c4member Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hello, I am looking for ideas on some fun/useful custom buttons to use in our home. Can you please share what you have programmed for your buttons? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turls Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 A friend of mine has "sexy time" on one of his, I think on a tabletop keypad next to the bed. Some kind of media and lighting scene I guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicagoskiguy Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I use the actual buttons for mostly standard stuff, but I use the color of the LED's for the buttons for information (in my case to indicate current power prices -green, yellow, red) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
South Africa C4 user Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I find the LED feedback the most useful... For instance, I control my irrigation from one button (green means the schedule is set, red means the schedule is deactivated, blue means the irrigation is currently running. When it is green or red, pressing the button starts the irrigation cycle (based on preset zone times) then and there. When it is blue, pressing the button stops the irrigation and it returns to red or green. When it is blue, double clicking the button advances the irrigation to the next zone then and there.Then, I have an alarm button, red says the alarm is armed, green says it is disarmed, orange says it failed to arm. Pressing the button arms the system. Holding the button for 2 seconds sends a panic signal...I use blue LEDs for lights and scenes, light blue LEDs for major off scenes (e.g. house off, room off, suite off, downstairs off, upstairs off), pink LEDs (cheesy) for romantic lighting in bedroom / bathroom / jacuzzi area. Another nameless colour for music playing.I have at least one music button (with up and down buttons below it for volume) in every room. One click plays my play list (except next to my wife's bed and in the kids rooms where one click is their playlist). Double click is my wife's playlist and triple click is all music on the system (played randomly). I use the up and down button as volume and move volume by 5 points per click... I tried the hold to increase or decrease and this was a disaster due to system latency. I have set double click of the volume arrows to go forward or backward a track.My music buttons are more complex than described above. For instance, I have 2 main music scenes downstairs (inside and outside). The two scenes are made up of 5 zones... When I press the music button, it first checks if anything is playing in any of the other zones and links to this... If not then it starts the appropriate random playlist... This lets me get inside and outside playing the same playlist by simply pushing the inside button and then (or half an hour later) the outside button without ever having to use a TS or iPad.I use up and down arrows on other keypads (where there is not a music button directly above them) to control things like blinds...At the top and bottom of the stairs I have an upstairs button and a downstairs button (light blue LED - see above) which simply turn off all upstairs or downstairs lights as appropriate and the stairs lights 15 seconds later.I have also linked some of my swimming pool functionality (lights, fountain and filtering) to buttons with LEDs.Most of my lighting buttons (single lights and scenes) will give a dimmer light on double click.Last item that I can think of is a exit and arm button at the front and back door which turns off all inside lights, turns on the garage and drive lights for 3 minutes and sets the alarm 3 minutes later... Green and red LEDs like the other alarm buttons.The most important thing is to be consistent in how things work so that you can move from keypad to keypad and room to room without having to remember how you have dealt with a room... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggzlot Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 its simple but I love my goodnight button - makes sure the garage doors are closed, the 3 doors to the outside are locked, turns on the alarm. turns off all TV's and music streams except in the Master Bedroom, turns off all lights except for the hallway to provided a lighted path and also turns on the Master Bedroom lights. the hallway lights go off after 3 minutes so I do not have to worry about them. simple, yet efficient and basically use it daily. I have a button on my SR 250 that puts the TV on a 90 minute sleep timer and also turns off the lights in the Master Bedroom too. I guess there is a theme, I am lazy at night! As others said, I have colors on the LEDs so I know the state of the alarm, music, TVs, etc. I have double/triple taps set up for odd things too - I have a triple tap set up turn off the alarm and put on some lighting for when my dog wakes up early and I do not want to walk over to the alarm panel/TS to turn off the alarm and turn on lights. Its a quick way to get things set to walk through the house to get the dog outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
South Africa C4 user Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I also have a Watch TV button invert room with a TV. Turns the TV on to my favourite channel / source and turns off lights / leaves one dim light on somewhere, turns off screen savers on TouchScreens as they give distracting light and closes blinds (certain rooms only). I use this religiously to turn TVs on rather than Watch on the remote... I don't use it to turn TVs off but rather use room off which has various linked (lighting) commands connected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Fast arm on security system, good night buttons, 'mood' buttons, 'party time!' (toggles through 3 playlists and turns on all the RGBLEDs to a matching pattern, dimming and setting lights all across the house, closing blinds.... Most used though are lighting scenes, house off/goodnight settings and my trusty 'welcome' button at my garage door turing on a pathway of lights all at low levels for when coming home with sleeping kids). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I have a triple tap set up turn off the alarmI really don't like having alarm codes typed into the system.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucecampbell Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I use a 6 button in the patio.3 buttons on the left each toggle a light circuit.Top right = audio source, loops through Radio/Apple Airport Express/Sky TV/Offmiddle right = Vol UpBottom right = Vol DownLED's on the right change colour depending on current source ie: Red = Off, Green = Radio. I have also programmed these LED colours to follow the room audio no matter what interface selected the source. Also just finishing a pool install, so the 3 left buttons are likely to change to:top left = loop through various lighting scenes for Patio's 3 light circuits.middle left = loop through various pool and water fall lighting scenesbottom left = toggle water fall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggzlot Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 I really don't like having alarm codes typed into the system.... Its only active for a few hours each morning (early), its a triple tap and only on 1 keypad out of 20+ in the house. Would be hard for someone to figure it out to deactivate my alarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Except for anyone with ComposerPro or HE. It's the code being in the programming, not the ZigBee traffic as such. Its only active for a few hours each morning (early), its a triple tap and only on 1 keypad out of 20+ in the house. Would be hard for someone to figure it out to deactivate my alarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggzlot Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 ah i was not even thinking about the ZigBee traffic - I thought you were referring to someone breaking in and somehow turning off the alarm or something. I trust my dealer. What can I say. He is remote, and I can say my house is not that fancy where its worth the plot to come hit me up :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c4member Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Thank you everyone for the great ideas! I can't wait to implement them in my home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 ah i was not even thinking about the ZigBee traffic - I thought you were referring to someone breaking in and somehow turning off the alarm or something. I trust my dealer. What can I say. He is remote, and I can say my house is not that fancy where its worth the plot to come hit me up :-)And I'm not too worried about someone walking up to the button and using it direct (unless you have it at your front door with a 'alarm off' engraving ).It's not just your dealer though - assuming someone can get on your local network, a laptop with Composer will do, unless root passwords are changed etc. I realize it's not a MAJOR concern, but I don't like having my CCard's pincode on a piece of paper in my house either. Not telling you not to do it - though I refuse to implement it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c4Denver Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Hey Cy - maybe this should be new thread, but, was talking with couple other C4 endusers. Question regarding your comment on access/security, if a person no longer trusts their dealer or moves into a house with existing C4 system where previous homeowner programmed, what should they do to ensure security system is not breached or compromised? What would you do if you moved into a home with C4 already installed to ensure your home is secure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingzz Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Change the passwords on your routers, pin codes on the alarm, lock codes, revoke remote access, this is a start, I'm sure others will add a few more things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.