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Control4, a leader in smart home technology, today introduced a $350 home automation controller the company hopes will expand the market for smart home systems.

The new CA-1 Automation Controller will enable professional integrators to provide an orchestrated smart home experience for homeowners who want to automate lighting, temperature control, and security.

The controller supports Ethernet, Wi-Fi, the Zigbee wireless protocol, and serial communication, leveraging Control4’s extensive database of third-party devices to ensure easy integration and interoperability.

Control4 also provides an optional Z-Wave module ($70) to extend compatibility to Z-Wave devices, including door, window, water, flood, and temperature sensors as well as electrical outlets and dimmer outlet modules. The CA-1 also supports Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) so it can be installed virtually anywhere with a single network cable that carries power.

“The emerging range of smart locks, thermostats, lights, and cameras available today have certainly raised consumer awareness for the promise of the smart connected home,” said Martin Plaehn, Control4 chairman and CEO. “Homeowners as well as home builders and building developers are looking for more than a just collection of independent, smart devices. Our new CA-1 and industry-leading Control4 OS deliver that needed capability and customer experience — orchestrating all of the smart devices in a home.”

“Demand for home automation is growing and home buyers expect smart experiences in the houses we are building,” said Vincent Grabowski of Saddle-Tree Homes in Colorado Springs. “But if we just add individual smart devices here and there, the homeowner experience quickly becomes disjointed or incomplete. Control4 and its new CA-1 provides a far more comprehensive solution and cohesive connected home experience — and at a price-point that fits all of our homes.”

The CA-1 complements Control4’s entertainment-focused EA Series controller line. It comes in white to accommodate discrete wall mounting or installation on a shelf or in a closet and is covered by a two-year warranty.

For more information, visit control4.com. More product detail is available here.