HAI Pre Wired, need lighting install advice

[Billfw]

This is my first post but have been following for awhile as I get into cocooning.  This is a great forum! 
 
I hope to ask some reasonable questions and request your experts opinions on my HA strategy.  Please feel to comment any or all my questions.   I appreciate it.
 
My two year old house was pre-wired for HA.   I general contracted my house and had the electrical contractor install the high and low voltage wiring.  I only had so much budget at the time and elected to have security hooked up initally with the lighting to follow later.  I also have the house pre-wired for 6-8 ZONE whole audio.
 
My system runs off an OminPro II and I have a couple control panels to manage the security.  So far, just as a security system I have been very pleased with HAI and the OmniPro II.   The security is remotely monitored via analog line and have given me and family an added layer of protection and safety. 
 
With that background, what I doing is planning out the next few phases.  Roughly, I'd light to automate the lighting, thermostats, and consider options for retrofitting a CCTV system that would be compatible with the OmniPro.  I am going to install the lighting myself but will likely have a contractor come in and help with the other phases 
 
For lighting, I think UPD will be my technology of choice.   Good choice?  I have been walking around my house take counts of the various switches.  Overall, I am in the 50-60 range with approximately 15 3-way switches.  Being new to all this, I am considering starting small and beginning with the automation of my outside lighting switches (4 total).  No 3 ways to figure out with what should be a simple procedure of replacing the switches.   Even on this small project,  I estimating I will need the dimmable UPD switches, PIM, and one of the HAI software applications for the initial set up and programming.  Is the software I need the PC Access application?  Anything else? 
 
For next phases, do you have any advice on how to identify the 3 way switches?  Also, in specing out the switches I will need to take into account that I have started switching my can lights to LED and also have quite a few CFL lights.  Dimming switchs would be preferable for most lighting but it is correct that the CFL's will require non-dimming?  I also need to beef up my understanding on how to program scenes.  My wife and I both have Iphones and would also like to use Ipads to control the HA.  What are good are good interfaces these days.  I have read abou Haiku and also Irule just release a new version.  For someone with average programming skill, what software would you recommend for building scenes that would all connect to HAI? 
 
Can you advise on what I general options I have for setting up a CCTV with 2-4 cameras external.  Because I did not prewire  I may need a wireless solution. 
 
I have a varilable speed HVAC heat pump and will need to spec out the correct Ominstat.  I am thinking the HAIRC2000WH is correct.  I have it pre-wired with Cat5 so zigbee is not needed. 
 
Finally, for the last item, which will probably be next year - What are current opinions on the best options now available for whole house audio. I have cat5 prewired to all control panel for each zone but - do I need a touch screen in each zone as with my prefered hardware - Nuvo Grand Cinema OR can I now control the zones with Ipads etc. and not use zone control panels?  Wifey does not like the idea of the zone control panels on the walls. 
 
Thanks!!!
 
 
 

 

[jmorris644]

Whew, that is quite a few questions. Here goes, and all of this is IMHO.
 
1. I think you meant UPB, not UPD. HAI UPB switches work great. I have approximately 80 of them. I have a mixture of LED, CFL, and Halogen. I use dimmable switches on all of them. The switches that control the CFL lights can be set up to not dim. I use non-dimming switches for all of my ceiling fans. 3-way switches are available too.
 
2. Basically, to identify a 3-way switch is if you have 2 different switches that control a single light. If you look at these switches, there will be an additional wire.
 
3. I have wired CCTV going into HAI video servers. I think if you can install wireless that go to a controller and then form the controller into the HAI video servers they will co-exist with the rest of the HAI. I do believe that if you use Haiku (which I highly recommend) then you can go with direct wireless and not need to worry about the video controllers.
 
4. I too have variable speed heatpump and the omnistat2 works great for me. I have 10 zones in the house.
 
5. I use Nuvo Essentia and have 16 zones throughout the house. Also controlled through the HAI. I ahve keypads but can also control them form any iOS device using Haiku.
 
Joe

 

[Billfw]

Joe,
 
Thanks so much for taking on my large list of questions.   In the future I will keep it more to one question at a time. 
 
Thanks also for the Haiku recommendation.  I will likely use it for front-end with with my Apple hardware.   
 
I had one follow up question, did you use a phase coupler in wiring your system?
 
Thanks! 
 
Bill

 

[jmorris644]

Joe,
 
Thanks so much for taking on my large list of questions.   In the future I will keep it more to one question at a time. 
 
Thanks also for the Haiku recommendation.  I will likely use it for front-end with with my Apple hardware.   
 
I had one follow up question, did you use a phase coupler in wiring your system?
 
Thanks! 
 
Bill

Yes I did. I have a 400amp service across two different panels. So far it is working perfectly. I have zero failures.
 
Joe