Home theater lighting

[hunter69]

I am refinishing a room. It is going to be a multipurpose room. In the room is going to be a projector home theater. I want to control lighting and electric curtains. I currently own mx880 with the mrf 350. I was wondering if I could install upb devices and control it all with my MX880. Anyone have any experience with this? I was reading of a UPB desktop controller that has an ir receiver. If this is possible can you give me a shopping list to begin looking at?

Thanks

 

[ceady]

For strictly integrating lighting in the theater, URC has lights manufactured by Lutron that are controlled directly from the mx-880 remote, around $80 a piece.

http://www.universalremote.com/products/residential/lighting/urc-lighting

Otherwise I've used Lutron's Spacer lights, with the IR blaster connected to the MRF-350 for control of the lights, works flawless.

Regarding UPB. . .can't help.

Craig

 

[AnthonyZ]

Yep, you got it. Just get an HAI room controller, place it in the rack with an IR "bug" over the IR receiver. PM me your email address and I'll send you the hex codes you use to activate the UPB links associated with buttons. Done.

 

[hunter69]

So I have planned to get into HA for quite a while. I had decided on UPB tech, so that is why I spoke of UPB. Now the room desktop controller I read about is a PCS DCT-6. I has a IR receiver (from my reading). Does HAI or SA have a similar controller that accepts IR. I will expand upon my HA system with a compatible HA controller like a Elk unit. As you can tell I am completely new to this technology, so I was thinking this would be a good way to get my feet wet into this hobby. Is my thinking correct? How complex is it for a person with no exp (in HA), purchase/install a couple of UPB Dimmers and a room controller and get is functioning with my MX880?

Thanks for the help
Bill

 

[hunter69]

I am attaching a floor plan of the new room. I have provided switch locations. I also have a few questions in regards to automating the lighting:
1. Is there a maximum amount of lights/wattage per upb dimmer switch? This room was a garage, so it had 5 lights in the garage. The single bulb basic type fixture. We will be selecting different lighting fixtures. My wife likes track type lighting. like this or something similar Track lighting, So let's say each track had say 3 bulbs (guessing 60 watt), in five different locations, is this a concern? Got any suggestions for switches to purchase.
2. I have two different locations to control the lights. So obviously these are 3 way switches. Do I have to replace both switches with upb dimmers.

Thanks
Bill

I will reply in a little while to ask a question about automating blackout curtains in the big window in the room.

 

[hunter69]

So besides automating the lights, I am looking to add electric curtains to the macro that I program into the MX880. I am looking into the following curtain rod for the bay window in the room

Remote control curtains

If you have any suggestions as to automating curtains I am all ears.

I am going to put an outlet in the ceiling above the window and a low voltage outlet with a 3/4 inch smurf tube to the media. I have provided pics of the room on AVS:


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1310606

This room is going to contain a projector with a 120" diagnol screen. I know this is not the ht forum but I am trying to figure out how to break into automation by automatin the blackout curtains and lights.

Thanks again for all help

 

[AnthonyZ]

As ceady stated, if you're only wanting to add lighting control to a single room, the URC option may work better. If you have plans to expand into a more whole house HA scenario, don't go the URC route. UPB is a good choice and it is easy to accomplish what you're after. Per your PM, a simple plan would include purchasing the UPB dimmers that you need (pay attention to load ratings). I use and have sold many HAI dimmers but I also really, really like Web Mountain's stuff. You will also need the room controller (some think of it as a keypad) with IR receiver. I am unsure if the IR codes that work with HAI room controllers (which I can get to you to program into your MX880) also work with other manufacturers' gear. You may want to look into that if you go with other gear. Lastly, you will need a PIM to program the UPB links into your dimmers. The UpStart software used to program UPB via the PIM is free to download at a number of different sites and there are countless threads at Cocoontech in regards to programming. There is no need, yet, to purchase and install a more robust automation controller (a la Elk or HAI Omni).

I am on the clock now but, will look at your other questions later and it's likely that someone smarter than I will answer in the meantime.

 

[hunter69]

can you tell which hai controller has a ir receiver? Can you point me to a 3 way hai dimmer switch?

To figure load ratings, do you simply add up the wattage of all the bulbs on that dimmer switch.

Yes I plan to expand in the future but for starters I wanted to setup this and then expand on it.


Thanks
Bill

 

[AnthonyZ]

can you tell which hai controller has a ir receiver? Can you point me to a 3 way hai dimmer switch?

To figure load ratings, do you simply add up the wattage of all the bulbs on that dimmer switch.

Yes I plan to expand in the future but for starters I wanted to setup this and then expand on it.


Thanks
Bill

1. HAI's "scene switch" has the IR receiver
2. All HAI dimmers can be three way with the use of an Auxilliary switch on the other side.
3. Sum wattage + 10-20% (to conservatively load the dimmer)
4. Then UPB is a good place to start and you can look at it as an investment where the URC switches would have to eventually be replaced.

 

[hunter69]

1. HAI's "scene switch" has the IR receiver
2. All HAI dimmers can be three way with the use of an Auxilliary switch on the other side.
3. Sum wattage + 10-20% (to conservatively load the dimmer)
4. Then UPB is a good place to start and you can look at it as an investment where the URC switches would have to eventually be replaced.

Thank you for the information. I have a couple questions. I will be referring to my drawing above.

Position 1 and 2 are for switches. I have marked my media closet "media". Position 1 is a switch that controls lights in the room. Positions 2 will contain switches to control lights in the room. Position 2 contains 2 switches. One switch controls the same lights as Position 1. The other switch doesn't exist yet but will control the lights near the projector screen. The mrf350 will be located in the media closet.

1. I found the HAI scene switch. It looks as though their is a desktop version and a j box version. Is the desktop version the same as the j box version (ie IR receiver). I would want to place the HAI scene switch in the media closet is that correct?
2. Position 1 current has a 3 way switch. I would replace this switch with a auxillary switch?
3. Position 2 would contain 2 HAI Dimmer switches?
4. Can I control the switches located at position 2 independently? If I wanted to do this would I need to purchse anything else for this install?
5. Am I forgetting anything??

Now have you ever automated curtains?? My thought process would be to have the electric curtain rod triggered by an ir signal from the mx880/mrf350 during a macro. Ideas?

Thanks
Bill

 

[AnthonyZ]

Thank you for the information. I have a couple questions. I will be referring to my drawing above.

Position 1 and 2 are for switches. I have marked my media closet "media". Position 1 is a switch that controls lights in the room. Positions 2 will contain switches to control lights in the room. Position 2 contains 2 switches. One switch controls the same lights as Position 1. The other switch doesn't exist yet but will control the lights near the projector screen. The mrf350 will be located in the media closet.

1. I found the HAI scene switch. It looks as though their is a desktop version and a j box version. Is the desktop version the same as the j box version (ie IR receiver). I would want to place the HAI scene switch in the media closet is that correct?
2. Position 1 current has a 3 way switch. I would replace this switch with a auxillary switch?
3. Position 2 would contain 2 HAI Dimmer switches?
4. Can I control the switches located at position 2 independently? If I wanted to do this would I need to purchse anything else for this install?
5. Am I forgetting anything??

Now have you ever automated curtains?? My thought process would be to have the electric curtain rod triggered by an ir signal from the mx880/mrf350 during a macro. Ideas?

Thanks
Bill

1. They are the same.
2. First, I have no idea what your position 1 is. What I would say is that the auxiliary switch location may vary depending on how "sparky" wired the circuit. If it's hot to the load and then switch legs down would require a different layout than hot to a switch, on to a switch and then on to load. Etc. Etc.
3. I don't know. What is this position 2 you speak of? Just link the image here instead of making me dig at AVS (a forum I only reluctantly and rarely visit. I can't stand that $4!thole).
4. Yes but, it would depend on how you program your UPB links.
5. Tough question to answer.

 

[hunter69]

1. They are the same.
2. First, I have no idea what your position 1 is. What I would say is that the auxiliary switch location may vary depending on how "sparky" wired the circuit. If it's hot to the load and then switch legs down would require a different layout than hot to a switch, on to a switch and then on to load. Etc. Etc.
3. I don't know. What is this position 2 you speak of? Just link the image here instead of making me dig at AVS (a forum I only reluctantly and rarely visit. I can't stand that $4!thole).
4. Yes but, it would depend on how you program your UPB links.
5. Tough question to answer.

I have the pic posted in post #5. I cannot see it at work but the sight is blocked at work. It is linked to photobucket. I can only see the drawing when I am logged in. Can you not see the drawing??

 

[AnthonyZ]

I have the pic posted in post #5. I cannot see it at work but the sight is blocked at work. It is linked to photobucket. I can only see the drawing when I am logged in. Can you not see the drawing??

In the drawing (overview, floor plan) there is no labeling for position 1 or 2.

 

[hunter69]

In the drawing (overview, floor plan) there is no labeling for position 1 or 2.

In the drawing I placed some arrows (my attempt to identify switch locations. I put a description next to each arrow. In the upper left hand location (as you are looking at the drawing) I have the description "Position 1 light switch. 3 way switch. Position 1 and 2 control the lights. I guess I meant control the same lights. Then I placed two other arrows describing light switch location. So anyway Position 1 as I was describing is in the upper left hand corner and position 2 is the bottom middle.

I apologize for the confusion if I post anymore I will figure out how to make it easier.

Thanks for your time on this.

 

[hunter69]

So I don't know if I came across wrong. This thread is still alive. I was trying to clarify my mistakes in the drawing. I would greatly appreciate more help in understanding how to setup UPB etc (as stated above).

Thanks for your patience with me.
Bill