Today I had a chance to participate in a personal demo of the Cortexa automation system from Jesse Lind from the sales department at Cortexa Automation LLC. For those unfamiliar, Cortexa’s system centers around essentially a headless PC running their automation software. Both control and administration of the system are accessed through an internet browser, and iPhone app and Media Center add-in are available as well. The system is compatible with many common products covering all aspects of home automation including lighting, multi-room audio, security, and HVAC. The layout of the Flash based interface is somewhat static, with the exception of users being able to upload their own images for backgrounds and button labels, however the design is well thought out and intuitive. Each sub-system has both high-level and detailed views, and is also collapsible to the side of the screen. This makes direct navigation into any sub-system a breeze. Viewing the list of supported devices, you can easily tell that they have both the professional integrator and the DIY enthusiast in mind. For example, in lighting they support UPB, Insteon, and ZWave for the DIY, while still supporting Lutron and Vantage products for the custom installer. Configuration of the system seemed relatively simple and straightforward, allowing the user to identify which sub-systems the want to include, detail the components of that system, then define any macros or events that would be associated. My only gripe of the system is that although the majority of the sub-systems are controlled either serially or through TCP/IP, they currently only support A/V device control through infrared (via the Global Cache Network Adapter), however I was assured support for serial control would be coming in future releases. Additional items to look forward to include both a 10.4″ and 17″ touchscreen.
Professional integrators interested in becoming a dealer should contact their sales department for a very enticing introductory offer allowing you to become very familiar with the product, while minimizing risk to the wallet.
The reduction in price can already be seen on their online dealer sites such as AutomatedOutlet.com. To learn more about their products visit them online or check out their Knowledge Base. If you’re looking for single box solution that is easy to use and has multiple interface options, all while staying within a realistic budget, Cortexa is definitely worth checking out.