Re: A mentor / Advisor ?

["Chris Hackett" <chackett@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"news.comcast.net" <acoutinhobass@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dtGdnYfM0YhxtdDYnZ2dnUVZ_sidnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> I think I would eventually like to have most of the "subsystems"
>> controlled or programmable.  HVAC, alarm / fire, lighting, data, cable
>> (a/v) and telephone.
>>
>> Since the home is already built and walls are finished, there's probably
>> not a high likelihood that I'll be interested in fishing new wires to
>> each room. Although, I would guess that since there is a run to each room
>> already, it would be relatively easy to pull one of them back with a
>> "chase" or something, so I can attach a new run, and then pull them both
>> back to the room.
>
> That may or may not be doable, depending on how the cables have been run.
> Most of the time staples and holes too small make repulling difficult to
> impossible.  However, if there''s a basement with exposed floor joists
> above or if the home is a ranch style it's not hard to run new cables.
> More on that later.

Excellent point.  I didn't think of staples, and I've been "had" by staples
on more than one occassion!!

>
>> Here are some of my ideas and thoughts on each system:
>>
>> Data:
>> -----
>> It's cool that each room has a cat5e run to it, but I've been happily
>> using my wireless network for some time now, and wouldn't be disappointed
>> if I continued using my wireless.  Although I don't know if my wireless
>> Ethernet will help or interfere with any wireless HA products or
>> services. I definitely would like to have access to my HomeAutomation
>> system via my data network (so I can access it from my laptop or from the
>> internet .. maybe with some nat rules on my firewall).
>
> As a general rule, wireless HA and wireless Internet can coexist
> peacefully.

Yay.

>
>> Phone:
>> -------
>> My phone requirements are pretty small.  Don't use home phone for much of
>> anything.  Wife uses it occasionally, but for the most part we're
>> cellular people, and would probably give up home phone service if not for
>> DSL.  One person suggested installing big fancy phones in lieu of a
>> speaker or intercom system.  I don't know if that's necessary or not ..
>> probably not.
>
> Telephone intercoms tend to cost more than they're worth, especially if
> you don't really need the phone service.  I usually prefer a separate
> intercom system or even one with music though the music/intercoms don't
> sound as good as multi-room stereo systems.  There are several intercoms
> and even CCTV systems available that can ride on your CAT5 infrastructure.

Sounds like this would confirm my thoughts that telephone isn't worth the
hassle.

>
>> HVAC:
>> --------
>> I don't know what all the options are with this, but I would suspect that
>> anything above and beyond the standard programmable thermostat would
>> suffice for me.  It might be cool to have a few temperature sensors in
>> various places in the home and control the system from those sensors as
>> opposed to the single sensor that's in the thermostat.  In our current
>> home, we moved the thermostat into the master bedroom instead of out in
>> the hall. Definitely care more about the temp in the bedroom than in the
>> hall way, and there's a significant difference.
>
> Several of the popular HA controllers support remote temp and/or humidity
> sensors and can control simple to multi-zone HVAC systems.  The ELK-M1
> Gold system which I sell does that nicely and can work with a number of
> different brands of "communicating" thermostats.  A competing brand called
> HAI has similar capabilities and is worth investigating.

I think I'll research, and probably use the ELK-M1 Gold.  It's been
recommended several times, and seems popular and supportable.

>
>> Security:
>> ---------
>> Again, I would expect that whatever is above and beyond the standard
>> system is cool with me.  My system now has standard burglar and fire
>> monitoring with all the usual bells and whistles (zones, motion,
>> perimeter, etc..).
>
> Almost all of the serious HA controllers also do security, fire, panic.
> ELK's system comes with 16 input zones (sensing loops), expandable to over
> 200.
>
>> A/V:
>> ------
>> This is probably one of the bigger issues for us.  We have, and LOVE, our
>> dual tuner DirectTivo.  Only problem is that we only have one of them in
>> the family room.  We can't route the signal anywhere else.  Well, I
>> suppose we could, but currently we don't.  I'm thinking there must be
>> some sort of solution to put the TIVO, and all the other AV equipment in
>> the theater, and use IR "stuff" to control it from other rooms, and
>> program which signal goes where.  My guess is this stuff aint cheap, so
>> it may be cost prohibitive. Oh .. and whole house audio is always cool.
>
> Russound and Xantech both make excellent multi-room A/V controllers that
> can interface with your existing hardware, control it and "broadcast" the
> signal over ordinary cables to speakers and TV's throughout the house.

Gosh, I sure have a lot of reading and educating to get done in the next
couple weeks!  Thanks for these recommendations.

>
>> Lighting:
>> --------
>> I don't think there's anything too unique about what I think is cool
>> here. Pre-Set "scenes" like "evening" or "party" or "sleep time" or
>> whatever.  I had a fellow out that was telling me that I would need to
>> start replacing all the switches with some kind of $100 switch.  That
>> would be WAY expensive for me .. I would bet the gang of switches in the
>> entry way would cost me close to $1,000 to replace, and that's only
>> taking 3 steps into the house!
>
> There are various solutions from X10, Zwave, etc., which run from $15 to
> $45 per switch.  X10 is the lowest grade and price.  Zwave is good and is
> reasoinably proced.  Insteon is another mid-priced offering from a
> competitor called SmartHome.  Some folks like it though there are a few
> problems that have been reported here.  I don't sell any of these although
> I do carry a Zwave intereface for the ELK system and X10 interfaces for
> several others.  I'm still up in the air about which I will use in my new
> (to me) home.  At this point it looks like I'll go with Zwave.

Yeah, so far the recommendations have been either Zwave or Insteon.  I have
no idea which way I'll go.  I'm probablhy leaning toward Insteon, but I
don't really know why.  One thing I'm not excited about is bulky adapters
and stuff.  I don't know what they're called, but I think I saw them on some
sort of "starter kit" from Insteon.  I really want the sytem to be
transparent or invisible...

>
>> Whew .. that's a lot.  I guess what I'm thinking most about now is the
>> main panel and how much it will cost to make sure that down the road I
>> don't have to replace it because I didn't give it enough thought.
>
> You can get a starter kit consisting of master control panel, keypad and
> various accessories for ~$500-600, depending on what you choose and where
> you get it.  MOst of these systems are readily available online.

This is less expensive than I expected.  I wonder if you could make a
recommendation of hardware and software based on a DIY'ers budjet of around
$2,000 give or take..Maybe a recommendation from some folks would help me
get focused and start actually making some progress! :)

Thanks so much for your comments and suggestions.   I really appreciare it!

Chris Hackett

>
>> Ok .. I gotta get back to cutting the grass ...
>
> Have fun.
>
> Regards,
> Robert L Bass
>
> Bass Home Electronics
> www.BassBurglarAlarms.com
>
> PS -- I'm using my laptop at the moment so the username is different, but
> it's still me.  :^)
>
>