Best add-on used controller? HC300 vs HC200 vs HC1000

[carvelln]

Hi all

Thanks again for answering all my rookie questions thus far.  You guys have been a major help!

I was thinking of adding another controller or two for some bedrooms in my house.  I currently have an HC800 and HC250, controlling the basement theater and living room system, respectively. 

What's the most cost effective controller that I can get used?  I looked on Ebay and saw many used HC300s, HC200s, and HC1000s.  based on my research, it seems that these older models can't be used as the "brains" of a C4 system but they can be used to control additional rooms, correct?

Which model would you guys recommend?  Also, do I need to buy a unit that has a remote with it or can these older HCs be controlled via app on a mobile device like an Ipad?

thanks for your time!

 

 

[VINCELdUB]

Your control4 system is "controlled" by the director. This is on one controller. The HC800 in your case.

 

The additional controllers are slaves and are a part of the network of control4 devices.

 

Therefore, all apps and remote controls will control the system.

 

For the slave controllers, processing power doesn't matter. What matters is the form factor for your installation needs and the amount of inputs and outputs that you need.

 

The hc200 has one audio in and one audio out. It also has 4 ir outputs and a ir blaster built into the front. Small form factor.

 

The hc300 has one audio in and 2 audio outputs as well as 6 ir outputs and an ir blaster on the front. It also has 2 serial outputs and one contact input for a sensor and one relay for motorization of a device.

 

The hc1000 is a master controller without any ins or outs. And is useless as a slave.

 

 

Happy Automating!

[carvelln]

Awesome. thanks very much!

[VINCELdUB]

You are very welcome!

 

 

Happy Automating!

[funnyfarm299]

Also note that using an HC-200, 300, or 500 for any audio streaming will disable advanced audio. I would say at this point, consider an HC-250 for a secondary controller.

[carvelln]

If my intent is to simply enable c4 and alexa control of my master bedroom tv and devices (roku), will it matter?  Would your scenario apply if I was having the hc300 control a sonos speaker?

And what exactly is advanced audio?

[thecodeman]

1 hour ago, carvelln said:

If my intent is to simply enable c4 and alexa control of my master bedroom tv and devices (roku), will it matter?  Would your scenario apply if I was having the hc300 control a sonos speaker?

And what exactly is advanced audio?

Unless you want an on-screen Control4 menu on that TV, you dont need a controller to get IR to turn on/off your tv - roku has an IP driver (controlled by the main 800 over the network), and Control4 makes a Zigbee to IR piece thats small and has two IR outputs (needs power though).

The 300 as a slave wont control a sonos speaker, as that is IP control and runs on the 800 as well.

[funnyfarm299]

I agree. If you just need to control a TV, Roku, and cable box, a z2IR would be a good fit here. Just make sure the room has zigbee coverage from existing controllers.

[SMHarman]

Or if you have a cat5 network cable at the TV you could use that for the ir from the 800.

 

You could even split it use two pair for 100mb network (enough for streaming) and one pair for ir

[carvelln]

10 hours ago, SMHarman said:

Or if you have a cat5 network cable at the TV you could use that for the ir from the 800.

 

You could even split it use two pair for 100mb network (enough for streaming) and one pair for ir

Thanks for the input.  How does this work?  I do have CAT6 network cable at the TV but where would I plug in the IR emitter that would be attached to the TV?  Doesn't the emitter need to be plugged into a local controller?  Or is that where the Zigbee-to-IR adapter comes into play?

[SMHarman]

Thanks for the input.  How does this work?  I do have CAT6 network cable at the TV but where would I plug in the IR emitter that would be attached to the TV?  Doesn't the emitter need to be plugged into a local controller?  Or is that where the Zigbee-to-IR adapter comes into play?

You put one of these on each end.

 

2 Pack RJ45 Ethernet Lan Cable Port 1 to 2 Socket Splitter Connector Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019DTNIHU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0gP0yb76NM25F

 

This takes 4 of the cables from the cat for each jack.

 

This gives a 10/100 connection not a gig connection for ethernet but a 4k stream is 8mbps so that is adequate.

 

Then the other 4. Cut an ir bud cable in half. Cut a cat cable on half. Figure out which colors have continuity over the splitter above.

 

Splice the ir bud 3.5mm jack to one end and connect to the splitter and a spare ir on the hc800. Bind that to the room/TV/tvdriver. Splice their bud to the other end connect and stick to TV.