jfournier69 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Would something like this work with control4? It seems like it would simplify the system because it supports both zigbee and IRUniversal Remote MX880Z Wand Style LR and Zigbee RF PC Programmable Hardhttp://www.securitystoreusa.com/product-p/mx880z.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryanjackson Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 There are alot of devices out there that are zigbee and do not work in the c4 environment. I haven't heard anything on this remote but am pretty sure it will not work. Although if you really liked this remote c4 can be set up to receive IR command from any universal remote and execute commands based on the IR command.Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookedOnC4 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Would something like this work with control4? It seems like it would simplify the system because it supports both zigbee and IRUniversal Remote MX880Z Wand Style LR and Zigbee RF PC Programmable Hardhttp://www.securitystoreusa.com/product-p/mx880z.htmGet a SR-250 they are great... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 There are alot of devices out there that are zigbee and do not work in the c4 environment. I haven't heard anything on this remote but am pretty sure it will not work. Although if you really liked this remote c4 can be set up to receive IR command from any universal remote and execute commands based on the IR command.RyanNot the new controllers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfournier69 Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Why wouldn't C4 add IR capabilities to their remotes. It seems like it would make the wiring process much more simple, no need for IR extenders, etc. I guess they'd lose money though. So I have a question then. I'm reviewing a quote sent to me from a dealer. My basic initial setup is this: Basement closet: HC-800, C4 tuner, C4 8 zone amp. Initially, I only want to control lighting, temperature, door locks, in room music. I am also installing a GE concord4 security system, and have already purchased the automation module to adapt to control4. Also in the basement, across the room from the closet will be my entertainment center. In the entertainment center will be my television, receiver, blue ray player, game systems, etc. I have plenty of cat6 cable running through the walls from each tv location in the house to the closet where the c4 equipment is (my house is being built and I took the liberty of running 1000 feet of cat6 EVERYWHERE). On the back of the HC-800 is an HDMI output. If I want to be able to use the TV across the hall as an on screen interface, I imagine, since nothing is drywalled yet, I can run an HDMI cable through the ceiling from the closet to the TV location. Or I could use HDMI-CAT6-HDMI adapters. Probably cheaper to just run a 35 foot HDMI cable though. On the back of the HC-800 are several IR 3.5mm output jacks. I think 8. I assume I have to find a way to transfer that signal to a cat6 cable and then re-convert it at the tv area. If I can find an IR receiver with several receiver nodes, ie, stick on for tv, receiver, blueray player, can all of those be controlled from one IR output on the HC-800, or does each port only have the ability to control ONE item. I'm asking because aside from the 8 ir outputs on the HC-800, the equipment list included with my quote includes C4 IR extender. It seems unnecessary. Or instead of wasting a cat6 cable, I know there are plenty of IR extenders with lengthy cords, 25-35 feet, that I can run through the ceiling next to the HDMI cable to the tv area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Why wouldn't C4 add IR capabilities to their remotes.Because your control system is *always* supposed to work, not just when the remote is pointed at the gear.When I hit 'Room Off', or turn off *all* my gear (i.e. 'House Off', which I can trigger from *anywhere*), I want the TV/Receiver/DVD to turn off, even if the remote is stuck down in the couch, or happens to be turned the wrong way. You can't do that 100% reliably by using an emitter on a remote. You can't do it reliably with *any* control method that relies on a moveable device.I also want to still be able to control the system if I happen to have misplaced my Control4 remote. Currently, I can do that by using my Android app, a Control4 touchscreen, etc.It's not about Control4 losing sales, it's about your Control4 system being reliable. If you don't want to add a Control4 controller at the TV to get only IR, just use a Global Cache' WF2IR unit. Small, USB-powered if wanted, WiFi, IR outputs, works fine with Control4. No new wiring (assuming you have WiFi), simple, cheaper than a Control4 controller.http://www.globalcache.com/products/itach/wf2irspecs/If you want an IR-controlled remote, just go buy a universal remote and be done with it. If you want something that works better, use an IR bud.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfournier69 Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 so assuming I'm using the HC-800, how do I get the IR signal from the 3.5mm jack across the room to my television, receiver, dvd player? I'm thinking 3.5mm IR out, to cat5, across the room, and back to an IR emitter with several heads to work each device? Is there a more simple way to accomplish this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfournier69 Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Or do I add a controller at the tv and from the contoller, use an ir transmitter/emitter to control that equipment. If so, what controller? HC-200? If I can get an IR signal from the close where my HC-800 will be located, along with HDMI across the room to the tv area, is there a need to add a controller at the tv? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookedOnC4 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 You can use cat5 cable to make any longer run. One of my rooms equipment(300C) is in basement and we ran cat5 and spliced in the IR's works fine. I also use another 300C, 200B and a 200 in main living and bedrooms. They came out with the new HC-250 so you could use these. Check with your dealer and talk about what you want and future expansion of your system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfournier69 Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 very cool. Really I plan on having a few touchscreen controllers in the house. If I want to an on tv interface, I guess it wouldn't solve my problem by allowing me to reduce down to one remote since I'll be using Dish Network's hopper system which doesn't use IR but rather a zigbee signal. Apparently they won't release their IPs to control4 so the hopper and "joeys" can be controlled with the control4 remote. Thus if I really want to use the tv as an interface, I'd still have two remotes, one for the dish and a control4 remote for everything else. If I wanted to use the tv as an interface and I put an HC-250 behind the tv, I'm guessing the HC-250 would communicate with the HC-800 via zigbee, so there would be no need for using the cat6 I have in the wall right? I'm just wondering if I would be better off reserving the IR outputs on the HC-800 for future equipment I may want to add to the system, such as a video matrix switcher, dvd/blue ray/cd changer, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdvr Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 You can control the hopper and joey with IR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfournier69 Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Oh that's great, so I can have an HC-250 at the entertainment center for my on screen control, and use the IR outputs to control my receiver, dvd player and joey! On the second floor of the house, I will have a spare room (tv room) with a wall mounted television. Next to the wall where the where the tv is mounted is a closet. I have cat6 and HDMI cables running from the closet to where the tv is through the wall, and I also have cat6 running from the wall where the tv is all the way to the basement where the control room is. They joey for that room will be located in the closet. If I also wanted to use a control4 remote for that television with an on screen display and want as little wires showing as possible, what would be a good course of action? Put the HC250 in the closet with the joey, use the HDMI in the wall to hook the SR250 to the tv, and use the cat6 cable running between the closet and where the TV is to extend the IR from the HC250 to the TV area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Yeah, just like Brent said, you can control that via IR.You can run as many as 4 IR buds over one CAT cable. While you can put multiple items on one IR output (splice multiple heads on) I wouldn't recommend it. Just cut the IR bud in half between the head and the jack, and splice one pair of the 4 pairs in a CAT cable in. You can control all four of those devices on one CAT cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 What Dan Said. RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfournier69 Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Is there some kind of adapter to go from the IR output (3.5mm) to Cat5 or 6 to simplify the process at least one one end? Maybe one on the other end as well? Do you have any recommendations for IR products that might be applicable to what I am trying to do? I know they make IR outputs that already have several heads without any splicing on the consumer's part. I'm guessing the receiver would be connected to the cat6 and then the device splits it to all of those heads. If I splice the heads on myself, I'm guessing each head uses 4 strands of wire from the cat6. How would I go from the 3.5mm to cat6 but do it so every emitter head is receiving a signal? By the way, you guys are great and I really appreciate all the input. I'm basically trying to piece my system together as much as possible before I have someone come in and program it for me. Couple more questions in addition to the one above. I read great reviews on the concord4 security panel being integrated with control4. I purchased one along with the automation module. If I have motion sensors in the home wired to the security panel, is it possible, through integration, say, to have lights come on dimly when motion is sensed even if the alarm is not armed? Basically what I'm trying to do is have motion sensors on the second floor of the house, and if in the middle of the night the kids wander from their bedrooms to the bathroom, etc, when their motion is sensed, the hall lights will come on to 10% or so to act as a night light. Of course I purchased this stuff and then found that control4 makes wireless motion sensors, but I guess with the security system they would at least also serve as security in addition to what I would like to do. And of course while I was writing this question I forgot what my second one. I'm sure it'll come back to me when I'm not near the computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Yes they do make pieces that make this slightly easier.. they cost money.http://www.easyadapters.com/products.php?cat=10http://www.easyadapters.com/products.php?cat=15I can't read the rest of your questions because I have ADD and they are embedded in a paragraph. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Jfournier69, each IR bud will use one pair in the CAT cable...2 of the 8 wires. Just cut the IR bud in half, strip the wires back about 1/4 inch, and splice the cat cable in with dolphin connectors. Takes maybe...1 minute per IR bud? If you want to get real fancy you can solder and heat shrink, but dolphin connectors have never failed me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdvr Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Dolphin connectors rule:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdvr Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Couple more questions in addition to the one above. I read great reviews on the concord4 security panel being integrated with control4. I purchased one along with the automation module. If I have motion sensors in the home wired to the security panel, is it possible, through integration, say, to have lights come on dimly when motion is sensed even if the alarm is not armed? Basically what I'm trying to do is have motion sensors on the second floor of the house, and if in the middle of the night the kids wander from their bedrooms to the bathroom, etc, when their motion is sensed, the hall lights will come on to 10% or so to act as a night light..yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFUG Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I fought with a Dolphin once or twice. Just started using Wago 222-412 connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth_j Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Dolphin connectors rule:)Not as much as you think. Security guys use them but they are absolutely horrible for IR splicing. The teeth tend to cut right through IR cables if they are applied correctly. I can't tell you the number of dolphin connectors I've replaced. A small vinyl connector would work much better and cause less frustration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFUG Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Anything over 22ga. is a battle with compression-type connectors. Even the Wagos don't always grab 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookedOnC4 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I use 3M connectors they work fine. Like you would use on phone connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Solder and shrink tubing works best for me.Looks nicer (no dolphin crimps hanging around), wire diameter isn't a problem, etc.Takes a bit more time, but it's not going to stop working.Ever.RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Solder and shrink tubing works best for me.Looks nicer (no dolphin crimps hanging around), wire diameter isn't a problem, etc.Takes a bit more time, but it's not going to stop working.Ever.RyanEI agree this is the best way to go. I don't always choose to do it that way due to time/convenience factors, but solder and heat shrink is tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.