Originally posted by tt300zrcr
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Building a new house any reccomendations on what to add.
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Originally posted by TC1 View Post
IMO, the best use of tablets is for information-at-a-glance. When approaching/walking by the screen it comes on and you can see things like currently playing, temps, perimeter sensors, weather, etc.
Also, late at night sometimes you don't want to use voice commands.
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Originally posted by Bigstevep View Post
I agree that Zwave switches are the best for lights.
I agree. I think Touch Screens look really cool BUT no one at my house and other houses where I have done installs wants to walking around touching screens when they can just voice command Google (or Alexa) to do it. I have one Touch Screen and my house but I never have to wipe the screen off as it has no fingerprints on it!
Z-Wave is also my protocol of choice. Although I still have some X-10 modules that I break out during Christmastime. (I would NEVER recommend building a beautiful new house with X-10 - but I'm sure the OP is well aware)
For audio/announcements I just discovered the Chromecast plugin and it's been great. I must have had my head buried in the sand. My fear is that Google Home and Chromecast is gimmicky enough that it will fade so they are not permanent installs where they are located throughout our home. I'm using clean looking wall mounts that could be removed and mounting holes repaired if needed.
The house where we used to live I had speakers in many of the rooms throughout the house and powered it with an inexpensive ELK-800 amplifier connected directly to the HS server. Talk about bulletproof!
I've been using HomeSeer since 1999 and I've seen a ton of ideas come and go. It's nearly impossible to predict the future but if I was building and had the resources, along with the other great suggestions people have shared, I'd also suggest a neutral to every box (where possible) I think I saw that there are some newer Z-Wave switches that don't require a neutral now so even that thought might be moot.
Dan-O
HomeSeer contributor since summer 1999, yes 1999!
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Originally posted by Dan-O View Post
I'd also suggest a neutral to every box (where possible) I think I saw that there are some newer Z-Wave switches that don't require a neutral now so even that thought might be moot.
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Originally posted by tt300zrcr View Posti am wondering if i even should run poe to like touch panel just hide it in the wall incase i ever wanted i think that probably the best bet i rather just talk to alexa mostly. still working on the plans but i think i should have good understanding now.
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Lessons Learned from 2017 New Home:
1. Install a 19" wall mounted rack where all of the cables will terminate. I am using products from NavePoint. In 2017 I used CAT5E cable.
2. Install a suitable UPS for all of the equipment in the wall mounted rack.
3. Install appropriate patch panels CAT6 or 6A
4. Install a power distribution strip plug in the top of the enclosure.
5. Install a suitable Ethernet Switch (I prefer a managed switch and consider a POE version.) My main switch is a 48 port 1GB TP-LINK L2 Managed Switch.
6. Install multiple Ethernet cables to each location. This will prevent you from have to place Ethernet Switches in the living area (Think blinking Ethernet Led's at night.)
7. Take pictures of every wall plate and document how they are connected back to the patch panel.
8. Test every cable prior to moving the furniture in.
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Clearly mark each cable at the rack.
With something permanent like this, and use heat shrink labels.
https://www.amazon.com/DYMO-Industri...98&sr=8-3&th=1
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Originally posted by looney2ns View PostClearly mark each cable at the rack.
With something permanent like this, and use heat shrink labels.
https://www.amazon.com/DYMO-Industri...98&sr=8-3&th=1Mark
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All great ideas the only thing i am unfamiliar is the whole house audio distribution aspect i would like insound in the bedrooms and kitchen living areas as well as our gym. currently i use nuvo in the current house but that is so outdated and i dont really like getting up to make changes. theres got to be better plugins that can intergrate with the likes of alexa and google for talking capabilities where we can just say play song in kitchen and vice versa.
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Originally posted by tt300zrcr View PostAll great ideas the only thing i am unfamiliar is the whole house audio distribution aspect i would like insound in the bedrooms and kitchen living areas as well as our gym. currently i use nuvo in the current house but that is so outdated and i dont really like getting up to make changes. theres got to be better plugins that can intergrate with the likes of alexa and google for talking capabilities where we can just say play song in kitchen and vice versa.
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I have a similar setup to mulu but one of the inputs into the distro amp is the HS system. I use HS scripts to control the amp via RS232.
If I were to do it again, I'd probably look for a system with digital audio distribution via Cat5/6 to individual amps to keep the speaker wiring a short as possible."if I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." --Sir Isaac Newton (1675)
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Originally posted by kenm View PostI have a similar setup to mulu but one of the inputs into the distro amp is the HS system. I use HS scripts to control the amp via RS232.
If I were to do it again, I'd probably look for a system with digital audio distribution via Cat5/6 to individual amps to keep the speaker wiring a short as possible.
I did initially have humming issues and even today when I move some cables I temporarily still get humming while moving cables at the central location. What I ended up doing is using a fiber optical cable from the "wall mounted" Chromecast device to a digital to analog converter right at the 16 channel amp.
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Many years ago, I wired my house and outdoors for speakers, all terminating back at my basement hub. I used to run amps and a speaker switcher to control audio, integrated through HS. But I have found Sonos to be a much simpler and far more flexible solution. The Sonos4 plugin works great, and I can mix and match zones, play my own playlists or Pandora/Spotify lists, monitored and controlled via HSTouch. The Sonos players just sit on your network, wired or wireless, so not a lot to prep for. The downside is the price of some of the Sonos players like Amp, but the Sonos One is somewhat affordable at $200 each.Mark
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