Re: Help to 'sell' me CBUS

[Phillip Harris <phil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Also, I used to get asked about labelling switches and "How do you
know what each switch does?"...

...my view on it is that you don't have labels on "normal" light
switches and if you need labels on C-Bus switches then you've made it too
complicated. I generally do "Top Left gets you some lights on in a
room" and "Bottom Right turns everything off in a room" and
anything else is just window dressing.

Phil


On 30 Oct 2010, at 12:49, Phil Harris wrote:

> If you're Surrey then my mate has CBus in his place in Guildford ...
He might be up for letting you take a look at his?
>
> Phil (ex-Schneider CBus UK tech support)
>
> Sent from another bloody fruit-based portable device...
>
> On 30 Oct 2010, at 09:12, "Brian Smith"
<briview@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Hi Ben
>>
>> Thanks for the feedback.  All good points and I agree that the
Saturn
>> switches are the nicest looking.  Have you looked at the DLT
versions at
>> all?  I wondered if they would be useful in increasing the usage
of each
>> button as (I think) the function could change depending on
conditions /
>> button presses.  If you're not using DLTs, how do you physically
label each
>> button with it's function?
>>
>> Also, can you elaborate on the functions you have buttons
configured for? Ie
>> if I bought the 6 button versions, do I configure each button as a
scene
>> (which I'm assuming would limit to 5 scenes and off) or do you
have buttons
>> that could allow you to cycle through scenes (as I have now on the
Futronix
>> unit).
>>
>> WRT overall control, I am definitely looking for something like
IPAD
>> control.  This would mainly be for music control of Squeezebox but
would
>> also like to be able to integrate heating and lighting control
too.  I have
>> looked HomeSeer and HS Touch in the past but have yet to make a
purchase.
>> Does this factor in to how you would use CBUS or just the
selection of CBUS
>> vs any other product?
>>
>> Another question from an installers perspective.  Having spoken to
my
>> sparky, he has not used CBUS but has used RAKO and is happy to
'give it a
>> go'.  Would you expect this to cause any issues?  If I do the
'design'
>> should the install and commissioning be straightforward between
us? I wasn't
>> sure if there were any installer only software / hardware elements
that
>> would make it difficult without.
>>
>> Thanks again
>>
>> Brian
>>
>> PS.  Would love to come and see a demo but we are Surrey way so it
would be
>> a bit of a punt unless we could lose the rugrats :-)
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
>> Ben McCormack
>> Sent: 29 October 2010 21:19
>> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Help to 'sell' me CBUS
>>
>> Brian
>>
>> I have installed cbus so will try and give you my views.
>>
>> I initially based my decision on what switches looked best. At the
end of
>> the day this is the bit that you interact with everyday. Of all of
the
>> central lighting systems the cbus Saturns were the nicest and
liked by my
>> wife as well.
>>
>> I would suggest you work out how many circuits you plan to have in
total.
>> Personally if you are 8 or under I would suggest cbus will be
uneconomical
>> and would look at Lutron or something similar - Note I have not
done the
>> calculations but thats my general feeling.
>>
>> We have large open plan rooms in the house. We have 10 zones in
the lounge
>> and cbus allows us to have multiple lighting configs triggered
from multiple
>> switches.
>>
>> It is the same setup in the kitchen with multiple zones.
>>
>> Cbus does link well to Comfort, I have the link but not made use
of it
>> yet.Planning to do all lights off when the Alarm is armed etc etc.
>>
>> Also consider if you want to control the whole setup from a iPad
or similar.
>> I have purchased a Pronto TSU9600 and currently playing with a
cbus module
>> that allows cbus control from the remote.
>>
>> Overall I have been very happy with cbus. It is not cheap but give
a lot of
>> functionality. Happy to give you a demo if you are around
hertfordshire.
>>
>> Hope this helps
>>
>> Ben
>>
>>
>> On 29 Oct 2010, at 16:36, Brian Smith wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>> Hi Guys
>>>>
>>>> For years and years I have been promising myself that when
the
>> opportunity came I would go for a CBUS install but now that that
opportunity
>> is here (from a two story rear and side extension) I'm getting
cold feet
>> with regards to what I actually gain from it.
>>>>
>>>> I currently have a 4 channel dimmer module from Futronix
so like the
>> functionality of a single button controlling pre-set levels on all
4
>> channels etc.  The extension plans will create a largely open plan
ground
>> floor with living, dining and kitchen areas so I was assuming that
CBUS
>> would allow me to have multiple switch points (at entry / exit for
example)
>> that can set scenes throughout the whole space but the detail on
what is
>> possible with CBUS is a bit of a mystery to me.
>>>>
>>>> So I was hoping a few kind souls on this list with
practical experience
>> of cbus could describe the functionality they have created (mainly
with
>> regard to lighting but I am also interested in heating and audio
control)
>> and whether it is all delivered with cbus or in combination with
other kit
>> like Comfort etc.  I just need a few examples of real world use
really to
>> hook onto and sell to the wife :-)
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>>
>>>> Brian
>>>
>>>
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