Hi all,
My apologies if this has been asked before, and for the length, I wasn't able to find clear answers to my questions through my research and vendor discussions. I have a few specific questions regarding contact/motion sensors, and also a broader question regarding the viability of C4 for my purposes.
I am in the process of building a new home and am intending to use C4 everywhere I can, including hybrid-panelized lighting. However, the further I get in the process the more I question the viability of such an expensive solution. I mean no disrespect, I really like what C4 has to offer, I am just struggling with the (legacy) price point in lieu of the multitude of semi-comparable products on the market today. I was intending on using an open source solution initially, so that may be where I am struggling with hardware/software limitations and price. As an quick example, the C4 DS2 can steam at 640 × 480 and it costs $1200. Whereas a comparable DoorBird or Ring Elite can stream at 1080P, and are half the price.
This is probably the wrong place to ask this, but is C4 still a good option in 2020?
I am also hoping for some suggestions on the best wired contact/motion sensors which can be used with C4, a Honeywell alarm system etc.? I am also looking for any additional hardware or efficiencies in order to ensure things integrate properly. I realize they are generally mutually exclusive systems, but would like to combine where possible. Or is that not a good idea?
Essentially, I want the sensors to be hardware/software agnostic, where the intent is to use any generated event from a sensor etc. for any function I chose. I like the Faradite360 sensors, but they seem a bit involved to get working. I haven't eliminated them from the equation, however. I am unsure if the C4 Dry Contact or IO Extenders are even available at this point? But they are a bit pricey too. Then there are Brainboxes ED-549 and Brainboxes ED-588 which can be used with the Faradite sensors, but they are $350-$700 a piece.
I would prefer not to have a debate about wired vs wireless solutions. I understand that wireless devices have come a long way, and are the "go to" now, but I always prefer wired over wireless where it makes sense. If I can't use wired products, I will look at wireless.
Below is list of the relevant parts identified so far as part of the build. They may shed some light on the best way to wire in the contact and motion sensors for multi-use? The other issue I am concerned about is the latency from sensor trigger to actual action. I.E. Someone walks into a dark room, but the light doesn't turn on for a few seconds.
Thanks in advance for any assistance!!
C4 Components: Alarm and Sensors: