Gate Control

[rchawla80]

Hi everyone -

I need some strong product support! We have a gate outside our lot that we control via a remote. Currently, the gate has no hard line switch inside the house to open or close it (pretty bad). We use an IR remote to open the gate. I am pretty sure it does not have RF because we have to point it to the gate and it doesn't work through walls a lot.

That being said, I would like to do the following:

1. Automate the gate so that we can open it with C4.

2. Have our cars open the gate as well (we have homelink the car) << works on RF I am thinking.

If anyone can suggest products/services that would help, I am open to listening.

Thank you.

[RyanE]

For your first part, you could probably mount an IR blaster on the house somewhere, learn the codes from the remote, and hook the blaster into the Control4 system.

For the second part, I believe there's a HomeLink receiver that outputs a relay output, which you can use with a contact input on the Control4 system.

RyanE

[rchawla80]

Thank you.

I understand the first part: How much does an IR blaster cost? How hard is it to learn the codes ? Just put a remote near it and program?

Also, I would need power to that IR blaster right?

Further -

I have two issues:

1. I need to learn how to control the gate with my car home link >> correct me if I am wrong but you are saying that I could get Homelink receiver to learn the IR code from the blaster and then use it in my car? I am so confused!

Last but not least, what is the cost of all this ballpark?

Thanks

[rchawla80]

Also - doesn't the IR blaster need to be connected to an HTC wired? Is there a wireless IR blaster?

To add the house is atleast 30 feet away from the gate. Can I still do this wirelessly? Will the signal travel far enough?

Thanks

[RyanE]

I suggest an IR blaster, because of the distance.

An IR blaster, yes, needs to be either connected directly to your Control4 controller, via a wire, or you could use something like the IR transmitter that Global Cache has just started selling, which is Wi-Fi.

An IR blaster is just a very powerful remote, and you would still have to have line-of-sight from wherever you mount the blaster to the gate. If you don't, that option is out.

As far as the homelink situation, the homelink transmitter in your car would need to transmit to a homelink receiver, which would also have to be wired into the Control4 system in some way.

Something like this, which will receive the HomeLink signal from your car's transmitter, and close a connection on the Control4 system:

http://www.waynedaltonparts.com/HomeLink_Conversion_Kit_1_p/lm-hlk1.htm

If your Control4 system is not accessible for either of these scenarios, it becomes a bit more difficult.

RyanE

[RyanE]

Oh, and to answer your other question, the IR code from the IR remote would be learned into the Control4 system. The IR blaster doesn't learn codes, it just is the emitter for the Control4 controller's IR output.

RyanE

[rchawla80]

Okay Thank you for all your help again!

I have some more questions:

1. What if I installed a Homelink Converter on the Gate (because it works just like a garage door with IR (an older one). Would that work?

2. And then install a homelink receiver into control 4.

3. My garage door is already home link compatible so I am not too worried about those.

Last but not least, I like the idea of not having the line of sight issue. I need an expert.

A dealer quoted me $579.00 for the Card Access Remote Control Package V2 <<< he thinsk that will make everything work?

Is it overkill?

Advise?

[rchawla80]

bump

[thecodeman]

I don't know anything about Homelink, sorry.

[ILoveC4]

I believe homelink works with X-10, no?

[jberger]

The card access stuff works well, and is well supported. So you pay more for the combination, but it's proven to work and they will provide support for the installation and use.

[rchawla80]

Hi Jberger -

I would really like someone to walk me through how it would integrate with C4 give I only have IR signal for it and also my cars that have homelink?

Please and thank you!

[ILoveC4]

Did you ever think of calling the company that supplied the opener?

They could probably give you more insight as to what is there and how it could be upgraded ot accept different inputs/commands.

[jberger]

"I would really like someone to walk me through how it would integrate with C4 give I only have IR signal for it and also my cars that have homelink?"

My response was to your question about the Card Access package.

If your dealer says he has a package that will work, I'd take his advice since he should have a lot more information about the final application.

Edited for clarity.

[ILoveC4]

jberger, my post was not in response to yours, sorry if it seemed that way.

[jberger]

No worries Dan,

I forgot to quote rchawla80's question in my reply. I've edited the post to reflect the original question.

[rchawla80]

Hi all -

If I put a gate control system on my electric gate with a contact sensor and relay and automate with C4. Is there any product that I could carry in my car to open / close the gate? (not the remote) but more a sensor? or automatic FOB?

My dealer is telling me there is no way to integrate Homelink with C4? Is this true?

Thanks

[thecodeman]

Hi all -

If I put a gate control system on my electric gate with a contact sensor and relay and automate with C4. Is there any product that I could carry in my car to open / close the gate? (not the remote) but more a sensor? or automatic FOB?

My dealer is telling me there is no way to integrate Homelink with C4? Is this true?

Thanks

The only thing for Control4 in regards to a remote would be this:

http://www.cardaccess-inc.com/automation/products/index.php?a=details&i=IMR10A

You can program the buttons to do anything in regards to what's in your Control4 system.

As far as Homelink - Control4, no not directly. Not sure what the end goal would be, but you'd have to go Homelink - x10 - Control4. More info on the Control4/x10 bit here :

http://c4forums.com/viewtopic.php?id=3994 and then X10/Homelink here:

http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=6958.0

Easiest thing is to use the Card Access keyfob to open the gate through Control using contacts/relays.

[rchawla80]

Yes but then I have to buy 4 remotes (1 for each car). There has to be a better solution to use the existing Homelink in our cars.

[ILoveC4]

Yes but then I have to buy 4 remotes (1 for each car). There has to be a better solution to use the existing Homelink in our cars.

What codeman told you doesn't require buying 4 remotes. If you read the entire post, that would make sense.

You can buy an X-10 unit that can accept commands from your Homelink. You can then interface X-10 with Control4.

Check out the links he posted for you, read the entire post, and solve your problem.

Just because he said the EASIEST way would be the Card Access remotes doesn't mean he said it was the only way.

[rchawla80]

Thank you harsh guy!

I read it thoroughly. So where do I get an RS232 module and what does it cost? The RS232 will communicate with X10? And what product do I need from X10 then? I can see a Homelink compatible device for like 10 bucks? Is that all I need?

Sorry for the stupid questions.

Cheers

[thecodeman]

Thank you harsh guy!

I read it thoroughly. So where do I get an RS232 module and what does it cost? The RS232 will communicate with X10? And what product do I need from X10 then? I can see a Homelink compatible device for like 10 bucks? Is that all I need?

Sorry for the stupid questions.

Cheers

There is a way to do it. There's no driver to do it, and no demand for such driver to be written other than yourself at this time.

The link to the c4 forums talks about how Ryan uses a Chronjob on his linux machine to do it, and how he could write an RS232 driver for control4 but that it's not worth it. The other link describes the X10 module you need.

[rchawla80]

How do people open their main gates from their cars nowadays if they have control4?

[thecodeman]

How do people open their main gates from their cars nowadays if they have control4?

Card Access keyfobs, or they have access control keypads.

[rchawla80]

Thanks everyone for your help. So I should just throw Homelink out the door. Okay, how about having a FOB on your key chain that detects the door and opens it? Can we do that? A proximity sensor?