Is the AVA Cinema Remote a Control4 product?

No. AVA builds it as an Android-based handheld. It does not open a native Control4 session; it sends HTTP commands that a Control4 driver receives and turns into scenes.

What can I put on the remote?

Buttons and shortcuts for lighting presets, shade positions, AV macros and climate, plus a branded on-screen layout. Whatever Control4 can run as a scene, the remote can trigger.

Is there noticeable delay?

No. An HTTP command to a controller on the local network executes in a fraction of a second, so a Movie button dims the lights and starts the source without lag.

Do I still need Control4's own remote?

Not in the room the AVA remote serves. Many homes run the Control4 Halo remote in some rooms and the AVA remote in the theater or great room; both run the same scenes.

AVA Cinema Remote with Control4 in Gig Harbor

How does the AVA Cinema Remote work with Control4?

Gig Harbor homeowners want one handheld that runs the theater, the lights and the shades without a wall of panels. This is how we pair the AVA Cinema Remote with Control4, and where the two hand off.

The AVA Cinema Remote is an Android handheld that triggers Control4 scenes over HTTP, so one remote runs the theater, the lights and the shades in a Gig Harbor home. Rivas Technology Group programs the scenes in Control4 and maps them to the remote; Control4 keeps the logic and AVA is the handheld.

By Ivan Rivas, Owner and Sales Engineer · 2025-10-20 · Updated 2026-09-17

Handheld remote for a Control4 home theater installed by Rivas Technology Group

What is the AVA Cinema Remote?

An Android-based handheld built as a control interface rather than a button pad. Where a conventional remote speaks one proprietary protocol to one system, the AVA remote sends HTTP requests over the home network. That lets an integrator design the layout, program shortcuts and on-screen buttons for lighting, shading, AV and climate, and bridge systems that do not talk to each other natively. The remote does not open a native IP session with Control4; it sends HTTP commands that a driver on the Control4 controller receives, and Control4 does the rest.

What does Control4 bring?

The automation underneath. Control4 coordinates lighting, audio, video, climate and security as one system, and runs in over 500,000 homes with 25,000+ third-party products (Control4). Every scene the AVA remote triggers, a theater preset, a shade position, a lighting mood, is a Control4 scene. It behaves the same whether it is started from the AVA remote, a keypad, the Control4 app or a voice command through Josh.ai.

What happens when you press Movie Night?

The remote sends an HTTP command, the controller runs the scene. The lights dim to the preset, the shades lower and the projector or display powers on. The amplifier selects the source and the volume is set, in about the time it takes to sit down. The same button in the morning can be "Sports" with the lights up and the shades open. Latency is low because the command never leaves the house.

Which systems does this usually cover in a Gig Harbor home?

Six, in most projects: lighting and dimming, motorized shades, whole-home audio, security and access control, home theater and AV switching, and voice and mobile control. In a waterfront house with a wall of glass, the shade and lighting scenes are what people use most; in a bonus-room theater, the AV macros. Because Control4 is the platform, adding a system later, cameras or a new amplifier, does not change the remote's job.

What does the setup include?

The driver, the layout and a programming session with you. We install the HTTP driver on the Control4 controller, build the remote's screens around the scenes you use, and name the buttons in plain words. We set the remote's network connection on the same segment as the controller so commands do not cross a firewall. Then we sit in the room and run every button with you until the layout is right. A remote that arrives configured and stays configured is the difference between a handheld the household uses and one that ends up in a drawer.

When is the AVA remote the right choice?

When the household wants a handheld with a designed screen rather than a wall panel or a phone. It suits the theater, the great room and the primary bedroom. Rooms that need a simple two-button scene control do better with a keypad, and the Control4 Halo remote remains the standard for rooms without a custom layout. We recommend by room, not by house, and many homes use both.

What drives the cost?

Whether Control4 is already installed, the number of rooms getting a handheld, and the amount of scene programming. Adding an AVA remote to an existing Control4 home is a small job: the driver, the remote and a programming session with you in the room. A new automation system is a larger one, and the network comes first (Wi-Fi and networking). The instant quote gives a range in minutes.

Need it installed?

Rivas Technology Group is a Control4 Authorized Dealer, listed on Control4's integrator map. We design and install automation in Gig Harbor, Tacoma and across south King County and Pierce County from our office in Kent. Start on the Control4 page or the Gig Harbor page, or book a walk-through below.