HC800 availability

[CFUG]

randy1123- OK, you got my curiosity. Why, with such a huge system as you describe, be looking here for a system plan? Where is your contractor in all this?

[ILoveC4]

I am getting my HC800 installed next week but looking for information on what needs to be installed before they show up.

I have a exhaustive wiring system in my house with three network rack and would like to get a feel for what will be installed without tearing apart my wiring harnesses.

They are going to install two HC800 units and seven HC200 units.

I can post wiring diagrams if people can help.

The house is equipped with 21 Sonos zones, and a full RadioRa Lutron system that has 130 devices.

Any wiring diagrams would help if you can post a PDF link.

Thanks,

Randy

Randy, what exactly is it that you want help with? You have a professional integrator coming next week. I'm sure you're paying him for the work he's doing.

Why don't you have HIM explain to you what he's going to be doing? We'd just be taking a (somewhat) educated guess...

[randy1123]

I have a installation date of next week and a bill of materials that make sense for the system.

I have requested information from my dealer but the wiring details are starting to scare me.

So I am looking for the installation manual for the HC800 to see how invasive this would be.

I don't want to hijack someone's thread, but with time ticking away I need to pull from every resource I can.

Let me know if you can help.

[randy1123]

I am getting my HC800 installed next week but looking for information on what needs to be installed before they show up.

I have a exhaustive wiring system in my house with three network rack and would like to get a feel for what will be installed without tearing apart my wiring harnesses.

They are going to install two HC800 units and seven HC200 units.

I can post wiring diagrams if people can help.

The house is equipped with 21 Sonos zones' date=' and a full RadioRa Lutron system that has 130 devices.

Any wiring diagrams would help if you can post a PDF link.

Thanks,

Randy[/quote']

Randy, what exactly is it that you want help with? You have a professional integrator coming next week. I'm sure you're paying him for the work he's doing.

Why don't you have HIM explain to you what he's going to be doing? We'd just be taking a (somewhat) educated guess...

Thanks,

But I am requesting the installation manuals if anyone has them.

[randy1123]

randy1123- OK, you got my curiosity. Why, with such a huge system as you describe, be looking here for a system plan? Where is your contractor in all this?

Also, if I have your curiosity the other goal of this is to get a sanity check to see if the scope makes sense for my system.

If anyone is interested I can send a system diagram of my complete system. I need another day or so to complete my diagrams, but what I have can give you a feel for what I have.

[ILoveC4]

I have a installation date of next week and a bill of materials that make sense for the system.

I have requested information from my dealer but the wiring details are starting to scare me.

So I am looking for the installation manual for the HC800 to see how invasive this would be.

I don't want to hijack someone's thread, but with time ticking away I need to pull from every resource I can.

Let me know if you can help.

There isn't an "installation manual". The HC800 can do a boatload of things. Depending on what services you're using it for it could require nothing beyond a power outlet, or it could require ethernet, multiple RCA's, digital coax, HDMI, component, etc....

It sounds like you HAVE the wiring details. What is it that's scaring you?

[randy1123]

I have a installation date of next week and a bill of materials that make sense for the system.

I have requested information from my dealer but the wiring details are starting to scare me.

So I am looking for the installation manual for the HC800 to see how invasive this would be.

I don't want to hijack someone's thread' date=' but with time ticking away I need to pull from every resource I can.

Let me know if you can help.[/quote']

There isn't an "installation manual". The HC800 can do a boatload of things. Depending on what services you're using it for it could require nothing beyond a power outlet, or it could require ethernet, multiple RCA's, digital coax, HDMI, component, etc....

It sounds like you HAVE the wiring details. What is it that's scaring you?

Ok, I must not be speaking the correct language.

I have gotten HIM to promise me installation guides, I have not gotten them, thus my request.

I want to be prepared so someone does not show up and waste their time because a IR/Stereo cable was not pulled to a certain location.

I HAVE the wiring diagrams of my house as currently installed without C4. This does not help and I landed every cable myself and know every harness. Since I am not a C4 dealer I cannot install NOR buy C4 without a middle man.

So can you see how nervous I am to have one person come in and install everything in one day......

[cdepaola]

It shouldn't be a huge issue if you have room in your rack, ready to install the controller(s). Anything remote from your racks will need either rs232, Cat5/6, or IR to controll them.

I get it, I'm the same way in that I like to, want to, and can do all my own installation work. I just want the C4 dealer to provide equipment and basic programming. I for some strange reason enjoy pulling wire and working in racks, it's fun... But heck I enjoy 12 hour days writing computer code too.

Have fun with your install next week!

[randy1123]

It shouldn't be a huge issue if you have room in your rack, ready to install the controller(s). Anything remote from your racks will need either rs232, Cat5/6, or IR to controll them.

I get it, I'm the same way in that I like to, want to, and can do all my own installation work. I just want the C4 dealer to provide equipment and basic programming. I for some strange reason enjoy pulling wire and working in racks, it's fun... But heck I enjoy 12 hour days writing computer code too.

Have fun with your install next week!

Thanks,

I imagine this is going to go really well or be one hell of a day.

Since October I have pulled and landed over 6000 feet, terminated 160 Coax ends, 160 Cat 5E ends, installed seven TV's, three receivers, 41 speakers, 18 Sonos 120's, three Sonos 90's, three Yamaha receivers, four Scientific Atlantic Cable boxes, PS3, WII and multiple switches, routers and not mentioning the entire Lutron system (the electrical contractor wired all my switches for me).

so I found this therapeutic and fun.

[CFUG]

Been there. Let me ask you a Q or two- why CAT 5e and why so much coax?

[randy1123]

It was easier to pull the bundled cable to each location for future use:

http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=202749071&sellerid=33241869

Cat5E is good for 100MHz and did not see the need for Cat6 in a house. Pushing the limits of 1Gb/s with Cat5E will probably never happen in my house. The extra cable as a bundle was easier and made the house more flexible in the future.

Also to IloveC4, there is an installation manual, and data sheet for the HC800.

I now have it, and if anyone needs it, let me know.

Thanks for all the help, I have a better understanding now and would love to share this experience as it moves forward.

[randy1123]

attached installation guide

[ILoveC4]

attached installation guide

Was that helpful to you?

My point was, it isn't a one size fits all "power it up, plug this in and it works" type of product. Certainly there is a document that shows how to use each of the potential connections (which you attached here) but that isn't an installation guide the illustrates all the wiring you will or will not need for your project.

That's like asking how you change a spark plug. You pull the old one out and put the new one in. You use a wrench. Take that knowledge to your specific application.

[CFUG]

It was easier to pull the bundled cable to each location for future use:

http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=202749071&sellerid=33241869

Cat5E is good for 100MHz and did not see the need for Cat6 in a house. Pushing the limits of 1Gb/s with Cat5E will probably never happen in my house. The extra cable as a bundle was easier and made the house more flexible in the future.

Also to IloveC4, there is an installation manual, and data sheet for the HC800.

I now have it, and if anyone needs it, let me know.

Thanks for all the help, I have a better understanding now and would love to share this experience as it moves forward.

Like I said, I've been there pulling a butt-load of RG-6 and then lookin at at months later thinking why the hell did I do that? It's useless beyond component- that's my opinion.

And, likewise, I put a gun to my installers head and asked him to tell me the truth about CAT5e vs. CAT6 and the bugger talked me into 5e (shorter-haul). Just do the CAT6 or greater cabling.

[wappinghigh]

I am getting my HC800 installed next week but looking for information on what needs to be installed before they show up.

They are going to install two HC800 units and seven HC200 units.

Hi Randy,

Search my "if I was to do it all again thread" concerning UPS and the great new ability of the HC250's to do POE.

Why are these guys selling you HC200's? These are now outdated. You should be getting HC250's. Particularly with so many peripheral zones. The advantage of POE is the powering of all your zones can be done thru the cat5e cable (along with the networking) via a central POE switch back in your rack. This makes for a neater instal (eg they can be put up close or behind the TV's for example.) But the power issue is also important for a stable network. You would power that POE switch off a UPS. So in effect all those 250's can still be running during blackouts and brownouts, without dropping off your network. UPS is essential IMHO as it maintains a solid C4 network and everything running smoothly during and after small power outages. You should also power the HC800's off UPS's as well. Remember the backbone of a C4 system is a stable network.

So my main advice (other than obviously being onsite when it is all done), is if it's not too late try and swap your order from HC200's to HC250's...

By simply asking your installer about this, you will quickly get a feel for just how well they know the Control4 product, and the ways to do a cleaner and more trouble free instal for you.

Cheers

Wap

[RyanE]

While I won't say it's not a good idea to use 250's and PoE for power backup, etc., the HC250 is not available yet.

That's the biggest drawback for waiting on the 250.

RyanE

[wappinghigh]

That's a real pity for this guy. Don't you think? It was the first thing I thought about when I read this guy's instal comments and looked at the size of his system.

If that was me with all those 7 peripheral zones I would wait for the 250's...POE was this units big selling pitch, and IMHO it's a real winner...

Also he could power those 7 zones off the one 8 port POE switch. Could he not?...These are now real cheap...

Mind you the same goes for his Sonos Zones. 21 x Sonos zp's is a lot of Sonos zones!! I am assuming most of these might be in the Rack??? If they are, for goodness sake Randy power them all off a UPS...Sonos is 100% dependant on a stable network..C4 is way more robust, but definitely power as many of those Sonos zones off UPS...(You can't do this over POE BTW, you'll need to plug them all in via a powerboard...)

My other bit of advice to you Randy is when they are doing all the networking etc, run a network scanner on your mac or PC, so you can follow what on earth is going on with the IP allocation of all that gear...You are going to probably fix a static IP address to those Control4 HC's. But as you change things around the Sonos IP's (being only dynamic) are going to drift around, And sonos works best IMHO with as many of the zones in close IP proximity as each other. Powering up all these one after the other, AFTER the C4 and other gear have their IP address fixed, will be the way to go here. So You need to know what is going on with your network at all times, so there are no conflicts...so get yourself an independant network IP scanner!! ( like "IPscanner" for OSX).

Also when everything is done, write down all those IP addresses on a spreadsheet or something... That will be a big network you will end up with there..

[chicagoskiguy]

wap, I don't have a sonos, but in your router, so "should" be able to "reserve" dynamic addresses for specific mac addresses. The result is that the device is configured for dynamic addressing and it will always get the same IP from the router. Don't see why that would not work for that situation.

I use that for my laptop. At home I essentially want a static IP, but need to leave the network card configured as dynamic for when I'm on the road.

[RyanE]

That's what I do for most things as well. Leave the devices on DHCP, and assign static IP allocations for specific devices.

RyanE

[RyanE]

If you do that, your list of IP addresses is in *one* place, on your router.

It's nice and clean as far as replacing gear, you just have to put a different MAC in on the router. No configuration on the gear itself.

RyanE