I'm a few weeks away from starting LV wiring for my new home. I've been researching various options for products. I'd appreciate it greatly if anyone here has travelled my same road and would care to comment.
I'll be a DIY'er and in my case it seems that using a good central system with "lots-o-features" and proven interface partners would be better (and cheaper) than tying together best of breed apps for individual functions.
I'm liking the general feature set advertised for the HAI OmniPro, and UPB switches. It would give me lighting control for room scenes and whole-house functions by using UPB switches. It would also provide a security system that would communicate with door/window contacts, motion sensors, and glass-break detectors. I could also control draperies in my home theater using hardwired Hunter Douglas motorized drapes/blinds controlled by UPB dimmers set to non-dimmer mode. I could also use HAI's motorized drapery partners, but the integration only seems to be in switch compatibility (touch panels) - and UPB offers this anyway.
I plan for distributed audio and video, and HAI claims integration with a few of these vendors. I'm not sure what this integration consists of, other than perhaps interrupting the sound/picture for the phone or doorbell, and perhaps touch panel control. Anybody care to comment on what else?
In my case I have two buildings - I like the idea of a "scene switch" that could work in this manner: From the out-building I can press the button that I would name "guest arrival". Pressing that button would open a driveway gate (by addressing another UPB switch that opens the gate), 10 seconds later it would open a garage door, and 25 seconds later it would activate a door strike allowing the guest entry from the garage to the house. I don't know all the details of how this might work, but one can infer from the HAI literature that it is possible - although I'm not clear on the timing aspect. Is anyone here doing something like this?
I will have 6 thermostats among the two buildings. The HAI thermostats communicate with the OmniPro board. Using a house-control switch I should be able to push an "I'm away" button and have all thermostats move to a preset energy-saving temperature. Save $$$.
For other devices that have on-off switches I should be able to use UPB switches and control them in groups. With proper planning and switch placement I should be able to control things like fireplaces, the spa motor, fountains, etc.
I might even add a few zip boxes in strategic places, have the electrician run three wires to them, and cap them off. They would be available for additional scene switches for things I do not yet forsee.
I know "the devil's in the details" but from research this seems like the way to go for me. Unfortunately my opinion is based solely on internet research with no real-world experience. Am I off-base here?
TIA, HardWay.
I'll be a DIY'er and in my case it seems that using a good central system with "lots-o-features" and proven interface partners would be better (and cheaper) than tying together best of breed apps for individual functions.
I'm liking the general feature set advertised for the HAI OmniPro, and UPB switches. It would give me lighting control for room scenes and whole-house functions by using UPB switches. It would also provide a security system that would communicate with door/window contacts, motion sensors, and glass-break detectors. I could also control draperies in my home theater using hardwired Hunter Douglas motorized drapes/blinds controlled by UPB dimmers set to non-dimmer mode. I could also use HAI's motorized drapery partners, but the integration only seems to be in switch compatibility (touch panels) - and UPB offers this anyway.
I plan for distributed audio and video, and HAI claims integration with a few of these vendors. I'm not sure what this integration consists of, other than perhaps interrupting the sound/picture for the phone or doorbell, and perhaps touch panel control. Anybody care to comment on what else?
In my case I have two buildings - I like the idea of a "scene switch" that could work in this manner: From the out-building I can press the button that I would name "guest arrival". Pressing that button would open a driveway gate (by addressing another UPB switch that opens the gate), 10 seconds later it would open a garage door, and 25 seconds later it would activate a door strike allowing the guest entry from the garage to the house. I don't know all the details of how this might work, but one can infer from the HAI literature that it is possible - although I'm not clear on the timing aspect. Is anyone here doing something like this?
I will have 6 thermostats among the two buildings. The HAI thermostats communicate with the OmniPro board. Using a house-control switch I should be able to push an "I'm away" button and have all thermostats move to a preset energy-saving temperature. Save $$$.
For other devices that have on-off switches I should be able to use UPB switches and control them in groups. With proper planning and switch placement I should be able to control things like fireplaces, the spa motor, fountains, etc.
I might even add a few zip boxes in strategic places, have the electrician run three wires to them, and cap them off. They would be available for additional scene switches for things I do not yet forsee.
I know "the devil's in the details" but from research this seems like the way to go for me. Unfortunately my opinion is based solely on internet research with no real-world experience. Am I off-base here?
TIA, HardWay.