CQC Pricing Thread

[DavidL]

Larry, I agree.
Oh, and that black box hardware - when you buy it, what's it worth the day after? Depreciates pretty darn quick. The $95 seems like a deal to keep THE major "component" up to modern times.

One of the better hardware deals I have done is buying a upgrade protection contract at CompUSA on a video card (which gets technology refreshed every year like CPUs). I think it was $50, and got to upgrade a last years with a new for nada. Don't think they offer that plan anymore.

 

[Mike]

That is funny. Yeah I would suspect they end that real quick. How can they ever win unless they thought it was like rebates (and people don't fill them in).

 

[penngray]

What I find funny is that people are even balking at all for home automation software under 1K....I thought $315 was way to cheap to start with for the amount of effort Dean put into it already but I thank him for such a great DIY price.

This is home automation, it allows you to control anything in your house. Take a look at the price of any of the profession level software packages and this is still cheap.

The percentage 1K is as part of any home automation is still very low, 10% or less. If the control software is only 10% or less of our cost then it isnt much at all.

Heck... Xantech, Russound, Autopatch audio/video switching devices all retail for thousands alone.

HA isnt a poor man's DIY project

 

[gbirk]

The CQC website has the price listed at $495. How do you get the $315 price before midnight tonight?

 

[IVB]

email [email protected] . I believe that's in his pricing announcement thread.

 

[philfry41]

Bought mine today. I don't like to be pushed any more than the next guy but $315 is not a big risk for this kind of application. Seems like a bargain to me compared to the wiring and hardware.

I've been in a software company with sales channel conflict before - it's a tough cat to skin. If you ask me, Dean's decision is more than fair to the DIY community. I would guess he truly values the input and references he receives here.

Hope y'all will stick around and trade CQC adventures

 

[IVB]

...$315 is not a big risk for this kind of application. Seems like a bargain to me compared to the wiring....

Oh, good point. I have spent nearly $1K on freakin' cable alone for this HA thingey. Granted, i needed somewhere bet 75-125 runs, but still...

 

[philfry41]

...$315 is not a big risk for this kind of application. Seems like a bargain to me compared to the wiring....

Oh, good point. I have spent nearly $1K on freakin' cable alone for this HA thingey. Granted, i needed somewhere bet 75-125 runs, but still...

And...I would say that the CQC investment is (oddly) more "future proof" than the wiring. My biggest problem can be summarized as:

1. I'm building a new home and everybody says "go hardwired."
2. All hardwired solutions reqire different proprietary wiring schemes.
3. All require significant capital (especially compared to $315) in wiring.
4. I can't really replace it in the future for the next best hardwired solution.

I will risk the $315...or even $800 purchase ifit can be easily replaced. I'll let you know what i think of CQC in 4 or 5 months...

 

[johnnynine]

I also jumped in yesterday. So now I've got an Elk M1 on the way and CQC. Once I get the Elk, I'll just need to find the time to tinker.

 

[penngray]

I have spent nearly $1K on freakin' cable alone

oh yeah I forgot about that cost.....I spent close to 3K on A/V wiring already.

 

[MBrew]

I ride both side of the fence, DIY and Professonal. The MSRP of the Full Integrator Version of CQC is $2,635 with Media Services and $1,594 with out.

If I presented you a quote for a CQC Server for $3200 and you went on the Internet and see that the DIY verson goes for $315, I am sure you would think I am crazy for trying to sell you a computer and $315 dollers worth of software for $3200. Out of that $3200 I am only getting an average profit level, nothing compared to other products in the same field so there is no way I can add any added valued services to make it look better. I have been questioned on this every time except once!

ToyMaster, when you quote $3200 for a server, how much configuration does that include?

 

[toymaster458]

ToyMaster, when you quote $3200 for a server, how much configuration does that include?

That is the Server with dual Hard Drives, extra serial ports, PCI IR Card, Windows and CQC preinstalled, and nothing else. With the cost of all the equipment and software plus to handle warrenty, there is no profit margin left to do anything else.

 

[Dean Roddey]

If you compare that to what you'd pay for say a Crestron system of equivalent power and expandability, you'd be looking probably at twice that, again before any customization work. Now Crestron does have some entry level controllers, but they aren't very expandable. And of course if you are DIY'ing it, you can get an $800 mini-ITX based system that will serve very well as the back end for a small automation system, add our software, a serial board, maybe IR, and be in for around $2000'ish. It depends on what you consider your time is worth, wiether you want to save the bucks and spend the time, or save the time and spend the bucks.

 

[Dean Roddey]

OK, I've processed all of the requests for the old full system package. If you ordered but haven't gotten the e-mail by later today, let me know. We had 44 new customers sign up in a couple days, and it was via an informal process so it was done very manually and I might have missed someone.

 

[IVB]

You're going to need a theme song, perhaps like this one.