New to Control4

[slick0816]

We are doing a 7000 sq ft house on two levels including a media room and got a quote from a dealer.

We would like to do whole house AV as well as climate automation. Still debating with the slightly technophobic wife on lighting control. Practically speaking only two of us are at home at any given time although we have lots of family who come to visit. . Here is what we have so far:

13 - 3 Wire Cat 5 runs for whole house video

3 - Control4 HC300 Media controller

1 - Control4 8 Zone digital amplifier

1 - Sysco Network 8 port Gigaswitch

1 - Episode Surge Suppressing Power Conditioner

1 - Avocation Systems 8x16 Digital A/V Matrix

13 - Sets Binary Component Baluns w/ Digital Audio

3 - Cisco Routers with Flashed Linux Software

4 - Control4 SR150 Remotes

2 - Control4 SR250 Remotes (5 total)

Also I like the idea of remote climate control that Control4 offers but are a little unsure about their thermostats? We have seven climate zones. Thoughts or ideas on this?

[ILoveC4]

Scrap the SR-150's and get all 250's...the LCD on the 250 is incredibly convenient.

My opinion on the climate control is stock with your zone system and the stats that come with it. If I get the Bryant Evolution or Infinity Zone system you can integrate them with C4, you just need to track down the SAM (system access module ~$750).

[henniae]

I would consider running more wire to each TV. 2 Cat-6 and 2 Cat-5e and an RG-6 minimum. Depending on how hard it will be to get wire to the TV locations I would recommend conduit from the TV location to an accessible space.

My wife is not a techi and the lighting control is not problem for her. With a house that big you will probably need to strengthen the ZigBee coverage. Lighting would be the perfect way to do this.

If the Cisco routers are WRT54G dump them for something better.

I agree in dumping the SR-150s for the SR-250s. Having to bing up the GUI to control the system is a PITA.

Make sure the HVAC guy runs at least 7 conductor wire to each t-stat location. This way if you go with C4 t-stats you will have a common wire.

Here are some addition thing you night consider doing

1. Monitor/control your garage doors with C4.

2. Are you installing an alarm? Integrate the C4 system with the alarm. This is great for lighting control. You can have lights turn and off based on alarm events. My wife loves that the lights turn on in the house when she comes home and opens the garage door.

3. Whole house audio.

[Rsmolo]

I would consider running more wire to each TV. 2 Cat-6 and 2 Cat-5e and an RG-6 minimum. Depending on how hard it will be to get wire to the TV locations I would recommend conduit from the TV location to an accessible space.

.

+1

just 2 days ago I was working on distributed system with equipment rack and local hc200's. Needed only 2 cat5e's, 1 for balun and 1 network to hc200, when custome decided to add dedicated bd player for one tv with full 1080p. Good I had 2 cat6 already in place, installed hdmi balun and done.

[henniae]

Wire is like money. You can never have enough of it.

[slick0816]

Thanks to all of you. Any other feedback on customer or personal experiences with the Control4 thermostats. Also do I need a HC1000 or is the current system with the HC300s adequate?

[AJ_]

If you can afford it, get the HC-1000 now. The C4 t-stats are great. I have them programmed and then don't use them much. But they auto turn off when I leave the house and turn on when I am back, based on alarm events. I don't have the garage contacts yet but I cant wait to add them in.

I want to get a twitter driver installed and hope to send a "coming home" message that will set the house up for my return. I think this should work.

[ILoveC4]

The twitter driver is great...I've gotten away from using it but need to get back into it.

[ILoveC4]

Oh yeah, I second the vote for the HC1000 now. It isn't that much more expensive and makes a big difference.

You won't regret it.

[Acetechno]

One thing I don't understand is 13 TV locations?? How many cable box's are you using, 13? In one location or in each room? If in one room why not consider using that Sony component switcher. It does 9 component sources and is super easy to automate via RS232. But then the cheep Binary balums will not work. It's a little old school but still a slick piece. If the cable boxes are in each room then I would not use balums, but run some nice HDMI cables. If you wanna go super cool HDMI switcher look at the Key digital one.

Also agree with everyone on the HC-1000 well worth the money. Keep one HC-300 as a Zigbee server for remotes, lighting, whatever. Thats the way I like to design systems.

[slick0816]

Thanks. We have 13 possible TV locations throughout the house. Practically we will have only three TVs in use at any given time and were advised to have three cable boxes which will all be housed on a cart in a closet with the rest of the C4 gear on the main level. We are also doing whole house audio.

HVAC system will be the Carrier Infinity dual fuel system which has very nice thermostats according to my builder. I was trying to compare the utility of theese to the CA stats.

[Rsmolo]

HVAC system will be the Carrier Infinity dual fuel system which has very nice thermostats according to my builder. I was trying to compare the utility of theese to the CA stats.

As far as I remember there is SAM ( system access module ) and c4 driver available for carrier infinity systems, so you keep their t-stat and use c4 to control it, pull up temp on osd, ts etc. Don't need c4 t-stat just SAM from HVAC installer.

[ILoveC4]

Good luck finding one and if you do, make sure you're sitting down when they hit you with a price.

[ILoveC4]

I would love to integrate my infinity zone system but the effort and cost involved is just nuts.

[Rsmolo]

I just said its out there. If you have 2 or more zones cost is about the same as getting 2 c4 t-stats. Last time I talked to HVAC installer he said its about $500, connecting it and adding driver will be couple of hours for some people, some will do it without dealer.

http://www.xpedio.carrier.com/idc/groups/public/documents/marketing/01-811-20156-25.pdf

[Gene]

Does anyone know if Lennox integrates with C4 or do you just have to use the C4 Thermostats? Is that the easiest way to get this working (assuming you have the correct wire at the Thermostat)?