Re: Help to 'sell' me CBUS

[Paul Gale <groups2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've got 14 (I think) DLT's around the house and am really sold on
them - I=
do find it easy to remember which button is for which light/lamp/fan etc -=
as long as you map the buttons logically to the position of the device in =
the room.  The US style ones I have, I think are far better than the UK
siz=
e ones as you get an extra button and look better proportion wise.=20

One of the REALLY flexible things about CB and DLT's is that with the
right=
interfaces, you can allocate and control any HA kit with them and program =
a label for that item.=20

Eg I have DLT's with buttons for electric door locks, lights, fans,
extract=
fans, dlt backlight level, electric curtains, velux windows and blinds and=
any of the functionality of comfort etc etc etc

Really cool and flexible!

For that integration, I use one of Kevin's excellent CB/homevision/xap
gate=
ways. I have a range of other ha kit and software running, so pretty much
e=
verything is controllable from anywhere :)

Paul.

On 30 Oct 2010, at 22:19, "Ben McCormack"
<yahoogroup@xxxxxxx> =
wrote:

> We have a couple of DLTs as well. To be honest I am not 100% convinced
by=
them as you have to look at them to read what is on the display. Not sayin=
g they are bad just not perfect for me but they do look very very cool.
>=20
> With the Saturns I try and keep similar settings in similar places ie
>=20
> Top left throughout the house turns on the lights you would expect
from t=
hat location.
> Bottom right turns off all the lights in that area
>=20
>=20
> I am not aware of cycling scenes on the Saturns. from my pov not sure
you=
will even need more than 5/6 scenes. For me that may just become confusing=
.
>=20
>=20
> cbus installation - The best way I have seen is the following.
>=20
> Normal sparky wires all lighting zones and runs the 'feed' cable back
to =
the cbus dimmer area.
> cbus sparky comes along and make the final connections and wires up
the c=
bus side. (I used Ben Adison - http://www.benaddison.com/. On the
list and =
comes recommended by a few of us.)
> I personally used Ben to do the whole thing and have added some later
lig=
hting circuits.
>=20
> Programming of the system is completed a number of ways via a PC and
cbus=
software. I guess the easiest interface is the USB one (http://www.cbus-sh=
op.com/product_info.php?cPath=3D161_27&products_id=3D578) so will cost
you =
around =A3300. I had Ben do the electrical side (My install - http://www.fl=
ickr.com/photos/thinkinghouse/page7/)
> I then did all of the cbus programming, this of course depends on your
PC=
skills.
>=20
> Control
>=20
> Apart from the switches Control is I guess the most complex subject.
>=20
> In an ideal world I would like to control my whole House via ipad and
thi=
s includes
>=20
> Sonos
> Cbus
> Comfort
> IP cameras - not got yet
> IR for TV, Sky etc etc
>=20
> Unfortunately I cannot find the perfect solution to control all, the
same=
would apply with most lighting systems. When I was planning I would get a =
sheet of A3 and write all the systems in the house and then work out which
=
ones you want connected and finally how they could connect.
>=20
>=20
> Just seen your latest mail
>=20
> Cbus have also just released a new product called Wiser that is the PC
in=
terface and also an interface with iPad. I personally don't know too much
a=
bout them as I don't have one (http://www.wiserhomeautomation.com/
- http:/=
/www.cbus-shop.com/product_info.php?cPath=3D161_25&products_id=3D933)
>=20
> Dimmer do have binary ie On or Off
>=20
> 2 vs 4 vs 6 Button - The issue is people coming into the house that
are n=
ot used to the system. 6 buttons is confusing.
> Also if you consider our lounge with 10+ zones, to be perfectly honest
mo=
st of the time we use 1 scene that has most lights on 50%. So in reality
yo=
u could control that with a couple of 2 buttons.
>=20
> We are M1/M25 junction if that helps.
>=20
>=20
> Ben
>=20
>=20
> On 30 Oct 2010, at 09:12, Brian Smith wrote:
>=20
>> Hi Ben
>>=20
>> 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 e=
ach
>> button with it's function?
>>=20
>> 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 butt=
ons
>> that could allow you to cycle through scenes (as I have now on the
Futro=
nix
>> unit).=20=20
>>=20
>> 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 h=
ave
>> 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 C=
BUS
>> vs any other product?
>>=20
>> 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 wa=
sn't
>> sure if there were any installer only software / hardware elements
that
>> would make it difficult without.
>>=20
>> Thanks again
>>=20
>> Brian=20
>>=20
>> 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 :-)
>>=20
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf O=
f
>> Ben McCormack
>> Sent: 29 October 2010 21:19
>> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Help to 'sell' me CBUS
>>=20
>> Brian
>>=20
>> I have installed cbus so will try and give you my views.
>>=20
>> I initially based my decision on what switches looked best. At the
end o=
f
>> 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 m=
y
>> wife as well.
>>=20
>> 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
uneconomic=
al
>> and would look at Lutron or something similar - Note I have not
done the
>> calculations but thats my general feeling.
>>=20
>> We have large open plan rooms in the house. We have 10 zones in
the loun=
ge
>> and cbus allows us to have multiple lighting configs triggered
from mult=
iple
>> switches.
>>=20
>> It is the same setup in the kitchen with multiple zones.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> Also consider if you want to control the whole setup from a iPad
or simi=
lar.
>> I have purchased a Pronto TSU9600 and currently playing with a
cbus modu=
le
>> that allows cbus control from the remote.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> Hope this helps
>>=20
>> Ben
>>=20
>>=20
>> On 29 Oct 2010, at 16:36, Brian Smith wrote:
>>=20
>>>=20
>>>> Hi Guys
>>>>=20
>>>> 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
opportu=
nity
>> is here (from a two story rear and side extension) I'm getting
cold feet
>> with regards to what I actually gain from it.=20
>>>>=20
>>>> 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
groun=
d
>> 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
examp=
le)
>> 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.=20
>>>>=20
>>>> So I was hoping a few kind souls on this list with
practical experienc=
e
>> 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 k=
it
>> like Comfort etc.  I just need a few examples of real world use
really t=
o
>> hook onto and sell to the wife :-)
>>>>=20
>>>> Thanks
>>>>=20
>>>> Brian
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>>=20
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