J to the D

4 hours ago, ILoveControl said:

Wait wait whaaaaaaaaat ? Havent heard of this driver  when you say from carplay and chance you can post a screen shot?

edit: found the link - http://varietassoftware.com/control4/

The fact they have a raspberry pi image is very nice! The only thing though is they dont show the examples of using it (kinda like how chowmain does with their drivers) hence the request for the screenshot  just want to see how you have implemented it. Have August locks which also integrate via homebridge

I would also consider Berto. @david@berto.co.uk has been great and helped me get mine set up. I sourced my own pi4 and loaded the software to get gates and garage doors from Control4 into HomeKit. I originally did it to create Apple shortcuts so that I can tell Siri I’m coming home and it opens my gates and garage doors. It works really well. Let me know if you want screenshots. 

26 minutes ago, RyanE said:

Control4 dimmers are 120V.

If you connect 24V LED module to it, you will cause either the 24V LED module to stop working, or both the 24V LED module and the 120V dimmer to stop working.

Bad idea.

If you want to test this, plug your 24V LED module directly into a wall socket (120V).  That will save you from also killing your Control4 dimmer.

RyanE

Sorry not sure I was very clear. 
 

Just to note, I am in the UK so 230v. I already have a dual load wireless dimmer operating a circuit running led tape. 230v from the Control4 keypad goes into a 12v transformer for the tape but I’m not sure if the dealer has set the load on the keypad to on/off instead of dimmable. 
 

My understanding is a dual load can have a load set to on/off or dimmable in composer where as a single load has to be purchased as a dimmable unit or a switch. The switch makes a relay sound so I am trying to see if I can use a dimmable single load keypad which then feeds a 12/24v transformer for the LED tape. 

Do you know if you can connect a 24v LED dimmable module to a Control4 single load dimmable wireless keypad? I presume the answer is yes but not had a huge amount of experience with single colour led tape 

Sounds like Lutron is the preference. Any dealers here based in the UK that have experience with Lutron?

Anyone have experience with Lutron and QMotion? I am in the process of having roller blinds and a couple of roman blinds. 
 

I already have wired Silent Gliss curtains and romans in one room but they are really expensive and C4 integration is terrible. They have been bulletproof over the last 5 years or so. 
 

I’m looking at wireless for the next rooms and Lutron and QMotion look to be suitable. Very difficult to choose between then.  
 

3 minutes ago, msgreenf said:

A switch? No noise is the relay in it

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk
 

That’s what I thought it would be. 

1 minute ago, chopedogg88 said:

If you were talking about just a regular control4 on off switch then yes they normally make a clicking sound

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
 

Yeh it’s a wireless keypad switch instead of dimmer and sounds like the relay. The dimmer doesn’t make a noise at all. Not sure if I should swap it out for a dimmer. It’s only controlling 4 spotlights. 

I have just installed a wireless keypad single load switch which seems to make a quite a “tick” noise when powering on/off. Not something I have noticed before but that’s because I have always used single/dual load dimmers. 

Is there a way to stop this noise? If not, I either need to put up with it or install a dimmer. 
 

Has anyone come across this before?

I have a room with two RGBW LED strips, one is around 4 meters and the other is only around 1 meter. 
 

At the moment each strip has a transformer and a RLED30CV4 connected. It means that currently each strip is controlled individually which I don’t really need. Does anyone know if I can use one transformer and one rako unit for both strips? The wiring is centralised for all equipment. 
 

The next question is then what to do with new lighting? I have another room where I want to install LED strip lighting and am thinking to use either Rako or Hue. My Rako set up is not integrating well with C4 so I am spending some time to improve it but I’m not sure my hue integration is much better. Annoying C4 doesn’t offer a colour wheel or anything so likely means I will need to use another app from time to time. Any recommendations?

Any recommendations on the best solutions for LED lighting with Control4?
 

One of my rooms has Rako drivers and a bridge which connects into C4 but I think that might be overkill. I was thinking of a tape strip being RGBW and could go Philips Hue but keen to know what other solutions are out there. 

18 hours ago, Tim Williams said:

I think the thread got off track. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the official C4 app is what’s generating these shortcut options. Hoping it’s a sign of things to come. Would be a great addition.

Unfortunately they just don’t work properly. iOS tries to open the C4 app to carry out the command and with OS3 taking so long to connect it never works. I am also yet to find out how to push commands into this list. It seems to have a mind of its own. There are better ways to get C4 items into shortcuts by linking it the the HomeKit. 

Although these shortcuts appear in Siri they are not useable. To use them the phone has to be unlocked and when calling the shortcut it opens the app and attempts to toggle light loads etc. If the app takes too long to load or is set to the wrong room it won’t replicate the correct action. 
 

I have been working on this as I wanted to be able to turn lights on and open gates/garages using Siri. This is now working with a big shout out to @david@berto.co.uk. I set up my own Raspberry Pi 4 and then had David help me out to install his drivers. I am on a trial license for now but have been able to surface my gates and garages in HomeKit. I have a iOS shortcut which opens my gates and my garage doors as I am driving home. I have also created light scenes in HomeKit which I can call up using Siri. You don’t even need to use shortcuts for that. 
 

The system has been bullet proof so far and I will be buying a full license to allow media devices and connecting with google. 

On 7/5/2020 at 7:49 PM, South Africa C4 user said:

A good LG and the Annex4 driver Is my favourite as this also gives one the toast message functionality.

All my TVs are LG or Samsung and I have had seamless integration with both brands.

I have both Panasonic and LG TV’s. Originally my LG’s were on IR and although it worked flawlessly I hated the bug flashing and limitations around using apps such as Netflix. I then found Annex4. I have had that running on 2 LG’s which has worked flawlessly. The toast messages are great particular with gates and garage doors. 
 

My understanding is Panasonic has C4 integration already included in the software which again has worked flawlessly. 
 

Did LG not recently add SDDP in the engineer menu for C4 integration. 
 

As someone else mentioned the style of TV you want is most important. I wanted OLED so meant I was restricted to LG or Panasonic. 

1 hour ago, nfv123 said:

They are overheard garage doors

 

What brand are they?

23 hours ago, nfv123 said:

The garage doors already are hooked up, just doesn't show whether or not they are open are closed.  Does this answer your question, maybe I'm not as handy as I thought ha

Quick question, what door operators do you have? I went through this same process and realised with a relay box the operator can provide feedback to C4 to tell me of the doors are open or closed. 

51 minutes ago, ILoveC4 said:

Interesting - I didn’t see any options in my cursory glance inside the Shortcuts app.

Homekit integration - there’s a device you can buy (along with a driver) from Varietas Software that gets you there. Dudes name is Joshua Presnal. Search here and you’ll find it. I probably butchered both his last name and his company name.


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Thanks appreciate that. I will do some searching. 

1 hour ago, ILoveC4 said:

It doesn’t look like the Control4 app is available from within the shortcuts app, but Home is. If you’ve got HomeKit integration you could execute a shortcut that way. 

That’s interesting. What is required for HomeKit integration?

I have found a way to select Control4 but these are the only options it allows:

I have recently had a routine and turned on my outside lights through Control4 at a similar time every night and noticed my iPhone suggesting it as a shortcut. 
 

This has got me thinking about potential other shortcuts. I would like to create a shortcut to open my gates. Does anyone know how to either create the shortcut or force it into the list of suggested shortcuts on the iPhone shortcuts app?

Thanks

26 minutes ago, zaphod said:

Did you consider VideoStorm?  Not advocating for it, just wondering, as this would be my first choice these days due to lower cabling and other network requirements.

I have not. I’ll take a look. 

When I purchased my switch 2 years ago I made sure I bought one compatible with Just Add Power although I think they are a little more flexible now. That’s one of the reasons I am still looking at JAP. 

Keen to understand any experiences with video distribution systems. I’m going to go with an IP system, likely to be either Binary or Just Add Power. 

Does anyone have either of these systems and any recommendations or guidance?

Thanks

On 5/18/2020 at 1:47 PM, blub said:

Rule no 1:

Dont use Puck switches and dimmers, just use something else...

Interesting comment. What is the “something else”?

5 minutes ago, mujtaba.khokhar said:

Are you sure the PIR isnt being put in to manual override? in the PDF it states:

I don’t believe so because as soon as I turn the power on and turn on the lights from the puck, I can hear the relay trigger in the PIR. 
 

8 minutes ago, mujtaba.khokhar said:

Each transition is treated as a “click.” Note: It is not possible to perform a press-and-hold with a latching switch.

This is the key, I don’t want each transition as a click I need it to be a press and hold  that would solve my problem.

20 minutes ago, mujtaba.khokhar said:

Have you tired "Toggle (Latch)" mode too? if so read on.... 

I was just looking over the manual for the PIR again. 

Ideally you want the PIR to have full control over the light and then just use the puck to turn it on manually, Correct?

if this is the case:

Wire up the PIR like you're supposed to according to the manual. Then Wire up the puck as your indoor switch, this way you're not using the AUX terminals at all.

This would technically only work if you have the SWITCHED puck and not the Dimmable version. 

the C4 puck would then work as the manual override as stated in the manual 

Thanks 

M

 

The option you are suggesting is what I tried from the start but I think I may have a faulty PIR. When I connect the puck (switch and not dimmer) the same as the writing diagram you mention, when the puck overrides the lights the PIR is consuming some of the power which triggers the internal relay. This means that regardless of the ambient situation the PIR triggers and never turns off.  

Ill speak to the manufacturer tomorrow and see what they say. Hopefully it will be a simple fix/replacement of the PIR. 

Such a shame the AUX doesn’t work as that would have been great. The puck should read the AUX as a constant feed instead of pulse. That would be the issue fixed. 

Thanks for the help. 

I have Neo stats and can definitely vouch for them. 

Would love to have them for my underfloor heating but unfortunately I have the wrong probes in the floor. I can’t remember which way around it is but either the Neo’s work with 10k probes and I have 100k in the floor or I have 10k probes and the Neo works 100k. I have 4 rooms with electric underfloor heating and would love to integrate with Control4 but changes the probes is never going to happen with them under tiles. 

3 minutes ago, J to the D said:

Unfortunately as it’s currently set up, the AUX input will not work. With the puck set to toggle the load through the AUX it provides huge limitations. 
 

The puck is almost treating the PIR feed like a pulse so when the PIR defects movement it toggles the power. This is fine if the lights are off but if you override through control4 it causes issues. For example if I turn the lights on via Control4 and the PIR detects movement the puck will toggle the load, turning the lights off... It then means when the PIR timer runs down it will toggle the load again which in this scenario would turn the lights back on again. They would not turn off until Control4 turned them off of the PIR detected motion. Defeats the object of a PIR if the lights turn off when motion is detected.  
 

I tried using the AUX as ON but then the lights never turn off from the PIR. I suppose I would need to put a timer in control4 to turn the lights off. 
 

Does any of this make sense?

Come to think of it, a timer wouldn’t work either because if the PIR triggered it would turn the lights on starting a timer. If the lights went off before the PIR timer when the PIR triggered to off it sends another pulse to the aux which is set to always on, thus turning the lights back on. 
 

Very confusing.