HC 1000 or HC800

[reace30]

I am looking to upgrade to 2.2 and wanted to get some opinions on going with a HC 1000 or HC 800. I have a HC 500 that I will be using as a slave for the media server components. I am wanting to go to 2.2 to speed up the system and be able to use some 7" touch screens I bought. All thoughts and insights will be much appreciated.

[dgbrown]

The HC1000 is EOL (end of life). If your wallet is open then get the HC800. THe 800 can also serve as a single controller system for many small to mid size projects. The HC1000 obn the other hand lacks a zigbee radio and requires a second controller.

[reace30]

Does the second controller have to have 2.2 on it as well?

[dgbrown]

Of course. All controllers in a project will run the same version. You can pick up a HC1000 cheap, but do know there have been quality issues with some manufacturing runs. Most recently DOM (disk on memory) failures.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a "new" HC800 which is under warranty. I wouldn't look to save a few bucks on your main controller.

[Cyknight]

Mhh the DOM was a 3rd party firmware issue. Also, expect to see the HC1000 go for sell-out prices (new that is).

The 800 is a (slightly) faster controller, plus gives faster on-screen and faster list navigator.

But there are some know issues with the 800's zigbee antenna combined with older zigbee devices (certain blinds, international 240v in-line dimmers) you may want to keep in mind - these may not affect you at all.

If the cost difference and the (limited) ZigBee problen aren't an issue - get an 800. It's worth it - especially coming from a 500.

[reace30]

Thanks for the advice! That info really helps a lot. I'm going to use the older controllers to control my three media sets around the house and use the 800 to control everything else.

[drmark12pa]

I have an HC800 on order.... already have an HC1000, 3 HC300s, 1 HC200....

Can the HC800 replace the HC1000 once integrated? Aren't playlists stored on the hard drive of the HC1000? I don't see any internal memory/hard drive capability of the HC800 listed in specs. Wouldn't a person have to keep the HC1000 if you want playlists or is that stored in the HC800 memory? Are mp3s physically stored on the hard drive in the HC1000 or just stored as a playlist to access the actual files on your NAS?

[pentium77]

drmark the HC800 has an eSATA port to hook up an external drive. I don't know its complete capabilities though. Personally I have other devices to stream with such as Oppo player and Denon. I'm looking to see about getting my C4 system to play music from my PC though not sure yet how this works but going to find out if it can be done right through the remote then it'll be much faster than having to turn on display to use my Oppo. You have a lot of devices you must have lots of rooms or something. I'm pretty sure the HC800 can easily replace the HC1000.

[Cyknight]

The 800 has no built in HDD, but can use an external eSata or USB drive for music storage.

Power-wise it will easily replace the 1000 - although it's effect right now in that sense is limited as a 1000 should be able to handle whatever you throw at it.

The 800 does provide faster list navigator on remotes (and a whopping range increase in ZigBee) and it's on-screen display is instant, faster than any other navigator (iPad, Tscreens) out there - except the HC 250 controller which does all the above too. Other boosts are minimal.

Realistically putting an 800 in a system currently running a 1000 is over-done (albeit better future proof). Much better value at that point would be to ADD an HC250 to use as a replacement ZAP coordinator for list, and use it as a on-screen device.

Note that in case of both the 800 and the 250 the on-screen spped increase is on THOSE devices only, they do not affect older devices' on-screen display.

Media itself gets stored on the 1000 and would have to betransferred if you take it out. The media DATABASE (including playlists etc get transferred with the project or by exporting and importing the media list in case you keep the 1000 in there.

[drmark12pa]

The 800 has no built in HDD, but can use an external eSata or USB drive for music storage.

Power-wise it will easily replace the 1000 - although it's effect right now in that sense is limited as a 1000 should be able to handle whatever you throw at it.

The 800 does provide faster list navigator on remotes (and a whopping range increase in ZigBee) and it's on-screen display is instant, faster than any other navigator (iPad, Tscreens) out there - except the HC 250 controller which does all the above too. Other boosts are minimal.

Realistically putting an 800 in a system currently running a 1000 is over-done (albeit better future proof). Much better value at that point would be to ADD an HC250 to use as a replacement ZAP coordinator for list, and use it as a on-screen device.

Note that in case of both the 800 and the 250 the on-screen spped increase is on THOSE devices only, they do not affect older devices' on-screen display.

Media itself gets stored on the 1000 and would have to betransferred if you take it out. The media DATABASE (including playlists etc get transferred with the project or by exporting and importing the media list in case you keep the 1000 in there.

Cynight,

So if I pull the HC1000 out of the system, will my playlists still be intact (all of my media is on Drobo network hard drive and not stored on the HC1000 drive)? I didn't know if the playlist actually physically copies the MP3 or FLAC to the HC1000 hard drive or if it's just a database that then will just play the file from the source network drive.

Is there any advantage to keeping an HC1000 if I'm going to add an HC800? My HC1000 is in my rack whereas I have some HC300's and an HC200 to run onscreen navigation in different rooms.

[Cyknight]

Any playlists you make do NOT move around actual music files, so yes the lists will stay intace - as long as you either export the lists, done under media tab in Compposer ME/HE/Pro or the project get back-up with media. Which is the proper way to back up for a transfer, unless you're doing an upgrade from pre-2.x to 2.x.

In that last case, there are some situations (I'd say yours isn't one) that warrents a full media re-scan. SOMETIMES converting a media database from pre 2.x to 2.x doesn't work properly - in which case you may end up needing to re-do the lists.

As for keeping a 1000 in when going to an 800 - no, no functional use in any way. Director SHOULD be run on the 800 in that case, which leaves the 1000 to be a media storage device, possibly z-server. While z-server seperation from zap/zapcoordinator/director is warrented in certain situations, an 800 is easily powerfull enough to handle it all and this way you're not "dumping" the load on the network.

[drmark12pa]

Any playlists you make do NOT move around actual music files, so yes the lists will stay intace - as long as you either export the lists, done under media tab in Compposer ME/HE/Pro or the project get back-up with media. Which is the proper way to back up for a transfer, unless you're doing an upgrade from pre-2.x to 2.x.

In that last case, there are some situations (I'd say yours isn't one) that warrents a full media re-scan. SOMETIMES converting a media database from pre 2.x to 2.x doesn't work properly - in which case you may end up needing to re-do the lists.

As for keeping a 1000 in when going to an 800 - no, no functional use in any way. Director SHOULD be run on the 800 in that case, which leaves the 1000 to be a media storage device, possibly z-server. While z-server seperation from zap/zapcoordinator/director is warrented in certain situations, an 800 is easily powerfull enough to handle it all and this way you're not "dumping" the load on the network.

Sounds good.. I usually perform a monthly backup of my Control4 project since I do minor tweaks and add media. So it sounds like when my dealer adds the HC800 I will just have him migrate the project to the HC800. I'm thinking about selling the HC1000 in this case since it sounds like it's more redundant and if I could even get a few hundred dollars for it that would cut my cost on the HC800 investment....

[pentium77]

Any playlists you make do NOT move around actual music files' date=' so yes the lists will stay intace - as long as you either export the lists, done under media tab in Compposer ME/HE/Pro or the project get back-up with media. Which is the proper way to back up for a transfer, unless you're doing an upgrade from pre-2.x to 2.x.

In that last case, there are some situations (I'd say yours isn't one) that warrents a full media re-scan. SOMETIMES converting a media database from pre 2.x to 2.x doesn't work properly - in which case you may end up needing to re-do the lists.

As for keeping a 1000 in when going to an 800 - no, no functional use in any way. Director SHOULD be run on the 800 in that case, which leaves the 1000 to be a media storage device, possibly z-server. While z-server seperation from zap/zapcoordinator/director is warrented in certain situations, an 800 is easily powerfull enough to handle it all and this way you're not "dumping" the load on the network.[/quote']

Sounds good.. I usually perform a monthly backup of my Control4 project since I do minor tweaks and add media. So it sounds like when my dealer adds the HC800 I will just have him migrate the project to the HC800. I'm thinking about selling the HC1000 in this case since it sounds like it's more redundant and if I could even get a few hundred dollars for it that would cut my cost on the HC800 investment....

You should get a decent price on that HC1000 but is it a V1?V3? that'll make a big difference on what it'll sell for.

[Cyknight]

You should get a decent price on that HC1000 but is it a V1?V3? that'll make a big difference on what it'll sell for.

Yes it makes a difference when you try to sell a car what year it was made

[drmark12pa]

It's a V3.... still have the box and packing! It's in perfect condition....

[JP Rizal]

As for keeping a 1000 in when going to an 800 - no, no functional use in any way. Director SHOULD be run on the 800 in that case, which leaves the 1000 to be a media storage device, possibly z-server. While z-server seperation from zap/zapcoordinator/director is warrented in certain situations, an 800 is easily powerfull enough to handle it all and this way you're not "dumping" the load on the network.

Hi Cyknight,

I am also upgrading to HC800

My system currently is HC1000 and three HC300s spread accross each floor of the house the HC300s are also used as ZAPs for each floor.

Since I'm thinking of replacing one the HC300 instead, leaving the HC1000 in the project for two reasons:

1. Media Storage (I'll be keepin my music files there)

2. Redundancy (just in case the HC800 fails)

What configuration are you suggesting:

HC800 as director, HC1000 as zserver and zap coordinator?

Thanks in advance

[Cyknight]

HC100 can't be coordinator - you want to keep that at the 800 for sure. You could put zserver on the 100o, however you're essentially just moving the workload onto the network, and as I said unless you have a truly huge project the 800 will handle those 3 services just fine all by itself. Keeping the 1000 as a music storage device and/or back-up is of course up to you.

[ILoveC4]

I have both an HC1000V3 and an HC800 in my project (in addition to other controllers). I have kept the HC1000V3 solely for the reason that it is essentially worthless. If I could sell it for a reasonable amount of money I would, but for $150 or whatever they're selling for, it isn't worth the time to pull it out of the rack. In my project it still runs director. I let the HC800 be the zigbee coordinator, do a bunch of I/O and serve up the Navigator.

Like I said, I'm sure the HC800 could handle Director just fine in addition to what it's currently doing, but the HC1000V3 is there so I just left it alone.

[Cyknight]

Yeah it would work just fine, the reason I'd take it out is that you're running a computer 24/7 when it has no functional advantage - so it may have no use to sell so keep it as a back-up, but why "pay" (for electricity, required network connections etc) to keep it in?.

Again if you have music on there it's different - you'd need to add something else to put it onto so may as well keep it in there.

[ILoveC4]

Yeah it would work just fine, the reason I'd take it out is that you're running a computer 24/7 when it has no functional advantage - so it may have no use to sell so keep it as a back-up, but why "pay" (for electricity, required network connections etc) to keep it in?.

Again if you have music on there it's different - you'd need to add something else to put it onto so may as well keep it in there.

Music is on the NAS. If I get really bored one day I may yank it out, but for now my time is better spent doing other things.

[Stealth22]

Hey guys,

I've got an HC1000 and an HC300 in my home right now, and Control4 sent me an e-mail offering a discount on hardware if I spend $3000...whoop de doo.

But anyway, I was just wondering...would there be a huge benefit to upgrading to a new HC800? Keeping in mind that the house is less than 2 years old...

[Cyknight]

If Zigbee gets moved to the 800 it'll speed up the remotes, and if you can use the 800 for on-screen that'll be MUCH faster too. Overall system speed increase beyond that is minimal, if not unnoticeable.

Of course you'll get all the included licenses if you use an 800, provided you don't have them already.

The ZigBee and on-screen increases can be achieved by using a 250 as well for those functions - if you have or do not need the included licenses (MyHome Site and Intercom) you can get one of those as a slave (possibly replacing the 300) and gain the same net increase for less. Arguably getting an 800 is a bit more future proof, but that's debatable, the 1000 is not near it's limit capacity and who knows what's out by the time it reaches it...

[Stealth22]

We opted to go with the MyHome Site license, and we didn't buy any touch panels. Yeah, they look nice and all, but at the price point the dealer was asking (I don't remember what the figures were now), it was cheaper to pay for the MyHome Site license and just use our phones and tablets, along with the 3 remotes that we received as well.

I suppose the Intercom license would be useful, but again, no wall panels, so I don't think it would be of any use.