Actiontec zControl

Actiontec have taken one of the Innovations awards at the CES show with their newly announced zControl (ZCHAV1) which will be available from next month at around $400 – "The zControl gives you the ability to automatically add consumer devices to the network such as IP cameras, thermostats, powered shades, garage doors or lights, and then control them, not only from any location in your home, but anywhere in the world where you can access the Internet. Plus, you can capture and store any activity recorded by any of your IP cameras. With the zControl™, you can bring your home with you wherever you go.

Actiontec turns the humble home network into a complete and powerful home management system with the new zControl™. In the past, home networking was limited to connecting computers, printers and gaming consoles for mundane tasks like file sharing. The zControl™, however, gives you the ability to automatically add consumer devices to the network such as IP cameras, thermostats, powered shades, garage doors or lights, and then control them, not only from any location in your home, but anywhere in the world where you can access the Internet. Plus, you can capture and store any activity recorded by any of your IP cameras. With the zControl™, you can bring your home with you wherever you go.

Extending the Home Network to Almost Any Device in the Home
The zControl™ takes “total home control” from a jumble of mismatched and often incompatible devices and systems to a consistent, unified experience unmatched in set up and usability. Housed in a small, unobstructive plastic case, the zControl™ can auto-discover compatible devices and pre-configure them, while also using configuration wizards to set up other new devices, appliances and services. All of your lights, motion detectors and IP cameras can be accessed from the zControl™ as well as thermostats, electronic shades and blinds, and even lawn and garden components like automatic sprinklers. Imagine traveling in Europe, and deciding you need to check on your teenage children, water your lawn, close the shades, turn on a light in the family room, or close the garage door. You can do this and more with the click of a button on your mobile phone. It’s really that easy.

One Simple Interface to Control your Home
Running on top of a variety of underlying protocols, the zControl™ delivers a clear, consistent interface that allows you to easily monitor your home, whether you’re watching television in the living room, surfing the Internet in the den, or logging on to a computer across the country. Context-based screens allow different users to customize the interface to highlight the tasks they consider most important, eliminating on-screen confusion.

The zControl™ was designed from the ground up to be reliable and trouble-free. Based on an open-source operating system, the zControl™ also contains a comprehensive help system that keeps you informed and guides you through any difficulties you may encounter. And in the unlikely event that something goes really wrong with the zControl™, you can contact a remote technician who can “virtually enter” your system and fix any problems.

Connect with the Click of a Button
Offering even more simplicity, the zControl™ can add other Zwave-enabled devices by simply pressing the Discovery button on the front of the zControl™, and then clicking the appropriate button on the other Zwave device. The second device will then automatically be added to your network. Automating your home has never been easier!

Digital Life with zControl™
The zControl™ is unlike any other home network or device available today. With its ability to both monitor and control your home from remote (or not so remote) locations, along with its home networking and streaming capabilities, the zControl™ integrates the devices in your house to a stunning degree, giving you access to almost every electronic item, from almost anywhere. Take control of your life with Actiontec’s zControl™. "