home control systems: Crestron vs. Elan vs. Savant?

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator

Jan 24, 2015

16,185

13,611

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Beverly Hills, CA

• Apr 22, 2017

• #1

Who owns or who has compared home "automation" systems by Creston, Elan and Savant?

What are the major differences among these systems?

What are the pros and cons of each of these systems?

I am looking primarily to control a front door bell announcer with video and 2-way audio, to have in-house intercom capability and to control Sonus devices playing Spotify. It would be nice if this system could also control home theater lights and audio and video. I will not connect any system like this to anything relating to the big stereo.

I prefer dedicated control panels to systems which use an application to take over a standard iPad.

 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member

Apr 20, 2010

2,794

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Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!

• Apr 22, 2017

• #2

I've used Crestron (did my own programming) and now Control4. Not sure which is "better" but there is nothing I can't do with Control4 that I could do with Crestron: open and close door locks; open and close our garage door, lights controls, equipment controls, etc.

Recommendation: Call some dealers of each of the products you are interested in and get very specific hardware and installation quotes - and quote for system maintenance (mandatory for these systems unless you choose to do your own). That should be quite the eye opener and give you lots of data points with which you can make a decision. I would not recommend using one dealer to give you the quotes since they will have an agenda. (e.g. one of those products will be their "favorite")

 

A

amirm

Banned

Apr 2, 2010

15,813

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0

Seattle, WA

• Apr 22, 2017

• #3

My company does all three. Savant and Crestron are top line products with Elan a tier below. Savant is very easy to program but doesn't allow customization of user interface. Crestron allows full customization but much more difficult to program (as a result there are a lot of bad installs of Crestron). Crestron has dedicated control panels so if that is a critical requirement, that would be the one to use.

I am at AXPONA all this week but feel free to call me next week Ron if you need further information.

 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member

Apr 20, 2010

2,794

73

1,635

Near Atlanta, GA but not too near!

• Apr 22, 2017

• #4

amirm said:

My company does all three. Savant and Crestron are top line products with Elan a tier below. Savant is very easy to program but doesn't allow customization of user interface. Crestron allows full customization but much more difficult to program (as a result there are a lot of bad installs of Crestron). Crestron has dedicated control panels so if that is a critical requirement, that would be the one to use.

I am at AXPONA all this week but feel free to call me next week Ron if you need further information.

Click to expand...

Control4 also has dedicated panels (or you can use iPads) if you wish. It also allows the end user to make changes (very easily) to things like lighting scenes).

 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator

Jan 24, 2015

16,185

13,611

2,665

Beverly Hills, CA

• Apr 22, 2017

• #5

Thank you audioguy and Amir!

 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator

Jan 24, 2015

16,185

13,611

2,665

Beverly Hills, CA

• Dec 18, 2023

• #6

We are absolutely loving our Elan system! We live on it.

I insisted on a system with wired wall panels. Tinka insisted on an iPhone app based system. Elan combines both seamlessly.

And Tinka was correct -- the iPhone app functionality is indispensable.

The Elan iPhone GUI is indistinguishable from the Elan wall panel GUI.

 

Last edited: Dec 19, 2023

rugyboogie

Well-Known Member

May 30, 2010

163

127

1,600

Vancouver, BC

• Dec 23, 2023

• #7

Have had Crestron, Savant, Elan installed in the homes we have build.
Crestron is well know but get more complaints from end users.
The majority of clients that have had the Savant installed have very little to no complaints.