paulmon Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Can the HC-200 be used as a controller without the HC-300/500/1000? All I'm looking for is home theater control with some lighting control. From what I've read the 200 is a full standalone controller but one of the local installers are telling me it isn't, everything I've read says otherwise.Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&J Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Can the HC-200 be used as a controller without the HC-300/500/1000? All I'm looking for is home theater control with some lighting control. From what I've read the 200 is a full standalone controller but one of the local installers are telling me it isn't, everything I've read says otherwise.PaulAbsolutely..I actually have 3 of them operating in a home strictly for remote controls only..Good Luck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil12011 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Ditto, can be used as master in a single controller setup. Must be used as slave controller in a multi controller setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmon Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 That's what I thought but a local dealer was saying otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&J Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 That's what I thought but a local dealer was saying otherwise.Sorry they were telling you this. I try not to be critical with other dealers but this time they are Totally Incorrect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjeff Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 We are putting a number of them in. This really brought down a barrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmon Posted February 27, 2009 Author Share Posted February 27, 2009 Thanks for all the help. Any big advantage on using a 300 over a 200? I don't see myself using any contact closures. I'll be using one serial port potentially to connect to my DSC alarm the rest will be IR to 5 devices.Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil12011 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 The 300 will have more I/O. Contacts, relays, and more IR/Serial. I'm not sure if the 200 has a usb port. But they have the same processor power and for the "controller per display" rule, you can't go wrong. They are a really niche unit and solve alot of issues both big and small. Does this answer your question? Let me know if you need any more specs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 (edited) The 200 does have a single USB port.The HC200 can only supply one audio zone of digital audio, the HC300 can supply two.The biggest difference is the HC300 has 2 serial ports, and 6 independent IR ports (and a blaster).The HC200 has 4 ports, two of which can be configured as serial ports, but then aren't used as IR ports, so you'd only have 2.RyanEEdited to Add: Had to fix the incomplete sentence... Must be the cold meds... Edited February 28, 2009 by RyanE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil12011 Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 and that's why Ryan gets paid the big bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmon Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 The 200 does have a single USB port.The HC200 can only supply one audio zone of digital audio, the HC300 can supply two.The biggest difference is the HC300 has 2 serial ports, and 6 independent IR ports (and a blaster).The HC200 has 4 ports, two of which can be configured as serial ports, but then aren't used as IR ports, so you'd only have 2.RyanEEdited to Add: Had to fix the incomplete sentence... Must be the cold meds... But no reason I can't use a distribution block to increase the IR outputs, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 As long as you use devices with distinct IR (i.e. not two devices that use RC5/RC6, or two of the same model of devices), you can split the IR outputs as many ways as you wish (with amplification).Keep in mind that if you do so, you are increasing the amount of time it takes for room on / room off, and anything else that requires sending IR to multiple devices. The controller obviously can't be sending IR to both your TV and DVD player if they're both on the same IR output, where it could if they were on different IR outputs on a controller.You're also increasing the chances of having one IR devices' output confusing the state of another device, although in most cases that's not an issue, because IR codes typically have a 'capture' period before they send their code to sync up the IR receiver, and most devices will start listening each time they see a 'capture' sequence.Best practices is definitely to give each dedicated device it's own output, it's faster, and easier to debug if something goes wrong, but yes, piling them on should work.RyanE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wappinghigh Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 The 200 does have a single USB port.The HC200 can only supply one audio zone of digital audio, the HC300 can supply two. Ryan. 1/ What is the role of the usb port?2/ Aren't the audio outs of these controllers RCA analogue? ie I thought the HC200 has a DAC within, so you can connect it up to an amp and play music from say the C4 ipod doc, or another audio source like a cable TV box as long as it is connected into one of the C4 controllers on the network? Is this correct. (P.S) I understand they don't do the same video steaming.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodeman Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 1) USB port is to attach usb drives for storing digital media (MP3 files, photos) for playback. It's also used in extreme instances to restore the controller by your dealer.2) Yes, they are analog. You are right in your thinking that it is an audio endpoint for digital audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 (edited) Sorry if that was confusing, but yes, it's RCA analog output, although it's a mini-1/8" jack on the HC-200. It can play one digital audio stream, but not output it as a digital output.RyanE Edited March 19, 2009 by RyanE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodeman Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 You could probably use a mini-to-stereo rca converter with the 200, no? and then it would be an analog out just like the other controllers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilHessy Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 The remote on the 200 doesn't have the LCD screen right? That is a feature that I like, being able to choose a digital audio source without having the TV on is nice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecodeman Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 There are two sku's for the HC200, one with the 150 and one with no remote, to offset the cost of getting the SR250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 I agree that the SR250 is much nicer than the SR150. That is actually the reason I bought the HC300's over HC200's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_J Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 (edited) How many HC-200's can I master/slave together? I need 11 fully routed IR outputs for this behemoth system I'm designing. Eight of the devices controlled are identical cable boxes.Also, is there a limit to how many HC's you can have on a system? Conceivably, if I have four HC-200's in the rack, and then eight more out at the TV locations.... well, that's Twelve by my math.Problem?CEDIT: Make that 13. Forgot the one up in the surround system on the 8th Floor... but then that room might be a discrete system.. Edited March 19, 2009 by Chris_J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&J Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 How many HC-200's can I master/slave together? I need 11 fully routed IR outputs for this behemoth system I'm designing. Eight of the devices controlled are identical cable boxes.Also, is there a limit to how many HC's you can have on a system? Conceivably, if I have four HC-200's in the rack, and then eight more out at the TV locations.... well, that's Twelve by my math.Problem?CEDIT: Make that 13. Forgot the one up in the surround system on the 8th Floor... but then that room might be a discrete system..Put a 300 to be the Master Controller and you'll be ok.A 200 is for Standalone Only! Exception: If all 13 of your 200's are running their own system and you are not trying to link them together.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poseidonsystems Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 On 3/19/2009 at 6:15 PM, K&J said: Put a 300 to be the Master Controller and you'll be ok. A 200 is for Standalone Only! Exception: If all 13 of your 200's are running their own system and you are not trying to link them together.. We'll, with 3.0 the hc200s are obsolete, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverAction Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 11 minutes ago, poseidonsystems said: We'll, with 3.0 the hc200s are obsolete, right? You just replied to a post from 2009... Holy Necro Batman! msgreenf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poseidonsystems Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Lol sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanchow Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I’ve been throwing away HC200s and HC300s. That’s how relevant they are msgreenf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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