Recent content by rocketmonkeys

  I think I may be able to just do fixed domes + wide-angle lenses for the exterior.  Right now I just want to find a decent replacement for my FI8910W that has better video/audio support (especially h.264) and POE.     I'm trying real hard to get more than I pay for here :)  But yes; if I go...

Just a quick follow-up: I contacted Empire Security with some questions about those cameras.  Turns out they are *not* PTZ as listed in the description.  The description lists a bunch of things (PTZ, h.264, MPEG-4, RTP, etc).  However, that section is just a generic description of all the things...

I'm looking for POE IP cameras for inside & outside.  Inside first.  I currently have some Foscams.  They work, they're decent, but they're really not made well (poor image quality, bad ASF stream delay, bad wifi, etc).  I'd really like to get something better.   My must haves: - POE - Pan-tilt...

  Very neat.  So does this mean that the VRUSB is simply for connecting & enrollment (ie. installing / reconfiguring devices), then day to day the VRC0P controls everything?  What software do you use with your VRC0P?   If you wanted to, could you have used the VRC0P w/ a laptop to do enrollment...

  That's great!  That had most of the dimmers that were already on my list; very helpful.                     Thanks for the feedback on those things.  I hadn't spent much time looking at the controller end of things, but I think now that's a big consideration for me.  I really want to be able...

  Thanks for that link, that's a really nice chart.  I wish they had a similar one for dimmers.  I'm making a chart of my own, but it's hard to consolidate all the info.   Instant status - this means that when a switch is activated locally, it'll immediately tell the controller that it changed...

Hey all.  I've got the house nearly built, wiring is all there, now I have to figure out the controller, protocol, and especially lighting switches.  I'm going nuts since I have to make some decisions quickly, and I've got so much else going on.  Right now, I need to choose the light switches...

  The tables above were for 100' @ 1.5A.  I'm guessing I'll have some less than 100', maybe some above.  The motor spec I saw said 1A, but I'm edging on the safe side by assuming 1.5A.   For the doubled-22 AWG, I just used the 1/R = 1/R + 1/R formula.  But I double checked, and this random book...

What are these combined in-wall LCR speakers you guys speak of?  Are they similar to sound-bars?  I'm definitely curious.  It seems like that wouldn't work w/ the studs, but maybe I'm imagining it wrongly.   Re: pics... I have some in-progress pics:       You can see where I'm planning the...

      Hmm, this is interesting.  I finally got around to looking at real(er) numbers.  Keep in mind - it's late, I'm sure I missed a lot, and I'm *definitely* a long way from college EE101 classes.     So 9.6v at the end w/ 22 AWG definitely seems bad.  11.4v on the high end (16AWG) is good...

      Thanks for the advice guys.  Re: window placement - not only is that part of the house built already (framed, windows installed, sided, etc), but there would be 0% chance of moving those windows.  There is a *lot* of symmetry going on w/ the placement of the exterior windows.  Let's say...

I've narrowed it down to 2 speakers (L & R) just below the TV on the exterior wall, mounted horizontally.   I'm not sure if you can make it out here, but they're the two white rectangles under the tv:   That should be fine to just carve out a little for each speaker.  I'm not going for...

  For now, I'm planning on trying to stay within the POE envelope.  I don't need huge IR arrays, PTZ would be nice for some spots.  Seems like some PTZ cameras use ~5w, which seems like it would work.  The Dahuas seem to say "max 1.5w", which seems low.  But some random internet poster says...

  I considered letting the house burn, but definitely doesn't have WAF.  We'll figure out this power issue one way or another.

It's been a few days.  I spec'd out 22/4 for all the windows, then stupidly realized my mistake - the Somfy RTS (for example) need 12v @ 1amp, and 22 is spec'd for .9A for power transmission (and I'm guessing has issues with resistance, voltage drop, and heat for long distances).  So I need more...