The integrators in this edition’s Guys on the Ground are Control Gadgets, a company John O’Brien describes as the best-kept secret in boutique control programming services.

AV Integrators come in many forms. Most of them source a range of black boxes, wire and install them onsite and then try getting them to play together nicely. This is the point that a skilled programmer comes in handy. Many can do it in-house but need to allocate substantial time and resources to keep that person(s) continually busy and upskilled.

The other option is to outsource the programming and control side to dedicated specialists in that area, such as Control Gadgets.

How they got there

Back in 2001, enterprising software developer, electronics and sound engineer Geoff Vanstan saw a market for not only skilled control system programmers but also niche electronic gadgets to be paired with control systems. Initially making hardware as much as software, Control Gadgets was underway.

Before long, they were manufacturing interactive voice response controllers, DMX/CBUS and LED controllers, concept security interfaces and weather station interfaces. Programming services were also expanding, and Adam Banks joined in 2003 to meet the growing demand. Brad Allen joined them in 2004 and Adam Wibaux came on a couple of years later.

Geoff unfortunately succumbed to cancer in 2013. It was a great loss to the company and all who knew him. By then, the company had moved away from hardware and had focused solely on software. A while after Geoff’s passing, the (by then) five staff teamed together to buy out the company from Geoff’s estate with Jean-Philippe Pouliot having joined during that period to become one of the joint directors.

‘Configured’ standard platform

One of the most unique aspects of Control Gadgets’ programming is the ‘Configured’ configurable control system platform that they have developed. Initially started with Monash University, the goal was developing standardised code for their Crestron systems. With the advent of Crestron SIMPL#Pro in 2014, even easier version control and code collaboration were now possible.

In 2016, they worked with the University of Newcastle to create a more flexible configurable system for their use. They then created ‘Configured’ for deployment by the wider education community in 2017, with the first to adopt being Massey University in New Zealand.

The platform has been in continuous development since. It has seen over 600 revisions and is used in almost 2,500 rooms across Australia and New Zealand. Designed to remove the drudgery and repetition of starting programming of each job/site from scratch, their in-house toolset is Control Gadgets’ method for implementing complex automation systems.

Adam Banks explains the process of how it works: “Starting either from scratch or by using an easy-to-create template, systems can be configured and deployed in a matter of minutes.

“It’s as easy as giving the system a name, choosing a control processor from the dropdown list (with every possible Crestron processor available), adding what sort of switcher you are using (and again, you’ve got a great many options there), adding sources, video zones and choose which outputs they link to.  Then you’ve got DSPs, mics, VCs, lecture capture, all the bells and whistles. All you need to do is choose what’s physically in that room and deploy that in configuration. We’ve done all the hard work, so you end up with exactly what works best for your particular requirements.”

I’ve seen it in action, and it’s an extremely quick method to get a powerful system underway. The bulk of the system is based on Crestron, as that is what most of their customer base uses, but they have AMX templates available when required. The Configured platform is continually refined and expanded to include new equipment and feature sets as they get requested.

Customer base and focus

When Control Gadgets started, they programmed anything, anywhere. Over time they have migrated mainly into the education sector to the point where “that is now 95% of what we do” Adam says.

Some of their contact is direct to the institution’s tech staff, sometimes via an integrator but they always “begin after the hardware has been installed on-site” Adam continues.

“We prefer it that way. That way we don’t get involved in systems (design or install). We are focused on developing our platform.”

That platform is under constant development. Adam shares an example: “For Deakin University, we just added the ability to do ad-hoc lecture capture recordings for Panopto.”

New features are added only as required: “We prefer to focus on meeting our customers’ needs rather than allocating time or resources for development that’s not been requested. We rarely add features just because we think they are cool, preferring to give our customers a stable and reliable product that precisely meets their needs instead,” Adam says.

To help achieve this aim. Control Gadgets use a ticketed support system (Jira by Atlassian) and maintain SLAs with most institutions that deploy their platform.

Features

Staying both customer and immediate goal-focused are Control Gadgets’ strengths. When they are adding new devices to the platform. As Adam explains: “We work with a physical device whenever possible. Occasionally physical devices for certain gear are not available to obtain. In those cases, there’s generally a test system on site that we use to test remotely.

“It’s not often we go to the site anymore. The Pandemic saw us transition from travelling several times a month to only a few times a year, and that’s stayed the same ever since. We have a large amount of test equipment in our offices, and as I said before, if we need a large piece of hardware to develop code for, we’ll obtain a physical device instead of travelling. That keeps costs down for our customers and allows us to focus on developing code instead.”

Otherwise, Control Gadgets’ focus is maintaining the Configured platform in a stable manner so there are no surprises onsite. Educational institutions very much enjoy this strategy.

Processes

This careful approach suits their customer base well, helping Control Gadgets “develop individualised relationships directly with each university and tailor systems to their unique needs,” Adam says.

Keeping those systems up and running is critical to keeping the relationship flourishing.

“We exhibited at some AETM shows and hosted showcases at Integrate, but we haven’t for a few years now,” Adam explains.

With all the COVID upheavals and resets, every business has had to reassess how they generate work. Control Gadgets got through that tough period unscathed and now are at a point where they’re marketing once more.

The aftermath of the great disruption now sees three of the directors working mostly from home. The IT-based nature of their business means a remote login doesn’t need a site presence.

“We had a few universities that we took on during that period, where we couldn’t go and visit them, and never physically went face to face with them for years. For example, Deakin Uni was a customer for a couple of years and once all that settled down, I was finally able to physically fly down and say Hi in person (for the first time),” Adam says.

Core strengths and specialisations

Relationship building aside, the core of this company is the ‘Configured’ software platform. It is powerful, scalable and flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of scenarios.

“The platform is such that it will work on everything from a single room with a keypad and display, up to (covering) an entire floor of combinable systems. It’s all the same code, there’s no recompile or bespoke code or anything like that,” Adam says.

The company manages that codebase through GitHub, allowing everyone in the company access to fork out a branch and only reintegrate when that section is complete and tested. They are all primarily Crestron programmers except Brad who has a strong background in web development.

This is handy as Control Gadgets is currently developing its own web front end for ‘Configured’. The company plans to have monitoring and all sorts of other functionality added to it. The new features’ availability will be down to client request and selection.

Upskilling

What is non-negotiable is upskilling. Control Gadgets staff are always trying to learn more and better ways to optimise their company and skills. Control Gadgets is one of the only CSPs (Crestron Service Providers) in Australia and all programmers are Masters certified up to Gold level. Adam Banks and Adam Wibaux recently attended the Crestron Masters gathering in Madrid.

Adam expands: “We travelled over just for Masters. That was grueling but it’s good for us in that we stay on top of the latest concepts and developments. The pros certainly outweigh the financial cons. Being able to not only talk directly but learn from Crestron department heads is invaluable.”

The future

Where to next for Control Gadgets and the industry? Probably more of the same.

As the industry bounds ahead with new ideas and products, this crew continue with incremental improvements in a solid and proven approach. AI might be able to generate code, but it cannot test that code’s fitness for purpose or handhold someone as they struggle to learn a new procedure. “It’s never going to replace the people who do our job. How am I going to have a conversation like this with a chatbot?” Adam asks.

Another key part of that conversation is staying responsive to customer needs and wants. Adam consolidates this approach: “The majority of features are added (only) due to user demand. However, we are soon going to introduce monitoring features within our web platform. These additions are not universally essential but will enhance the overall functionality and cater to a more diverse audience.”

Hence, the features will be opt-in and only available upon request.

In an industry of box movers, these guys stand out. Adam Wibaux wraps up: “We’re somewhat unique in that we don’t do any hardware, we only provide software. There’s not many of us around that just do that.”

Control Gadgets’ secret cat has been let out of the bag.

//Author’s note: I’ve known these guys for 20 years and remember when Geoff expanded to a staff of two, as Adam Banks joined up. As Crestron (ANZ) tech support at the time, we regularly talked. Their honesty, straightforward approach and inquisitive nature made them great clients. Their technical ability outshone mine then and has only gotten better over the intervening years. Adam and I attended Crestron Programming Certification programming classes together in 2006. Coming home, I was shunted into a sales role and never seriously programmed again. Adam and the team have done nothing else but.