doorbell connection

[bcoman]

1.8 yields several seconds on a 300B

Thank you for the test run. This is an excellent example of the useful exchange this board has provided the C4 community.

I eagerly await Dan's test results.

Brian

[AK1]

I had slow doorbell announcement issues with HC300. Went to an HC1000 and the reponse time is approx. 1 sec.

[ILoveC4]

Okay...the test results are in. I ran three tests for you. One using a contact on the Media Controller, one using a wireless GE sensor that was is in a door and communicates with C4 via the Card Access Sensor Bridge, and the third being a doorbell that is connected to a card access wireless contact sensor. The results were very close to the same. I didn't get out my chronograph, but I would consider them all very fast.

Here are the tests I ran:

I programmed an announcement to execute when the one or garage doors opened. The garage sensor is a magnetic sensor switch that is on the end of about a 100 foot cat5 cable, and is connected to a contact on the Media Controller. This was slowest of the three, but I would say it took around one second.

I also tested an announcement tied to my doorbell. The doorbell is connected to a card access wireless contact sensor that resides in my rack, right next the media controller. This CAT5 run is probably 40-45 feet. This was actually slightly quicker than the garage door, but I would guess that is probably because the sensor switch takes a moment longer to completely open (for the magnets to distance themselves enough), where as the doorbell is obviously an instant closure...push the button, contact closed. Easy enough.

The last test was a GE wireless sensor that is flush mounted in a door, and communicates with C4 via a Card Access Sensor Bridge (fantastic product BTW). This was the fastest, but not by much. I would say it takes 750 milliseconds - 1 second. Again, I didn't use a chronograph, but it was under one second for the announcement to start.

Now, let me list the applicable C4 hardware involved in these tests so you can make a comparison. It is all connected via a managed gigE switch, if that matters.

In the rack there is:

2 x HC300. One running shared navigator for a few TV's, and one running ZServer. They also both supply two audio outs to the amp.

1 x HC1000V3. This is obviously running director

1 x C4 16 Channel AMP (I think it is a V1, but may be a V2. It isn't the one with the updated look.)

1 x Media Controller - This is used for it's contacts and relays, audio outs, and that's it. All services are disabled on this unit other than those required for audio.

I don't know whether the announcement was coming out of one of the HC300's or the Media Controller...I'm not going to disconnect them all to find out...sorry.

Several seconds is much slower than what I experience, and I would imagine that is due to the HC1000V3, but I guess it could be several things.

Oh yeah, I am running 2.0.2. Hope that helps.

[CFUG]

OK, that's a lot of info and probably too much for most. I can get into CHE and manually execute an announcement and it still takes a few seconds to come over the speakers. It's strickly a serial process so it's going to take some time to select the channel on the amp then execute the wav file.

Are you trying to say that your HC1000 is responsible for the 1 second times you are claiming?

[ILoveC4]

I can get you further evidence if you want? I imagine it is due to the HC1000V3, but can't be certain.

I also setup a colored button on a remote to execute an announcement, and that takes about a second too.

[CFUG]

For those of us who don't have HC-1000s but wonder what kind of value we can expect, it is nice to have comparison data on just controller performance. I'm not asking for proof. If all you do is run an EXECUTE on an announcement and it comes back 1000ms, that is sufficient.

AK1's response= good.

[RyanE]

BTW, if you have your announcement going over any on-screen (TV) devices, it will be *much* slower, as the announcement agent waits for all devices to be fully online before sending the announcement.

RyanE

[bcoman]

Wow, Great testing.

I have not enabled the screen announcement., just the audio.

Looking through the thread, I see:

My old AVM-HC1-B 3 seconds

300B on 1.8 at several seconds

And the speed winner of 1 second or less if you have a MC1000 in the system.

Thanks for taking time to document the various configurations and response times.

Brian

PS my installer indicates about 2 seconds on MC300 systems he installs. This would correlate with the data from Control4userguy

[markyr2k1]

I have a screen announcement, TP pop up and a WAV over all speaker zones.. works fine. Also sends me an email which I pick up on my mobile if i`m out.