Home Automation - lighting & media
Discussion
I am going to be buying a house to renovate in October so looking at adding a few extras, just pricing these bits up now.
I would like to be able to control all the lighting intelligently and also be able to have music through a central control.
I don't know much about this kind of stuff as haven't owned my own home for a while.
It will be a 8-10 Bedroom house so would be looking at a reasonable size. As it is a complete from scratch renovation then it makes sense to include such luxuries at this stage. However there are so many different products out there. I have some experience with Lutron Grafik eye, which I think is a bit OTT for my application. What would people recommend for amid range budget and also who are good suppliers to use?
At the moment just looking to price up as not bought a house yet, but will be happening in October, post September wedding.
I would like to be able to control all the lighting intelligently and also be able to have music through a central control.
I don't know much about this kind of stuff as haven't owned my own home for a while.
It will be a 8-10 Bedroom house so would be looking at a reasonable size. As it is a complete from scratch renovation then it makes sense to include such luxuries at this stage. However there are so many different products out there. I have some experience with Lutron Grafik eye, which I think is a bit OTT for my application. What would people recommend for amid range budget and also who are good suppliers to use?
At the moment just looking to price up as not bought a house yet, but will be happening in October, post September wedding.
I can't reccomend anyone, but I'd be careful on how intelegent you go on this.
I work in some very smart and exclusive houses and apartments, technology and especially tastes are moving so fast.
What was cool three years ago is becoming old hat today or even frowned upon.
I am working in a house at the moment where the previous owner had the place wired for the most amazing individual lighting throughout, but the new owners are ripping the lot out and going back to basics. it must have cost thousands to install originally.
This is a mute point because I know absoluty nothing of the technology and there are many PHers out there that are installing all this top gear and fair play to them. All I'm saying is that, first hand it seems to have peaked and slowly people are moving away com the flashier stuff. ...... Well unless your a Russian
Saying that, if you want it, you have it and best of luck with it.
I work in some very smart and exclusive houses and apartments, technology and especially tastes are moving so fast.
What was cool three years ago is becoming old hat today or even frowned upon.
I am working in a house at the moment where the previous owner had the place wired for the most amazing individual lighting throughout, but the new owners are ripping the lot out and going back to basics. it must have cost thousands to install originally.
This is a mute point because I know absoluty nothing of the technology and there are many PHers out there that are installing all this top gear and fair play to them. All I'm saying is that, first hand it seems to have peaked and slowly people are moving away com the flashier stuff. ...... Well unless your a Russian
Saying that, if you want it, you have it and best of luck with it.
Edited by Wozy68 on Tuesday 12th August 22:28
I would recommend PHer, VEX, who works in this field. Here is his profile
Wozy68 said:
I can't reccomend anyone, but I'd be careful on how intelegent you go on this.
I work in some very smart and exclusive houses and apartments, technology and especially tastes are moving so fast.
What was cool three years ago is becoming old hat today or even frowned upon.
I am working in a house at the moment where the previous owner had the place wired for the most amazing individual lighting throughout, but the new owners are ripping the lot out and going back to basics. it must have cost thousands to install originally.
This is a mute point because I know absoluty nothing of the technology and there are many PHers out there that are installing all this top gear and fair play to them. All I'm saying is that, first hand it seems to have peaked and slowly people are moving away com the flashier stuff. ...... Well unless your a Russian
Saying that, if you want it, you have it and best of luck with it.
I agree. Let's face it computers and cars are periodically a pain in the ass. There is something rather reassuring and relaxing about flicking a switch and a light comes on, if it doesn't it's almost certainly the bulb.I work in some very smart and exclusive houses and apartments, technology and especially tastes are moving so fast.
What was cool three years ago is becoming old hat today or even frowned upon.
I am working in a house at the moment where the previous owner had the place wired for the most amazing individual lighting throughout, but the new owners are ripping the lot out and going back to basics. it must have cost thousands to install originally.
This is a mute point because I know absoluty nothing of the technology and there are many PHers out there that are installing all this top gear and fair play to them. All I'm saying is that, first hand it seems to have peaked and slowly people are moving away com the flashier stuff. ...... Well unless your a Russian
Saying that, if you want it, you have it and best of luck with it.
Edited by Wozy68 on Tuesday 12th August 22:28
Although some of the gadgets are tempting!
Cactussed said:
I have gone with Lightwave RF kit. Its simple to install (plug and play) and thus easy to change / remove. Can't complain although to be fair, we've hardly used the room since rewiring the house as its being decorated still.
Time will tell how useful the setup is I suppose.
I've had a number of failures with lightwave including the internet remote box that blew and a number of wall modules. The light switches are also a little limited on how much power they can handle. You pay for what you get I guessTime will tell how useful the setup is I suppose.
I'm using z-wave modules from Fibaro, either dimmers or relays. I've chosen a piece of software called Indigo that runs on my mac mini to control it.
I have interfaces into my alarm so that I can use the sensors as triggers for lights.
Lights can be triggered by PIR, timers, controlled from tablets. I can control AV equipment, sonos, pretty much anything is possible given the will.
I've been working on basics with lights, the downstairs hall light that comes on based on presence (ibeacons) and time/luminance in the hall. IT also is motion activated 30 minutes prior to sunset so any movement in the hall turns the light on for 3 minutes, the timer resets on movement but dims the light after 2 minutes of no movement. Outside lights turn on at sunset.
Upstairs hall lights come on at a dim level if there is motion in the hall so that my son always has a dim light available for night time bathroom visits!
I'm working on stair lighting at the moment from rbgw led tape recessed into the stair stringer. It'll come on at night when walking down the stairs, coloured red if the alarm is on, or other colours if not.
Because the modules are all retrofit options, fairly cheap and very reliable I'm really only limited by Wife acceptance factor and imagination.
I have interfaces into my alarm so that I can use the sensors as triggers for lights.
Lights can be triggered by PIR, timers, controlled from tablets. I can control AV equipment, sonos, pretty much anything is possible given the will.
I've been working on basics with lights, the downstairs hall light that comes on based on presence (ibeacons) and time/luminance in the hall. IT also is motion activated 30 minutes prior to sunset so any movement in the hall turns the light on for 3 minutes, the timer resets on movement but dims the light after 2 minutes of no movement. Outside lights turn on at sunset.
Upstairs hall lights come on at a dim level if there is motion in the hall so that my son always has a dim light available for night time bathroom visits!
I'm working on stair lighting at the moment from rbgw led tape recessed into the stair stringer. It'll come on at night when walking down the stairs, coloured red if the alarm is on, or other colours if not.
Because the modules are all retrofit options, fairly cheap and very reliable I'm really only limited by Wife acceptance factor and imagination.
If you are going to renovate then you want to install a wired system. Grafik Eye is the one room solution to this, homeworks is the whole house equivalent. Other comparable brands exist. Can't imagine why you would think it is overkill?
Whoever you choose to do the install I would check case studies and past installs to make sure they are of a comparable size and also make sure they have in-house programming (otherwise any change in the future will cost you and will take time to implement). Also check if you will be change to scenes yourself on the fly otherwise its an expensive visit whenever you want to make a change.
Do your research. I shudder at the number of jobs we see where people who are inexperienced are given pots of cash and they then can't deliver.
There is lots of advice on here. Some impartial, some less so!
Whoever you choose to do the install I would check case studies and past installs to make sure they are of a comparable size and also make sure they have in-house programming (otherwise any change in the future will cost you and will take time to implement). Also check if you will be change to scenes yourself on the fly otherwise its an expensive visit whenever you want to make a change.
Do your research. I shudder at the number of jobs we see where people who are inexperienced are given pots of cash and they then can't deliver.
There is lots of advice on here. Some impartial, some less so!
Thanks all for some suggestions and insight.
I should clarify that this isn't going to be done in the UK and will be being installed by myself. I do industrial electrics for a living, so the physical side of it is easy for me to install. As most of my work is PLCs, so I do have a rough idea of what is going on, just not on the programming side but I am willing to learn. If need be I can pay someone to programme it for me.
I was expecting a budget of sub £10k, so definitely not the £100k installations. So maybe I was over egging the mid range, I am going blind into this hence the research now.
I would like to avoid the lutron, as personally I wasn't over enamored with it. This was a Grafik eye QS.
I do like the idea of having it din rail mounted so it will all be done in a central location, such as the Loxone. I like the idea of being able to control it from an android device that would also be used for music as well.
Are there similar items that I could look at to compare?
I should clarify that this isn't going to be done in the UK and will be being installed by myself. I do industrial electrics for a living, so the physical side of it is easy for me to install. As most of my work is PLCs, so I do have a rough idea of what is going on, just not on the programming side but I am willing to learn. If need be I can pay someone to programme it for me.
I was expecting a budget of sub £10k, so definitely not the £100k installations. So maybe I was over egging the mid range, I am going blind into this hence the research now.
I would like to avoid the lutron, as personally I wasn't over enamored with it. This was a Grafik eye QS.
I do like the idea of having it din rail mounted so it will all be done in a central location, such as the Loxone. I like the idea of being able to control it from an android device that would also be used for music as well.
Are there similar items that I could look at to compare?
I've just completed my self build and included Lutron Graffik Eye lighting and a centralised sound system
I'm not sure I would automate the lighting again as I really think it's overkill in a residential property - nothing wrong with some simple dimming technology is my current view.
Central sound is great but again can be overkill. I had the kitchen/diner. Living room and master bedroom done with ceiling speakers back to a central Amp and Sonos system. If I was doing it again I would leave out the bedroom as I do not spend enough waking time in there.
When you start these projects you can get carried away with the technology. Mine is pretty basis/minimal and I still feel it's too much.
I'm not sure I would automate the lighting again as I really think it's overkill in a residential property - nothing wrong with some simple dimming technology is my current view.
Central sound is great but again can be overkill. I had the kitchen/diner. Living room and master bedroom done with ceiling speakers back to a central Amp and Sonos system. If I was doing it again I would leave out the bedroom as I do not spend enough waking time in there.
When you start these projects you can get carried away with the technology. Mine is pretty basis/minimal and I still feel it's too much.
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