PatrickDolan Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 This is my current setup that I have been using just one HC-300 for and it has worked Great:TV's1) projector for movie theater 2) 55' Plasma3) 2- 42' Plasma's Components1) sony 8x8 video switcher2) 16 channel amp 3) 1 New Integra DTR 5.9 receiver and one HK receiver4) Sony PS3 5) 30- B&W speakers for the inside and out6) 2 Panasonic IP cameras for the pool7) 50 dimmers and an assortment of 3,6 button keypads8) 7.5 inch touchscreen9) garage door automation kit from card access with relay and contact switch10) thermostat that has Aprilaire tied in11) sony 777es dvd changer12) 4 LCD keypads13) Apple TV14) Honeywell Vista 20P security with ICM module15) multiple motion sensors for energy saving and also security.15) and only one HC-300 powering everything (yes I am doing all this with just one.)Currently I have my Vista 20P security partitioned so I can arm the pool gate without arming the rest of the house and what I am trying to accomplish with these cams is so when the pool partition is armed the security cameras will act as the motion detector. If there is motion detected the video will appear on all TV's along with an announcement agent over the speakers. I am really just looking for the best IP cameras and the most, compatible/controllable with C4, but but would like to get around 6 of them spaced all over the inside and outside of the house and would like to not have to spend $700 a pop.So with the purchase of the 6 IP cameras I am adding to my house I honestly think that if I try to use one HC-300 to do all of this my computer is going to explode. LOL. So anyway I am getting the HC-1000 and keeping the HC-300 for zibee server only. One extreme to the next, I know but I figured that I may as well just load it up now so I have the ability to add more components down the road. Does anyone see a flaw or a negative to the HC-1000 because all that I haven't heard anything other than that it is the "Mac Daddy of C4 and a lot of the other controllers in the industry." I think I may already be pushing the envelope with some of the capabilities of C4 but let me know if anyone has been able to take it to the next level by going to the HC-1000. Also has anyone used the Integra DTR 5.9 and do you have any advice on settings that I should apply to it. It also has all of the HDMI inputs and does switching does up HDMI upscaling/upconversion and also has optical outs, but given that I have the Sony Video Switcher (Component Only) is their anything that you can think of that I would be able to use the HDMI switcher for. I know that you don't fully know my project but I was looking to see if anyone has found uses for the other options that the Integra 5.9 offers. Let me know. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin L Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Well you would need the HC300 to do navigator as well... if you want to really speed it up the HC1000 will make a drastic improvement. The only connections you use on the HC1000 is the power plug and 1 ethernet plug. there is nothing negative about the 1000. why even use the HDMI switcher? if you are using component for everything and everything works great now there is no reason to add HDMI switching which only leads to problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil12011 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 it's wiggity wiggity wack.....But in a good way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjj31a Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I agree re: the HDMI. Relative to the HC1000 a few other pieces of advice (note I have 1 - HC1000, 2 - HC300's, 1- HC500 and 7 - Home Theater Controllers):1) Have 1 zigbee server per floor of your house2) Not more than 75 devices per zigbee server (this is C4's new recommondation) to make the switch to zigbee pro when it comes along3) Go wih a Luxil wireless antenna vs. multiple access points. From your setup it seems like you really want your touchscreen and wifi to hum and if you expect it to jump around WAP's you will be disapppointed.4) Beyond that make sure your network is rocksolid, with all this ip activity you will need it5) Be thinking about going to a NAS drive, it will not be long before you want to go digitial for video. I have 5 apple tv's and quite frankly am in the process of abandoning for NAS streamers such as netgear and popcorn hour.Just my opinions :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickDolan Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Thanks for all the feedback guys, very helpful. It's just comical that I am buying the "King Pin" of controllers and all I am going to use is the power and ethernet but your right that's all it needs. In regards to my network let me know what you think... Currently have AT&T DSL 1.5/768 but never get it. I average around 1.2m down and 300k and actually went back to the old school modem from AT&T because the 2wire modem/router combo even after me putting it in bridge mode didn't work as well as the old school. From there I have the 802.11n/b/g airpot extreme base station which goes to a netgear switch in the same cabinet with everything and also ran a Cat5 to my 1TB 802.11n/b/g Time Capsule that gives me a great signal all around the house. But with living in Ohio I have trudged through the snow to test out by the pool and front yard. For the most part it sounds like the Luxii works good huh because I could always use a little stronger of a signal. Let me know if there is anything you think I should change with the network. I have the crucial devices mapped out in my base station and had them take off the DHCP in Composer when they programmed it but I was reading about not having the IP addresses that I give them in the DHCP range. Can someone give me some feedback on that because for example I have a range of 0.1 to 0.200 and I assigned the devices addresses within that range and it is working great and I have purposely renewed all IP's multiple times just to test it. Should I change this setup and have all of them on their own switch and change the range that the base station assigns to 0.1 - 0.100 and allow the C4 to have from 0.101 to 0.200. The literature that i have read form C4 was describing taking them completely out of the assigned range which I understand as below 0.1 or above 0.200. Let me know what you guys think and have used in your installations. Thanks.sjj31a I was just curios is there a reason that you have 5 apple tv's instead of running them into a component video switcher. I am sure you are aware of the options but I just wanted to let you know that I have 1 Apple TV distributing audio/video to all rooms and when I want to do a slideshow of family pics, show home videos or play my music or videos from Itunes for the non-family (boring) parties I stream them to all of the TV's. It works great and is Great when I am entertaining our friends. If only I was single again. Oh well.The one thing I haven't had time to research is why people are using front row with the Apple TV instead of something like the 777ES. Are there any advantages other than the cool interface and if I should set it up do I need to install anything on the C4 end or just use it the way I would normally. Thanks again guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjj31a Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Re the apple tv's it was due to potential conflicts (ie one being watched while the other in use etc). To be frank with you I am in the process of scrapping all my atv's for netgear streamers. I have a nice NAS setup and the ATV is just to clumsy to work with. The only thing I use it for is to see previews and some podcasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickDolan Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 So the Netgear Streamer's are better in your opinion. What are the advantages over the atv's? I just looked it up and the interface is very bare but if I can substitute a little flare for quality I will take it any day. Other than that what would the benefit of having the 1080p be for right now because my tv's don't support it or the switcher. I figured I would just wait to get the 1080p switcher till I had at least a couple of the TV's and by that time I have given them time to work out some of the kinks. Do you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodeman Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Netgear streamers (8000 and 9150) have IP drivers to work with c4's navigator interface so you can browse by coverart on the navigators/touchpanels. You dont actually use the Netgear screen if you dont want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickDolan Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 I just researched the 9150 and it looks incredible but when you read the forums it sounds like everyone is pissed off because there's no launch date still. Have you heard of a date yet? In regards to the NAS suggestion can you explain what the potential benefits are by going to the NAS versus the current setup I have. I understand that I can watch movies and pics but I can do that now through the ATV and will be getting the 9150 when that is launched. I love Rhapsody because I am the guy that loves to listen to Neil Diamond this month and next month I'll be rapping with 50 cent :Pso I don't want to have to purchase music. Also I just purchased the HC-1000 for the processor and for the surveillance setup that I am installing and am just wondering if I really need it. If it is just the video and music then I don't see a need at this time but I haven't had time to dissect it and was looking for your opinion. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickDolan Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Hey sjj31a I went out today to check my wireless signal all around the house which is where I will be all summer long and it is very weak even with the wireless access point. Your recommendation of Lunux looks like a great product. I love how all the best companies are the one's that don't sell at Best Buy and how 99.9% of customers don't know that for nearly the same cost they can get a far superior product. I have been researching the luxul product and it looks like I would need the PePWave Mesh Connector 200 HD26166. Let me know your thoughts on this product for my application. I need a larger wifi signal for my iphone app to control music and the house in the summer when I am in the front yard or back. Is this what I need to accomplish that or is there a different on that you would recommend. We are only talking about 200 feet in the back and 200 in front at the most and from what I can see on the diagrams which is why I chose this is because it does not just send the signal one way or the other. I don't know if that makes any sense but some of the one's that I have been looking at you have to point them in the direction you want to extend and given that I need this in the front and backyard I believe this is what I need. Let me know what you use and have had success with knowing what you guys have installed and has worked will tell me which one to get. Thanks for your help.http://www.wirelessnetworkproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1888 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjj31a Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Patrick,Curious as to why you don't run a wire, I know they can be a pain but even with great wireless products you will always be much more satisfied with a wire. I have a large install and wish I would have done the core right first vs. rebuilding later on (and running many new wires). Remember, bandwidth, bandwidth, bandwidth. Re, the streamers, the interface with C4 is what does it for me. Furthermore the ability to view multiple streams simulatenously and not worry about what one person is watching vs another and the convenience of everything in one place does it for me. I feel old school when people say why don't you get a switch, but to me independence at the point of viewing is still the key (the NAS is the ultimate in my opinion, one source but many viewings). Lastly, the Apple TV video format to me just is not right, not flexible and not the standard. Why use a product that doesn't play well with C4 when there are one's that do. If you need any extra Apple TV's let me know :-) I am down to 4 as of today and will be phasing the rest out as the 9150 releases. I plan on ultimately having a combination of 8000's and 9150's.Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickDolan Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 I am completely wired throughout the entire house and am going to wire the luxul also so I didn't understand what you meant. Right now I have the modem wired into the airport extreme wired to both a Time Capsule midway through the house and wired to the netgear gigabit switch. When I get the Luxul product I will wire that outside wherever is the best place. I have the same belief that wired is the way to go not even a question. I even applied that same theory when the security guys tried selling me on wireless door contacts on the pool and wireless motion sensors. I said to them there is no way in hell that I will put a wireless door sensor on the gate that is supposed to set off an alarm if the kids go into the pool area. He said they are just as good but whatever I will stick to wired. Do you know when the launch date is for the 9150? Also do you have any Luxul recommendations for the use that I described below. I just need a beefy wireless signal being broadcast to the Iphone app etc that I will be using outside by the pool and down at my neighbors that is a couple doors down. Using it 2 doors down is not a big deal but if I can spend another $100 to get a stronger Luxul product or one of the outdoor antennas. Let me know what you think. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickDolan Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Also I can wire the Luxul access point inside or out so if one is a better product or stronger signal wither way is fine. I can also run direct power to it if that is preferred. Just wanted to suggest that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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