ProAudio: Updating Your Control4 Driver After the Zektor to Pulse-Eight Rebrand

Last updated: 27 Jul 2026

This is a Legacy Support Article Relating to Zektro Branded ProAudios Sold before March 2021 Only. If you have a Pulse-Eight Branded ProAudio no action is required

In March 2021, Zektor became Pulse-Eight. As a result, current Control4 drivers for ProAudio are published under the Pulse-Eight name rather than Zektor. If you have an existing installation set up before that date using a Zektor-branded driver, replacing the ProAudio switch can create a driver name conflict — Composer will try to use the new Pulse-Eight driver instead of the Zektor one your project already expects, and the old driver name won't be found.

This only applies if you're replacing a ProAudio switch in an existing installation that's currently using a Zektor-branded driver. New installs should always use the current Pulse-Eight driver.

Checking Which Driver You're Using

Before replacing the switch, check whether your current Control4 driver name contains "zektor." For example, the old ProAudio16 driver was named:

avswitch_232_ip_zektor_AUD1600.c4i

The current Pulse-Eight driver for the same product is named:

ProAudio16_pulse-eight.c4i

If you're using the old driver, "Zektor" will also appear as the company name in Composer.

Your Options

Option	Best for
Delete the old driver and install the current Pulse-Eight driver. You'll need to rebind all inputs and outputs.	New installs, or any project where bindings haven't been done yet (or you're already planning to redo them).
Send a command to the new switch that makes it identify as compatible with the old Zektor driver.	Replacing a switch in an installation that's already working, where you want everything to continue functioning without changes.

Making the New Switch Compatible With the Old Driver

To do this, you'll send a command to the switch using a terminal program such as PuTTY, over either a serial cable or TCP/IP.

To switch to the Zektor-compatible driver:

^OPT 1,247$

To switch back to the Pulse-Eight driver later (for example, if the unit is reused in a future installation):

^OPT 0,247$

This command doesn't appear in the current Universal Serial Protocol reference — it's a legacy compatibility option specific to this transition, rather than part of the general command set.

Using a Serial Cable

Connect the cable.Connect a serial cable, or a USB-to-serial cable, between the ProAudio and your PC. If you're using USB-to-serial, check Device Manager for the COM port it was assigned.

Set up the PuTTY session.Open PuTTY and set Connection type to Serial, enter your COM port, and set the speed to 19200.

Session settings for a serial connection.

Set the Terminal options.Click "Terminal" in the category list and force Local echo and Local line editing on.

Force Local echo and Local line editing on before opening the session.

Send the command.Click Open, type ^OPT 1,247$, and press Enter. You can now install the switch normally — it will connect using the Zektor-branded driver.

Using TCP/IP

Disconnect the Control4 controller from the network.This stops it from connecting to the new switch before the compatibility option is set.

Power on the switch and find its IP address.Plug the ProAudio into the network and give it a minute or two to connect. Scan the network for its IP address — it should advertise a Pulse-Eight MAC address. Depending on when the unit was made, look for a MAC address starting with either 00-15-82- or 5C-D4-AB-.

Set up the PuTTY session.Open PuTTY, set Connection type to Raw, enter the switch's IP address as Host Name, and set the port to 50005.

Session settings for a TCP/IP connection.

Set the Terminal options.Click "Terminal" in the category list and force Local echo and Local line editing on.

Force Local echo and Local line editing on before opening the session.

Send the command.Click Open, type ^OPT 1,247$, and press Enter. You can now install the switch normally — it will connect using the Zektor-branded driver. Remember to reconnect the Control4 controller to the network afterwards.

Need help with a driver conflict?

Our support team can help troubleshoot Control4 driver naming or compatibility issues.

UK: 01202 413 610 | US: (858) 748-8250 | support@pulse-eight.com