I knew it. Opie was flying around Denver with the CT banner. I followed him to the airport where he was selling CT shirts.
Yea, that's how I found the site. Been here ever since.
How did you find CocoonTech?
- Thread starter electron
- Start date
Yea, that's how I found the site. Been here ever since.
I think creating professional quality "How to" articles are a great method. For example, hosting the "How to fix your SageTV HD-100" is a great idea. Even the people on the SageTV forums hadn't done that yet, so they are coming to this site to get that information.
Your Wiring 101, 102, and 103 guides are also traffic attractors. I loved the 1 Wire how-to and was excited to see the post about it here. Unfortunately, it is simply a link to another site that already created it. But that was another greatly needed article. If more articles like that could be created, this site could become the "Go-to" site for information like that.
Your Wiring 101, 102, and 103 guides are also traffic attractors. I loved the 1 Wire how-to and was excited to see the post about it here. Unfortunately, it is simply a link to another site that already created it. But that was another greatly needed article. If more articles like that could be created, this site could become the "Go-to" site for information like that.
beelzerob
Senior Member
The answer is obvious. Random giveaways to existing members with post counts over 1300 but less than 1400!
beelzerob
Senior Member
Very true. Or at a minimum, very detailed "How-To" writeups...but video beats all. Also, make them as newbie friendly as possible....don't assume the viewer already understands all of the preliminary details. Or at least break down the how-to into an "Introduction" and "advanced" video.
How-to videos make the whole world of HA a lot more understandable and plausible to the new guy, and once you remove a lot of the "intimidation of the unknown", I think they'll be more interested.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
I have thought about doing videos, even wrote down outlines of what they would include on various How-To subject matters, but just have not had the time to create them.
Maybe I'll re-think this project again as it seems to have some interest in our community.
Maybe I'll re-think this project again as it seems to have some interest in our community.
beelzerob
Senior Member
Well, perhaps you can energize the community to provide some of these how-to videos too. How-to writeups are a lot easier for me to do, but just because I'm not aware of the tools at my disposal to do a how-to video. Sooo, maybe create a how-to video on how to create a how-to video!
But if you can get 10 people to make a simple how-to video, that'll go a lot better than you trying to find the time to make 10 how-to videos. Of course, you'll lose some of your creative license as a result...
But if you can get 10 people to make a simple how-to video, that'll go a lot better than you trying to find the time to make 10 how-to videos. Of course, you'll lose some of your creative license as a result...
IVB
Senior Member
One word, son: Plastics. No wait, i mean podcasts.
An idea that jkmonroe had was to create a site where me/him/others would record 10 minute podcasts about something or other HA related on a weekly basis. Seems like a lot of work, I don't listen to podcasts, but i hear those durn punk kids think it's all the rage.
Or perhaps a quarterly cross-product webinar to discuss a given project. Kinda like the CQC ones, but aligned around a given outcome to show how you accomplish it in CQC vs J9 vs HS vs Premise.
There's a lot of value in seeing how someone who uses an inferior product (read: not the one the viewer is using) can accomplish the goal using a totally different paradigm
An idea that jkmonroe had was to create a site where me/him/others would record 10 minute podcasts about something or other HA related on a weekly basis. Seems like a lot of work, I don't listen to podcasts, but i hear those durn punk kids think it's all the rage.
Or perhaps a quarterly cross-product webinar to discuss a given project. Kinda like the CQC ones, but aligned around a given outcome to show how you accomplish it in CQC vs J9 vs HS vs Premise.
There's a lot of value in seeing how someone who uses an inferior product (read: not the one the viewer is using) can accomplish the goal using a totally different paradigm
TXFlatLander
Active Member
I definitely agree with how-tos, videos, and webinars would be a great driver. Maybe consider some partnerships with other sites, such as CQC, AVSForum (this is how I found Cocoontech nearly a year go), etc. to drive people each way and maybe some manufacturers.
I think there is tons of great info and best practices in the forums that could be transferred to the wiki. I wish I would have taken notes from the hours of reading I have down across numerous threads. If it was in the wiki, someone could print it off and take it with them to do their DIY project. Anything they learn could then be updated so people don't make the same mistakes and can follow tried & true techniques. I haven't found an extensive wiki yet for home automation & structured wiring.
I am wanting to update the wiki with time and wife willing with things knowledge I can offer.
I think there is tons of great info and best practices in the forums that could be transferred to the wiki. I wish I would have taken notes from the hours of reading I have down across numerous threads. If it was in the wiki, someone could print it off and take it with them to do their DIY project. Anything they learn could then be updated so people don't make the same mistakes and can follow tried & true techniques. I haven't found an extensive wiki yet for home automation & structured wiring.
I am wanting to update the wiki with time and wife willing with things knowledge I can offer.
mustangcoupe
Senior Member
guest speakers in the chat
drozwood90
Senior Member
I agree with the How-Tos. It is what got me here, and it's GREAT to see how others have done stuff. NOT just "I did this", but a breakdown of how, so I can tweak it to MY setup. Such as Michael's monitoring of his water tank. AWESOME! I tweaked it a bit as I don't use 1-wire. I'm using other methods to record the data.
I've still got to get off my butt and finish up the how-to for making a UPB Appliance module into a Dry Contact (as I find the voltage levels of the 32I/O a joke, but understand that it was designed for LV, not HV...the appliance module is HV). I also don't enjoy spending $99 per 32I/O when I only needed ONE contact...so I can spend $70-80ish per contact (or if you find a stash of the old Fry's modules on E-bay...$20 per module!!).
Especially since I feel most of us here are DIY'ers, and each has a specialized knowledge in certain areas...so to share so we ALL get the benefit is AWESOME!
--Dan
I've still got to get off my butt and finish up the how-to for making a UPB Appliance module into a Dry Contact (as I find the voltage levels of the 32I/O a joke, but understand that it was designed for LV, not HV...the appliance module is HV). I also don't enjoy spending $99 per 32I/O when I only needed ONE contact...so I can spend $70-80ish per contact (or if you find a stash of the old Fry's modules on E-bay...$20 per module!!).
Especially since I feel most of us here are DIY'ers, and each has a specialized knowledge in certain areas...so to share so we ALL get the benefit is AWESOME!
--Dan
forgets
Member
I found cocoontech through search, since i'd been eyeing an elk-m1 and wanted to make sure i wasn't going to be the only person straying from your typical Ademco / DSC type of alarms. Needless to say i bought the thing, and kept visiting. I think to attract more people to cocoontech, there's got to be more tutorials.. wiring 101 and all those are nice, but for a lot of the people i've gotten hooked on cocoontech it's a steep learning curve to understand what's being said in the forums. Perhaps updating the tutorials with pictures, or video's would make draw a lot more people in who are considering products like the elk / hai / nuvo / etc.. People on the forums are great are providing answers when the questions are asked, but i think it'd be cool if we explained a lot of what's in the product manuals in laymens terms, such as 'here is an elk alarm, and here's how you can hook up sensors to it, attach a m1xsp to it, and log into it online'.. tutorials on connecting the various parts of home automation systems would be great as well, such as 'here's how to interface your lighting system to tell your alarm to arm itself and shut off your nuvo concerto all at the push of 1 button' and to actually show it with steps and pictures. That's just one of the most common complaints i get from my brother who's a casual user just starting to dip his feet into H/A.. he knows the info is all there in the forums, but he's not always sure of the terms to search for to find it.
Other than that, i'd say you've done an excellent job at attracting new members just by being open to add parts of the forums for lots of different people.. i know most HAI people have started trickling over, and i was glad to see you even give some space to the premise users (of which i was formerly).
Ooh, one more suggestion, maybe start up a mailing list?
Other than that, i'd say you've done an excellent job at attracting new members just by being open to add parts of the forums for lots of different people.. i know most HAI people have started trickling over, and i was glad to see you even give some space to the premise users (of which i was formerly).
Ooh, one more suggestion, maybe start up a mailing list?
Similar threads
- Article
