Browse Forums Home Theatre & Automation 1 Dec 10, 2007 9:14 am We are looking at all the options for what/how to automate our home and what are deeemed as "essentials" these days?
Our theatre as well as music throughout the home and alfresco area will be essential for us, home network for internet and possibly a media server/foxtel too, maybe a front doorbell with camera/intercom. What else can i think of ....hmmmmmm....... CBUS/other systems i'm sure are available to automate everything from lighting, window coverings, heating, cooling, front door openers etc, i'm sure it's all available - but who actually has done it in their place? Let us know what you have or are planning to have to make your home automated. Re: Have you automated your home? 3Dec 10, 2007 9:31 am Well at least you don't have to program the darn thing!!!!!!!! Re: Have you automated your home? 5Dec 10, 2007 6:42 pm Jamiet, what specific items did you have automated in the last house???
Will you automate the same ones again or add in some extras in the new place ????? What are the costs of such a system - ball park???? Re: Have you automated your home? 6Dec 10, 2007 9:24 pm We have just had a C-Bus and Starserve system installed in our home.
The whole system includes: - Coulour touch panel C-Bus screen. - Video intercom. - Keyless entry. - Data points to most rooms linking back to the study. - TV points in theatre, lounge alfresco, main bed & garage which all link to the TV/Foxtel/DVD player in the theatre. - Multi room audio to theatre, lounge, main bed and alfresco with speakers hidden in the ceiling. - Full lighting control via C-Bus including dimmers to all rooms and saturn switch plates which are programmable. - Sensor switches to powder room, pantry, coat cupboard etc so lights & fans come on automatically. - Installation of the theatre equipment (7.2 surround with a few extra speaker points for good measure in case we feel like it's not loud enough!!). - Full security system. - Provision for CCTV system. I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can think of for now. This all came in at around $35k including installation of all our lights. It's almost all installed now and it's looking fantastic. We get the keys soon and can't wait to start playing. Re: Have you automated your home? 7Dec 10, 2007 9:36 pm Firstly welcome to the forum Dimi.
Wow an impressive system you have there!!!! Does the $35K include the theatre components (amp, speaker, etc, etc....) as well??? No wonder you can't wait to move in..... it's going to be heaven!!!! Re: Have you automated your home? 8Dec 10, 2007 10:29 pm Yep - I've automated my home.
I automatically open the door by hand when I get home !! I find it makes it easier to walk into the house that way and I automatically close with my hand it when I go out I'm serious - !!!! And yes automation is great stuff. I'm a big fan of automatic spinklers and I've had them in 3 houses plus my mango farm. There is a really great feeling as you lie in bed hearing the sprinklers kick in to water the farms fruit trees and gardens as you doze off to sleep on a hot night, knowing the water is going to be soaked in by the time the sun rises. Plus a sailing friend of mine invented an automated watering system that is triggered on or off based on expected rainfall and the measured need to water. http://www.micrometonline.com And I'm currently working on an auto air intake system that will moderate my house temperatures winter and summer. So yep I'm into automation - for different reasons. Steve Re: Have you automated your home? 9Dec 10, 2007 10:33 pm Yak_Chat And I'm currently working on a auto air intake system that will moderate my house temperatures winter and summer. So yep I'm into automation - for different reasons. Steve Hey Steve, fill us in on the auto air intake system???? Sounds interesting. Re: Have you automated your home? 11Dec 10, 2007 10:55 pm ooooooooooooh top secret stuff - no problems.
Well done, i hope it all works out! But when you're rich and famous after it takes off, please remember us all at Homeone won't you???? Re: Have you automated your home? 12Dec 10, 2007 11:05 pm Off course
No intentions of being rich and famous - Just knowing it helped mankind survive longer and as long as it supports my lifestyle and life goals will do me. Been there done that - money is not everything - sure it make one feel like it's better - but really - theres much more to life than moola. Steve Re: Have you automated your home? 13Dec 10, 2007 11:08 pm Yak_Chat Off course No intentions of being rich and famous - Just knowing it helped mankind survive longer and as long as it supports my lifestyle and life goals will do me. Been there done that - money is not everything - sure it make one feel like it's better - but really - theres much more to life than moola. Steve Soooooo Very True...... Re: Have you automated your home? 14Dec 11, 2007 7:30 am i am currently installing a HPM iControl system in my place, i looked at CBUS but it was frigging expensive the HPM system has a few advantages for me and is far cheaper.
We have about 6 dimmable light sets, 12 on/off light sets (cfl should not be used with dimmable), glass touch switchs for the back room and bathroom and stainless switchs for bedroom and hall all up it will cost 5kish for the euqiptment programmed, my sparky will do the 240 side of the install i will do the switches. I will upgrade with a siren and two sensors later and it becomes an alarm (less than 1k upgrade). Will add remotes for keyless entry and garage control again less than 1k). You can hang more lights off each icontrol relay/dimmer, i prefer the low voltage cabling of 2 core wire rather than cat5. I have also wired the whole house up for lan points everywhere (about 24 points in a small 3 bed home), at the moment i will be using one of the cat5 runs going to the HTPC as RCA and plug into a run going to the bathroom which will run a 12v cd player with speakers in the roof for streamed music, will also have this rca split to other lan points in bedroom stereos. If IP devices get a little cheaper i will have IP audio receivers and scrap the direct RCA (its running over cat5 so 2 minute job). I plan to upgrade to the IP interface latter so i can use PDAs as controls and a 14" tablet laptop as the main touch screen in the kitchen area. I have been working on how i will use a water level in my tank so it can report back to the system and top up via mains when required, stop or reduce sprinklers when low, the actual top up will be controled via icontrol if i want it a little simplier i can also use limited monitering via the icontrol. And someone else already mentioned it but i am also working on a house ventilation although i dont really plan on marketing it more just for own use, but it will do roof, celling to roof, under house ventelation depending on what weather is coming. Re: Have you automated your home? 15Dec 11, 2007 9:46 am [quote="**Phoenix**"]Firstly welcome to the forum Dimi.
Wow an impressive system you have there!!!! Does the $35K include the theatre components (amp, speaker, etc, etc....) as well??? No wonder you can't wait to move in..... it's going to be heaven!!!! [/quote] No, we already have all the theatre components. We have Dali speakers, Jamo subs and a Pioneer AX10 amp. We are currently using a 57" rear projection TV, but will end up putting that in the living area and getting one of those new Marantz 1080P projectors. We're just waiting for them to come down in price a bit. Any suggestions on an alternative brand would be appreciated, we've just heard that Marantz is really good. I just pity the neighbours. It's the quietest street on earth so they are all going to be mad when we move in Re: Have you automated your home? 16Dec 11, 2007 9:49 am Hey Dimi, is it too late to soundproof?
Sounds like a nice set up - i haven't checked out the Marantz projectors yet.... We've got some specialist on the forum who should be able to give you plenty of advice though... Re: Have you automated your home? 17Dec 11, 2007 10:00 am Hmmm, I haven't quite worked out the Quote function. Blonde day!!
We haven't soundproofed, but in WA we have double brick walls, and we have wall insulation so hopefully that will do. We have the main bedroom at the opposite end of the house, so at least we'll be comfortable Re: Have you automated your home? 18Dec 11, 2007 10:04 am Sorry Dimi, ,i was thinking about the poor neighbours in your quiet street when you crank up the volume in the theatre!!!!! Re: Have you automated your home? 19Dec 11, 2007 10:10 am Dimi No, we already have all the theatre components. We have Dali speakers, Jamo subs and a Pioneer AX10 amp. We are currently using a 57" rear projection TV, but will end up putting that in the living area and getting one of those new Marantz 1080P projectors. We're just waiting for them to come down in price a bit. Any suggestions on an alternative brand would be appreciated, we've just heard that Marantz is really good. I just pity the neighbours. It's the quietest street on earth so they are all going to be mad when we move in Dimi, Consider the Benq W10000. They are unbelievable value for money. Thanks mate. Yeah good points! Leaning towards Option 3 to get a bit extra space in the cabinets but not going too crazy high (and expensive). Would require a mini… 13 40947 Hi All, I just wanted to close this topic out with an update. So we ended up agreeing to a number with the insurance company, and after an extensive amount of hand… 8 24438 You have mandatory building inspections and privately engaged building inspections. The difference between the two comes down to inspecting the building so it's safe and… 3 18607 |