As projects become increasingly complex and customer expectations evolve, remote monitoring and management is now more important than ever. Mark Reynolds, VP & General Manager EMEA at Snap One tells us more.
Snap One has further strengthened its brand portfolio and the advantages of its OvrC remote monitoring platform with the introduction of the WattBox power management range.
WattBox solutions, coupled with the remote capabilities of OvrC, provides Snap One integrators with all the tools required for deeper control and insights into their clients’ systems, bringing an extra layer of protection, peace of mind and the opportunity to say goodbye to service calls.
You’ve Got the Power
WattBox is a high-quality brand of power management, conditioning, and surge protection solutions which, until this year, had only been available to integrators in North America. Now completely re-engineered to meet 240V power requirements, the brand is available to integrators in the UK with five IP-enabled products to suit different applications.
Power conditioning and surge protection is a growing requirement to protect products from a variety of power issues, and to preserve the quality and reliability of installations.
By bringing our critical WattBox power management offering to partners, we can add further value to the Snap One brand offering, making the integration experience of this technology easier and better over the Control4 platform and increasing the functionality of OvrC remote monitoring in this area.
The new WattBox 800 and 250 Series deliver IP power management, professional-grade surge protection, and remote monitoring for integrators.
The WattBox 250 is a compact and affordable smart PDU with two individually controlled outlets that work over wired connection and also WiFi when necessary. From the 800 Series, we will offer a range of products including the standalone 1U 8-Outlet with an Integrated Faceplate, a 12-Outlet Vertically mounted Power Strip and a 6-Outlet PDU both of which can be connected to and controlled via the 800 Series Faceplate Accessory.
Complete Control with OvrC
These WattBox products bring significant benefits for integrators. These include individually controlled and metered outlets for advanced troubleshooting and the ability to reboot single devices without disrupting the entire system. They also allow installations to be upgraded with IP power and bring the opportunity for advanced control system integration as well as access to OvrC remote management. Through the OvrC dashboard, integrators can reboot and troubleshoot devices remotely, eliminating unnecessary site visits. Scheduling features, notifications, and an end-user app make WattBox an ideal power solution for integrators.
With its affordable price point and the remote management power of OvrC, putting a WattBox solution on every job will save time and money. Integrators can power and control everything on a system – and practically anything else that plugs in – whilst fitting WattBox units in a range of different locations: in-cabinet racks, behind or under furniture, on the back of a TV or under a desk.
Quick and Accurate Diagnostics
WattBox products feature Self-Healing Auto-Reboot allowing devices to monitor the status of IP connections that are able to ping multiple URLs or IP addresses as defined by the integrator. If a configured ping sequence fails, the integrator can define a sequence of outlet resets to perform automatically.
This feature is great for monitoring a LAN connection and rebooting the modem, router, network switch, and access point to restore connectivity automatically. In addition to auto-reboot, the device can be configured to perform scheduled on/off/resets, send notifications, give clients equipment reset capabilities using the client-facing mobile app, OvrC Connect, and much more.
With OvrC, integrators can proactively solve issues without visiting the site. Since most service calls are ultimately resolved by power cycling a device, the ability to enable auto-reboot, set schedules, and regularly power cycle saves integrators time and money. Integrators can even alert their customers that they’ve fixed their connectivity after the fact to reaffirm the value of their service.
Business Building Support
WattBox makes it simple to offer troubleshooting for clients and create an ongoing source of revenue via service contracts with customers. Building recurring revenue with WattBox + OvrC is easy, because integrators can keep an eye on their client’s network and fix problems quickly – without having to visit site.
Moreover, increased notification accuracy and improved Wireless Site Management within OvrC, mean that partners enjoy faster, more efficient workflows.
Here’s what Simon Clarke, Managing Director at Snap One and Control4 Partner, Clarke Infinity has to say about the impact of WattBox on his business:
“WattBox integration with OvrC is life changing. Having the OvrC dashboard of information at our fingertips on site or in the office is invaluable. So much so, that we insist on OvrC on all new projects. Now that we also have WattBox, the ability to re-boot equipment is so simple. We have recorded call outs over the past 10 years. 72% of call outs have been Sky Boxes locking up requiring a simple re-boot and now we have introduced methods of doing this remotely. WattBox just makes our life so much easier. If you’re serious about giving your clients the best installation with the best aftercare service, then WattBox has to be part of your offering.”
The Tools for Success
It’s now easier than ever before to put the timesaving, budget-friendly, stress-reducing, and customer-delighting power of WattBox + OvrC remotely managed power in all locations on every job. Through OvrC’s desktop or mobile app, integrators can now monitor anything from power to surveillance and everything in between – all from a single interface.
Now every Control4 OS3 system can be remotely managed using OvrC, without the need for additional hardware or any recurring software licence fee. Embedded within all Control4 EA, CA and CORE controllers, OvrC automatically finds all IP connected devices on the network, relaying relevant device information and regularly pinging their online status.
In fact, OvrC supports over 260 Snap One products. As well as the WattBox range, these include our core networking brands Araknis and Pakedge, as well as select third-party products. With this expanding support OvrC includes one of the largest ecosystems of integrated products from both Snap One and leading third-party manufacturers, giving you unmatched control over every part of your install.
We know that OvrC has become vital to the success of businesses, and we’re excited to be enriching its feature-set and performance to make the ecosystem better, faster, and more reliable.
With the success of OvrC since SnapOne launched globally we continue to offer direct and bespoke trainings with assigned and experienced Sales Engineers to help integrations move faster and in the right direction. If you are a current Snap One Partner, contact your Snap One representative for 1-2-1 (company) trainings with your regional SE to take a deep dive into Wattbox and how it brings a new dynamic to OvrC.
More information on Snap One can be found at www.snapone.com and existing partners can learn more about WattBox at the Control4 Dealer Portal https://dealer-emea.control4.com/new/power.