For instance, hitting one button to turn off the lights when you go to bed or hitting one button to set the house to an evening scene or to turn off all the lights when you leave a home. Lutron popularized this functionality years ago and it’s still extremely popular today.

Control4, Savant, and Crestron all have the ability to control lights throughout a home of any size.

To compare and contrast the systems, this time let's start with Savant. Savant sells smart LED bulbs that integrate with its system. However, most integrators have historically used Lutron lighting controls with Savant. Ask your integrator about the pros and cons of using Lutron vs. Savant blubs.

The upside to Savant using Lutron is that they are a leader in the lighting space. Their products are extremely reliable and their choice of colors for switches, keypads, and faceplates is unmatched.

Crestron created its own lighting system, which largely emulates Lutron. It has slightly fewer color options, but most Crestron dealers would tell you that the capabilities are very similar. Most Crestron integrators either use Crestron lighting or integrate the Crestron system with Lutron lighting, the same way it is done in Savant systems.

As Control4 grew, it invested heavily in its own lighting control system. While some Control4 integrators use Lutron lighting, most have embraced Control4 lighting. By using Control4 lighting keypads, you get some advantages. For example, Control4 also has an ambient light sensor built into their keypads, which we think is pretty cool. It enables the backlighting to turn up or down based on the light in the room it’s in. For example, you can have the backlighting turn off in a master bedroom when the lights in the rest of the house turn off.

When considering putting controlled lights in your home, the most important thing to consider is whether the company that makes them will be in business for a long time. We’ve seen dozens of new startups enter the space over the past year. Many have already gone out of business and most won’t be in business 5 years from now. You don’t want to invest in a system integrated into your house that won’t be around for the long term. We are confident that Control4, Crestron, and Lutron will be supporting their lighting systems for the long haul.

Also, the design capabilities of your integrator are crucial for lighting control. Regardless of which system you choose, if your integrator is great at designing keypad layouts, scenes and how all of the lighting works together, your final solution will be dramatically better than one that is cobbled together. Think of it this way -- you can hand the same brushes, same paint, and same canvas to two different people. If one is a great artist and one is not, the outcomes will be dramatically different. It’s not just about the materials, but what you can do with them.

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Security

Control4, Savant, and Crestron will all tie into a security system so that you can arm and disarm your security. All three also support cameras, camera DVRs, and electronic door locks. Currently, Control4 has a slight edge in the number of electronic door lock options natively supported and fully integrated into the interface.

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Comfort

All three smart home systems integrate well with thermostats. While Nest has gotten a lot of press, we believe that using the thermostat sold by the smart home manufacturer gets you a better thermostat that is more fully integrated into the smart home capabilities.

As an aside, you really don’t want to have your HVAC constantly turning on and off every time you leave the house -- which can actually consume more energy. All three of these smart home systems get rid of the gimmick sound bytes of turning systems on and off, and instead, actually focus on getting the job done and integrated into your whole smart home system.

 

Intercom

If whole house intercom is important , the superior solution today is Control4. Their panels all have a full video intercom systems built in and the user interface is terrific. The Control4 wall and tabletop panels also double as doorbell interfaces, popping up video and the ability to talk to someone at the door. You can also call between rooms, make announcements and it can also be pushed through to your app while away from home. Popping up door cameras on Savant and Crestron panels can also be done but it's a little different than Control4’s integrated intercom interface.